The boat to spain
- Thread starter JumpShip
- Start date
I use the button on the door pillar. Works for me. I’ve noticed many Landies and Range Rovers seem to have their alarms going the entire ferry trip, other makes seem to give in after so many alarms.
7 months in the last 12?
Re. Food. We do a couple of major trips across the channel each year. We always take a fridge full and bring back a fridge full. Cheese/sausages/Foie Gras, whatever. We get searched every time in summer as we have a trailer, winter not so much. We have never had the fridge searched or been asked if we’re carrying food.
Don’t think I have, but I have gone to bed in a bit of a state with the sliding door open, half in half out.
We've always had dogs but we are currently dogless. As dog people we always notice the dogs (more than the owners! On the 'Pont Avon' they have a small open air exercise area on deck. I think it's otherwise the helicopter pad! It always looks like quite a nice social gathering. They have to be muzzled in the lifts and public areas (not always adhered to!) All the dogs seem chilled. Good job you booked the dog cabin, they go quickly my wife informs me. We always meant to go in the swimming pool but never got round to it.Thanks Podge that's a big help
We've never taken the van or the dog on a ferry before so all new to us .
We're on a silly o'clock just before midnight sailing so will save the wandering around bit for the following day .
Enjoy your trip. 
Definitely not, the fire fighting drenching system lock out is taken off when the passengers and crew are clear of the decks and all doors are closed.
There’s loads of info on the Brittany Ferries website and there’s a manned desk onboard to ask questions plus crew to help all over the vessel.
An unfortunate avatar you have ‘JumpShip’ for a ferry journey.
Yeah take yer cozzies. If it's too rough though, the waves (on the pool) go up the sides and out of the pool and they close it. There's a handy bar right there if that happens. No you can't go back to the car deck but it's worth taking your time before you leave the van and have a couple of large pre-packed bags of the stuff you will need both dog and yourselves. We have a couple of those tough Mercadona supermarket bags they can go straight to your cabin. If it's not ready you might have to wait 30mins or so.
There seemed to be a Transporter convention going on on our sailing! The black one isn't mine sadly..
If it's too rough though, the waves (on the pool) go up the sides and out of the pool and they close it. There's a handy bar right there if that happens. No you can't go back to the car deck but it's worth taking your time before you leave the van and have a couple of large pre-packed bags of the stuff you will need both dog and yourselves. We have a couple of those tough Mercadona supermarket bags they can go straight to your cabin. If it's not ready you might have to wait 30mins or so. There seemed to be a Transporter convention going on on our sailing! The black one isn't mine sadly..
We’ve taken the ferry to Santander three times and we ourselves wouldn’t consider driving through France. I don’t recall we had any issues with food although no dog for us.
Our first crossing of was calm and the sea life in Biscay was amazing. The second crossing we headed west through the Channel directly into Storm Hannah. Third crossing was ok. So your crossing enjoyment is all down to chance, and the weather.
The crossings now takes longer because I believe they have slowed the ferry vessels. They previously pushed them too hard and on our first crossing the ferry was running on one engine for half the journey whilst they repaired the other. On our second crossing the following ferry, the vessel we travelled on first time, caught fire. We were subsequently told that passengers were at Muster Stations but fortunately they managed to reach Roscoff or somewhere safely.
So maybe it now takes longer, but I’m sure there would be less unnerving excitement.
Our first crossing of was calm and the sea life in Biscay was amazing. The second crossing we headed west through the Channel directly into Storm Hannah. Third crossing was ok. So your crossing enjoyment is all down to chance, and the weather.
The crossings now takes longer because I believe they have slowed the ferry vessels. They previously pushed them too hard and on our first crossing the ferry was running on one engine for half the journey whilst they repaired the other. On our second crossing the following ferry, the vessel we travelled on first time, caught fire. We were subsequently told that passengers were at Muster Stations but fortunately they managed to reach Roscoff or somewhere safely.
So maybe it now takes longer, but I’m sure there would be less unnerving excitement.
Santona is 215m stem to stern and 32m beam. It probably has hydraulic stabilisers like most Ro-Ro ferries so you’re not likely to get thrown about much, even in the Bay of Biscay mid winter.
The crossing durations vary depending on destination as there’s no point arriving in the middle of the night and disrupting every bodies sleep. Running at lower speeds reduces fuel costs much the same as taking the foot of the pedal in a brick shaped van. Otherwise the fuel costs would be passed on to the passengers.
The crossing durations vary depending on destination as there’s no point arriving in the middle of the night and disrupting every bodies sleep. Running at lower speeds reduces fuel costs much the same as taking the foot of the pedal in a brick shaped van. Otherwise the fuel costs would be passed on to the passengers.
Last edited:
I can’t say I’ve ever seen a pool on a Ro-Ro ferry, they don’t generate £, in fact they keep you away from the bars, shop and restaurants.It seems the boat we've booked doesn't have a pool.
It was a very rushed booking as availability was low and it seems we dipped out .
It would have been full of hairy arsed truck drivers anyway.
