Tips for travelling on Ferry from Cork to Roscoff

Anne Other

I will be travelling with young children on this ferry shortly.

Any tips for me would be most welcome...........what to do before boarding, when boarded and for when we get off.

Many thanks

keithclancy

Couldn't be easier

Queue up

Drive on - Take stuff out of car - Check in.

Do the reverse in Roscoff.

munchkin_utd

keithclancy wrote: »

Couldn't be easier

Queue up

Drive on - Take stuff out of car - Check in.

Do the reverse in Roscoff.

indeed.
life without kids,
everythings very easy.

EDIT: I think the OP was looking for ideas on what to do with the small ones and in general how to deal with the logistics of keeping them busy/ fed/ watered

Anne Other

Yes muchkin that's what I meant!

Munsterbhoy

Heading out on may 31 with the wife n kids on same ferry. When u park up the car make sure you have everything u need as you wont be left back to the car. We normally make sure that all electronics are charged up although there is a socket in the cabin( 2 pin I think) . Food is quite expensive on board so advise to bring something with you eg snacks/drinks for kids. Great entertainment for all on board and ship wont be full at this time. Crossing is relatively smooth and in the morning your off very early. Remember very little shops are open in france on sundays , really all you'll get is shops open in campsites. Enjoy the crossing its good fun and your hols start when you get on board..

Anne Other

Thanks Munsterboy.

IS there a pool on board the ship?

Munsterbhoy

Anne Other wrote: »

Thanks Munsterboy.

IS there a pool on board the ship?

Yes, and cinema..

coylemj

Anne Other wrote: »

Is there a pool on board the ship?

Surely it occurred to you to check the company website to see what facilities there are on board?

http://www.brittanyferries.ie/fleet

Anne Other

It did surely, but also I've been told that not all things advertised are available, and I am asking the advice of those who have travelled previously so that I will be prepared.

I do not intend to tell young children they can go swimming only to find out it's not available and for them to be disappointed.

_Brian

We travelled with Brittany Ferries many
Times.

The evening is simple enough to keep kids amused etc.

The morning takes a bit of organisation to go smoothly.
You need to set a clock early if you want showers and breakfast. And I'd recommend it as depending on where you are staying you may have a fair drive.
For wee ones we found they didn't much feel like eating so early so we preped a picnic for breakfast.
In the car you can have a picnic set nothing fancy bowls and spoons. Box or two of cereal.
In the very very busy dining area you can fill a flask of hot water and buy bottles of milk. Then you can stop maybe a hour or two down the road at some if the nice rest stops and have an alfresco relaxed breakfast at your leisure.
Do be ready for the dining area to be very very busy in the morning and for breakfast minding a few kids and carrying trays and finding tables can be hard going.

The staff on Brittany ferries love a que. Unless it's changed recently they get everyone to the stairs going down te the car deck and then wait, wait , wait. 20 minutes in a stuffy stairwell with all your overnight gear at 7:30 in the morning seems forever. Same if you go down for breakfast real early to beat the rush - yes a big que ! Maybe it's changed and it's open earlier now, we haven't been with them for maybe five years.
The pillows in the cabins are very thin, kinda like a good towel in a cover. We manage fine but I see lots bringig pillows up to cabins, looks like a lot of bother to me but if you need to it's an idea.

The rest stops along the road network are great. Some will just have toilets and a rest area but many have petrol a shop and small resteraunt.
For lunch travelling on Sundays we mostly stop at a Buffalo Grill, it's a chain of high class burger joints. (That doesn't sell it too good). They are close to main roads in decent towns. I'd usually look the up on Google and have the coordinates in the sat nav.

Supermarkets open Sunday mornings till 12 or 1 and like near everything in Framce close promptly for the day. I'm not sure if it's your first campsite holiday but there will be a shop on site where you can get enough to get you bye and then next mornin head to a Super U to shop cheaply. We'd throw basics into the car, toilet roll, wash up liquid and such for Sumday to save buying it in the campsite shop and then stock up the next day.

sylvanb

Once you get onboard, there generally are a number of shows in the main bar that cater for kids, such as magic shows. In the self service restaurant, there is a small play area for kids with an area for colouring etc, that will keep them occupied for a while. Depending on the age of the kids, there is also a cinema that kills a couple of hours.

As previous posters have said, food can be expensive onboard as prices are in Sterling and the exchange rate is poor, better off paying by card in Sterling or else have Sterling cash.

Anne Other

Thank you, the sterling tip is very much appreciated.

kiwikid

Might I jump in here and ask have you any tips for driving in France? We are heading to Carnac and I'm a lone ranger driving there for the first time ever. And routes to avoid would be great.

