# Santander ferry or drive?



## rolla

Hi i am thinking of driving down to spain next year with 2 children in the van, which is a 2 litre petrol coachbiult.
Working out the petrol costs + tolls + are we there yet questions, would a ferry to Satander at around 750-850 return be worth considering.
Is the ferry an enjoyable part of the trip? 
Anyone done both? or should i do both?

any tips or obsevations would be welcome.

gazza


----------



## Jented

Hi.
There are two ferries,one from Portsmouth 2 days,and one from Plymouth 1 day. We chose the Plymouth route,as i am not a sailor. The best parts for me,where the hotel in Plymouth,and driving off the ferry at Santander.
However,it is a change from thundering down the tarmac,and i was told that when nearing S/der,dolphins frolic about around the sharp end of the vessel,they perhaps do,i was keeping my centre of gravity as low as possible. It will be a cold day in hell,before you get me even on the Woolich Ferry lol. Thats ME!!, Jennifer loved it,so there you go.
Jented
PS. I would pay good money,NOT to do it again.


----------



## Techno100

We are considering too but the best course seem to be ferry one way drive the other? get to see more.


----------



## Grizzly

We've booked on the Portsmouth to Santander ferry - one way, 23 hours only- in January to avoid the slog through frozen France. We'll come back overland later in the year when things are open and it is warmer. We're paying £390 for the single trip including an outside 2 berth cabin.

If we were going in summer we would not do this but would make the trip part of the holiday. We do have the luxury of time however. If we had limited time then I'd seriously consider the ferry. Factoring in campsites if you use them,possible toll roads, fuel etc does not make the cost difference so big. With the huge increase of lorries using the N roads ( as tolls have increased) travelling on them is more stressful than it used to be.

Have you thought of the Portsmouth to Cherbourg ferry ? We've done this many times and it does cut time if you are going south.

If you have any Air Miles then phone them and ask them to quote - they are very efficient, do all the booking and you make reasonable savings.

G


----------



## inkey-2008

Enjoy France and the drive if it is summertime there will be lots of places in france to stop plus aires. (We are never in a hurry), you can drive down in 3 days to Benidorm area if you push it.

By ferry 1 day on the ferry another long day and you could be there. 

Andy


----------



## Hobbyfan

Most of the people who bang on about the journey being part of the holiday, and taking the ferry is a waste of money etc. etc. are usually the retired ones with all the time in the world.

If you've a limited holiday period you may not want to spend an extra four days (two each way) trundling through France, especially with two bored children in tow.

Financially, the ferry will never win, but how do you value the four extra days?

Paradoxically, in January, when we go to Spain, we'll drive but, when I was limited to just a maximum of three weeks' holiday, we'd go from Plymouth to Santander, which is the quicker sailing.

Another bonus is that I think that the children will probably enjoy the ferry much more than a long drive through France.


----------



## Grizzly

Jented said:


> There are two ferries,one from Portsmouth 2 days,and one from Plymouth 1 day. .





Hobbyfan said:


> , we'd go from Plymouth to Santander, which is the quicker sailing.
> .


Brittany Ferries do Portsmouth to Santander in 24 hours and Plymouth to Santander in 23 hours so not much to choose between them.

G


----------



## rolyk

If any of you are prone to sea sickness and the sea is anything but calm it'll be the longest 23 hours of your life. Trust me, I've been there.

If you do decide to take the ferry choose the Pont Aven which is the largest of the two Brittany Ferries vessels that do this route. It also has better facilities than their new ship which is rather more basic and spent it's previous life as a Mediteranean ferry. 

Sea sickness pills, taken at least 2 hours before departure are a must. Once you start to feel ill it's too late and you won't recover until it arrives. And you certainly won't look forward to the return trip!

Roly


----------



## Hobbyfan

Grizzly said:


> Brittany Ferries do Portsmouth to Santander in 24 hours and Plymouth to Santander in 23 hours so not much to choose between them.
> G


I'm sure you're right. I was thinking of the Portsmouth-Bilbao route, which we compared and it was a day and a half and I always think of the Santander ferry as being the quicker, which it is!


