What would be an acceptable price for this crossing?
I priced Brittany for early july 2 weeks, €1600 compared to €1150 with Stena & €1350 with IF
CHAUSSON
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Tipperary Posts: 6813 Registered: 02 / 2012 My Motorhome: Knaus Sport Ti 700 UFB Silverline Base Vehicle: Renault Master 150 dci Quickshift
I would love to know john, their prices are pretty expensive alright but their Boat to France is a luxury one with a swimming pool, the one to Spain is a no frills one afaik and will have to be competitive to attract commercial vehicles. Anyone know when their rates will be made known?
Bounder
Craic Addict
Gender: n/a Location: West Cork Age: 51 Posts: 321 Registered: 12 / 2013 My Motorhome: 2015 Adria 640 SHX Base Vehicle: Ducato X250 2.3
AFAIK the end of the month is when fares are announced, I'd guess they can't price them too high as the standard of boat isn't the same as the cruise ferry Pont Aven, this is more a 50/50 commercial /passenger type arrangement.
They may still charge handsomely for the privilege but I have a feeling that the EU motorways of the sea project may have part funded this along with the looming spectre of Brexit may have added impetus to the project.
I welcome it wholeheartedly, any new service should be supported as it all adds choice.
I never availed of the LD lines shortlived St Nazaire-Gijon route and it was gone before I had a chance to use it.
nilrac
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Inishowen Co Donegal Age: 86 Posts: 694 Registered: 10 / 2012 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
AS regards Brittany Ferries they were always a little more expensive but they pride themselves on customer comfort ,better food and cleaner boats, As Chausson says it is a luxury ferry ,so it is going to be more expensive than a freighter and as there is no Ferry price war at the moment you picks your horse and pays your money
eirebus
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: kildare Posts: 7457 Registered: 10 / 2011 My Motorhome: Dethleffs Advantage Base Vehicle: Fiat 2.3
I remember that well, it was out of service on the St Nazaire /Gijon route by then though.
That ship is a sistership to the one that will be running the Santander route.
Poor maintenance played a part in that fire though, the fire sprinklers intakes were clogged with mussels so they couldn't function.
I'd have a lot more confidence in Brittany Ferries crew tbh, its all about training in these situations.
CHAUSSON
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Tipperary Posts: 6813 Registered: 02 / 2012 My Motorhome: Knaus Sport Ti 700 UFB Silverline Base Vehicle: Renault Master 150 dci Quickshift
I remember that well, it was out of service on the St Nazaire /Gijon route by then though.
That ship is a sistership to the one that will be running the Santander route.
Poor maintenance played a part in that fire though, the fire sprinklers intakes were clogged with mussels so they couldn't function.
I'd have a lot more confidence in Brittany Ferries crew tbh, its all about training in these situations.
I was on it on one of its last sailings to France and must say it was the most comfortable sailings that I was ever on, pity it didnt continue, only down side was it docked late on the evening.
seanmc
Craic'er
Gender: Location: Dublin Posts: 41 Registered: 08 / 2017 My Motorhome: Rimor Europea NG6 Base Vehicle: 2004 Ford Transit 2.4 TDci
Times aren't too bad, but why the late departure and extra time for the Friday crossing. Let's hope the fares are reasonable. North of Spain looks nice and green.
kevinmoore
Craic Addict
Gender: Location: Meath Age: 66 Posts: 398 Registered: 04 / 2016 My Motorhome: Benimar 494 Tessoro Base Vehicle: Ford Transit
Let’s hope the prices are reasonable, I think it’s reasonable to take the cost of fuel and tolls into account but wouldn’t like to see it more than that higher that the direct France routes.
i think the friday night sailing from cork will have a stop off in france before continuing on down to spain. at the moment you can get the ferry from roscoff to bilbao. i actually have that ferry booked for september.
Really thought BF would have announced prices to coincide with holiday show. We’ve £40 deposit paid with BF Portsmouth - Bilbao, return. Got holiday show 25% discount with Stena for Dublin - Holyhead leg but, if prices are right we hope to cancel our return leg & sail direct to Cork.
fork
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Gender: Location: co kerry Posts: 347 Registered: 06 / 2014 My Motorhome: Dethleffs Globetrotter Base Vehicle:
Just phoned and got prices for two different times that might suit me.
1) 1st june cork- Santander returning 17th june
3 adults 2 children. 6 metre motorhome
€1645
2) 20 july cork-Santander returning 3rd august
3 adults 2 children 6 metre motorhome
€1995
I had to take two cabins as the ship does not have reserved seating.
I picked the cheapest inside ones.
it's dearer than I thought it would be
sprinter
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Co Wicklow Age: 93 Posts: 7430 Registered: 01 / 2015 My Motorhome: Matilda 2 Pilote 703FP Explorateur Base Vehicle: 3ltr 318 Sprinter Automatic
Ferry to France already booked for this July/August with Stena, but would be definitely interested in this for summer 2019.
