Ferry tips - Plymouth to Santander

[LochLaddie]

For those that have done the Plymouth to Santander route what have you learned? Is it worth booking the ferry meals? Grab food on the way to the port? How many sea sickness tablets should you take? What are those wee gems that will make the circa 24hr voyage that little bit more enjoyable?

Motive: trying to make this an experience which will not put off the wide!

Thanks in advance

 

[PembsGSA]

A linky to a previous thread with lots of advisory...

Thread 'Any tips for Brittany Ferries Plymouth to Santander?'

Apr 3, 2024

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"

• Slime Bomb
• Replies: 139
• Forum: Spain and Portugal (including the Pyrenees and Picos)

• 

 

[EVskiy]

Read post #28 in this thread. Only some 10 days ago.

Thread 'Vamos ! 🇵🇹'

Jun 9, 2025

Well we’re not leaving till next weekend . But it seems deriguer to start a thread way in advance of the actual departure .
This won’t be a full trip report as Faffskiy isn’t coming
Will post up a few pics and possibly a few routes .
Heading to the Picos then Serra Da Estrela in Portugal, stopping in a couple of old fav hotels on way down then back to Picos via Braganca for a couple of nights , then home via San Sebastián up the west coast of France to St Malo.
Away nearly two weeks . Just me and Stevie4Scoops this time as Astrro and Skid06 recently done the TET and can’t get away , and...

• Arsey
• Replies: 193
• Forum: Motorcycle trips

• 

 

[wessie]

Unless you are in the posh cabins you cannot book a table in the restaurant until on board. You need to be go to the restaurant reception on deck 7 to book. Do this pretty early or you might have to go on the reserve list and wait to be called once tables are free. About 43 euros for 4 courses, drinks extra. There is an alternative cafeteria.

No idea what meds you will need. I don't get sea sick. Rough crossings are great as there is no queue in the bar.

If either of you are interested in looking out for whale and dolphin, there will be a briefing on the main bar on deck 8 with someone from a marine conservation charity.

Wifi: you get a free hour per device so having a tablet as well as a phone is handy. Otherwise put devices in airplane mode so you do not rack up marine cellphone charges.

There's a small indoor pool on deck 9

If you want a drink without enduring the cabaret, there is a quiet bar on deck 7 near the restaurant.

Don't be in a hurry to go to deck 2 on arrival. You have to wait for the upper deck to clear before they open the doors, some twat will start their engine too early and there is a bit of a scrum to get off.

Don't plan to do many miles on the first afternoon. Lumpy weather can cause delays so stay within a couple of hours of Santander.

 

[LochLaddie]

A linky to a previous thread with lots of advisory...

Thread 'Any tips for Brittany Ferries Plymouth to Santander?'

Apr 3, 2024

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"

• Slime Bomb
• Replies: 139
• Forum: Spain and Portugal (including the Pyrenees and Picos)

• 

Cheers, I did do a search before posting must have asked the search gods the wrong question

 

[AustinW]

If you think might get sea sick then buy some tablets and take them. I just ask at a pharmacy and buy whatever they offer. I get sea sick looking at a rough sea so unless it’s flat calm I’ll be fully dosed up. I’ve crossed Plymouth- Santander 12 times now, 2 of them have been horrendously rough, 4or5 rough ish and the rest flat calm even for me. A cabin while you are feeling queasy is so much better than a reclining seat or lying on the floor somewhere in public using a foul smelling toilet. My sea sickness disappears almost as soon as I lie down. When it’s rough your own cabin bed and en-suite for the 18hour crossing is so much more pleasant.

I also tried some “Sea Bands” this year as I’ve spoken to enough people who said they worked. It’s all Acupuncture bollocks stuff but worked in an unexpected way for me as all 6 sea crossings I’ve done this year have been flat calm. I thought they worked by stopping me feel nauseous. Best £9.99 (Boots) I’ve spent if they continue to work like that.

Have great trip. Remember where your bike is parked (probably D2) and which staircase to use to get back to it. You’ll get lost on the boat loads. Tanqueray 10 gin was £24 for a litre bottle just over a week ago . One of the few genuine bargains in duty free.

 

[Wapping]

At some point, I’ll combine all the useful hints and tips threads on this single topic into one. The ultimate point of reference for Adventure (with a capital A) bikermates, when facing the terrors of the deep.

Richard

 

[Georgeeboi]

Definitely leave as much luggage on the bike as possible, a bloody nightmare trying to get to the bike when you get to your destination.

