France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

bren2002

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123757144#Comment_123757144

They're expensive, nearly double what I paid this time last year for my August holiday

EletricMan

2 hours off docking in Cork from Roscoff on the Armorique. Captain said Force 7 winds and 5m swells. We all went to bed after we set sail. It was a long night for me and the misses didn't sleep much. Thankfully the kids are still asleep I got them nausicalm sirop in a chemist in France and seems to have done the trick.

For anyone that books flexi too make sure you book the out going and return journey separately because if you book it as a return journey once you complete the outgoing leg it makes the flexi for return leg redundant.

Looking forward to getting to dry land now and hopefully not having sea legs.

webpal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123758039#Comment_123758039

Not with Stena, I had to cancel my return leg and there were no issues.

browne_rob5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123757999#Comment_123757999

Yes looking at a one way return in the second week of July and they are €250 to €350 more expensive than Brittany on Cherbourg to Rosslare. That's with a 20% off that seems to be deducted once you have selected everything.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123758039#Comment_123758039

Yeah the Yeats was doing a bit of rocking and rolling the night before last

Kids slept grand, but I hardly slept a wink and the missus was sick and decided to sit upstairs for most of the night. Pretty sure it was down to the pizza we shared as much as sea sickness

I actually found the bigger waves a bit easier because they're slower. It was choppy in the English channel and that was definitely worse

Will definitely get the anti nausea meds next time, although it was more the noise and motion keeping me awake

It didn't help that the boat stank of armpits and farts as well 😷

fits

we are travelling Friday night and Saturday morning looks rough. I might check out that syrup as I don’t think I’ll get one boy to swallow a tablet.

kindalen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123757999#Comment_123757999

I won't be booking at those prices.

EletricMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123758943#Comment_123758943

Ya do it's good, they can take it from 2 years old. Took it myself too.

idontknowdoyou

prices with irish ferries eyewatering but we booked. Doubt prices will go down…

Deeman83

IF shocking expensive. It appears Brittany ferries are even worse???

Pushing people towards alternative package or flying holidays. Sad.

Stena line withdrawing the Rosslare Cherbourg route so it must have allowed the other 2 to pump the prices up.

Heroditas

We left it late (last November) to book Rosslare to Bilbao and back Cherbourg to Dublin, travelling out middle of July and back August bank holiday weekend this year.

Looking at those times now for next summer and it's working out nearly €600 cheaper for me compared to this year!!

wassie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123758039#Comment_123758039

For anyone that books flexi too make sure you book the out going and return journey separately because if you book it as a return journey once you complete the outgoing leg it makes the flexi for return leg redundant.

I dont think thats quite correct. Theres nothing in the T&Cs that suggest this other than the minimum notice periods. But there this limitation in the FAQ:

Bookings cannot be changed on-line once outward travel has commenced. If you have already checked-in or have completed one leg of your journey and now wish to amend the return leg please call us for assistance.

bren2002

I'm wondering are they banking on people avoiding flying to Spain/Greece and the intense heat waves of the past few years.

EletricMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123759838#Comment_123759838

Ya I wanted to amend my booking on my return leg to upgrade my cabin. I spent 4 hours ringing the Cork number to no answer. Herself finally managed to get to speak to a chat agent who was able to amend the booking. Bit stupid it can't be done online because outgoing leg is completed.

TrailerBob

Looking at prices here, Brittany are significantly cheaper than Irish Ferries for next July, and have added services (as have IF) i wonder will IF be shaken into dropping prices now that they have more serious direct competition from Brittany. The Stena sailing times from Rosslare were septic anyway.

idontknowdoyou

My family refuse to sail with Brittany ferries - they hated it. The cabins were grubby and smelt really bad so in our case we have no other option but to use

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123759636#Comment_123759636

I just checked late August next year and it's about €100 cheaper versus this year

