Any tips for Brittany Ferries Plymouth to Santander?

[Slime Bomb]

I'm going to book the ferry with a 2 birth cabin with the discount code from a kind member on here.
I'll be off soon for a month or so but never done the ferry to northern Spain before so I wondered if anyone had any tips for traveling on the ferry? Waiting for 'Wapping' now to say "get on the boat, go to sleep, wake up, wait a bit, start riding"

 

[lmg]

I'm off via Plymouth to Santander on Wed 17th April until early May. No advice other than not to miss the boat.

 

[russ996duke]

If you wish to eat in the proper restaurant then get in the queue asap to get a decent time!

 

[albatross]

Simon…just enjoy, hope for decent weather in the Gulf of Biscay…have a great dinner and breakfast,
Settle on the sun deck the following day for a few rays…That’s about it….
Yes and have an overnight small back pack with bare essentials and some clothes ready..makes life easier

 

[John Armstrong]

I was on that ferry last year.
I suspect that getting on early, ie at the front of the queue means getting off towards the back.
Bikes go into the depths of the hold, tightly together so think about minimising the stuff you take up to the cabin.
Using their wifi IIRC is expensive, so don't rely on Spotify for your music.
They strap your bike down.
They had whale watching binoculars available, which can pass a few hours.

 

[G&T]

My top tips.
1. Easy access to the stuff you are taking to the cabin. Don’t be faffing about with panniers.
2. Don’t be to eager to get to your bike when you hear the call “docking shortly.” You will be waiting on crowded stairs in full kit sweating like a good un.
3. Marvel how great it was when rolling off the boat in Santander

 

[Slime Bomb]

I thought it was expensive to use roaming not their WIFI??

 

[skr80a]

1. carry booze on with you
2. Pay for the full breakfast rather than the cafe one - unlimited refills and unlimited other stuff other than the cooked breakfast

 

[ThreeDawg]

If you wish to eat in the proper restaurant then get in the queue asap to get a decent time!

This. And be prepared to grin and bear smartarse staff.

 

[Wapping]

Waiting for 'Wapping' now to say "get on the boat, go to sleep, wake up, wait a bit, start riding"

You should add, ‘Wait for them to open the doors’…. before start riding.

If I had anything to add, it would be the same as getting onto the Chunnel train or indeed anywhere ‘unusual’:

1. If you are with a lot of other bikes, give them some space. There is no guarantee any of them will know any more about what they are doing than you do. Don’t get mixed up in their faffing about. The ferry will not go without you, so miss out on the stampede.

2. It can be quite noisy in the hold and you’ll probably have your helmet on, with some deckhand maybe shouting unintelligible gibberish. Take your time, it’s not a race.

3. There will be some abject cnut who thinks it is a great laugh to bounce their bike off its rev limiter, to let the world hear the awesomeness of their £1000 open exhaust. If you are right behind them, you’ll be gassed and deafened. Do not be the abject cnut that creates the noise.

PS You’ll be fine. Have a great holiday.

 

[EPG_19]

I thought it was expensive to use roaming not their WIFI??

its not that expensive, but its all relative,

 

[lmg]

1. carry booze on with you
2. Pay for the full breakfast rather than the cafe one - unlimited refills and unlimited other stuff other than the cooked breakfast

explain a bit more about option #2, please

 

[Mr Bean]

I'm going to book the ferry with a 2 birth cabin with the discount code from a kind member on here.

My advice would be to book an outer 4 berth cabin - the extra cost over a 2 berth hasn't been significant and having the additional space and window makes a big difference.

 

[RedRick Esq.]

explain a bit more about option #2, please

The proper breakfast in the main restaurant is on the face of it expensive but it is good value as you can stay in there and make a complete pig of yourself on all the buffet has to offer from cereals and fruit through smoked salmon and full english and pastries with unlimited tea or coffee and juice

eat enough and it saves on lunch and so much better than the self service palarva

Same goes for dinner at night - not cheap but god food and value in reality

 

[lmg]

The proper breakfast in the main restaurant is on the face of it expensive but it is good value as you can stay in there and make a complete pig of yourself on all the buffet has to offer from cereals and fruit through smoked salmon and full english and pastries with unlimited tea or coffee and juice

eat enough and it saves on lunch and so much better than the self service palarva

Same goes for dinner at night - not cheap but god food and value in reality

OK - so you dont have to pre-book that, you just rock up to the "main restaurant" and get breakfast with free refils on tea/coffee, and a buffet breakfast? So, what did that cost the last time you were on board?

The Plymouth to Santander ferry is a 24hrs one (+ or - a bit) and since the departure time is circa 1500hrs, that means that's one evening meal and one breakfast to factor in. I tend not to enjoy "restaurants" too much, so had planned on taking a few meal deals on board with me to cover dinner and breakfast, and I'm packing a collapsable kettle for my 3 week tour so was going to brew up in the room for most of the time.

 

[er-minio]

My advice would be to book an outer 4 berth cabin

Same here. Crossed from Portsmouth to Bilbao in 2019 and we got the cabin with the window, makes a decent difference and they don't cost that much more.

I'm sailing again on the 23rd.

I was planning to pack some light food (2 of us traveling together) as I generally avoid the restaurants like plague, but I didn't know about the breakfast thing. I'll look into it. Thanks.

 

[Slime Bomb]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I thought you had some free WIFI time?

 

[RedRick Esq.]

OK - so you dont have to pre-book that, you just rock up to the "main restaurant" and get breakfast with free refils on tea/coffee, and a buffet breakfast? So, what did that cost the last time you were on board?

The Plymouth to Santander ferry is a 24hrs one (+ or - a bit) and since the departure time is circa 1500hrs, that means that's one evening meal and one breakfast to factor in. I tend not to enjoy "restaurants" too much, so had planned on taking a few meal deals on board with me to cover dinner and breakfast, and I'm packing a collapsable kettle for my 3 week tour so was going to brew up in the room for most of the time.

IIRC Breakfast is about £12 but dont quote me even at £20 its good value compared to the self service one

Again being honest i never really care what it costs as it is part of my holiday so for me its just a small part of the whole

 

[RedRick Esq.]

Thanks for all the comments guys. I thought you had some free WIFI time?

you used to get a free half hour but in reality its pretty slow and shit anyway and again for me going dark for 24 hours is quite relaxing

 

[Slime Bomb]

I too won't be eating in restaurant I'll be taking some food and drink with me.