Anne Other

I would appreciate that too.

I do know you need a high visability jacket per person in the car and a breathalyser, as well as a warning triangle for the car

BailMeOut

good tip is to pack a separate overnight bag just for the boat that you take to the cabin leaving everything else in the car. Then check into your room and get out on the deck as sailing out Cork Harbour is really cool. Dinner, glass wine and get to bed as you will be up very early as you arrive at 7am (6am Irish time) and probably have a long drive ahead of you.

If forecast looks bad then maybe get some sea sickness tablets for the kids.

Lastly make sure you download your French maps into your SatNav well in advance!

kindalen

Any decent places to have a meal near ringaskiddy before boarding? Thanks.

BailMeOut

kindalen wrote: »

Any decent places to have a meal near ringaskiddy before boarding? Thanks.

The food on the ferry is quite decent.

If you want to eat on land then closest place where you might get a good meal will be Carrigaline or Douglas. Where are you coming from?

kindalen

Have eaten onboard and its fine, but want to get a good lunch for family before boarding.

Wally Runs

Interesting, having travelled quiet a bit to France with kids, it is worth remembering that it is your holiday too. It can take us a few days to remember that, as you will packing, unpacking all the time and you can forget that it your break too. Some of my tips with kids:

1. Try as you might, you will not be able to keep to the home routine, the French do not start eating out until after 8 or so, you can struggle to keep to your home meal times. Go with it.
2. Food, you are on holidays, crepes, nutella, ice cream for two weeks will not kill them. There is plenty of fresh fruit about, the peaches and melons are as fresh and delicious as they come.
3. Get stuck in to the rock pools, hours can pass trying to catch some thing.
4. Bring a pack of playing cards and learn some of the old school games, old maid, go fish etc
5. Bring colouring pens and paper, get them to draw what they liked/saw etc. It is a good way seeing what they are taking too.
6. Get a GPS, set home to your holiday location. If for no other reason it means you can off the main routes, exploring and still get home.
7. Carnac, get some Astérix et Obélix books, particularity 'Obelix and Co. as it has Carnac in it.

webpal

What time does the restaurant open in the morning if arrival time is 7am (6 Irish). Also sterling was mentioned in a previous post, do they accept euros on board?

Stone Deaf 4evr

webpal wrote: »

What time does the restaurant open in the morning if arrival time is 7am (6 Irish). Also sterling was mentioned in a previous post, do they accept euros on board?

its open a good hour and a half before board, but bear in mind -thats 5:30am! I'd rather have the sleep for the drive ahead.

I did the trip only a fortnight ago.

They accept euros, but be aware that all prices are marked in sterling, and they take a really hefty commission out of it too. be prepared to see something along the lines of 50 GBP convert to 80 euros - almost ten euros commission.

plenty of people bring on a picnic basket and eat in the cafe / dining areas. you wont be bothered by staff, and you most certainly wont be the only one doing it.

webpal

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

its open a good hour and a half before board, but bear in mind -thats 5:30am! I'd rather have the sleep for the drive ahead.

I did the trip only a fortnight ago.

They accept euros, but be aware that all prices are marked in sterling, and they take a really hefty commission out of it too. be prepared to see something along the lines of 50 GBP convert to 80 euros - almost ten euros commission.

plenty of people bring on a picnic basket and eat in the cafe / dining areas. you wont be bothered by staff, and you most certainly wont be the only one doing it.

thanks, yeah we have plans alright and have looked up a few supermarkets that are open on the Sunday morning also. 3 small kids so chances are we wont be getting up early but just in case...

if i was getting a drink can i not just pay euros and get change in euros? do they convert and give change in sterling? i must have an oul root in me drawer i might have some.

Stone Deaf 4evr

webpal wrote: »

thanks, yeah we have plans alright and have looked up a few supermarkets that are open on the Sunday morning also. 3 small kids so chances are we wont be getting up early but just in case...

if i was getting a drink can i not just pay euros and get change in euros? do they convert and give change in sterling? i must have an oul root in me drawer i might have some.

I didnt pay in sterling, but any time I ordered at the bar, I got a receipt in a dish, with the price displayed in both currencies, i paid euros and got my change back in euros.

you'll find very little open on sundays, there are a few rest stops along the road where you'll get coffee and a sandwich alright though, and of course, theres always Mc Donalds.

we've gotten by in the past just by keeping a carton of orange juice and some belvita breakfast biscuits / cereal bars for the kids to nibble. No one will starve before you hit your campsite anyway! If its just a coffee you're after theres a vending machine at the entrance to the restaurant that'll see you right.

whats your destination after?

webpal

St Hilaire de Riez, dont think we'll last that long but there are a few supermarkets en route so we'll be well stocked up by the time we get there. We used to stop at the Carrefour in Vannes as theres a load of shops there too but this centre is closed on Sundays. Plan is to stop in Huelgoat for a bit a maybe Auray too. Both have supermarkets open on Sunday morning too.

