Irish Ferries Normandy or Celticlink Ferries to France

scuzz

Hi Folks,
Will be travelling to france in August by motorhome, wondering has anybody any experience using Celtic ferries. I have used Irish ferries - The Normandy on a couple of occasions, both Ferry companies are quoting similar prices, I know free food is part of the cost with celtic ferries but in my experience anything free is usually not up to standard especially food. The Normandy is being replaced alas in October i think (too late for my crossing unfortunately). Anyhow viewing a picture from the Celtic ferries website http://www.celticlinkferries.com/ the vessel doesn't look like much of an improvement on the Normandy allbeit it wouldn't be hard to improve on the irish ferries delapidated ship. I know brittany ferries flagship the Pont Avon goes to Roscoff but is costly and doesn't suit me as I am heading for italy to catch a wedding party in Lake Garda and want to cut down the travel time by going to cherbourg. Would appreciate any experiences and comments and any relevant info on campsites around Lake Garda also would be great. Thanks n Advance

testicle

Go through the UK and Dover - Calais. It's a 12 hour trip from Rosslare to Calais, using the Eurotunnel, and cheaper than the direct ferry. Berrter road too, if you're destination is Italy.

Seth Brundle

I was one of the unfortunate who got caught up on the Normandy a few years back (stuck in Roscoff for about 8 hours). I would never use IF again because of it. However, even if that hadn't I don't think I would use them. The ship is an absolute kip with crappy cabins, facilities, etc.
Last year we took Brittany ferries and it was on the opposite end of the spectrum from IF and the price was pretty much the same. The cabins were spacious (before you folded the bunks up - something not on IF), the ship was bright and airy and not depressing.
The staff were friendly and helpful again unlike IF.
Maybe worth considering.

MLM

Try Brittany Ferries, Cork to Roscoff. New enough ferry and as far as I know the crossing is only 10 hours.

loyatemu

that celticlink boat is a freighter - I wouldn't expect too much in the way of creature comforts.

We're travelling this month with Britanny ferries - primarily because we have small kids and we heard bad things about Irish Ferries from other parents. Perhaps IF will improve when they get their new ship...

D'Peoples Voice

scuzz wrote:

Hi Folks,
Will be travelling to france in August by motorhome, wondering has anybody any experience using Celtic ferries. I have used Irish ferries - The Normandy on a couple of occasions, both Ferry companies are quoting similar prices, I know free food is part of the cost with celtic ferries but in my experience anything free is usually not up to standard especially food. The Normandy is being replaced alas in October i think (too late for my crossing unfortunately). Anyhow viewing a picture from the Celtic ferries website

I was asking myself the same questions last summer:)
I opted for Irish ferries because the Celtic ferry looked like one geared for truckers and not for car passengers like me who like their luxuries.
I have absolutely no regrets, Irish ferries were simply brilliant, friendly staff, everywhere looked spotless, and the entertainment/bar area were excellent. I could not recommend them enough. Aer Lingus staff could learn a lot form them.
I've since used Irish Ferries to Pembroke, staff are very unfriendly, and everything seemed to be far more expensive! As regards the breakfast, can't remember the last time I paid that much for a fry-up, perhaps at Dublin airport or the Four Seasons in Ballsbridge hotel. I'm reluctant to use Irish Ferries to Pembroke again, but to Roscoff, they are a dream to travel with.

scuzz

Thanks Folks for all the replies,
I am reluctant to take the Normandy as it is a floating kip, i used Brittany ferries last year to Santander in Spain via portsmouth in the UK after travelling Irish Ferries to pembroke on the first leg of the trip. Brittany ferries are in a different class, it is alot dearer though. You pay for the luxury but it is a beautiful ship with spacious clean cabins and friendly staff with a great choice for food at reasonable prices. I have heard second hand that even though the Celic ferries is a freighter it is on a par with the Normandy and you have to wonder about the way workers are and were treated on Irish Ferries. I don't want to head for Roscoff because it adds serious time to the journey to Lake Garda in Northern Italy. I am considering going via the UK (Dover,Folkestown), option 1 - to drive to dover from pembroke and take a 90 minute ferry to calais or Option 2 - use eurotunnel. There seems to be serious differences in price if booking through www.eurotunnel.com and www.directrail.com from folkestown to calais it is roughly 15hrs drive time from Cherbourgh to Riva del Garda and around 12hrs from Calais. With around a 5hr trip acrooss the uk from pembroke - dover on the first leg. 18 hrs via irishferries or Celticlink to cherbourgh. Cost wise it will work out around the same €660 either by going to cherbourgh or via the uk. Not sure is it worth all the hassle to go via the uk, I presume eurotunnel is a good experience, that operates to schedule, any thoughts for does of you that have used it. If i were to go via the uk I probably will have to factor in overnighting in folkstown or dover and also in Calais on either the outward/inward journeys. Anybody have any experience for a safe spot to parkup, or any info on Motorhome stopovers called aires de service in the area. Thanks again for all your input

