Rosslare to Bilbao _ New Ferry

It’s on from November, the Salamanca which is currently being used on a U.K.-Spain route. Not sure what you mean by value or flexibility. I can’t see the fares reducing although the quality of the ship is undoubtedly higher. The route will still take just as long so not much more flexible. The Connemara was awful for that length of journey. Will a more plush cabin (generally not larger), better food and entertainment really make a big differentlcw on. 27-33 hour journey. I think it will but it’s still a very long one.

A passenger ferry should have more options for smaller less costly cabins...

I agree , and also would be great on the Cherbourg route with the smaller (bed capacity) ferries and it would free up rooms then for families/ couples.

Stena has sleeping pods on some scandanavian routes which are what you are probably looking for - and personally something like that would be all I would need when travelling alone between Ireland and France.

Slight tangent, but fitting with the idea of accomodating the solo traveller rather than bunking everyone into essentially a moving hostel (or in the ferry's case, leaving 3/4 of a cabin empty) , just this week Austrian rail unveiled a sleeper train version of those mini cabins which will be introduced on routes from Austria/ Germany to Italy next year.

Very similar idea to that on the ferry, you have your bed with a sliding door rather than curtain with direct access to the corridor, and a locker then to store bulkier luggage outside of it.

Pics are here

Hi, would anyone know if the new ferry will accept foot passengers with a bicycle- I know the old one did not.

Not sure why you think it will substantially reduce the price. Rosslare-Bilbao is a 28 or 33 hour ferry which ultimately is twice the distance of Rosslare-Cherbourg essentially meaning twice the cost per passenger (depreciation/lease for ship, fuel, crew costs etc). I would not expect to see it falling substantially.

Both Connemara and Salamanca had reservable seats - I’ve been in the Connemara and I saw them but they were completely empty. I wonder if they chose not to sell them for the long route and whether the same might apply to Salamanca.

Last time I got the ferry I'd say nearly everyone with reserved seats slept in the bar or other public areas, all the sofas where full of families sleeping. I'd reserved a seat but was travelling with someone who'd booked a cabin so got keys for that when we boarded, can't remember if I'd to pay or they just gave us 2 keys.