----------



## Hobbyfan

rolyk said:


> If any of you are prone to sea sickness and the sea is anything but calm it'll be the longest 23 hours of your life. Trust me, I've been there.
> Roly


That's a very good point and there's no arguing with it. I would hope though that before people embark on a long sail across the Bay of Biscay that they will be aware of their propensity to sea-sickness, or not, as the case may be!

But maybe some don't!


----------



## Jented

Hi.
I was well aware of my lack of sea legs,and was dragged screaming and wailling onto the ferry,( The things women make you do).On boarding the ship/ferry /boat/thing!,i ate a good dinner,about 2hrs out got on my bunk,(Lowering the centre of gravity),and stayed there until about 2hrs from S/der,when i got up and went and had a full english,at no time was i sea sick,but if this is part of a journey anywhere,count me out.
I honestly thought the Portsmouth ferry ran a two nighter so sorry i was mis-informed,(A cunning ploy to get me aboard the Bu...oops LUGGER!)
Happy sailing all you Nelson's, rumour has it he was seasick!,i will be on DFDS/PO/S/France,in that order.
Landlubber Ted.


----------



## cabby

So, it depends on how long you have for your holiday,2 days drive each way.Or ferry.
are the children of an age that they will drive you mad on a very long journey.
will you want to stop overnight a couple of times.
what time of year you will be travelling.maybe a cold trip through France.
will the cost of ferry or driving make any difference to your holiday expences.
Depending upon where you go in Spain it could be around 1200 miles each way.with passengers around 300/400 miles per day max, any more and one does get tired and irritable.say no more eh!

we prefer to drive down via N roads stopping on municipal sites rather than speed down the motorways and paying tolls, but we do have all the time in the world to do it in.

cabby


----------



## Grizzly

Don't forget too that distance from home to Ports/Plymouth or Dover has to be factored in.

I'd be less happy to do a long fery crossing with small children. We used to take ours on the DFDS Harwich to Esbjerg and while none of us get seasick, it is quite tiring simply keeping them happy if it is too stormy to move around easily. Eating was one way to keep them occupied but there is only so much you can eat ! At least, when it was very rough, you used to eat for free as they had so much excess food and not many takers ! Bet that's not true now !

G


----------



## Hobbyfan

Jented said:


> I honestly thought the Portsmouth ferry ran a two nighter so sorry i was mis-informed,
> Landlubber Ted.


I think that you just made the same mistake as me, confusing the Portsmouth/Bilbao with the Plymouth/Santander.

My Santander sailing always went from Plymouth and we'd considered the Portsmouth/Bilbao but wrote it off because it is a two-nighter!

So you were right in a way!


----------



## Grizzly

Ted and Hobbyfan....I'm not trying to correct you for any other reason than the fact that things have been changing fairly substantially on the UK to Spain ferry scene over the summer and it seems reasonable to set things right. Sorry, didn't mean to sound preachy !

Companies have stopped the service / taken over /come out of the woodwork from new and other discontinued services with effect from a future date so it is all confusing enough.

So long as there is a ship at the end of the gangplank in Portsmouth in early Jan ( can't remember the date now!) and they're expecting us that's enough for me. I'd pay the extra not to have to trek down to Dover and we have a relatively easy journey there compared to many.

G


----------



## rolyk

The trouble is most people have a short memory when it comes to travelling by sea. They forget just how unpleasant it can be!

We last came across the Bay of Biscay on the Pont Aven in May last year and it wasn't a pleasant experience. The outward crossing was fine with just a gentle swell but the return was different. I felt ill, which is unusual for me, but my wife was very ill. The standard cabins become very hot and claustrophobic in those conditions and they're not helped by having bunk beds. Imagine trying to clamber down a ladder with the boat pitching and rolling with the intention of urgently getting to the bathroom before being sick over everything!

Sorry to have to paint such an unpleasant picture but that's the reality of it.

And it was all because we forgot to take the Stugeron sea sickness pills.

Incidentally, the P&O crossing to Bilbao finishes towards the end of September as their lease on the vessel comes to an end. 

