SERVICE STATUS View Departures
Timetables
Search
Book
drone photo of ferry sailing past cowes

Cancellation Protection

Cancellation Protection for Private Vehicle Bookings

Add Cancellation Protection to any private vehicle ferry booking (including car sized vans) booked by Red Funnel, for additional refund options if you need to cancel your sailing at the last minute.

How it works

Cancellation Protection allows you to book with confidence knowing you have extended refund protection if you cannot travel. This means if you book with our "Saver" or "Flexi" ticket types, you would be entitled to a full refund of your original fare, if you cancel in advance of your outward travel for any of the below unforeseen circumstances:

  • Illness/injury
  • Cancelled Hospital Appointment
  • Death of immediate family member
  • Public Transport Failure
  • Flight Disruption
  • Mechanical breakdown of vehicle
  • Adverse weather
  • Jury Service 
  • Court Summons
  • Armed Forces & Emergency Recall to duty
  • Relocation of work
  • Changes to examination dates

To qualify for a full refund, customers will need to provide supporting evidence as to why they are no longer able to travel.

Please note: our Cancellation Protection upgrade is not an insurance policy. This is an optional add on to our Standard Terms and Conditions, enhancing the refund options for qualifying circumstances. 

Terms & Conditions

  • A Refund will not be issued if a booking is no longer wanted or needed. Standard T&Cs will apply.
  • You will be asked to provide supporting evidence at your own expense, along with the booking confirmation showing that Cancellation Protection has been purchased. We will not issue refunds where sufficient proof is not provided.
  • Cancellation Protection is only applicable to the personal circumstances affecting your booking and does not relate to if a sailing is cancelled or delayed. Compensation relating to cancellation or delay of service will form part of the standard T&Cs that all customers have regarding these factors. More information can be found on our Ferry Service Disruption page. 
  • Refunds will be processed via the same card payment method as was made on the booking.
  • Cancellation Protection is not available for account or third party bookings

Cancellation Protection FAQ

This product is currently offered through our Contact Centre, when making a booking over the phone. If you choose to add it, a small fee will be added to the cost of your booking, which will display as a separate line on your e-ticket.

The price for Cancellation Protection is variable, depending on the value of your booking:

  • £5.99 -For bookings up to £60
  • £8.99 -For bookings between £60 - £120
  • £14.99 -For bookings between £120 - £220
  • £24.99 -For bookings over £220

Fill in the online application form, making sure to attach the correct supporting evidence. One of our agents will process your refund application, usually within 72 hours of submission. If successful, your refund will be made to your original method of payment.

Please note: to qualify, applications must be received in advance of your outward travel and cannot be made for the return leg of a journey.

  • Covid infection - if you, or someone within your Immediate Household, become infected with Covid-19 within the 10 days immediately prior to your outward leg of travel. This would need to be supported by evidence of a positive PCR test result.
  • Illness/injury – you will need to show proof from a medical practitioner/doctors note that you have been advised against travelling.
  • Cancelled Hospital Appointment – proof that your medical appointment has been cancelled and that you therefore no longer need to travel.
  • Death of immediate family member – death certificate of immediate family member (husband, wife, partner, civil partner, parent, child, brother, sister, grandmother or grandfather, or stepfamily) or member within your travelling group. This can be provided in the 4 weeks preceding travel.
  • Public Transport Failure – some proof that the failure of public transport directly impacted your ability to travel on the outward leg of your journey. This can usually be found on the travel operators website.
  • Flight Disruption – proof of cancellation or significant delay that means your onward connection would not be possible, or that you are no longer able to travel on the outward leg of your journey as a result of this disruption.
  • Mechanical breakdown of your vehicle - a copy of the call out note from your breakdown recovery provider, or an incident report from the police or traffic authority detailing the mechanical breakdown, and why this has prevented your from travelling.
  • Adverse weather - in the case of adverse weather, customers must be able to demonstrate that a Government agency has issued a weather warning, meaning "essential travel only" was advised.
  • Jury Service – copy of the summons letter asking you to attend Jury service during the date of your booking.
  • Court Summons – copy of the summons letter for you to attend Court during the date of your booking.
  • Armed Forces & Emergency Recall to duty – a note from your line manager demonstrating you are a member of the Armed Forces/Reserve Armed Forces or Emergency Services and have been recalled to work over the date of your booking. This would include being posted overseas.
  • Relocation for work – letter from your employer explaining you have to move home address for work, which makes it unrealistic for you to travel on your booking. This would not include having to attend work meetings.
  • Changes to examination dates – copy of letter from the examination body demonstrating unforeseen changes to the examination for a course which you are registered, meaning you cannot travel, or no longer need to travel, on your original booking.

You can call us within 24 hours of making your booking and remove the Cancellation Protection element free of charge. After 24 hours, it will be non-refundable. Once the product has been removed from your booking, you will revert to being covered by the standard T&C’s of the ticket type you have purchased.

Please note: You can remove your Cancellation Protection at any time providing your booking has not already travelled.