Belfast Liverpool Ferry Question

[Pansmiker]

Has any one used the Belfast Liverpool overnight ferry with their bike?

i was just wondering what they thought of the facilities on board and how the bikes are tied down and treated in general.

All comments acceptable

 

[Damien]

I think Hairnet used it used it last week.

 

[harry]

Has any one used the Belfast Liverpool overnight ferry with their bike?

i was just wondering what they thought of the facilities on board and how the bikes are tied down and treated in general.

All comments acceptable

Strictly speaking it's Belfast/ Birkenhead as it docks on the south side of the Mersey.

Mid week in winter there are very few pax and it easy to lie full length on a seat, saving the not inconsiderable cabin charge.

The staff want to tie down the bikes but need watching as they tend to not to care too much about your paint. I had to step in when he was about to put large steel hook on to bare paint!

Arrives B'head 6am and you can be on your way at 6.30.

All in all a good handy service which avoids going to Loch Ryan, esp in poor weather

 

[the civil one]

Its a good Service .
Its Not even 3 star for Accomadation or Food , but is Adequate .
It Does Exactly what it says on the Tin.
I have always found the Police a Little over Zealous in Birkenhead , but your ready to Roll Early.
M6 within the Hour .
I have never Found any of the Deck Hands to be Careful With anything ,let alone your pride and Joy ,
no exceptions here .

Edit : having just read the above post , and having tried this ,I would never consider Not getting a private bed on any overnight ferry.

 

[Pansmiker]

Thanks for that.

I was thinking of going out of the South of England via the Tunnel and was looking for another way to break up the journey rather than a long tramp along the A75 down the M6 etc etc. I was thinking the overnight boat early arrival, say on a Saturday morning, would mean that you could get well into France by saturday evening.

 

[Hairnet600]

was on it last week

cheap if you dont buy a cabin.......

if you have shit loads of gear theres no lifts but theres an escalator

they threatened lots of wind etc but it was mill pond

as said the terminal is in birkenhead so trip up the wirral needed but dead easy to get to - video on their site

single inch ratchet used and chocked either end - there isnt a separate space for bikes i was lined up between a car and a van - didnt need anymore bike was stable

if yer heading for south of england i wouldnt go via scotland extra 220 miles - ferk that

consider rosslare and thru south wales once this side its 40 miles to m4 and way easier to head for dover etc - thats costs same as holyhead dub and takes same time

 

[Tarka]

I live about 10 minutes away from the Birkenhead ferry terminal.

If you (or anyone else) has a few hours to pass before their return sailing and wants a brew or even has bike troubles travelling either way then PM me in advance to see if I`m free.
Likewise if you're stuck there's 4 or 5 bike shops within 10 minutes and a couple of tyre places too.

A far better route South from Birkenhead is a short hop on the M53 towards Chester then join the A41 for Whitchurch towards Telford.
Then pick up the M54 towards Birmingham and M5/M40/M25 for the Channel ferries/tunnel if you really want to motorway it down.

The A41 gives a more pleasant first or last half of the route on nice,fairly sweepy and less congested rural A roads rather than the awful M6.

 

[Davy F]

Personally, I wouldn't do this trip without the cabin. A meal, a few pints, then get the head down for a few hours kip. I also take my own ratchet tie-downs and secure the bike myself. The deck hands have always been more than helpful IME.

 

[Pansmiker]

Thanks for that Tarka...a little local knowledge goes along way.

We normally go out of Cork or Rosslare to do western France and Spain. For italy & Germany we go out of Hull. The purpose of the question was to see if we could get further in the same time scale leaving on a Friday night and traveling when sleeping..... you're better in bed rather than on the bike to do that