L’Express Des Isles to increase calls and reduce fares

L'express Des Isles
L’express Des Isles

L’Express Des Isles has announced plans to increase the number of calls between popular destinations, and reduce fares.

Commercial Director of L’Express Des Isles, Didier Coffre, made the announcement at a press conference on Monday.

More trips will be made between Guadeloupe and Dominica, to accommodate the increased number of passengers. Weekend trips to all destinations will also be introduced.

“From Dominica to Guadeloupe, you will have five round trips per week—Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And, from Guadeloupe to Dominica, you will be able to come back on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday,” he explained. “What is very new in Dominica, it’s the weekends. We will be able to provide you weekends from Dominica to Guadeloupe to Martinique, and to St. Lucia. This is very new for your market… You can leave Dominica from Friday to [all destinations], and come back Sunday,” Coffre noted.

Coffre said trips between Guadeloupe and Dominica will be increased
Coffre said trips between Guadeloupe and Dominica will be increased

The company has made amendments to existing packages, and has also developed a new package, called ‘Toupiti’.

“Because our population has no extra revenue, we need to provide them with a very aggressive fare. So, for the first time… on Monday and Thursday, you will be able to find Toupiti fare at EC$250 for round trip…” Coffre stated.“It will be an opportunity to increase our figures from Dominica, but [also] from the other islands to Dominica, because Toupiti exists also in all islands.”

It was also said that no more junior tickets will be sold. Instead, a non-refundable, but modifiable ‘Baby’ ticket will be made available for passengers under two (2) years old, at EC$160. A ‘Zen’ package will be afforded to customers, at EC$310, with non-refundable, but modifiable tickets (modifications cost EC$50). A ‘Flex’ package will be offered at EC$380, with refundable, modifiable tickets (modifications will be free).

One bag, with a maximum weight of 25kg, is included in all ticket prices.

There will be no limit placed on the number of tickets sold within each package. All amendments and initiatives are expected to be permanent.

These policies are to take effect on April 15, 2016.

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24 Comments

  1. Emelia Jolly
    April 7, 2016

    Could you tell me if there would be a chance that the ferry would be doing trips to the Barbados waters.

  2. islandgal
    April 7, 2016

    Please start a service to Barbados

  3. nadybou
    April 6, 2016

    oh que de bonnes nouvelles qui j’espère ouvriront les portes et peut etre un petit coup de fouet à tous !!!moi j’adhère car j’aime la dominique et la vie chez eux me manque dès que je n’y suis pas…
    et puis il faudrait que leur image touristique soit un peu plus hard que les guadeloupéens et martiniquais n’y voient pas toujours la fiesta … mais qu’il y a matière à faire en accordant nos violons !!!
    qui revient moins cher qu’un week end chez nous avec dépaysement garanti ..???♥

  4. Me
    April 6, 2016

    This is great news! This means that I won’t have to use Leave Island Any Time(LIAT) crappy, unprofessional, overly-priced, disrespectful, irresponsible, nonchalant, “service.” No longer will I be subject to the poisons and toxins they force us to inhale, or their rude and poorly trained staff. Thank you Lord Jesus for answering my cries. Good riddance LIAT! I bid you farewell. I sincerely hate your groundline and I wish you a swift and steady decline!

  5. Me
    April 6, 2016

    That queuing up separately for departure tax has to go. That is a real turn off and antiquated.

    • April 6, 2016

      It’s an incredibly stupid tax because it spits in the eye of tourists on their way out. Doubly so in that credit cards are not accepted to pay it, as though this were still 1950. Either put it in the ticket price or eliminate it.

      • Me
        April 7, 2016

        Mr. Foester, you are so right. They only take cash and that system is open to abuse.
        Who, accounts for the money they receive. I would not call it a racket but it very well could be. This is a bad image. They have a similar scenario at the airport for parking fees. Stupid.

  6. LearnToLoveIt
    April 5, 2016

    I hope this wasnt only as a result of the new airline giving low fares to both Guadeloupe and Martinique. Competition is what lowered the ferry rates. Nothing else. But we are grateful.

  7. harris nicholls
    April 5, 2016

    happy for this martinique here i come and guadeloupe

  8. tj
    April 5, 2016

    What LIAT does is provide a lower fare to kill the ferry, then go back to it’s bad incopetent ways. However, congratulations to the ferry owners. Good show

  9. Great!
    April 5, 2016

    Very good news. LIAT cannot cut style on us anymore!! That’s the bad thing about monopolies.

  10. Traveller
    April 5, 2016

    Great news. Liat takes longer since you have to make so much stops and so many delays. Was trying to book a flight from DA to St. Lucia, the flight leaves at 10:55am and reaches at 6:55pm. Now I am better off taking the ferry…. Only 4 hrs. Avoid all these stops in Antigua, Barbados and every other airport in the caribbean
    Every airline had their issues… Liat just has too many.

  11. Danziger
    April 5, 2016

    Why one baggage of 25 KILOS that is unfare. lEAVE US WITH 2 at 25 KILOS.

    • Malatete
      April 6, 2016

      If you travel frequently I would advise you to become an “abonne”, or subscriber with Express des Isles. Not only will you benefit from .lower fares but also be entitled to a more generous baggage allowance. This would be especially advantageous if you connect in Guadeloupe or Martinique with n international flight on AirCaraibe in premium economy class, which gives you a baggage allowance of 2×25 kg.
      It would be ideal if the French ferry operators could time the sailing schedule of their ferries to fit in with arrival times of those flights (say from Paris) to afford passengers for Dominica same-day arrival in Dominica. It really would cut out the troublesome airport in Antigua and being held to ransom by LIAT. We need more choice and competition if we are to develop Dominica.

  12. April 5, 2016

    This is great news for all concerned and in every way .Growth watch development start take place. Better late than never. Blessings

  13. April 5, 2016

    Combined with Norwegian’s ultralow fares to flights to PTP and FTF, this could make it a lot more practical for people to visit, at least during the winter season when those flights are available.

    • Malatete
      April 6, 2016

      I agree mr. Foerster. I understand that Norwegian also have plans for direct flights from Europe to Guadeloupe and Martinique, including London. Such a development would really help us. Norwegian already fly direct from London (Gatwick) to Puerto Rico during the cruise season.

      • April 6, 2016

        They already offer that, from London, Paris, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. But like their flights from the U.S., they only offer them from November through April. Half a year is better than none, I suppose.

  14. weh
    April 5, 2016

    It would be great if they had ferry services leaving in the evening from the french islands and also from hubs such as Antigua & Barbados so that people can get to DA same day instead of having to overnight.

  15. Just Me
    April 5, 2016

    Yes sa! Music to my wallet!! Gwada here I come

  16. Shaka Zulu
    April 5, 2016

    Great!!!!!!! There are very cheap flights from new York to Guadalupe. Can we get shuttle from airport to express. Rather fly in there than take that misery flying to PR and Antigua

    • Malatete
      April 6, 2016

      There is no reason why passengers could not get a through-ticket that combines flight and ferry. This service exist already in France itself (and partially Belgium), where you can book a ticket through Air Caraibe for instance from Guadeloupe to Lille in northern France or Brussels, flying to Paris Orly and then by express train to your final destination. I am sure this is doable in the case of Dominica and Express des Iles. Such a ticket could include a transfer from the ferry terminal to the airport.
      With all this I think Dominica would perhaps be better off in the E.U. (at least associate membership) than Caricom. It would certainly give a boost to our tourism industry.

  17. AAGabriel
    April 5, 2016

    That is the way to go! Liat take note!

  18. lightbulb
    April 5, 2016

    liat well i suspect you get stick weee.

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