gqma0

I've had enough of high prices going straight to France from Rosslare and I decided to go through the UK last summer. Here was my itinerary

Dublin - Holyhead irish ferries
Holyhead - Folkestone By car. Allow a good 9 hrs drive
Folkestone - Calais EUROTUNNEL 20mn

The GPS was fantastic. We got stuck around London at peak times. If I had to do it again, I'd travel by night

All in all, accounting the petrol and tolls, we saved ~€200 and we arrived the same day in France.

The eurotunnel is great and you just get the time to stretch your legs out of the car and have a quick bite.

Have a nice trip
Cheers
G

testicle

MLM wrote:

Try Brittany Ferries, Cork to Roscoff. New enough ferry and as far as I know the crossing is only 10 hours.

Departs Cork 1600, Arrive Roscoff 0700, makes 14 hours in my book.

D'Peoples Voice

scuzz wrote:

Thanks Folks for all the replies,
I am reluctant to take the Normandy as it is a floating kip, i used Brittany ferries last year to Santander in Spain via portsmouth in the UK after travelling Irish Ferries to pembroke on the first leg of the trip.

That's what I plan to do this year:)
My concern is in relation to the drive between Pembroke and Portsmouth.
did you stay a night in the Uk or did you drive direct?

In other words get the ferry over from Rosslare on Sat night(2 am), arrive Pembroke Sun morning, and then drive straight to Portsmouth for the 4pm sailing?

scuzz

We got the Saturday evening sailing to pembroke, we drove out of the port and parked the camper down on the pier in pembroke around midnight if I remember, roughly about 5 minutes away. There was public toilet facilitiies on the pier. We didn't have any problem parking there, except around 1am some youngsters parked up for 20mins or so, obviously coming back from a disco or so (Saturday nite) they didn't cause any problems just that they had loud music on in the car (Typical Youngsters). We got up next morn around 8ish and at that stage there was older people arriving for fishing. After a quick splash n dash we were on the road around 9. We had route planned the journey If i remember using www.RAC.com in advance which is important. we also had a UK map purchased onboard Irish ferries. Bought a TomTom One this week for our next journey as you can also upload POI from www.camperstop.com. Anyhow we stopped twice on the journey, once for Diesel which we had to take in one of the service stations just off the Motorway and again to stop for Refreshments (about 45mins travelling time lost in Total). It is literally motorway the whole way without any tolls, you pay the tolls on the way back to pembroke or they are positioned on the other side of the motorway. We arrived Just in Time for the 4pm sailing, 3:30 to be exact. I have to tell you I didn't spare it as we thought we were actually going to miss it, I was tipping along at 70mph for the entire journey. So you should give yourself plenty of time for travelling, and possible breakdown etc. If your taking a caravan obviously your travelling time will increase accordingly. The ferry is signposted in Portsmouth, but take care to keep on the lookout for the signs, if you go wrong and are tight for time it could prove costly as your navigating traffic in Portsmouth. If you get some sleep and are prepared to drive drect off the 2am sailing I think it might be a better bet, especially if you can share the driving. Otherwise stay in pembroke and hit the road early, alot earlier than 9. Hope this helps

scuzz

Oops sorry, its www.rac.co.uk not www.rac.com
To be exact http://www.rac.co.uk/web/routeplanner/?&lid=leftNav&lpos=routeplanner

scuzz

I spoke with another Guy who stopped overnight in the car park just after getting off the ferry in Pembroke. He asked the security guy in the Car Park and there was no problem.

