Experience with ferries?

[Georgem123]

Hi all,

I'm looking into getting a ferry to France as part of my one month tour to italy this summer. From either portsmouth to cherbourg/caen or poole to cherbourg

Has anyone got any tips with ferries?
Would i need to book or would it be ok to turn up and expect a place seeing as im not taking a car (just a bike).

£30 seems about the best price i can find, anyone got any tips on companies/times that could go cheaper?

thanks

 

[Brandane]

I have used Brittany Ferries a few times now, on the Portsmouth/Caen, Portsmouth/St. Malo and Portsmouth/Cherbourg services. They are not the cheapest, but the ferries are pleasant to travel on, and unlike some companies, they do not insist on you booking a cabin if you choose to use the overnight sailings.

£30 seems very reasonable. Any time I have used the Brittany Ferries website, it is about £80 return on the overnight sailing; that's a return Portsmouth/Caen with a reclining seat in one of the lounges. If you turn up without a booking then I think you will be looking at paying full fare without any discount, whatever that might be. Always cheaper to book ahead.

My top tip? If you are cycle camping, take your sleeping bag and mattress into the reclining seat lounge with you. There is always a nice bit of floor space to be had for a reasonable nights sleep. Just avoid the sailings which the numerous school trips use, although they do seem to get allocated separate lounges.

 

[Georgem123]

I have used Brittany Ferries a few times now, on the Portsmouth/Caen, Portsmouth/St. Malo and Portsmouth/Cherbourg services. They are not the cheapest, but the ferries are pleasant to travel on, and unlike some companies, they do not insist on you booking a cabin if you choose to use the overnight sailings.

£30 seems very reasonable. Any time I have used the Brittany Ferries website, it is about £80 return on the overnight sailing; that's a return Portsmouth/Caen with a reclining seat in one of the lounges. If you turn up without a booking then I think you will be looking at paying full fare without any discount, whatever that might be. Always cheaper to book ahead.

My top tip? If you are cycle camping, take your sleeping bag and mattress into the reclining seat lounge with you. There is always a nice bit of floor space to be had for a reasonable nights sleep. Just avoid the sailings which the numerous school trips use, although they do seem to get allocated separate lounges.

thanks for the good reply,, i will look to book tomorrow then

 

[Dogtrousers]

Hi all,

I'm looking into getting a ferry to France as part of my one month tour to italy this summer. From either portsmouth to cherbourg/caen or poole to cherbourg

Has anyone got any tips with ferries?
Would i need to book or would it be ok to turn up and expect a place seeing as im not taking a car (just a bike).

£30 seems about the best price i can find, anyone got any tips on companies/times that could go cheaper?

thanks

Book! They only allocate limited space for bikes and can sometimes run out. Turning up could be risky. I've been refused bike spaces when trying to book in the past (in that case a big ride had snaffled all the places)

If your budget runs to, or nearly runs to, a cabin, do so as it's incomparably nicer to be able to have a quiet place to lie down and a shower than slumming it with the snoring farting hoi polloi. IMO that is. That applies strongly to a night crossing, less so for a day crossing.

 

[Brandane]

[QUOTE 3099245, member: 9609"]I haven't really thought about this, I thought I could just turn up at dover and jump on the first one, is this not the case?

and BTW - I'm heading to Italy too, which way are you going?[/QUOTE]
I think Dover/Calais is a different kettle of fish, as there are sailings about every 45 minutes, and they run 24 hours per day. Plus, P&O have a bit of competition there with the tunnel and DFDS ferries.

 

[Georgem123]

[QUOTE 3099245, member: 9609"]I haven't really thought about this, I thought I could just turn up at dover and jump on the first one, is this not the case?

and BTW - I'm heading to Italy too, which way are you going?[/QUOTE]

wow, so happy i'm not the only one that thinks its a good idea.
I live in somerset so will head down to portsmouth or poole, catch a ferry to either cherbourg or caen,, and then instead of going into switzerland way, im going to pretty much head south east and head to the bottom right of france,, i want to incorporate one of the iconic TDF mountains , so probably Alp d'huez,, then cross over the border , pass just south of turin, down through tuscany and on to this place called Todi in Perugia.... about 1200-1400 miles accordign to google maps

how about you? and whats your reason for going?

 

[Berties]

Sat on the barfleur Brittany ferry as I reply , if you book you get the time you want ,we travel on Sunday and go on the 8.30 from Poole to Cherbourg as the time suits me and come back to Pompey from Caen , you can get codes to get discount if you know some one who travels regularly ,
Depending on time of year if we bother reserving seats, bike numbers can be limited ,

 

[Georgem123]

Sat on the barfleur Brittany ferry as I reply , if you book you get the time you want ,we travel on Sunday and go on the 8.30 from Poole to Cherbourg as the time suits me and come back to Pompey from Caen , you can get codes to get discount if you know some one who travels regularly ,
Depending on time of year if we bother reserving seats, bike numbers can be limited ,

ah wesome, have fun with your trip,, did you find any times that were cheaper to go? e.g. early morning or late evening

 

[Berties]

ah wesome, have fun with your trip,, did you find any times that were cheaper to go? e.g. early morning or late evening

Saturday is more expensive ,I prefer the cruise , but not the clipper , condor is quick but you feel every wave and is cramped ,if you need a code I will see I can get you one,
Pompey over night is ok if you like a party, but does cost more!

 

[Georgem123]

Saturday is more expensive ,I prefer the cruise , but not the clipper , condor is quick but you feel every wave and is cramped ,if you need a code I will see I can get you one,
Pompey over night is ok if you like a party, but does cost more!

that would be awesome, PM me if you do,, im 18 and a poor student haha, so im fine with the cheapest most uncomfortable trip

 

[PaulSB]

I'm just starting to organise my France trip for August. While on the ferry are bikes just stored in a random spot on the car deck?

The only long distance ferry I've used was Oban to Barra and then we were simply directed to the front of the ferry and strapped the bikes in place.

 

[Brandane]

I'm just starting to organise my France trip for August. While on the ferry are bikes just stored in a random spot on the car deck?

The only long distance ferry I've used was Oban to Barra and then we were simply directed to the front of the ferry and strapped the bikes in place.

Any long distance ferry I have been on has had a separate "garage" on the car deck for bikes. Either that or a corner of the car deck away from the cars and trucks.
They usually supply a grotty length of oily rope for you to use to lash your bike to a railing or other fixed point. Carry an extra bungee for doing this if you don't want oily hands and crossbar!

 

[Georgem123]

[QUOTE 3109876, member: 9609"]Down the east coast, a little bit of France, Luxenborg, then down through Germany to southern Bavaria where I will be staying for quite a while and Hiking in Austria, then it will be back on the bike through Austria then down through Italy - well thats the plan, in reality I doubt I will make London.

First Leg Hawick - Gateshead this afternoon, then Whitby tomorrow where I meet the wife for a weeks rest in a holiday cottage - this is going to be a long trip with lots of holidays -

My knee will probably go pop later this afternoon and the wife will have to come and rescue me, so probably back on CC tomorrow night [/QUOTE]
you're up in whitby?? thats a lot of effort,, luckilly i live only about 100 miles from portsmouth .