Maybe they're hiking the peak season to try and get some extra euros from early bookers

oinkely

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123759520#Comment_123759520

We saved 250 euro on our IF cherbourg Dublin sailing this year as the prices dropped between when we booked in April and June. Sailing was the 5th of July or so and we cancelled for travel credit and rebooked the exact same crossing with same cabin in June as the price had come down €250 euro.

rex_turner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123760677#Comment_123760677

Which boat was that? We normally say from Cork, using both of the Brittany ferries there but this year sailed from Rosslare with Brittany. I think we were on the Salamanca - I thought the standard of cabin was very high - we booked the most basic option but it still had a TV with streaming on demand and the cabins were very clean (or maybe our standards are very low!).

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123760677#Comment_123760677

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123762207#Comment_123762207

Yes, I was about to suggest that the particular boat may have been the Armorique. A not too classy lady. Pont-Aven is far better.

rex_turner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123762268#Comment_123762268

It's funny you say that, because I actually prefer the Armorique. I know on paper the Pont Aven is a better boat but I just find the Saturday sailing out of Cork hectic - the Wednesday sailing on the Armorique is a lot calmer, we're happy to sit in the self service area and it's really easy to get a table there where as so much space on the Pont Aven is taken up with the "nicer" areas eg the piano bar, swimming pool etc. I've no problem sailing back in to Cork on the Pont Aven as it's such a late sailing it's much easier to find a spot to sit down in. It's all down to personal preference really.

Toots

I booked the Pont Aven for next year, same dates as this year, and it’s working out cheaper for 2026 by about €80. Only thing I noticed was that when I was booking this time around, I had to pay 50% upfront, whereas previously I think it was only 25% or thereabouts. Not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things but I definitely prefer paying the smaller deposit and then I usually put the balance aside between now and when it’s due so it’s less of a shock to the wallet 🤣

EletricMan

I think the Armorique is nicer too, the Pont Aven is older and I had a commodore cabin sailing over, it was lovely to be out in the balcony but the room was kinda grubby, the sheets on one of the bunks were dirty. It's definitely due an overhaul.

I had the club plus cabin on the armorique coming home and it was lovely very clean. Plenty of room I took the mattress off the top bunks and put them on the ground as the sailing was rough and my wife is pregnant so didn't want her trying to climb into a bunk, and the other two kids are too young for the top bunk.

idontknowdoyou

it was the Pont Aven - very grubby cabins suspected case of bedbugs (i hate writing that dont because although we are fairly certain of course we cant be 100% sure) - cabins smelt of sewage. I found the common areas so so loud and not very enjoyable.

BailMeOut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123760677#Comment_123760677

That's odd. Brittany we find always has the nicest boats and best onboard food and service. The ferries to Spain are very new and really nice and the Cork/Roscoff Pont Aven is still one of the nices ones to sail on.

fits

Pont aven was pristine when we sailed in it two weeks ago. Seems odd.

idontknowdoyou

i dont know why anyone finds it odd that we thought there was difference between IF and BF and had a personal preference for IF.

We did get a voucher from BF over the complaints we made so i feel there was acknowledgement regarding the issues with the cabins we were in.

CuriousCucumber

Brittany Ferries is €186 more expensive for us in 2026. Thats booking the exact same crossing and rooms.

We take the Commodore suite on the way to France, and a regular cabin on the way back.

The Commodore Suite has increased by €117, and a 4 bed cabin increased by €66

Both Bookings for 2025 and 2026 were Early Bird bookings. I'm sure both crossings will be full anyway

fits

Well we came home on Pont Aven yesterday. I expected a rough crossing so we all took anti travel sickness tablets. The boys were asleep before the boat departed and slept well all night and so did we. Even availed of the cooked breakfast. Back to the routine now.

suilegorma

Had a tough crossing back on Contenin. Two of us didn't sleep a wink, one up a bit and one slept through! I was even sick on the morning. We did have plenty of warning and all took Sturgeon. Lovely empty crossing though and we got a larger cabin than we booked. All unpacked now, had a fab trip again this year.