Ferry travel to France

[grldtnr]

I am hoping to travel to the Semaine Federale rally in Loudeac this year.
Does anyone know if travelling by bike is possible at the moment, I have looked at websites, and found no conclusive answers.
It's possible to get prices , if you travel by car, but I prefer not drive.
A convenient crossing for me is Portsmouth/ St.Malo, with. 60 mile ride the Gallic side.
All my web enquiries say route not possible, or no prices given.

 

[slowmotion]

Brittany Ferries has an enquiry number....

0330 159 7000

 

[grldtnr]

Guessing that's what I will have to do, but I dislike interminable press number menus, 'press 1 to speak to a robot, or press 2 to someone who hasn't a clue.
They do make a gameshow out of it.!

 

[T4tomo]

Guessing that's what I will have to do, but I dislike interminable press number menus, 'press 1 to speak to a robot, or press 2 to someone who hasn't a clue.
They do make a gameshow out of it.!

when it ask how are you travelling just select "With bicycle" and bob's your fathers brother...

 

[Julia9054]

I don't know the specifics of booking via Brittany Ferries but my advice is not to touch any of the bargain bucket agencies such as Direct Ferries and go direct to booking through the ferry operator.
With most ferry companies it is tricky to make a booking that includes more than one person with a bicycle each. Fine if it is a cross channel - just make 2 separate bookings and it won't cost anything.
A nightmare if trying to book an overnight type crossing where they insist on you purchasing a cabin as there seems to be no option for 2 people, 2 bicycles, one cabin.
Currently embroiled in a 3 week back and forth with Direct Ferries to spend a voucher that I have from 2020 (oh, how I wish I had insisted on a refund at the time) attempting to book Hull Rotterdam for 2 on bikes with P&O. They have removed their customer service number so you can't phone them and can only communicate by online form. They take a week to reply and then give wrong information. We are no further forward.
Sorry to jump on your thread but I needed to vent!

 

[Dogtrousers]

Pre-Covid I have travelled many, many times with Brittany Ferries and I have always found booking with them on their website to be really straightforward, normally with car, sometimes on foot, sometimes with bike. Although unlike @Julia9054 I've never tried to book 2 people, 2 bikes.

 

[Low Gear Guy]

Last time I tried Brittany Ferries had different cabin options depending on whether you were booking with car, bike or without either. Cabins were not available for foot passengers and only basic cabins for cyclists.

 

[mjr]

I don't know the specifics of booking via Brittany Ferries but my advice is not to touch any of the bargain bucket agencies such as Direct Ferries and go direct to booking through the ferry operator.

Check their special offer pages before clicking "book" though, and maybe reputable offers lists like Money Saving Expert. I know people who paid full price when there was a 20% off link right there on the front page.

As far as I saw, all the "discount" agencies handled covid disruption terribly.

With most ferry companies it is tricky to make a booking that includes more than one person with a bicycle each. Fine if it is a cross channel - just make 2 separate bookings and it won't cost anything.
A nightmare if trying to book an overnight type crossing where they insist on you purchasing a cabin as there seems to be no option for 2 people, 2 bicycles, one cabin.

Stena Harwich to Hook allow it: one booking, 6 people, 6 bikes, 2 cabins, no problem. Max 10 per booking IIRC.

 

[grldtnr]

I don't know the specifics of booking via Brittany Ferries but my advice is not to touch any of the bargain bucket agencies such as Direct Ferries and go direct to booking through the ferry operator.
With most ferry companies it is tricky to make a booking that includes more than one person with a bicycle each. Fine if it is a cross channel - just make 2 separate bookings and it won't cost anything.
A nightmare if trying to book an overnight type crossing where they insist on you purchasing a cabin as there seems to be no option for 2 people, 2 bicycles, one cabin.
Currently embroiled in a 3 week back and forth with Direct Ferries to spend a voucher that I have from 2020 (oh, how I wish I had insisted on a refund at the time) attempting to book Hull Rotterdam for 2 on bikes with P&O. They have removed their customer service number so you can't phone them and can only communicate by online form. They take a week to reply and then give wrong information. We are no further forward.
Sorry to jump on your thread but I needed to vent!

I am ready to 'vent' myself !
I did as suggested by someone further up thread, both single & multiple bikes, including going by car ,which I don't want to do.
In all cases, reply was in the negative.
Either no service, or no price, that was on the direct ferries & company sites, admittedly this was early hours this morning, like stupid o'clock, but automated web sites don't sleep!

 

[mjr]

What dates are you trying? I just made an aborted fake booking on the Brittany Ferries website for Portsmouth to St Malo for early May, 2 people, 2 bikes, 1 cabin each way. No problem seen.

 

[Dogtrousers]

What dates are you trying? I just made an aborted fake booking on the Brittany Ferries website for Portsmouth to St Malo for early May, 2 people, 2 bikes, 1 cabin each way. No problem seen.

I too had a quick poke around at lunchtime and could see no problems. Maybe the dates the OP is looking for are sold out?

 

[mjr]

I too had a quick poke around at lunchtime and could see no problems. Maybe the dates the OP is looking for are sold out?

Or not on sale yet for some reason, or a day with no sailings for some reason...

I see the Syndrome Fatale starts 31 July. Test booking for then also seemed to work. 🤷‍♂️

 

[yello]

Last time I tried Brittany Ferries had different cabin options depending on whether you were booking with car, bike or without either. Cabins were not available for foot passengers and only basic cabins for cyclists.

I wonder why Brittany Ferries would do that? Does it matter to them what type of traveller books a cabin? Or are they prioritising cars because that's their preferred (spending) customer?

 

[Dogtrousers]

I wonder why Brittany Ferries would do that? Does it matter to them what type of traveller books a cabin? Or are they prioritising cars because that's their preferred (spending) customer?

Have to say it's never happened to me. Mind you, when travelling with bike I'm on my own and want only a small inside cabin, when travelling by car I'm with my wife so get a nice one with a window. So maybe it has happened to me and I didn't notice it. But I've booked a cabin OK when travelling as a foot passenger too.

When I was playing on the website earlier I selected travel by bike and it allowed me full range of cabins.

 

[yello]

Have to say it's never happened to me.

No, me neither - that I've been aware of anyway - and I've travelled by car, motorbike and bike. That said, both motorbike and bike have been later bookings, possibly only a few days in advance, so perhaps the cabin availability is determined more by 'when' than 'how'... and car drivers maybe tend to book further in advance. Dunno, conjecture on my part.

Edit: in fact, when travelling solo (bike or motorbike), I've tended to leave the cabin booking until boarding the ferry and then request a shared cabin. Worst outcome is that there's nothing available and I sleep on one of the lounger chairs - which, tbf, I've slept quite well on, other passengers depending.