New ferry service from Ringaskiddy to Spain

_Brian

Brittany Ferries have been mulling this over for quite sometime.

We were asked to do a survey on this route about 8-9 years ago while on the Cork to Roscoff crossing, the lady said she expected it would happen within three years.

I could see me trying this crossing but I think using a small ferry to cross the Bay of Biscay is a mistake as there is likely to be quite a bit of poor feedback. Truckers won’t mind but holiday punters won’t like rough crossings and I’ve read allot about it being very choppy seas regularly. Larger cruise-ferry would be a more stable crossing.

Skedaddle

Well, given the number of Irish people who visit Spain every year it would be difficult to imagine how it wouldn't make money. 1.2 million of us went to Spain between January and August 2015.

I would suspect there's a large potential demand from people who'd consider going on holiday with cars and it would also open up a lot of potentially fantastic holiday spots in Northern Spain. It's a really beautiful part of the world. It's far better developed and planned than the South of Spain and retains a lot of coastal beauty and also the climate's a lot milder, so you get a hot summer without being overheated.

First Up

Skedaddle wrote: »

Well, given the number of Irish people who visit Spain every year it would be difficult to imagine how it wouldn't make money. 1.2 million of us went to Spain between January and August 2015.

I would suspect there's a large potential demand from people who'd consider going on holiday with cars and it would also open up a lot of potentially fantastic holiday spots in Northern Spain. It's a really beautiful part of the world. It's far better developed and planned than the South of Spain and retains a lot of coastal beauty and also the climate's a lot milder, so you get a hot summer without being overheated.

Its an interesting marketing challenge. No question Northern Spain is a great destination but its a different demographic than the typical Costa tourist so the 1.2 million figure isn't all that relevant.

I think the freight traffic is the first market to assess. If that works, then they could explore the market for a more elaborate combined freight/passenger service. But I'm not sure this ship will be a good baromtere for the demand; I'm definitely open to bringing the car to Spain but really not sure about the ship.

finbarrk

Anyone know how much a return journey with a car would be? I can't seem to see it on their website.

First Up

finbarrk wrote: »

Anyone know how much a return journey with a car would be? I can't seem to see it on their website.

No fares or schedule up yet.

Skedaddle

I agree, the ship could actually kill demand. It's a completely different product to the Pont Aven. I'd quite happily do a long trip on a cruise ferry but on something small and basic ... I'd really have to think about it.

Roger Hassenforder

Skedaddle wrote: »

I agree, the ship could actually kill demand. It's a completely different product to the Pont Aven. I'd quite happily do a long trip on a cruise ferry but on something small and basic ... I'd really have to think about it.

This is the issue for us too.
3 small(ish) kids on a spartan ship could be a 'mare.
Thinking about it though.

malinheader

Would anyone have any idea what kind of price this would be.

First Up

malinheader wrote: »

Would anyone have any idea what kind of price this would be.

Supposed to go on sale at the end of January so we'll know soon.

tinner777

4 berth cabin and jeep, €1342 return

First Up

tinner777 wrote: »

4 berth cabin and jeep, €1342 return

Dates?

No timetables or prices on the website yet.

tinner777

First Up wrote: »

Dates?

No timetables or prices on the website yet.

There's a phone number on website apparently, see other thread in cork city. Seems a bit steep for me.

First Up

tinner777 wrote: »

First Up wrote: »

Dates?

No timetables or prices on the website yet.

There's a phone number on website apparently, see other thread in cork city. Seems a bit steep for me.

Depends what you are comparing it with.

Rows Grower

tinner777 wrote: »

4 berth cabin and jeep, €1342 return

Ryanair and Aer Lingua must be bricking it.

First Up

Rows Grower wrote: »

tinner777 wrote: »

4 berth cabin and jeep, €1342 return

Ryanair and Aer Lingua must be bricking it.

Its not really an alternative to flying. If you don't need your own car in Spain you'd be nuts to take the ferry.

Its an alternative to the ferry to France and a long drive.

Rows Grower

First Up wrote: »

Its not really an alternative to flying. If you don't need your own car in Spain you'd be nuts to take the ferry.

Its an alternative to the ferry to France and a long drive.

This makes no sense.

First Up

Rows Grower wrote: »

First Up wrote: »

Its not really an alternative to flying. If you don't need your own car in Spain you'd be nuts to take the ferry.