Wally Runs

The Super U in Les Bec (St Hilaire de Riez) is open all day Sunday.

TIP: Freeze a home baked lasagne, spag bol sauce and or 2 ltr of milk or the like before you leave. You can get foil trays in woodies. Bring them in a coolie bag, they will last until you arrive and you have the first night's meal.

BailMeOut

Top tip. When you get off the ferry turn right and go into Roscoff. It's lovely and several cafes are open very early on Sunday morning so you can get breakfast and some good coffee while you go over your maps and driving plans for the day.

SpaceTime

Anne Other wrote: »

Thank you, the sterling tip is very much appreciated.

I was talking to a few French people on board last time who were absolutely horrified at this and thought it should stop pretending to be a French company.

You really don't expect to be charged in £ on a crossing between France and another Eurozone country.

vidapura

This is a great ole thread... lots of useful tips there!.

Is there a newer one somewhere?

vidapura

Resurrecting an ould thread here hopefully.

We're heading Roscoff to near La Rochelle this june.

Bit worried about the trip home.. our ferry back is at 11pm on a friday night... and I can see that being torture with two small kids unless we get it right.

Its my first time doing this so Im thinkin aim to get to Roscoff good and early in case we have trouble on the road.

But we can't just arrive at the port at 8pm and hang around till 11 with the kids in the car, they'll eat us alive 😁

Anyone know of a place where we could hang out in Roscoff until its time to board the ferry?

Is there a mcdonalds or a playground or something?

What about a terminal building maybe?

What time do they let you board the ferry btw?

Thanks in advance...

Jack0125

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120451332#Comment_120451332

Experience of Roscoff checkin last year was it opened at 7pm (we were there at 6.40 maybe), but we were past checkin and in the car holding area by 7.20pm. We ended up being in the holding area for 2.5 hours (partially because the ferry was later arriving.) Thats quite a while to be in the waiting area (but we were one of the first on ferry).

There was a tuck shop window that sold expensive water and sandwiches. Then access to toilets. But its essentially a car park, so it tricky having young kids running around.

I would recommend a lot a lot of snacks and water. Pick it up in a supermarket in Roscoff when ye arrive early in town.

There is a mcdonalds in an industrial estate on the approach road to Roscoff. Only a few kms outside town.

Definitely have some entertainment for kids in the holding area.

Dinkie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120451332#Comment_120451332

I don't think I would head to Roscoff that early.

There are quite a few nice towns fairly near Roscoff. I think I would probably go to one of them for a potter. We went to St. Pol de Leon one year. It was a nice town to wander around and we had dinner there + a play on the beach as its bright till late at night around that time of year. This also wrecks the kids!

You could then venture on to Roscoff after that and have a look around there / buy some wine / have a drink before getting on the ferry. Its a nice town for a wander. If the weather is nice, an icecream on the pier is always nice!

Edited to add that the wait for the ferry is deathly boring.... There is very little there.

vidapura

Brilliant, thanks very much for that. @Dinkie and @Jack0125

Since I last posted I did have a googlemaps walk around roscoff and it looks really nice.. medieval town over the other side from the ferry port so I'm thinkin we get up there early and look at the beach there.. but St Pol is feckin nice too .. thank you.

Oh a McDonalds.. that means a playground .. excellent.. will be just what the doctor ordered after the long drive..

I've that wine supermarket well scoped out heh... https://www.winebeersupermarket.com/ and the few wines I compared to here are brilliant prices...

I had to ring brittany ferries to get me balance paid (card trouble some way) and the guy I talked to said they'll start loading around 9pm.

He reckoned not to be in a huge rush to get into the queue when ye've smallies...

Your advice about stocking up in the supermarket in Roscoff when we arrive is great.. yeah.. I'll happily ply the kids with sweets etc to keep em occupied while waiting.. have to remember to charge up the tablet and all the other distractions before we leave the campsite.. heh heh..

---------------------------------------

I was also worried about the arrival on the Sunday morning.. but looks like I've found a good stop just outside Rennes to break the journey...

48.13829865766405, -1.7675873372940896

Its a big retail park with , again, a mcdonalds for the kids to stretch the legs and a supermarket that will be open so we can get a few bits for when we get to Jard.