Roly


----------



## Hobbyfan

Grizzly said:


> Ted and Hobbyfan....I'm not trying to correct you for any other reason than the fact that things have been changing fairly substantially on the UK to Spain ferry scene over the summer and it seems reasonable to set things right. Sorry, didn't mean to sound preachy !
> G


Not at all and you weren't preachy. You were absolutely right as the OP talked about ferries to Santander. It was my memory that was faulty because earlier enquiries associated Plymouth with a 24 hour sailing and Portsmouth with a two-night crossing. But of course I was forgetting that the two-nighter was to Bilbao, just down the road!


----------



## Hobbyfan

rolyk said:


> The trouble is most people have a short memory when it comes to travelling by sea. They forget just how unpleasant it can be!
> Roly


Whilst you are absolutely right when you mention how unpleasant a sea journey can be, I think that you couldn't be more wrong in thinking that people have short memories!

An unpleasant sea-journey with bad sickness is something that I don't think that you ever forget! I certainly haven't!


----------



## mgacoupe

As an old codger with all the time in the world, we have changed our mode of travel
It all started when we heard a MH owner bragging that he could do Calais to the south of France in one go taking about 15 hours
Why?
If you are that desperate to get there quickly, take a plane and lifes for living
We now deliberately make the journey part of the holiday. It’s a bit like life really; enjoy the journey more than the destination
We tell our satnav not to use toll roads, we have joined France Passion and select Aires that have services that we can top up and dispose of our waste and every day brings a new experience especially in the Bordeaux area (2009 Cote de Blay in a 10 litre wine box for 20 Euros bought on an Aire-yummy)
Can’t wait to get started on our trip to Elba in September
Cheers
MGA Coupe


----------



## Grizzly

rolyk said:


> The trouble is most people have a short memory when it comes to travelling by sea. They forget just how unpleasant it can be!
> Roly


I don't get sick on boats but do find the effort of keeping upright and not being thrown against furniture quite tiring. The best thing to do is take a gripping book and find a comfortable seat somewhere where you can prop yourself tightly in position. With small children who are excited by the whole experience this is not possible so it is even more tiring.

Avoid places near swinging doors - too irritating or down below where you can't see what it going on and it is often too noisy. Eat frequent small meals and drink hot drinks not alcohol.

I'm sure I read somewhere that sea sickness tablets make you drowsy ? That would be awful.

G


----------



## Hobbyfan

I'm not a good sailor but on journeys of this length you always have a cabin. I just lie down with a book and it helps. If I went to the restaurant and had a meal and walked around, I'd be ill as I really am bad on boats.

We take a picnic so I don't have to leave the cabin and lately I've survived them all with no problem.


----------



## Grizzly

When I was a girl my parents lived in France and I went twice on the overnight sleeper service to Paris from London. The train drove straight onto the ferry and you continued to sleep (!) in your berth on the train right down in the bowels of a very unstabilised ship ! It was very hot and very noisy and lots of people used to be sick as it was always so rough so it got smelly as well. The actualy crossing took hours, most of which seemed to be getting the carriages onto the boat without the whole lot sliding ito the harbour.

When it got to Paris there were 2 or 3 circuits of the city- well, it felt like that- before the station, sometimes going forwards and sometimes backwards. I still have no idea why. Glamorous it was not and definitely not fast.

Anyone else remember it ?


G


----------



## rolla

grizzly, don't understand the train on ship? have i had too many gin and tonics tonight?

mgacoupe, if my children had flown the nest i think your way is perfect,you might only get 30 miles from port but if your having a crack who cares, as you say the journey is part of the holiday, but with children it might be a problem.

techn100, i thought the one way on ferry and drive the other was a good idea especially the return leg as you always seem more tired.

thanks all given me some ideas.

gazza


----------



## Stanner

Here you are train on ferry.

http://www.myphotographs.net/sweden/picture1.html

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...a=X&ei=h05oTLTFF42K4QbfmIyZBA&ved=0CBwQ9QEwAA

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...a=X&ei=h05oTLTFF42K4QbfmIyZBA&ved=0CB4Q9QEwAQ

http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/skane/

It used to happen like that between Folkestone and Boulogne (and possibly between Harwich and Hook of Holland) I think.


----------



## Grizzly

rolla said:


> grizzly, don't understand the train on ship? have i had too many gin and tonics tonight?
> gazza


Can't answer for the gin and tonics Gazza but yes, the coaches ( not the engine) used to be shunted onto the ferry, passengers and all, chained down to the rails in the ferry and off you went, still in your bed in the middle of the night.