Sent from my SM-F936B using Tapatalk

 

[Arsey]

Definitely leave as much luggage on the bike as possible, a bloody nightmare trying to get to the bike when you get to your destination.

Sent from my SM-F936B using Tapatalk

Yup.
I always pack enough clothes for the first few days plus wash kit /shoes etc into one pannier bag so you only need to take one bag out of the bike on the boat .
Infact I did this every 3/4 days on trip so could generally leave one bag in pannier for 2 weeks . Saves lugging too much stuff up to your room.

 

[RedRick Esq.]

Yup.
I always pack enough clothes for the first few days plus wash kit /shoes etc into one pannier bag so you only need to take one bag out of the bike on the boat .
Infact I did this every 3/4 days on trip so could generally leave one bag in pannier for 2 weeks . Saves lugging too much stuff up to your room.

That is a top tip and what I do

Just do a mild repack every couple of days to adjust what is in the take off bag

 

[Doc]

Am i right in saying they tie your bike down for you ?

 

[John Armstrong]

Have great trip. Remember where your bike is parked (probably D2) and which staircase to use to get back to it. You’ll get lost on the boat loads.

I take a picture of the door / deck number where I've left my bike to help jog the memory.

Often hundreds of bikes, all closely packed, many with giant pizza boxes on the side which makes it fun getting to yours if it's at the "wrong" end, especially if you have all your luggage / helmet etc with you.

IIRC some bikes get parked in a small cul-de-sac so you have to reverse them out after others have cleared off. This gets very entertaining as some are slower moving, and therefore it becomes a full free for all.

 

[Georgeeboi]

Am i right in saying they tie your bike down for you ?

I've just come back. They tie your bike down, but we all undone the straps ourselves.

Sent from my SM-F936B using Tapatalk

 

[autogs]

Last year in the piano bar we sat adjacent to....the krankies ! I kid you not

 

[Doc]

Think ill get our lass to knit some pannier covers. Pisses me off no end when people are squeezing past your bike with their gear with no respect for your bike.
Air did turn blue and he went white when a bloke did it when I was on the Hull ferry.

 

[daesimps]

My wife’s brand new Vario panniers got dented this weekend by some bloke talking his bike off the side stand “enthusiastically” and riding off.

Pay attention to the crew. They were about to grab my bike and drag the back end by the plastic numerate hanger until I stopped them, despite it being parked exactly where a different crew member had directed me to.

We always pack a “boat bag” in our top boxes. Boat bag comes out and helmet goes in once onboard. Side loading panniers are a PITA - you have to be quick to get stuff out before someone is parked next to you, and can have quite a wait to put stuff back in them.

Take your time and don’t let anybody rush you. That’s when you’re likely to get flustered and do something daft like get your foot caught in a tie down strap that someone has just dumped.

We also wait for the ramp to be clear before setting off down/up. Stopping half way on the steep incline is just something you don’t need.

Also, don’t be that person starting their bike as soon as you’re on it, despite being trapped in by 100 other bikes. It’s not fun for anyone

 

[RedRick Esq.]

Think ill get our lass to knit some pannier covers. Pisses me off no end when people are squeezing past your bike with their gear with no respect for your bike.
Air did turn blue and he went white when a bloke did it when I was on the Hull ferry.

I had some bell end clatter past my bike so clumsily he turned the Mirror around which because its left hand thread meant it just flapped about - i was incredibly cross and voiced my dismay at which point, bess him he produced the right sized allen key and re tightened it

 

[skr80a]

I have found that a fish and chips lunch, and a sarnies with beer for the evening meal works for me. In the morning grab the full breakfast, allowing a cooked breakfast plus free drink refills and pastries / yoghurt etc, rather than the self service one, and that sorts me for the day

 

[glenn2926]

For those that have done the Plymouth to Santander route what have you learned? Is it worth booking the ferry meals? Grab food on the way to the port? How many sea sickness tablets should you take? What are those wee gems that will make the circa 24hr voyage that little bit more enjoyable?

Motive: trying to make this an experience which will not put off the wide!

Thanks in advance

Does she know you call her the wide? That’s living very dangerously.

 

[zerax9]

Am i right in saying they tie your bike down for you ?

Yes they do... and you get to un-tie it when you get off the other end...

I always carry a small micro-fibre cloth in the tank bag and put that over the seat... keeps the seat clean.