Just mentioning it here in case anyone else is lookin for a handy stop about half way.. its around 2 hours from roscoff...then its on to Nantes etc

I am pretty amazed that googlemaps can handle complex questions like

"supermarkets that are open on a sunday near the route from Roscoff to Nantes"

For example.. took me a while to even think of trying that...

McSween

The wine and beer supermarket is very good. Ive been in Roscoff and Cherbourg stores. (Cherbourg last week) The Roscoff store is closer to the port and has a red double decker bus outside. I havent been in that one since 2018 due to IF changing the routes but they allowed you to taste certain wines there

Burkie12

Does anyone know if the TV's on board pick up RTE? Travelling Saturday week, the day of the Munster URC final. Hoping that RTE is available on board or that the wifi is at least strong enough to stream a radio station. Anyone have any experience?

airy fairy

I have got quite a number of corked bottles of wine from the red bus wine place in Roscoff. They also sell end of season, and quite frankly, crappy wine, imo. I prefer to drive to Morlaix ELeClerc and the U Hypermarket.

Be careful and lock your car and hide belongings in the carparks outside McDs in Rennes. It's a fairly rough commercial park. Going so far as saying a few years ago we had to give a €10 deposit to use a highchair in McDs!!

Other places that open Sundays for food are Buffalo Grill all day, and only up to lunchtime most of the hyper/superU markets.

Bring toilet paper for toilet breaks. Toilet/motorway stops are dire imo and can be fairly disgusting.

Fill up on fuel before you leave. You'll be robbed on the carrigeway stations.

gaillimh

Might try the wine supermarket place near Roscoff ferry on the way to our first accommodation and see what it's like.

Any of ye know yere wines (I don't really sadly :-))?

My wife is a fan of New Zealand Marlboroughs. And a particular French Sauvignon called Eric Louis Menetou-Salon.

Anyone able to recommend other French wines that would be similar that we should stock up on for the 2 weeks? I really haven't a clue :-)

Bicyclette

The great thing about France is that you can experiment with your wines, without paying too much. Roche Mazet wines are very good value and very nice https://www.rochemazet.com/en/

For something a bit more decadent - my favourite is Reuilly. https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-reuilly Or a Pouilly Fuisse https://www.bourgogne-wines.com/wine-and-terroir/bourgogne-and-its-appellations/pouilly-fuisse,2458,9253.html?&args=Y29tcF9pZD0yMjc4JmFjdGlvbj12aWV3RmljaGUmaWQ9MzcxJnw%3D

McSween

Roche Mazet. Unbelievable value. Rose, cabernet, merlot, all very nice. I found it was cheaper in wine and beer supermarket than in e, leclerc in april. In mid 2000s i took a bottle of merlot out to car to test it. Bought a load of it

gaillimh

Hi guys.

Can I ask a probably very stupid question (first time taking the ferry this weekend).

You know the way when flying you check in in advance (well I always do), get your boarding pass and show this at the airport.

What do you actually need to show for the ferry as you are queuing up? Is it the PDF that they email to you when you book with your booking reference number?

Secondly, would ye typically start queueing at 2pm for a 4pm sailing?

Cheers

peter4918

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120714082#Comment_120714082

Your passports and the PDF that’s on your phone or print it off is all you need. In my experience 3pm is plenty of time to be there beforehand but go at 2pm if you’d feel more comfortable.

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120714082#Comment_120714082

Irish Ferries I think they just look up your number plate and find the booking off that; last couple of times we travelled I had the booking on my phone but they didn't ask for it. I'd imagine BF are the same. You do need to show your passport.

rothai

Hi all, we are booked in the ferry on saturday and we've had to change the car we are bringing. No problem there but the smaller car now means we need to bring a roofbox. I have the bikes booked as an extra for the back of the car but when i was talking to the ferry company today i tried to book a roof box and they said there is no more room on the ferry. I was thinking of turning up with one on anyway and hoping for the best, what do people think? Ive traveled irish ferries ans stena line before and never had any issue, but not sure how brittany ferries operate....

Marcusm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719294#Comment_120719294

They have a limit on the number of each type/height etc in order to maximise filling the vessel. A roof box is rarely a problem but no way would I turn up with one if I had booked the car at a lower height.

gttc16

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719294#Comment_120719294

1.83 meters is the lowest height restriction. If below that including the roofbox drive on. If above that the next level is 2.6 and probably worth the call to let them know in advance. They charged me 50 quid extra a few years ago to move up one height.

beggars_bush

Found the answer online