We did the same thing not all that long ago to Copenhagen but that is a relatively short trip and there is no sleeping accomodation. There is a platform on that ship so you can get off the train and go up into the lounges. I remember trying that on the British boat and not being allowed to get off the train. As I remember it would have involved jumping down quite a long way from the train and then going up a series of ladders to the rest of the ship - though I wonder now if they were actually ladders ? Can anyone remember ?

G


----------



## rolla

stanner/grizzly

i can't believe i have never heard of this, great idea, is it still in use on the baltic crossings ?
sorry for questioning you  

gazza


----------



## Stanner

rolla said:


> stanner/grizzly
> 
> i can't believe i have never heard of this, great idea, is it still in use on the baltic crossings ?
> sorry for questioning you
> 
> gazza


It is certainly still in use in some parts of the world - but can't say which off hand.


----------



## Grizzly

I've just found a link to it:

http://www.dover-kent.co.uk/transport/night_ferry.htm

I can remember the chain links across the track - no wonder they weren't keen for you to get off !

G


----------



## MEES

*long crossing*

depends on age of children and willingness/ability of partner to entertain/supervise them.
As the non seasick partner I had the happy task of chasing 3 kids round boat while hubby was tucked up in cabin with newspapers,book,maps and a lovingly prepared picnic.Nice nap,good sleep and usually well enough for a stroll on deck before docking.
Seriously though its not always rough on the crossing and at the time cut out some of the hard work of driving long distances in a short time frame.
We dont do it now we are child free :lol:


----------



## 1302

We are going Portsmouth to santander and returning to Plymouth next month. Both about 24hours. 
After spending months of weighing up all routes, financially there wasnt much in it (£40), we needed to get there fairly quickly (transporting daughters wedding dress etc to wedding in the Algarve  ), and as we only have a month off work and really want to see the west coast it is the best option.
As I am the worlds WORST sea traveller I was very dubious, but I intend to get a couple of Scopaderm pathches and slap them on 8O !

I will report back late October!!!!


----------



## mexx

sorry to be a year late in replying !!!! Only just registered.

Hi, 

now, ah....well.....what a load of codswallop has been written here.....the Brittany Ferries crossing from Plymouth to Santander is smooth (believe me, I've done it many times, even in Force 8+ albeit with scary noise from the ballast...if ballast didn't make a noise then we'd be in real trouble!!!)

There's far more danger in driving, or walking, on any UK roads than crossing the Channel, either by ferry or plane. 

Get to Santander, allow yourself to be directed by the efficient and officient Spanish police, drive in the direction you are pointed, emerge unscathed via dual carriagways and smile......keep driving, and you'll end up easily, yes, easily, in Portugal. Smell the eucalyptus, ......keep going onwards to Spain (if you can bear to leave idylic North Portugal)......Portugese motorway N to S is superb & mostly empty.

have fun


----------



## 1302

Hobbyfan said:


> Most of the people who bang on about the journey being part of the holiday, and taking the ferry is a waste of money etc. etc. are usually the retired ones with all the time in the world.
> 
> If you've a limited holiday period you may not want to spend an extra four days (two each way) trundling through France, especially with two bored children in tow.
> 
> Financially, the ferry will never win, but how do you value the four extra days?
> 
> .


QFT  We set off on Thursday for that very same trip  We weighed up two extra days each way driving a route we have done before and its a 'no brainer' for us 

Theres little difference in cost once you take in tolls/fuel/extra nights in a site


----------



## lalala

There is another option, that of taking a crossing to France, then driving to St. Nazaire (South Brittany) then taking the crossing to Gijon in Northern Spain. It is a new LD Lines crossing and takes 14 hours overnight. We are going later this month and it has cost us £184 return as they have an offer on.
Just a thought,
Lala


----------



## rolla

lala

What a brilliant discovery and cheap! 
Looking at the map i guess it depends on your destination weather you would take the ferry or not, as if like me you plan to go to the Costa’s then it looks still a hike.
However Portugal and western Spain excellent, especially if your not too keen on long journeys in a foreign country, because you could go Portsmouth - St malo then Nazaire - Gijon.
Depends on what you want to do but thanks for the info i will use it sometime in the near future im sure  

rolla


----------



## mexx

In reply to post about Plymouth hotel costs - I've just remembered -few years ago we arrived in Plymouth in a Force7 gale, on the campsite our caravan was dangerously & truly tipping....so we drove down to the ferryport where we discovered it was perfectly acceptable (normal even!!) to park up overnight awaiting early berthing. Harbour staff knocked on the doors at ? 6.00am to wake everyone up!!!


