Portsmouth to Santander ferry

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Hi all
I am planning a trip to Portugal next year (probably May) and intend to use the Portsmouth to Santander ferry.
I am looking to the collective for any advice, hints and tips about using the ferry.
When is the best time (by that I mean cheapest) to buy tickets, is it worth the extra for a cabin, any discount codes, will I need to bring my own straps to secure the bike etc etc.
Any advice greatfully accepted.:thumby:
 
My experience after using that ferry several times:

1) It's expensive no matter when you buy tickets.
2) You are required to book a cabin; they aren't bad but worth sharing.
3) Discount codes are available, but it's not much.
4) Book as early as you can, as they fill up very quickly.
5) Customer service is very good regarding changing bookings etc.
6) Price up using the tunnel + two days riding/accommodation.
7) There is a Santander service from Plymouth too.

Other views will be along shortly.
 
As above but i dont think a cabin is mandatory

However 23hours wandering the decks trying to find somewhere to kip is not recommended so get a cabin

My tip get a 2 person cabin for one or a 4 berth for 2 and then be comfortable.

It looks expensive at first sight ( it is) but it works out cheaper than the cost of the tunnel, at least one nights accommodation, fuel and tyres. Trust me on this as i have done both
 
Last time I looked a cabin was mandatory on the ferries to Spain. Look at the economie ferries they are cheaper.
The staff strap the bike down for you, never had a problem so far and yes the food and drink can be pricey but you are having a break!
Just go and enjoy the fantastic roads, food and drink in Portugal!!
 
Hi,

You have to have a cabin, if you decide to go and want a discount, PM me for my Club Voyage membership code.
 
I ride down from Portsmouth to Spain a fair bit

Ferry to St Malo with Cabin and return from Cherbourg is normally around £220.

it's just over 500 miles from St Malo to the Pyrenees and 600 back to Cherbourg so 1,100 miles to the Spanish border on my Harley at 180 miles per tank is 6 tanks @ £18 per tank so £108..... Booking.com gives me a Hotel at around £50 - Tolls are roughly £25 each way if you follow the western route.

So - £220 + £108 + £100 + £50 is £478 for a return trip to Northern Spain from Portsmouth - So, any fare around the £480 mark is equal to.....
 
I ride down from Portsmouth to Spain a fair bit

Ferry to St Malo with Cabin and return from Cherbourg is normally around £220.

it's just over 500 miles from St Malo to the Pyrenees and 600 back to Cherbourg so 1,100 miles to the Spanish border on my Harley at 180 miles per tank is 6 tanks @ £18 per tank so £108..... Booking.com gives me a Hotel at around £50 - Tolls are roughly £25 each way if you follow the western route.

So - £220 + £108 + £100 + £50 is £478 for a return trip to Northern Spain from Portsmouth - So, any fare around the £480 mark is equal to.....

I think my last trip to Santander was about that. But ...

If i run pireli super corsas on the ducati the 1100 miles of which you speak will have eaten them up almost so i have to factor in another £300
 
Got 3 trips booked on the ferry this Summer, first on 6th May, suits me!
 
Ferry is a great decompression from work, and gets me into holiday mode just in time to roll off the ramp into Santander or Bilbao. Beers not too expensive either


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The wife and I priced it to either ride both bikes to Portsmouth then hop on the ferry or bung them on a trailer then abandon my van and trailer in northern Spain somewhere near Santander and it was £15 cheaper to leave the van at home and just take the bikes. That was for an early June crossing and it would be cheaper if my van was big enough to take two bikes but it’s only a Caddy so not an option. Hiring a van makes it more expensive than using the trailer and the price per person only becomes viable if three of you go with each having their own bike.

If you price it for two riders and add fuel, servicing, tyres, hotels and tolls then for me it makes more sense to use the ferry.
 
Book as early as you can to ensure that you can get a cabin.

It's a doddle.

Enjoy
 
..................
The staff strap the bike down for you, never had a problem so far ...................!

Side stand or centre stand for the bike? It's a worry :nenau

Ferry is a great decompression from work, and gets me into holiday mode just in time to roll off the ramp into Santander or Bilbao. Beers not too expensive either


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^^^^^This^^^^^

Andres
 
Ferry is a great decompression from work, and gets me into holiday mode just in time to roll off the ramp into Santander or Bilbao. Beers not too expensive either


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

+1 for that and Hail to the ale:beer:
 
They do a cooked breakfast for 10 euros which is not that bad a price considering where you are,

Pricing for food and drink is on the website. Two weeks today I will be on my way to Portsmouth for the 5pm Ferry. Back in the UK on the 29th May.

