Taking the Santander ferry

[Low Gear Guy]

The lounge seats are not comfortable in my opinion. A sleeping bag on the floor is a better option.

On one crossing I slept on deck in a sleeping bag. I would not recommend this in November.

 

[geocycle]

The trick is you don't sleep in the seat you take a mat and
sleeping bag on board and sleep on the floor , it's normally clean
though finding the ideal bit of floor can be tricky .

If the weather is good you can sleep on the deck. we did after the ash cloud evacuation. Just be wary of the early morning hosepipe action!

 

[jay clock]

i have slept on deck with airbed and sleeping bag on the St Malo route and it was fabulous

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Providing the weather is good in the Bay of Biscay that's a lovely crossing, to me it felt more like a little cruise than a ferry ride. I personally took the early evening crossing which arrived in Santander early the next morning. The feeling of being on a cruise seduced me into to a rare moment of indulgence, treating myself to meal in their relatively posh restaurant instead of their café. After a quick explore it can be a challenge to find things 'to while away' the time on a ferry; I concluded that a lovely meal, lovely bottle of wine and a lovely view was a good way to spend the evening; for sure it can be easy to talk myself to an indulgent treat! A full tummy and no doubt the wine I dare say more than contributed to me sleeping through the overnight storm that everyone was complaining about as we waited to cycle off the following morning

Many use that crossing and then ride towards the Pyrenees. I personally went along the coast in the opposite direction and spent a few days in the Picos de Europa National Park; a tour I rode over 30 years ago and remains one of the best I have ever done, the ride from Panes via Potes to Fuente Dé with a trip to the top by cable car was a highlight; can't recommend it enough

 

[matticus]

Providing the weather is good in the Bay of Biscay that's a lovely crossing, to me it felt more like a little cruise than a ferry ride. I personally took the early evening crossing which arrived in Santader early the next morning.

I think you mean the *2nd* morning, no?

The Brittany Ferries web site will let me book a crossing with a bicycle this month

Hmm. I have 5.5 days leave to use up ... what is the November weather like in the Picos?!?

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

Providing the weather is good in the Bay of Biscay that's a lovely crossing, to me it felt more like a little cruise than a ferry ride. I personally took the early evening crossing which arrived in Santander early the next morning.

I think you mean the *2nd* morning, no?

If I recall the crossing I did back then was from the shorter route of 'Poole-Santander' and not from 'Portsmouth' as it is now. It was 30 years plus ago and I can't recall the exact time of departure, it may well have between early/mid after noon and not early evening; whatever the time it was sufficient to allow for an arrival in Santander the following morning.

 

[matticus]

Just for my reference, these are the current times:
Portsmouth - Santander
09:00 - 14:30
22:15 - 08:00
(I assume that 2nd crossing dithers about somewhere to stretch the journey time??)

 

[taximan]

I remember taking the ferry to Santander back in the seventies and there was a full gale blowing as we crossed Biscay. I was amused to see several hardy souls cocconed in their sleeping bags on the upper deck with spray lashing over them. A lot of passengers were rather ill on that crossing and the seating areas were not a pleasant place to be. 🤢

 

[matticus]

I remember taking the ferry to Santander back in the seventies and there was a full gale blowing as we crossed Biscay. I was amused to see several hardy souls cocconed in their sleeping bags on the upper deck with spray lashing over them. A lot of passengers were rather ill on that crossing and the seating areas were not a pleasant place to be. 🤢

I'd link to THAT Family Guy Scene, but it really is very unpleasant, and the sun ain't over the yardarm yet!

 

[rogerzilla]

It's a rough overnight crossing over the Bay of Biscay having done it as a kid...having your own cabin & thus loo to puke in would be beneficial

I love rough crossings. It's fun being bounced off the walls, and there's no queue for the restaurant. I remember a particularly violent crossing from Zeebrugge which took about twice as long as it was supposed to due to the weather. There were people lying on the carpet in the corridors. I had sausage and chips.

 

[matticus]

I love rough crossings. It's fun being bounced off the walls, and there's no queue for the restaurant. I remember a particularly violent crossing from Zeebrugge which took about twice as long as it was supposed to due to the weather. There were people lying on the carpet in the corridors. I had sausage and chips.

Was that the trip when you lost your leg?

Or the one when you brought that bloody parrot back?

 

[Oldhippy]

I love rough crossings. It's fun being bounced off the walls, and there's no queue for the restaurant. I remember a particularly violent crossing from Zeebrugge which took about twice as long as it was supposed to due to the weather. There were people lying on the carpet in the corridors. I had sausage and chips.

I too get no travel sickness of any kind. Love a good stormy crossing.

 

[rogerzilla]

Was that the trip when you lost your leg?

Or the one when you brought that bloody parrot back?

No seafaring history at all! I get queasy in the back of a car, but never on a boat.

 

[grldtnr]

No seafaring history at all! I get queasy in the back of a car, but never on a boat.

No seasickness allowed on my boat,I run a tight ship,if not, it's the cat o' nine tails for you!

 

[KnittyNorah]

I too get no travel sickness of any kind. Love a good stormy crossing.

Same here. I have some good memories of notably rough crossings across various pieces of water in different parts of the world. The only thing that causes me to be queasy is the smell and sound of other people vomiting.