All change at Brittany Ferries
Comments
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Still 21.5 hours from Plymouth to Santander next year, and a single night on board instead of two.
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For many years it was anything but a 'no brainer' for us living where we do.
After enduring the slog to Dover on lots of trips, heading for Italy, we started to use BF more.
The recent increase on prices, around £300 on our usual Plymouth/Roscoff route,means that we have looked at the costs again but I can fully understand Davids position as there is far more to the decision than just the cost.
We too would not mind two nights on board but as Portsmouth is an extra 170 miles that maybe is a 'no brainer'!
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The extra time on the boat wouldn’t be a concern.
It would all depend on the sea state: on our last ferry to Santander I'm sure many of those on board would have preferred to have been air lifted off mid way there. The food establishments were very very quiet!
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There has also been an effect of reduced crossings on Plymouth-Roscoff sailings. The morning departure was not available when we rebooked so we have to go overnight.
Colin
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Colin, Sailings from Plymouth to Roscoff are going to be overnight six days a week, but unless they change the timetable again there will be a 1315 departure on Fridays next Spring (arrive 1745) for those who prefer not to travel overnight.. Those Friday sailings resume on 1 April 2022 if all goes well.
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Hi David, Yes-less a movable feast than a movable pain in the backside!!
Our "tortuous" 36 miles to Plymouth is no problem 99% of the time but we once made it by the skin of our teeth after an RTA blocked the road to where we keep the van and, at the moment, you need to allow a fair bit of extra time due to roadworks on the Tamar Bridge.
Similarly, the first day of our mini UK tour in July, almost all of which was on dual carriageway or motorway, saw an average speed of 31 MPH.
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Off topic but the bridge works finished yesterday. 4 lanes are open now….they say.
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Hi Colin, I have not checked for 2022 but when we priced for this year ,and some other years, the Friday day crossing was around £100 more.
We always use the Pont Aven when possible and that, for many years, meant a midday Tuesday crossing which more recently changed to a Tuesday evening at 2030 ish.
This is, in our opinion, a great time as it gives you all day to prepare-Jean has a very strict procedure!-the crossing is ideal for an evening meal in the fab restaurant and you arrive ready for a well timed start to a full day on the road.
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Thank goodness the Portsmouth terminal is only fifteen minutes down the road.
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What a nice surprise that they have finished two weeks early-must have been due to efforts at the Western end of the bridge!
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BF have been mixing things up a bit...our usual January Poole-Cherbourg crossing won't be open till 29th March so we are using Portsmouth-St Malo outbound...which is nice as we can get our annual damp check done at Southdowns during the daytime prior to the 20:30 sailing....
we will have the option to come back into Poole in April.
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..it also gives us a 165km head start and an extra half day to to the three days to Valencia...
that, in turn, gives us an opportunity to try a slightly different route which will be nice for a change...
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allanandjean,
Our postponed 2020 and then 2021 crossing would have been the 13:13 - 19:45 meaning a late arrival for a one night at De Trologot about 15/20 minutes away.
For 2022 we are on a 23:00 - 08:00 so no problem with a late arrival one night pitch, just land and drive the 4 or 5 hours down to Carnac. This should in reality work out better.
Colin
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Coming from Scotland any of the channel ports are a drag but depending on where we are going and when we have used most of them at one time or another.
Going to Plymouth rather than Portsmouth isn't an issue for us, as we've done it a few times going across to Roscoff. If it saves 14 hours on the ferry we will use it.
Will look into it for next Autumn as we still have a voucher with BF.
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"No doubt it can work out cheaper but not in time or convenience."
As you say David its sometimes the case that we know the cost but ignore the value-and the value of a crossing from Plymouth, rather than the awful journey to Dover/Folkestone/Harwich and having to stop overnight before crossing has for many years outweighed, for us, the difference in price.
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Have looked at Club Voyager a few times but, in the past, it was always more expensive than a booking via the club.
Will look again now the prices are higher to see if it offers any cost saving, in the long run, but as we are looking at Italy, and possibly Croatia, next year then would likely go for an eastern crossing with Harwich favourite, as it enables us to visit friends in Holland, going out and likely a Roscoff crossing coming back.
We are also considering a Plymouth-Santander crossing however, but earlier than usual with a possible visit to Turicampo, and so I may come calling for a use of your "friends and family" discount!!
In the meantime we are looking forward greatly to a trip to Cyprus quite soon as an alternative to a cancelled Caribean cruise!
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One thing to be careful of if breaking a journey using different crossings/providers is you really need to read the small print if using Tesco vouchers. You cannot start a journey from France using this set-up.
Colin
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I think the time of year one travels can dictate/influence routes...
going to Spain in January isn't going to be a guaranteed millpond in Biscay, hence our preference for a shorter crossing...
..but, if committed to driving through France and into Spain, it makes sense, for us anyway, to find a route that is likely to be one with the least likelihood of poor weather (snow)...this has generally been the 'Western Route' and the low crossing of the Pyrenees at Pamplona.
once this 'side' of France has been chosen, it makes little sense to drive from Somerset to Dover and then start tacking back Westwards towards the coast.
we have pals from west Wales who use the tunnel, but then the western route (as the dog is comfy on the train) and this adds hours and miles to the trip...
without the dog....?, perhaps a different approach.
coming home, from March onwards, the weather (especially in southern France) will be pretty good and 'route' has less significance as we are in sightseeing mode then.....rather than the 'dash south'...
either way, it's nice to be able to get 'away' again...
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I haven't been across the water since 2018 and it is even longer since I compared the cost of various crossings. Caravans always seemed to be treated more favourably on sea crossing than motorhomes where any motorhome over 6 meters in length were heavilly penalised.That is not so via the tunnel where length is not charged extra. I live equidistant from many of the channel crossing points so for me the convenience of the tunnel wins hands down especially when I can use up Tesco vouchers which, usually with a years collection, pays for the crossing.
peedee
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We don't 'do' Tesco....converted from Sainsbury's to Aldi a good while back...
if there was one a bit closer and had fuel....perhaps we could put more eggs in....?
as it is, Sainsbury for fuel and Aldi probably saves enough to cover tunnel cost. Either way, the trip to Dover is a long, long drag (especially on our roads) and the prospect of having to drive long distances straight away after 'landing' doesn't give much of a break.
the ferry (from Poole or Portsmouth) breaks the trip sufficiently for the next bit of driving not to be too much of a chore...
Our St-Malo ferry was a bit more expensive than the Poole-Cherbourg one, but we get further along the journey and it includes an overnight cabin, so happy to try the change...
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