New Brittany Ferries Spain boats.

Interesting.
There is a plan to do Pyrenees (possibly 2025), we used Plymouth - Stantander crossing this year for the Picos, but I wouldn't want to be stuck on the boat for two nights to Bilbao.
I'd sooner take an overnight Portsmouth - St. Malo crossing and be ready to get off the boat first thing in the morning, rested, and with breakfast in my tum. Then head for Rochefort, La Rochelle, or some other nearby town for another night, before reaching the Pyrenees the following evening. I would enjoy the ride and scenery, instead of being sat on the boat being bored to death.

My thoughts exactly - heading to Eauze in Armagnac next year, and opted for in and out of St Malo, though Bilbao would be closer
 
I wasn't a bit impressed with the new flagship Salamanca either, only food option outside official dining times was silly little tapas @ €5 a mouthful and then they ran out of Murphys, the stout option. I was expecting multiple choices for food, pizza etc. Seems like they're built to maximise vehicles and once your on FU!
Yes, and the tapas is not even Spanish style tapas - it's just measly plates of grub at €5-€6 a pop
 
I’ve been on the Pont Aven a few times . Cap Finistere once .
The Pont A is fine but a bit of a bun fight with 200 ish bikes . The Cap F was MUCH nicer . Only about 60 bikes , had a fab Club cabin and no buffet so only a la carte restaurant. Certainly nicer if a couple though the Pont A better for boys trips .
I’ll probably ride down and back in future .


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I liked the Cap F. I think it's been sold, only leaving Pont Aven of the older boats
 
I liked the Cap F. I think it's been sold, only leaving Pont Aven of the older boats

Bugger.
Loved the cabin
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That's good - Sicily is on the agenda!
For Sicily, it'll be some other boat.

"Cap Finestere" GNV Spirit is operating the following routes, according to the Wikipedia.
Image 14-11-2023 at 18.44.jpg
 
I came back from Bilbao on the Salamanca last October, but had a Club cabin including lounge access which made the crossing more tolerable. It's well worth the premium IMHO.
How mush extra does it cost ?
 
How mush extra does it cost ?
When we went this year it was £35 per person, per trip to access the Club Lounge if you didn't book a Club cabin when it comes included, and seemd a good option. For next year though it looks to have jumped to £85 per person, per trip. :eek:

With regards to the 2 night crossing, I found it better than previous Pont Aven crossings. It looks a longer crossing but in reality you're on the boat for one full day, which for us worked better than two half days. We had loads of time for a relaxed ride down to Portsmouth and something to eat before boarding and rolled off ready to ride in Spain first thing in the morning with a full day ahead.
 
Agree about the food, no where near as good as the Cap F or Pont A. I do like the two night crossing through, means I can leave home in the NE around lunch time, have a meal in Portsmouth before boarding. Then a few pints in the bar, prices seem ok to me, before bed. The day on board I just spend reading and enjoying a few glasses of wine during the day. Meal in the posh restaurant in the evening. On the second morning it’s off the ferry and away by 9:00am, stop somewhere around 10:00 for a late breakfast. Much easier than riding down through Northern France which always seems to be a slog in the rain.
Suits me too. I like the fact you can get pissed the first night and then have fuck all to do the next day except read and sleep. I must be getting old.......
 
There will also be EES & ETIAS to accommodate shortly, but these both seem likely to be pushed back into 2025, if rumours are correct.
Suspect they'll try to do the necessary paperwork while you're waiting to board. Someone with an ipad going down each queue taking photos of each traveller and checking your visa. A pain in the arse, but at least there is an opportunity to do it. Unlike the tunnel, cant see how the hell that's expected to work?
 
One big thing to watch for on boarding is to immediately turn of mobile roaming. A mate of mine got hit with a £2,000 bill for internet roaming on our last crossing to Bilbao in October. He's still arguing it with BF, but I've since read about a retired solicitor who got hit for £1,800 and he's been unsuccessful in getting a refund.
 
One big thing to watch for on boarding is to immediately turn of mobile roaming. A mate of mine got hit with a £2,000 bill for internet roaming on our last crossing to Bilbao in October. He's still arguing it with BF, but I've since read about a retired solicitor who got hit for £1,800 and he's been unsuccessful in getting a refund.

He’s got no chance getting anything from BF- it’s not BF that’s billing him, his mobile will have roamed to the maritime data service which, as he found out, it a bit pricey! BF do warn against this.

As you say, switch off roaming and either pay for the BF WiFi, or just do an internet detox!

Next year too, we get to pay the Carbon Surcharge on all our crossings, on top of the fare - goes straight to the EU to make the weather better.


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One big thing to watch for on boarding is to immediately turn of mobile roaming. A mate of mine got hit with a £2,000 bill for internet roaming on our last crossing to Bilbao in October. He's still arguing it with BF, but I've since read about a retired solicitor who got hit for £1,800 and he's been unsuccessful in getting a refund.
Even knowing about this for years I got caught once when I forgot to put my phone on aeroplane mode as usual - fortunately the phone wasn't being used (apart from as an alarm) so only got caught for a couple of quid.

The BF FAQ does state :-
Data roaming
An offshore mobile telephone network, independent of Brittany Ferries, is also available which is not free. You will be charged by your network provider for any phone calls, messages or use of data whilst roaming on this network; these charges will be outlined by your network provider.
To avoid paying high data roaming charges, we recommend that you turn data roaming off on your mobile devices. Brittany Ferries is not responsible for any costs incurred by connecting to any other network.
 
I have my phone plan set not to allow any charges outside of ‘Plan’ never have any problems or nasty surprises. Smarty mobile works on the 3 network.
 
We did the two night crossing in May and we all had to have a cabin. No option to just have a seat.

But would you want to sit on a seat for 36 hours ? Great start to a holiday !


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