----------



## SNandJA

Hobbyfan said:


> Grizzly said:
> 
> 
> 
> Brittany Ferries do Portsmouth to Santander in 24 hours and Plymouth to Santander in 23 hours so not much to choose between them.
> G
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sure you're right. I was thinking of the Portsmouth-Bilbao route, which we compared and it was a day and a half and I always think of the Santander ferry as being the quicker, which it is!
Click to expand...

Just returned on the Bilbao Portsmouth P&O ferry, Pride of Bilbao which was built to withstand Baltic Ice breaking but now sadly like *the service is retired and no longer functions*. The sea was as calm as it could be and we shared the trip with a Whale/Dolphin Watching group and in fact observed 3 species of whale including the fin whale the second largest mamal in the ocean and a number of dolphins. 30 hours for the crossing. It was hinted that someone else would take over the route however as observed it can be rough and the sea and waves may be on the beam i.e hitting the side of the vessel which means they have to work hard to stabilise a rolling motion!


----------



## richyc

1302 said:


> We are going Portsmouth to santander and returning to Plymouth next month. Both about 24hours.
> After spending months of weighing up all routes, financially there wasnt much in it (£40), we needed to get there fairly quickly (transporting daughters wedding dress etc to wedding in the Algarve  ), and as we only have a month off work and really want to see the west coast it is the best option.
> As I am the worlds WORST sea traveller I was very dubious, but I intend to get a couple of Scopaderm pathches and slap them on 8O !
> 
> I will report back late October!!!!


So? did you honk !!!! :lol:


----------



## Hezbez

Has anyone ever experienced any damage to their motorhome following a rough sea crossing?

Do they tie the motorhomes down?


----------



## rayrecrok

Hi.

And what happens if you are taking your dog with you on your jollys?.....


----------



## philsil

www.viamichelin.co.uk

will calculate the route in time and toll costings.

Just driven down and ferried back.

Bordeaux to Ondres Plage, to me is a bland slog and the industrial valley from San Seb. to Bilbao is grim, but the rest toptastic


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS

the worst sea crossing I have ever made was Calais -Dover.
The worst two hours of my life.
Food and drinks were thrown all over poor old pensioners were thrown to the floor.
i am awaiting my first trip on the chanell tunnel.

I will treat myself for my 60th birthday.

Dave p


----------



## teemyob

*Win and ferrry*



Hobbyfan said:


> Most of the people who bang on about the journey being part of the holiday, and taking the ferry is a waste of money etc. etc. are usually the retired ones with all the time in the world.
> 
> If you've a limited holiday period you may not want to spend an extra four days (two each way) trundling through France, especially with two bored children in tow.
> 
> Financially, the ferry will never win, but how do you value the four extra days?
> 
> Paradoxically, in January, when we go to Spain, we'll drive but, when I was limited to just a maximum of three weeks' holiday, we'd go from Plymouth to Santander, which is the quicker sailing.
> 
> Another bonus is that I think that the children will probably enjoy the ferry much more than a long drive through France.


Hobbyfan Wrote

"Financially, the ferry will never win, but how do you value the four extra days?"

I have to disagree.

Manchester - Alicante/Murcia half term

Flight from Manchester went as high as £380 per adult

We took a car on the Plymouth/Portsmouth - Santander Ferry for £557 Return, 4 adults (1 infant would have cost no more). Including cabins.

Factor in what it would have cost for a hire car and we were quids in. We hired a villa from www.lastminutejavea.com (£500) The cost for the fours of us was £1,057 for the Villa and ferry. Diesel for the whole journey came in around £150.

