We've just got back from a weeks holiday in France and took Brittany Ferries from Porstmouth-Caen on the way out and Cherbourg-Portsmouth on the way back. Both were very different experiences!
Portsmouth - Caen (overnight); We took the overnight ferry which departed at 11.15pm and arrived at 7.15am. When we arrived at the ferry terminal two hours early the queues were massive for check-in. What we didn't realise was that two ferries actually depart at similar times so there were loads of vehicles queuing up. The staff were efficient and moved cars on to the quayside boarding area fairly early on as the waiting area had become full very quickly. This did mean that once on the quayside we couldn't leave the car so there was a frustrating
hour or so there. They started loading the ferry at around 10.30 and we were on relatively quickly so were able to aquaint ourselves with the ferry early and find the reclining seats. We did get confused though because everyone else appeared to have seat numbers and we simply had a ferry voucher that said '4 reclining seats' were booked. So off to the information desk we went where they checked their list and very quickly found our seat numbers. Having sussed out where our seats were we did the normal thing and had a bit of a wander - venutred to the cafe to get a drink and stood outside to wave goodby to Blighty.
When we returned to our seats we quickly realised that being located against the back wall the amount of recline was seriously restricted - so much so it was as if the seats were vertical. We also couldn't find the blankets that other people in the room seemed to have so it was a very uncomfortable night for me - to be fair I'm not the best sleeper in the world but I challenge anyone to sleep upright with a stranger next to them in a room that is slightly cold. Especially when there was the worlds loudest snorer in the room.
In the morning we established that all the blankets provided for the room had been used and let me stress that the room was probably only a quarter full - some people certainly had more than one blanket and that for me was a let down.
It is quite nice to wake up (if you've been to sleep at all) and find yourself in France though - it makes it all very convenient and means that you can drive a considerable distance that day.
Cherbourg - Porstmouth (high speed) Wow - this one is choppy compared to the standard ferry! The benefit is that the crossing is less than three hours but because of the smaller boat and the fact it is a catamaran means that it's not the smoothest ride in the world. It's a lovely boat though and the reclining airline seats are more comfortable on this one even though the boat doesn't do proper 'overnight' crossings. Our left at 8.15pm and docked in Portsmouth at 10pm british time. It was half an hour late leaving and didn't catch up the time - it appeared to have been running late all day. I acquainted myself with the small outside deck to the rear of the boat for most of the journey - a good tip if you're prone to sea sickness! It was very pleasant though - not cold at all because it's very sheltered and you can stand in sympathy with other sufferers! There are two bars/cafes inside with a duty free shop which were absolutely heaving to start with and then trade dropped off as we got moving.
The disappointment was the number of toilets on board - only four cubicles for the women. There were people using the disabled cubicle rather than queue for the ladies. For a boat which holds 800 people 4 cubicles is hardly sufficient in my eyes.
Price; We paid £350 for the return journey which included four people and a car - no top box or trailer. I don't know how much it would be for the extra, I didn't think this cost was that bad seeing as we got 10 hours sailing time in total. This was high season and the weekend crossings so the price should drop accordingly out of season.
Conclusion; No worse or better than other ferries I've been on. We would definitely book early enough to get a cabin on the overnight crossing next time. I think for the sake of the children we'd avoid fast seacat crossings as well because of the sea-sickness (it was a relatively calm sea as well!) Otherwise I'ld be happy to use Brittany Ferries again.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Record Rent a Car is present in the main spanish airports and has a very wide fleet. We offer: exceptional discounts, free additional drivers,
unlimited mileage... subscribe to our Club Record and take advantage of special offers.
Advantages: Excellent entertainment and facillities on board, especially for children. Disadvantages: The only disadvantage for me is the three hour drive to plymouth.
mandi.47 28.08.2006 (28.08.2006)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Brittany Ferries
very helpful by (100%):
