Bob from L.A. !
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Francis 2012, 2014, 2016. Camino Norte 2018
Over the last few months I have been diligently moving forward with my Via Francigena plans in hopes of starting in Canterbury in early May 2023. As of June 2022 all signs indicated the P&O Ferries was again open to foot passengers and I thought I could look forward from there.
Two days ago I read on The Confraternity to Rome forum that once again the P&O was going to stop taking foot passengers starting in 2023. I checked another online English rail forum and found the same (similar) information regarding foot passengers.
Needless to say I began thinking about exercising my plan "B" (and "C") options, but then Emailed directly to the P&O website for verification on this topic.
Within 24 hours I received a reply telling me the information I read was inaccurate. "Brendan", the author of the email stated they are currently not accepting foot passengers up to the end of this year, but will be accepting new bookings for 2023 and will be available once their IT department updates their website. He closed the reply telling me their IT department will let them know when this goes live.
I Emailed the Confraternity website asking where they had obtained their information and learned they (Confraternity) had already been in talks with P&O about the importance of having this service available to foot passengers. The confraternity representative stated P&O had an open ear to the topic and is considering a reversal to their decision and may introduce revised timetables to allow foot passengers starting in 2023.
Sorry for the long post, but I believe with all of the back and forth decisions it might help/assist others with their planning and pique others to focus on this topic of their planning.
Good luck !
Two days ago I read on The Confraternity to Rome forum that once again the P&O was going to stop taking foot passengers starting in 2023. I checked another online English rail forum and found the same (similar) information regarding foot passengers.
Needless to say I began thinking about exercising my plan "B" (and "C") options, but then Emailed directly to the P&O website for verification on this topic.
Within 24 hours I received a reply telling me the information I read was inaccurate. "Brendan", the author of the email stated they are currently not accepting foot passengers up to the end of this year, but will be accepting new bookings for 2023 and will be available once their IT department updates their website. He closed the reply telling me their IT department will let them know when this goes live.
I Emailed the Confraternity website asking where they had obtained their information and learned they (Confraternity) had already been in talks with P&O about the importance of having this service available to foot passengers. The confraternity representative stated P&O had an open ear to the topic and is considering a reversal to their decision and may introduce revised timetables to allow foot passengers starting in 2023.
Sorry for the long post, but I believe with all of the back and forth decisions it might help/assist others with their planning and pique others to focus on this topic of their planning.
Good luck !