If we had taken the motorhome, ferry came out at £780 return. Campsites would have cost approx £300. So it was cheaper to hire a villa as the fuel consumption was 1/2 of what the motorhome would have been.

But.........

I realise we are talking motorhomes and If you can get the Santander/Bilbao ferries at the right price. I think the ferry works out cheaper

Cost of fuel alone by road/Eurotunnel is at least £700 for us. Factor in Tolls, wear and tear and the overnight campsites and the ferry is just cheaper, by around 10%.

TM


----------



## sideways

Friends were due to sail on Wed they got away Fri morning due to bad weather, it was so rough it threw one of them out of bed, the other was coversd in vomit so got in the shower were she was thrown about and damaged her hip, they are currently in Santander laid up in camper and feeling sh**e. Give me the driving every time.


----------



## teemyob

*Sail*



sideways said:


> Friends were due to sail on Wed they got away Fri morning due to bad weather, it was so rough it threw one of them out of bed, the other was coversd in vomit so got in the shower were she was thrown about and damaged her hip, they are currently in Santander laid up in camper and feeling sh**e. Give me the driving every time.


In 30 + years of sailing, I have ever only had one very bad trip. North sea, force 9 at least. On the last Bay of biscay trip it was like a mill pond going and a bit choppy coming back

I commented on the delay of the sailing you mentioned the other day.

But how does that compare to being stuck in the tunnel for 4 hours or on in an airport departure lounge for hours or even waiting for ash clouds to clear.

People make comments about flying to Spain.... "you can be there in just over 2 hours". My in-laws flew from Manchester-Alicante.
Door-to-door took them 14 hours AND the flights got away on time!. Ask if you want more details.

Traveling has these pitfalls, however you do it.

Ferry any day for me.

TM


----------



## rugbyken

all depend's how well the kid's travel 4 day's there and back would push the border's of any kid confined in a motorhome. and that is only to get there if your heading further down ould be spending a week , you'll all get cabin fever, 
if however your setting off on a family adventure for more than a couple of week's & have the time to cruise of motorway you could have a wonderfull time.


----------



## impala666

*Bored*

There is no definitive answer to the question, and timing is of the essence.

You pay your money and enjoy the trip either way. Or else you get bored,gales, seasick or fed up with expensive ferry boat food for 30 odd hours. Or if you go by chunnel you can enjoy the French scenery, food, and way of life, unless you go in winter and meet the snow and ice on the roads. Perhaps better to take a week driving through France to Spain and enjoy

We have experienced it all ways with good and bad trips. The bad ones in the winter. So much so that this year we have booked 3 weeks by air to Cyprus in February staying at a 4 star hotel .. Total cost £800.

Also in May we will hope for good conditions for a 3 month motorhome trip throgh France into Italy and down to Rome.

Happy travelling

Brian


----------



## simandme

We have spent a lot of time on ferries, in all types of weather. We always pack playing cards, dry food, water, binoculars and laptop (remember to have it charged or sit near a power point). We try to sit close to the door where there is fresh air filtering in.

At the first whiff of vomit from others, get away from the smell - particularly good is to go outside and look at the horizon. One of us is happy at sea and one is not so much, but this system has never failed. On one particular trip over 90% of the people were sick - the people who went outside coped much better.

Secondly, we love the drive through France to Spain. However the ferry from Spain allows the driver and navigator some time to relax and do absolutely nothing before returning to work (btw it's worth the extra money to get an outside cabin).

Lastly, may I suggest before you take children aboard a ferry between the UK and Spain, please go on a shorter version and see how everyone copes (eg to the Channel Isles)?


----------



## mexx

*Part of the Journey*

Hi everyone & thanks so much for advice to my dilemmas of caravan v. MH........my demented mother has rapidly deteriorated recently so I'm totally stuck for now with un-used Lunar caravan depreciating as I write!!!

I'm very interested in posts on travel being part of the journey because for me, the travelling is the most important part of any holiday/break (even a Benidorm all-inclusive!!!)

It's hard for me to understand why it's so utterly essential "to arrive" ....seems to me that the essence of a MH or CVan or even B&B weekend is to enjoy the journey through unknown parts.

Yeah, I know, I'm unusual....odd?


----------

