Travel in style. Not the cheapest but definitely the best. (Brittany Ferries)

Member Name: jmarko

Product:	Brittany Ferries
Date:	08/09/08 (297 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great style, great service, great food

Disadvantages: Overnight crossings are not for everyone; not the cheapest

Let's start with a fact that should put you off using Brittany Ferries - it's not cheap. Actually, it's expensive. In the past couple of years, I have paid between £100 and £150 for two foot passengers from Plymouth to Roscoff.

So, the question has to be asked, when I can fly to France for under a tenner, why pay ten times that to use a ferry?

Well, the simple answer is that there is 'expensive and rubbish' and then there's 'expensive and brilliant'. Brittany Ferries is expensive and brilliant. Actually, it's better than brilliant!

Brittany Ferries uses one of seven ferries or two catamarans. I've not travelled on either of the catamarans but have sailed on five of the ferries (The Pont L'Abbe, Normandie, Bretagne, Mont-St-Michel and the Pont Aven).

Although all are excellent, two deserve special mention. The Pont Aven, which usually plies either the Plymouth-Santander or (sometimes) the Plymouth-Roscoff routes, is a £100m state of the art mini-cruise ship. Inside is all glass and brass and shiny lights. It is lovely. The facilities include various bars, a pool, shops, two cinemas, three eateries, various bars and lounges. The on board accommodation is of the highest quality and the staff are the best.

The Pont L'Abbe is from another age. Wood and brass, sturdy and civilised, it mainly sails the Plymouth-Roscoff route. It is a lovely little bit of France. A waiter served restaurant and various bars mean that your fed and watered (and entertained) before bed. Accommodation is either by cabins (which are cosy and well kept) or cheaper couchettes - which are private sectioned dorms (think cheap and cheerful) with shared facilities.

One of the things that I am always impressed with is the food. I had always thought that it was excellent and so was particularly happy when I saw a Rick Stein programme in which he said that, for him, his holiday to France started with his meal on the ferry - and he was on a Brittany Ferries ship! Nowhere else in UK territorial waters (or on land) can you get a steak that good!

Food and drink on board are remarkably good value - especially given that they have a captive market while you are on board and so there is nothing to stop them fleecing you - they just don't!

The route that I use most is Plymouth-Roscoff. The main advantage to me (other than proximity as I live in Devon) is that you can get on the ferry at 11pm and arrive in France at 7am - so you do not lose a day's holiday. You simply get on the ferry after work and arrive with a full day ahead of you. To me, that would be worth the extra price alone - even if it was not for the excellent service, food and on board facilities.

So, where can you go?

---Routes---

Brittany Ferries sails between the following ports:

Portsmouth to Caen
Portsmouth to St Malo
Portsmouth to Cherbourg
Poole to Cherbourg
Plymouth to Roscoff
Plymouth to Santander
Cork to Roscoff

None of the crossings are particularly short but the Plymouth-Roscoff, Plymouth-Santander and Cork-Roscoff ones are very long and generally overnight.

They also do 'packages' where you can pre-book hotels although, in our experience, we have never found a French hotel package deal that is cheaper than booking when you get there (as they tend to charge by the room, where are packages charge by the person).

---Website---

You can get more information and also find offers at:

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk

The website also includes various city guides and other info that will come in useful when booking your holiday in France.

---Conclusion---

Brittany Ferries provides a service that is unrivalled in the UK ferry industry. It is the highest quality and unlike anything that you may have experienced on any of the more popular routes.

Although the routes that Brittany Ferries operate are in areas that you may not be considering, the destinations could save drivers many hundreds of miles of driving in France as they deliver you into the heart of France rather than in somewhere like Calais - which is miles away.

If you want to arrive in France in a couple of hours and travel on a stinky bus-type ferry for £1, then Brittany Ferries is not for you. If you want to arrive in style refreshed and having cruised and eaten like a king the night before, then you really should check out Brittany Ferries.

And one last tip - the staff are very friendly provided that you treat them with respect and talk to them. I have see people being utterly rude to them and they don't deserve it. By chatting to the staff, we have found that they are very willing to give up the secrets of their back yard. They have told us about some great hidden restaurants and bars in and around Brittany. So, take the time to talk. They are busy but they are so friendly and helpful if you're willing to treat them like real people too!

Summary: Treat yourself!