Been to Spain via St Malo and its ok, but prefer the direct route to Spain, as others have said its a chance to unwind and hopefully the sun will come out.
 
I can but echo general opinion here. The ferry makes a great relaxing start to the holiday & gets you there fresh straight into some great roads in the Picos & beyond. Keeps the miles off tyres too, remembering my Hayabusa days. To my mind, if you do the ride through France, then it really needs some purpose to it, not just a 1200 mile flog on the Autoroute slab.

The real beef we all have with BF is the price. Since the competition left, P&O, then LD Lines, they have a monopoly on the routes. Some reckon they get the best price by booking accomodation, in whole or part, inclusive with the crossings, so that may be worth a try.

Otherwise, we have seen a few accidents on the vehicle decks over the years, several that have left guys starting their holiday in A&E in the UK. Firstly, don't discard your helmet at the port - you can still give you noggin a hefty bash flopping the bike when loading at walking pace. Same with jackets & gloves. The decks can get slippery with oil/diesel/gunk from fish lorries, so no grabbing a handfull of front brake & take it easy with the throttle. The tie down mushroom thingys on the deck need to be avoided & keep an eye out for other passengers of all ages who will wander into your path backwards without looking. A friend of ours broke her tib at Santander when a BF deck hand stepped in front of her bike - she fell on a tie down. Most of all, be patient - there aren't any prizes for reaching terra firma first.

Anyway, have a good trip whatever you decide.
 
I found the Pont aven ferry was far better than the cap finistere. If its economy you want look at the economy service. but it is economy !
 
As above but i dont think a cabin is mandatory

However 23hours wandering the decks trying to find somewhere to kip is not recommended so get a cabin

My tip get a 2 person cabin for one or a 4 berth for 2 and then be comfortable.

It looks expensive at first sight ( it is) but it works out cheaper than the cost of the tunnel, at least one nights accommodation, fuel and tyres. Trust me on this as i have done both

+1 for what Redrick says regarding cabins :thumb2

Also if 2+ travelling, as soon as you're on board get in the queue and book a table in the restaurant for dinner, it might mean an hour wait to book but it's worth it - get someone to bring you a beer whilst you're waiting in the queue! You'll not spend a great deal more than you will using the cafeteria but you'll have a nicer environment to kill a couple of hours. Same for breakfast.

I've done various routes across France and used the long ferry both solo and as part of a bigger group, if heading to anywhere south of the Pyranees it's now ferry every time for me, far far better choice.

If travelling solo take an ipad or laptop with a few films, again it can kill a few hours, sadly 24 hours is a long time on a boat.

Don't forget to take travel sickness pills, when it's flat it's brilliant but if the Bay of Biscay gets rough you'll need them!
 
Hi all
I am planning a trip to Portugal next year (probably May) and intend to use the Portsmouth to Santander ferry.
I am looking to the collective for any advice, hints and tips about using the ferry.
When is the best time (by that I mean cheapest) to buy tickets, is it worth the extra for a cabin, any discount codes, will I need to bring my own straps to secure the bike etc etc.
Any advice greatfully accepted.:thumby:

Definitely get a cabin, they are basic but a good nights sleep is well worth the money, don’t worry about straps - if the sea is calm and the sun shining then it can be a pleasant trip. Avoid the peak times otherwise it’s packed with the great unwashed and their obnoxious kids and you have to queue for everything - not good.
 
I had a very enjoyable 2 week cruise on the Pride of Bilbao many years ago and to make it even better I was being paid to do it. We were machining the crankshaft on one of the diesels for the alternator sets and I persuaded the Chief Engineer that due to vibration we could only do any actual cutting when the main engines were off then the rest of the time was spent in either the crew lounge of the bar :beerjug:

I also worked on it when it was doing the winter booze cruise between Portsmouth and Le Havre but that wasn’t as good because we were working between about 6-10pm then 6-10am so sleep was limited as was drinking time but we did get paid from 6am until 10pm straight through so I put up with it.
 
Definitely get a cabin, they are basic but a good nights sleep is well worth the money, don’t worry about straps - if the sea is calm and the sun shining then it can be a pleasant trip. Avoid the peak times otherwise it’s packed with the great unwashed and their obnoxious kids and you have to queue for everything - not good.

It’s worse when there are a few coaches full of school kids on exchange trips because the little bastards kept pestering us to go to the bar or buy cigarettes for them :mad:
 


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