Drove from Cherbourg to San Sebastián the summer before last, so would love a direct ferry.
Dying to see the price point.
ETA: Wow just seeing the prices Fork was quoted- definitely more expensive than I thought!
JJF
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: n/a Location: Donegal Age: 56 Homepage:MotorhomeCraic.com Posts: 5319 Registered: 10 / 2014 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
Just booked 31 Oct one way cork to Santander MH 7.4m long. 2 adults one dog and a pet friendly cabin all in €591 which I think is a great price for time saving of several days and miles through France and the convenience of keeping your pet with you.
Also nice to have sorted my next holiday before finishing this one.
Thanks for this thread.
JJF
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: n/a Location: Donegal Age: 56 Homepage:MotorhomeCraic.com Posts: 5319 Registered: 10 / 2014 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
Just phoned and got prices for two different times that might suit me.
1) 1st june cork- Santander returning 17th june
3 adults 2 children. 6 metre motorhome
€1645
2) 20 july cork-Santander returning 3rd august
3 adults 2 children 6 metre motorhome
€1995
I had to take two cabins as the ship does not have reserved seating.
I picked the cheapest inside ones.
it's dearer than I thought it would be
Well you certainly couldn't describe them as cheap. No reserved seating is a bit of a disaster for us as we are 2A3C and therefore forced to take two cabins. I guess, for us it will boil down to 3 weeks in Spain or ~2 weeks in Spain with ~1 week for travelling through France. Anyway, won't be until 2019 as we are already booked for this summer.
Just booked 31 Oct one way cork to Santander MH 7.4m long. 2 adults one dog and a pet friendly cabin all in €591 which I think is a great price for time saving of several days and miles through France and the convenience of keeping your pet with you.
Also nice to have sorted my next holiday before finishing this one.
Thanks for this thread.
One of the unexpected side effects, for us, of getting a MH is that we cannot wait to retire. I know you're not retired but for us such extend and off season trips will have to wait a few years. Either that or sell the kids!
StrandCampingDoonbeg
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: n/a Location: Doonbeg, Co Clare Age: 58 Posts: 1968 Registered: 05 / 2014 My Motorhome: mobilvetta mh 85 Base Vehicle: Fiat
Thanks Jamie, mind made up..... we’ll possibly be drinking a pint with you on that sailing.
It's a 26hr crossing so maybe more than A pint!!
I do know their pet friendly cabins tend to get booked very quickly as they only have a small number of them, so I'd suggest booking early.
JJF
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: n/a Location: Donegal Age: 56 Homepage:MotorhomeCraic.com Posts: 5319 Registered: 10 / 2014 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
Thanks Jamie, mind made up..... we’ll possibly be drinking a pint with you on that sailing.
It's a 26hr crossing so maybe more than A pint!!
I do know their pet friendly cabins tend to get booked very quickly as they only have a small number of them, so I'd suggest booking early.
So just off phone to enquire about prices for return journey. To recap
Portsmouth - Bilbao with pet friendly cabin already booked
Quote Santander - Cork on 2nd August, with pet friendly cabin €843 Yikes!!!
However
Got refund of €602 on original booking leaving a difference of €198 & as price of drive to Rosslare & ferry would be so much more it’s a no brainier.
Booked!
Total cost of holiday
Dublin - Holyhead 1st July
Portsmouth - Bilbao
Santander - Cork 2nd August
€1665
Think I’ve done very well!!
JJF
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: n/a Location: Donegal Age: 56 Homepage:MotorhomeCraic.com Posts: 5319 Registered: 10 / 2014 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
hi folks. just to remind families BIG OR SMALL ,there are 3 flights a week to santander. tue/wed/sun. if anyone did not like the sea crossing,or to cut the ferry cost. they could fly there and meet up with your momothome in santander. may be of hepl to some people.some midweek flights are in their 30s/40s euro one way.
eirebus
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: kildare Posts: 7457 Registered: 10 / 2011 My Motorhome: Dethleffs Advantage Base Vehicle: Fiat 2.3
I have just been on a motorcycle forum where they were discussing the pricing. 4 guys on bikes looking a price out mid Sept and home end of Sept, sharing a 4 berth cabin.
The guy enquired by phone and it was 374 Euro each.
He sent an email at the same time asking for a price for the same trip and email reply 10 mins later with a price of 516 Euro each.
I don't know what the reason is, but just letting you guys know there are inconsistencies with the pricing. For those who aren't pleased with a quote.... try ringing back and see if it changes.
voyager
Love's the Craic
Gender: Location: Tipperary Age: 62 Posts: 118 Registered: 01 / 2014 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle: Fiat
With Diesel at 1.35 average in France you'd want to do the sums carefully, it will suit many that don't mind the fairly long ferry down ~26hrs, but save on fuel and tolls and driving 1100km.
