Passengers due to travel on the Commodore Clipper in the run-up to Christmas have been moved onto other sailings as the ship has been chartered to Brittany Ferries.

Sailings of the Clipper in the lead up to Christmas have been cancelled, with those due to travel on the conventional ferry to Portsmouth moved to alternative sailings.

Several people took to social media to complain that their Christmas travel plans had been messed up as a result of the change:

"I have just had a email from Condor, informing us that our booking on the 21st December to Portsmouth has been cancelled, due to vessel repositioning and they now want to put us on the Liberation to Poole on the 19th, this is miles out of our way as we have a ferry on the evening of the 21st from Harwich, this is not the first time this year, they have messed around with our sailings, in August I was stuck in France for a week."

"Having been a longstanding supporter of Condor I today am absolutely furious at the email I received today ref a Clipper sailing on 21/12/2024 which has now been cancelled. The only alternative is a sailing on the 19/12 to Poole so ruining several appointments and meetings on that day and the next.."

Condor says its does 'not anticipate requiring the support of Commodore Clipper this winter' and so the ship has been chartered to Brittany Ferries for use on its UK-France routes.

The ferry firm says the Liberation will return from annual maintenance on 19 December, and Clipper passengers have been rebooked on the high speed crossing to Poole, or on the Islander.

"Commodore Goodwill and Condor Islander are also running six and seven days per week respectively to keep the Islands connected and supplied."

Condor says the Clipper can be returned to the CI routes if needed.

"However, we have retained the option to recall Clipper to service in the Channel Islands if required, maintaining our fleet resilience. She will also operate to St Malo for five weeks during January and early February.”

An urgent question about the removal of the Christmas Clipper sailings has been tabled for Jersey's States sitting this morning (28 November).