Its an alternative to the ferry to France and a long drive.

This makes no sense.

It makes perfect sense. Would you like me to explain it to you?

Widdensushi

Rows Grower wrote: »

Ryanair and Aer Lingua must be bricking it.

How much is it to bring a car with you on a plane these days?

Rows Grower

Widdensushi wrote: »

How much is it to bring a car with you on a plane these days?

They have these shops at airports now where you can hire cars so you don't have to worry about the cost of flying your own one across the world.

Google it if you don't believe me, it's all the rage.

Rows Grower

First Up wrote: »

It makes perfect sense. Would you like me to explain it to you?

Please do.

Widdensushi

That routes main target market is for lorries, people who will use it for cars will mainly be people who will be going for a couple of months, or bringing bicycles, equipment etc with them, contractors who want to bring their own tools, it's a completely different market than hopping on a plane for a week in the sun

Rows Grower

Widdensushi wrote: »

That routes main target market is for lorries, people who will use it for cars will mainly be people who will be going for a couple of months, or bringing bicycles, equipment etc with them, contractors who want to bring their own tools, it's a completely different market than hopping on a plane for a week in the sun

Thanks for the explanation First Up.

BoatMad

having done a few holidays in france, bringing my own car, via rosslare roscoff/Cherbourgh , I can say that taking your own car is now an extraordinary expensive option , so outside a few camper vans, I don think the new service is aimed at tourists at all ( which is confirmed by the prohibition on walk-on passengers etc )

In fact recently I went to Shrewsbury on the ferry and by far the cheapest way was walk-on followed by 24 hour car rental in the UK, well over half the price of bringing my own car on

dave

very few normal tourists will want their own car, ferries and fuel make the whole thing way more expensive then flying and local car hire

First Up

Rows Grower wrote: »

First Up wrote: »

It makes perfect sense. Would you like me to explain it to you?

Please do.

Right so;

There are reasons why people like to bring their own car. These include going to a remote area, a multi-stop itinerary, bringing a lot of gear (tents, bikes, surfboards), wanting to bring stuff back (e.g wine) or even a dislike or fear of flying. If none of those things apply and you plan to just sit on a beach, then it is quicker and probably cheaper to fly. Two different solutions for two different types of trip. With me so far?

If you want to take your car to Spain, you have to take it on a ferry, so the question becomes which ferry.

Until now, the options were (1) Rosslare or Cork to France and a drive south through France to Spain, or (2) a ferry to Holyhead, drive to Southampton and another boat to Spain or (3) the "landbridge" across the UK for a cross-channel ferry or the Chunnel and the drive to Spain.

The new Cork-Santander ferry is a new option.

The choice will be based on a preference for a longish time cooped up on a ferry, or a preference for the flexibility to stop or detour on the journey south through France.

I hope that helps.

BoatMad

There are reasons why people like to bring their own car. These include going to a remote area, a multi-stop itinerary, bringing a lot of gear (tents, bikes, surfboards), wanting to bring stuff back (e.g wine) or even a dislike or fear of flying. If none of those things apply and you plan to just sit on a beach, then it is quicker and probably cheaper to fly. Two different solutions for two different types of trip. With me so far?

remote area, fly and hire
multi stop , fly and hire returning to a different drop off
bringing a lot of gear, it may be actually cheaper to ship via courier or road in advance
bring back wine, you'll buy an awful lot of wine in Obriens for 1400 quid , thanks ,

unless your holiday is intrinsically vehicle based ( like camper cans or caravans) then current costs of fuel and ferries make own car based holidays nonsense, economically speaking. it was a common thing too do when airlines fares were in the clouds, now it just looks stupid

Rows Grower

First Up wrote: »

Right so;

There are reasons why people like to bring their own car. These include going to a remote area, a multi-stop itinerary, bringing a lot of gear (tents, bikes, surfboards), wanting to bring stuff back (e.g wine) or even a dislike or fear of flying. If none of those things apply and you plan to just sit on a beach, then it is quicker and probably cheaper to fly. Two different solutions for two different types of trip. With me so far?

If you want to take your car to Spain, you have to take it on a ferry, so the question becomes which ferry.

Until now, the options were (1) Rosslare or Cork to France and a drive south through France to Spain, or (2) a ferry to Holyhead, drive to Southampton and another boat to Spain or (3) the "landbridge" across the UK for a cross-channel ferry or the Chunnel and the drive to Spain.