D'Peoples Voice

scuzz wrote:

I spoke with another Guy who stopped overnight in the car park just after getting off the ferry in Pembroke. He asked the security guy in the Car Park and there was no problem.

Thanks for that,
I always prefer to hear it from someone who 's been there rather than from AA routeplanner.
By the way, over the past few years I have NEVER been asked for a passport entering or leaving this country through our ports especially Rosslare, just a guarda/police officer who looks in the window and says morning/evening.
I assume Portsmouth to Santander is the same, there is absolutely no passport check!

scuzz

Sorry, it's not portsmouth don't know why that was in my head. it was plymouth to santander, thus we drove from pembroke to plymouth. I'm not 100% sure if they checked passports in plymouth or not, I remember handing in ferry tickets and passports at the check-in booth as you drive in. I don't recall customs or police checking passports though.

JackieChan

Scuzz,
Is it Stena that go Pymouth-Santander?
How did you find the crossing/facilites last year?

scuzz

JackieChan,
Brittany ferries from Plymouth to Santander on their Flagship the Pont Avon. As stated in my earlier post it was a dream crossing on a splendid ship but it was costly, around €1600 euro if I recall, but hey I was on honeymoon:D

So I have my itenary for August

Rosslare to Pembroke Return
Drive from Pembroke to Folkestown
Eurotunnel from Folkestown to Calais
Calais to Riva del Garda in Italy

Will overnight in Dover on the return Leg after getting off the Eurotunnel

Thanks everyone

Victor

D'Peoples Voice wrote:

By the way, over the past few years I have NEVER been asked for a passport entering or leaving this country through our ports especially Rosslare, just a guarda/police officer who looks in the window and says morning/evening.

A friend got through Dublin Airport with "Howaya?" Similarly, in ports, if you don't stick out, they don't worry about you. Coming back from Holyhead, the immigration guy went through a full coach in under two minutes and half of that was checking that the Germans were actually German.

I assume Portsmouth to Santander is the same, there is absolutely no passport check!

I imagine quite different. The Spanish sometimes love their formalities.

D'Peoples Voice

scuzz wrote:

JackieChan,
Brittany ferries from Plymouth to Santander on their Flagship the Pont Avon. As stated in my earlier post it was a dream crossing on a splendid ship but it was costly, around €1600 euro if I recall, but hey I was on honeymoon:D

I've booked Plymouth[ to Santander. Had some experience on the websites. There are two main websites,
www.aferry.com
www.cheap4ferries.com

www.cheap4ferries.com is by far the cheapest.
If for whatever reason you choose to book by www.aferry.com, be careful, they have a bug in their website. At the beginning, you are asked for either a sterling or euro quote, yet the price you get at the end of the quote is always in sterling:mad:
It gets worse though, if you had selected a euro quote, the final price you get is higher than if you had selected a sterling quote,and no it's not the euro price with a sterling symbol. I contacted them on Skype and told them as much. Chancers!!

paconnors

testicle wrote:

Departs Cork 1600, Arrive Roscoff 0700, makes 14 hours in my book.

and in my book that = 15 hrs

Victor

paconnors wrote:

and in my book that = 15 hrs

DEpartuare and arrival times are local times. France is one hour ahead.

scuzz

D'Peoples Voice wrote:

I've booked Plymouth[ to Santander. Had some experience on the websites. There are two main websites,
www.aferry.com
www.cheap4ferries.com

www.cheap4ferries.com is by far the cheapest.
If for whatever reason you choose to book by www.aferry.com, be careful, they have a bug in their website. At the beginning, you are asked for either a sterling or euro quote, yet the price you get at the end of the quote is always in sterling:mad:
It gets worse though, if you had selected a euro quote, the final price you get is higher than if you had selected a sterling quote,and no it's not the euro price with a sterling symbol. I contacted them on Skype and told them as much. Chancers!!

Did booking via www.cheap4ferries.com workout cheaper than booking direct with brittanyferries??:rolleyes:

testicle

paconnors wrote:

and in my book that = 15 hrs

What Victor said.

bkehoe

Well when coming back from France to the UK it takes ages getting through security and immigration checks, so I can only assume it's the same in Spain. Getting onto the ferry in france involves: 1) Hand in reservation printout and passport...wait several mins....2) proceed to police check point and hand in passport...wait several mins....3)proceed to UK Immigration (pray that they haven't pulled over a car in front), hand in passport and wait another few mins. Not too long in total, though it takes ages when there's loads of other people doing the same thing. Almost missed a ferry in Dunkirk because of it as it took me an hour to get from arriving at the port to clearing immigration.

