2023 ferry schedule (Bilbao)

eldamo

Well, I have given up on summer 2022. Donegal will be lovely. But looking ahead to next year, does anyone know when the ferry companies announce their schedules for the following year? I'm presuming it will be in and around October.

yiddo59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058240423/2023-ferry-schedule-bilbao

Brittany Ferries who do the Rosslare-Bilbao route usually release their schedules for the following year late spring/early summer. Their 2022 schedule was released in April 2021. If you drop them an email on reservations@brittanyferries.ie I'm sure they,ll be able to confirm when the 2023 schedule will be released.

eldamo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118885613#Comment_118885613

cheers! I could only find a phone number on their website, that's great!

yiddo59

BF to place one of their newest vessels Galicia on the Rosslare - Bilbao route from November. She, ll be a big upgrade on the current ship.

https://www.niferry.co.uk/brittany-ferries-invests-in-irish-services-with-new-ship-and-increased-frequency/?amp

SEPT 23 1989

any chance they will take foot passengers with bikes on that new ship?

tinytobe

Maybe I am understanding this the wrong way: Regarding the Rosslare to Bilbao ferry, I was wondering, why the scheduled trip sometimes takes 28 hrs, and sometimes 33 hrs. It's always one and the same vessel, the Galicia. ? It could hardly be the weather? Or is it?

For instance, the 23.00 o'clock departure at Rosslare takes 33 hrs to get to Bilbao, the 10.15 o'clock departure a bit more than 28 hrs to get to Bilbao.

The return trip is always slightly different in time for the 12 o'clock sailing as well as the 17.45 o'clock sailing.

yiddo59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118893865#Comment_118893865

I,d be surprised if they didn't.

yiddo59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118893871#Comment_118893871

The 33 hour long trip is more to do with the arrival time in Bilbao. The ship leaves Rosslare at 11pm and could make the trip in 28 hours but at that speed would arrive in Bilbao at 4am. Not very convenient for drivers or indeed for port staff so the ship slows its journey to arrive at the more sociable time of 8am.

Haven't looked at the return sailing times but I.d imagine it could be down to berth availibility at Rosslare. No point arriving to full berths and have to wait in the bay to dock.

It's a one ship service and the current vessel Connemara does 2 round trips per week to Bilbao and one round trip to Cherbourg. I'd assume that when Galicia takes over in November this pattern will continue.

beggars_bush

This new ship might tempt me to book this route next summer. Love northern Spain

tea and coffee

Convince me why it is better to spend 3 days of my annual leave on a ship for much as the same price as flying and renting a car (we're a large group. I priced it. It's roughly the same price)

1. Wine in the boot.

2......

eldamo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118896818#Comment_118896818

It suits me and my family, we are travelling with 3 kids, so it is nice to just pack the car up, keep the kids seats in it and bring an overnight bag on board.

Bringing 3 car seats and luggage through an airport (oh, and the kids can be less than helpful at times too) is just not fun

eldamo

Oh, and as an update to the initial question on this thread, I mailed reservations and they said

We believe our schedule for 2023 will be available either at the end of this month or the start of May.

So, that lines up with the announcement of galicia etc.

now.... campsites.. how far out can I book them, there seems to be no shortage there though, so i will just lock down the ferry

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118896818#Comment_118896818

you can travel in late May early June and get brilliant value on campsites and activities outside of the high season

yiddo59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118897661#Comment_118897661

2023 Spanish sailings available to book now on BF,s website.

eldamo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119231347#Comment_119231347

thanks, spotted! trying to organise the in laws now, the joys, is there any such thing as a discount code for brittany or eurocamp?

beggars_bush

€1600 return is a big outlay, over a year in advance...

eldamo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119233618#Comment_119233618

yeah, the joys, travel insurance is a must, booking eurocamp too soooo looking like 6k for a family and grandparents!

nothing is cheap

Agent_47

Booked for September 2023, thinking about May as well.

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119233618#Comment_119233618

Ye, I thought so too. I would love to make the trip. Curious to see what the Cork/Roscoff fares look like for 2023 before pulling the trigger.

Marcusm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119245015#Comment_119245015

Bilbao is basically double the distance/time so unsurprisingly it will be a lot more than Cork-Roscoff, especially going forward with a new boat with upgraded services.

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119247808#Comment_119247808

Fair point!

manshay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118896818#Comment_118896818

The ferry has a significantly lower environmentally impact than flying.

gaillimh

Never booked ferry before so wondering is it like booking flights where the prices fluctuates up and down, so is therefore not necessarily cheaper the earlier you book?

Or are the ferries generally cheaper the further in advance you book?

iony8852

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119262936#Comment_119262936

Really interested to know that too, anyone any insight please?

Also does anyone know when Irish Ferries release their 2023 dates?

rex_turner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119390300#Comment_119390300

I can only speak to my experience of booking Brittany-Ferries Cork - Roscoff, which I have done for quite a number of years. Once released the prices stay the same, and book up quickly for late June early July. In the past I have booked last minute for early May and early September - at the time I had been keeping an eye on the September sailing and the price didn't change.

The caveats are that Brittany-Ferries have changed their booking model (standard, flexi fares etc), have released their sailings a lot earlier (usually was October) and have more boats/sailings than before.

rossj

Hi all,

Im hoping to take my car and a lot of my belongings on the Rosslare-Bilbao crossing in late August

Am I better to book It now in advance or Will a) the prices go Up Closer to late august & b) what is BEST recommended standard, flexible, semi flexible or......!?

What Will be the average price & is a sleeping cabin on Top of what is being quoted on main interface Page of the website!?

Thanks for any advice in advance

munchkin_utd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119262936#Comment_119262936

ferry prices in general are astonishingly stable. Generally they know / estimate the demand and a winter ferry will be cheap right up to the day of departure, in summer (not when I travel) the prices seem to start high and stay high.

Cabins are normally extra on top of the car/ passenger fee and for France its generally about 140/ 150 for a 4person cabin each way . The main issue though with booking late is that you may miss out on getting a cabin at all if they are sold out and for a 40 hour crossing, that'd not be nice.

I never did the Spanish ferry (I live on the continent so could drive to Spain if needs be!!) but regularily do the France-Ireland ferries and the only time I do flex is when I want to be flexible and maybe swap to the other ferry company or keep open the idea of the landbridge via UK or I amnt sure if that week works for me. I'd be staying with my parents so can easily change plans and amnt bound to accomodation bookings.

If you have fixed accomodation in spain I cant see the benefit in flex fares, but if you have a camper van and might want to come back a week or 2 later if it suits, or you just want to secure travel before looking at accomodation, flex might make sense - but you dont just pay extra for flex fares for the craic if you dont need them.

rossj

I bought a 4 berth cabin in the end.. but is there any way to advertise to some other solo traveller to offset the price or is this is a no-no?, is there not a huge number of empty beds in 4 berth cabins and then some people booking at v. last minute with neither a seat nor a bed? seems a waste but I understand people not wanting to share as they do seem fairly tight cabins..