The new Cork-Santander ferry is a new option.

The choice will be based on a preference for a longish time cooped up on a ferry, or a preference for the flexibility to stop or detour on the journey south through France.

I hope that helps.

You're not really understanding why you're making no sense but thank you for the time and effort you put into formulating that post.

First Up

Rows Grower wrote: »

First Up wrote: »

Right so;

There are reasons why people like to bring their own car. These include going to a remote area, a multi-stop itinerary, bringing a lot of gear (tents, bikes, surfboards), wanting to bring stuff back (e.g wine) or even a dislike or fear of flying. If none of those things apply and you plan to just sit on a beach, then it is quicker and probably cheaper to fly. Two different solutions for two different types of trip. With me so far?

If you want to take your car to Spain, you have to take it on a ferry, so the question becomes which ferry.

Until now, the options were (1) Rosslare or Cork to France and a drive south through France to Spain, or (2) a ferry to Holyhead, drive to Southampton and another boat to Spain or (3) the "landbridge" across the UK for a cross-channel ferry or the Chunnel and the drive to Spain.

The new Cork-Santander ferry is a new option.

The choice will be based on a preference for a longish time cooped up on a ferry, or a preference for the flexibility to stop or detour on the journey south through France.

I hope that helps.

You're not really understanding why you're making no sense but thank you for the time and effort you put into formulating that post.

No bother. Sorry you can't follow it.

BoatMad

First Up wrote: »

Right so;

There are reasons why people like to bring their own car. These include going to a remote area, a multi-stop itinerary, bringing a lot of gear (tents, bikes, surfboards), wanting to bring stuff back (e.g wine) or even a dislike or fear of flying. If none of those things apply and you plan to just sit on a beach, then it is quicker and probably cheaper to fly. Two different solutions for two different types of trip. With me so far?

If you want to take your car to Spain, you have to take it on a ferry, so the question becomes which ferry.

Until now, the options were (1) Rosslare or Cork to France and a drive south through France to Spain, or (2) a ferry to Holyhead, drive to Southampton and another boat to Spain or (3) the "landbridge" across the UK for a cross-channel ferry or the Chunnel and the drive to Spain.

The new Cork-Santander ferry is a new option.

The choice will be based on a preference for a longish time cooped up on a ferry, or a preference for the flexibility to stop or detour on the journey south through France.

I hope that helps.

26 hours on a ferry , through the night with a cabin is not a long time,

its about 1200 km from Cherbourg to that area of Spain, at say 8 litres per 100 km, thats about 72 litres or about 150-200 euros in Diesel plus almost 80-100 in tolls

round trip thats around 500-600 euros plus around 400 for the Cherbourg ferry

The ferry isnt even that competitive with driving down to that area

First Up

BoatMad wrote: »

There are reasons why people like to bring their own car. These include going to a remote area, a multi-stop itinerary, bringing a lot of gear (tents, bikes, surfboards), wanting to bring stuff back (e.g wine) or even a dislike or fear of flying. If none of those things apply and you plan to just sit on a beach, then it is quicker and probably cheaper to fly. Two different solutions for two different types of trip. With me so far?

remote area, fly and hire
multi stop , fly and hire returning to a different drop off
bringing a lot of gear, it may be actually cheaper to ship via courier or road in advance
bring back wine, you'll buy an awful lot of wine in Obriens for 1400 quid , thanks ,

unless your holiday is intrinsically vehicle based ( like camper cans or caravans) then current costs of fuel and ferries make own car based holidays nonsense, economically speaking. it was a common thing too do when airlines fares were in the clouds, now it just looks stupid

If you want to challenge the logic of taking a car to the continent, go right ahead but that isn't really the point. If people wish to bring their cars (as the growing number of ferries suggest many do) then its actually just about which one to take.

As for wine, you can offset a substantial part of your travel costs by buying a quantity in France or Spain.

BoatMad

First Up wrote: »

If you want to challenge the logic of taking a car to the continent, go right ahead but that isn't really the point. If people wish to bring their cars (as the growing number of ferries suggest many do) then its actually just about which one to take.

As for wine, you can offset a substantial part of your travel costs by buying a quantity in France or Spain.

what " growing number " of ferries ?

this is predominantly a freight orientated service