Others might prefer to drive down. Having visited Northern Spain last year I'd prefer to go straight there and forget the road up through France.
Chevy g20
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Omagh Age: 58 Posts: 3205 Registered: 12 / 2011 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
With Diesel at 1.35 average in France you'd want to do the sums carefully, it will suit many that don't mind the fairly long ferry down ~26hrs, but save on fuel and tolls and driving 1100km.
Others might prefer to drive down. Having visited Northern Spain last year I'd prefer to go straight there and forget the road up through France.
Hopefully it might encourage those on the french route only to wind their "not negotiable necks in" and offer big reductions
Davy
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Co. Down Age: 70 Posts: 1547 Registered: 09 / 2011 My Motorhome: Hymer B598 PL Base Vehicle: Fiat 130 hp multijet
Cork to Santaner Brittany Ferries €1115 for a van @7m and 3m height with 2 adults. 24/8 to 27/9
Rosslare to cherbourg Irish Ferries €420 like for like. €600 would pay for a lot of fuel etc,
Can’t say I have much choice there then, but we like France and have the luxury of time so we are happy. Travelled on the Epsilon, Dublin to Holyhead and can’t say I would use that boat again. Sounds like the Brittany ferry is similar size and facilities. But it is horses for courses.
Davy
Bounder
Craic Addict
Gender: n/a Location: West Cork Age: 51 Posts: 321 Registered: 12 / 2013 My Motorhome: 2015 Adria 640 SHX Base Vehicle: Ducato X250 2.3
I'd already booked Stena to Cherbourg for 900 6.5m and 3 m , 4 pax. So its a done deal for me at this stage, if I was booking now I think I'd pay the 1700 and go direct to Santander and on south, the Picos de Europa are beautiful and well worth a visit.
The Pont Aven is not that much cheaper although a much nicer boat but its about the holiday more than the boat for me.
JJF
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: n/a Location: Donegal Age: 56 Homepage:MotorhomeCraic.com Posts: 5319 Registered: 10 / 2014 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
A drive from Cherbourg to... say Irun will take one exceptionally long day or more than likely 2 longish days taking breaks/food/fuel stop and an overnight.... and if you’ve got kids you’re going to here “are we there yet” quite a lot !
It will take maybe 2 tanks of fuel, it will incur tolls or a hell of a lot of slow route through towns etc....
And you must factor in your return which doubles the costs above.
Factor in at least 3 day more traveling (OK for us as we’re in no rush out or back) ...so really the savings begin to get marginal at best..... OK the ferry is 8 hours longer but that’s fine.... your covering ground while you sleep/relax....
So agree, horses for courses but the Cork/Spain direct ferry is competitive price ways when you factor in all, and for pet owners it has the additional appeal of pet friendly cabins.
We’ve already booked it for later this year....
Will be interesting to get reports of the service before we use it.
In October 2017 we did Cork - Mazarron via Rosslare - Cherbourg, a total of 1960km using 220ltrs of diesel plus €86.73 on tolls.
Read all about it HERE Just north of Bordeaux there is a lovely Aire in Saint-Romain-la-Virvée which would make an ideal first stop if the ferry to Cherbourg arrives early in the day. If it's a late arrival the first night can be spent in St. Brice en Cogles which is about 2½ hours from Cherbourg and the next day do the leg to Bordeaux or thereabouts.
The next day will get you well past San Sabastian, we were heading south and made the Aire at the sports ground in Marcilla (which is 150km south of San Sebastian) which is gated.
We used the fastest route which had tolls totaling €33.38 and used €143 of fuel.
So. for us the cost of the drive from Cherbourg to Northern Spain was €170 or less ( the fuel was to SanSabastian but the tolls were all the way to Marcilla)
From there we carried on to Mazarron, which is off-topic for this thread.
Thorn123
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Laois Age: 48 Posts: 2589 Registered: 07 / 2016 My Motorhome: Chasson flash 03 Base Vehicle: Ford transit 2.2
Just to put a twist into this discussion, as someone who has fixed summer hols and at the most can squeeze about 16 days away. The extra 8 hours of the boat journey is more appealing than a day and a half minimum down through France. I would prefer to put the driving into Spain exploring spots away from the usual tourist places.
Irish Ferries is booked for France this year but Cork/Spain is looking nice for 2019.
Malcolm
AdiH
AdiH
Gender: Location: Dublin Age: 48 Posts: 275 Registered: 02 / 2014 My Motorhome: Challenger Base Vehicle: Ford Transit
We're in the same boat as Malcom, 16 days is the most we can get away and the extra €600 (€1,700 to Santander compared with €1,100 to Cherbourg for the 5 of us this July/Aug with Stena) is worth it with 3 young children.
We'll definitely book it next year if prices remain roughly the same.
We drove to San Sebastián 2 summers ago, Lake Garda last summer and plan on Germany for this summer, so would be nice next year to limit our driving to the North of Spain, but knowing us we'll probably go further afield!
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