Will be doing a trip to Spain later this year myself with a group and then on to Morocco. Haven't decided to join the group on the ~30hr crossing from Portsmouth-Bilboa with P&O, or go it alone on the far shorter Plymouth-Santander route.

Though anyway, it can be far shorter to get to France through the UK. You can get onto the tunnel quite cheap at off peak times and/or booking well in advance. There's normally crossings every 30mins, and in total you're sitting on the train for around 35mins. If you're a high vehicle (as I am in a Discovery), then you've the added advantage of getting off the train first when you get to France! The Lynx is back on now for the summer season from Rosslare, so you get to Fishguard in 2hrs. You could leave Rosslare at 15:00 for example and be in France by midnight.

As for the orignal question about Celtic Link. A friend of mine went on as a car passenger last week, and was quite happy with it. Said the facilities were very clean, friendly staff, and that the food was superb as ferry food goes. And the best bit it was free - evening meal, breakfast, and then lunch. I think he said it was a buffet type arrangement so you can eat as much as you want. It was a bit noisier than other ferrys and its age shows, but then from what I've heard about the Normandy in recent years then anything will be better. You'd probably end up spending at least €50 on food with Irish Ferries on a trip to France if it's priced anything like the food on the UK-Ireland routes.

bkehoe

This might be of interest to some by the way - http://www.hhvferry.com/rosslare07_1.html

D'Peoples Voice

Victor wrote:

A friend got through Dublin Airport with "Howaya?" Similarly, in ports, if you don't stick out, they don't worry about you. Coming back from Holyhead, the immigration guy went through a full coach in under two minutes and half of that was checking that the Germans were actually German.
I imagine quite different. The Spanish sometimes love their formalities.

My experience as regards checking passports was -
Santander - arrival, very strict, made us take off our sunglasses, opeend the Passports and compared the faces, noted our nationality and then looked at the car reg. On leaving Santander, again similar procedure.
Took a quick glance to see if anyone in rear seat.

Plymouth - asked for our passport at check-in, then had to produce them again for customs before boarding the boat, also had a woman in Customs recording all car regs on a flipboard. On arrival in Plymouth, merely checked our passports on exiting the port area.
Took a quick glance to see if anyone in rear seat.

Rosslare - both leaving and arriving - never checked our passports once, and (to my mind) never even glanced to see if we were transporting a family of illegals immigrants. They did make us drive over a drain that had water spraying up on the tyres(oh and drive through a shed-like structure on exit)

scuzz wrote:

Did booking via www.cheap4ferries.com workout cheaper than booking direct with brittanyferries??

YES - I believe the site redirects you anyway to www.aferry.com or at least the websites look remarkably similar.

Dub13

Whats the new IF ship meant to be like...?

Seth Brundle

http://www.irishferries.com/oscar_wilde/index.shtml

Dub13

Looks good,is she brand new...?

What will happen to the Normandy...?

cormie

I'm heading to France next week in my van, I'm shocked really, it's €99 each way if booked early (I didn't book early enough so it's €120). The return trip is costing something like €240, compared to a return trip for a van to the UK which is about €400. What's that about?

So I think it definitely works out cheaper for a van to go just direct from Rosslare to Cherbourge rather than driving through the UK and getting the tunnel and all that.

The prices also get lower after Nov 4th for Cabins and stuff. Has the Normandy been replaced yet or will it be another while?

I went to Holyhead with IF just a few weeks ago and it was fine, very clean and not one bit of hassle.

parsi

At Bf checkin in Roscoff they check the passports as they do in Cork. That's all the checking - Police (france) or Guards (Irl) don't look atthem unless they pull you out for checking.

In Portsmouth the Immigration check passports for footpax inbound and the same goes for St Malo (well it did in August).

Of course in Portsmouth they xray footpax bags and make you go through a metal detetctor and confiscate knives but yet transit vans with loads of rebar and a mini-digger have no probs ......