# Portsmouth to Spain Ferry



## 5bells (Feb 4, 2009)

Hi everyone
We are trying to book ferry from portsmouth to Bilbao/Santander early November.
Have been told by B Ferries that only Cap Finistere running that month and we were put off last trip as we ended up on the open deck section of the ferry, motorhome was drenched with spray all the way over .
The Rep we spoke to says we cannot pre book loading but he is sure the loading staff would help with our request (not to be on open deck.)
Has anyone else had this problem?and were you able to avoid being put on open deck'
We need to book soon so would appreciate the benefit of others experiences.
Ray


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

From memory the deck on the Cap Finistere is open ended rather than open for the most part. There is an open section at the rear in the area that is used for reversing to get around the tight turn. 

If you are positioned in the open ended deck area as many high vehicles are the vehicle will be dry unless you are unlucky enough to be in the completely open section at the rear which would be used only if the ferry is full.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Ten minutes with a hose pipe once you disembark should be enough to sluice all the salt off.

I do know how you feel though. a few years I was put on the open deck area at the front of the Condor ferry that runs on a Sunday from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, during a rough crossing in the summer. 

The amount of salt that was caked on my MH was incredible   . Having said that about 10 minutes with a hose pipe (on a campsite) got rid of it all (and I did pressure wash underneath when I returned to the UK.)


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

Try posting your question on the BF Enthusiasts website. I've found them very helpful and there's not much they don't know. bfEnthusiasts


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

I would check out if what you have been told is true. I know that the Pont Avon packs up and leaves it up to the Cap Finistre but we are on the Pont Aven on the 26 November.

Mike


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

MikeCo said:


> I would check out if what you have been told is true. I know that the Pont Avon packs up and leaves it up to the Cap Finistre but we are on the Pont Aven on the 28 November.
> 
> Mike


I've just checked on the Brittany Ferries site and the Pont Aven only goes on the 28 November that month.
I've also noticed that the Cap Finistre is only doing one trip a week on a Thursday so I wonder what it's doing the other days.
Unless they are getting the crew to row it back from Spain as part of the new deal. 

Mike


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## 5bells (Feb 4, 2009)

Many thanks for all your replies.
When disembarking intend to drive some distance so hosing off straight away not really possible. I did get the crew to hose off the motorhome en voyage last time but on arrival was still covered in salt and on start up got a warning light come on. 

Thanks wug have posted on the bfenthusiasts website as well and got some helpful replies one from someone who had actually spoken to loading crew, someone quite rightfully pointed out that we are all in the same boat so to speak(pun intended) but it was only motorhomes put out on deck so do they think we are less likely to complain? I would not normally bother if it was my car I have travelled on many different ferries over the years even as a tugger but watching the poor old thing from rear window of the vessel en route getting swamped in sea spray in the wrong direction (from the back) was too much, after paying good money to travel on a nearly new state of the art vessel I was a bit surprised.

Mike I was told that the Pont Aven was back for the end of November but that is too late for us, so its either a long drive through France or take pot luck. Hey ho thanks again all 
Ray


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Why not go to Santander instead or even sail from Plymouth from where the Pont Aven sails every Sunday.


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## 5bells (Feb 4, 2009)

Thanks Mike48 have not tried booking again yet but as PA is in dry dock I am assuming they must be sharing the CF between the two routes. 
Will try booking again later and check it out.
We are looking forward to getting away have been working hard all summer with helping kids with building work and grandkids.
This will be our first Christmas away, they will have to get used to it 8O 
Ray


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

5bells said:


> Thanks Mike48 have not tried booking again yet but as PA is in dry dock I am assuming they must be sharing the CF between the two routes.
> Will try booking again later and check it out.
> We are looking forward to getting away have been working hard all summer with helping kids with building work and grandkids.
> This will be our first Christmas away, they will have to get used to it 8O
> Ray


The BF website indicates all services are operating normally and I can find no trace of the PA being in dry dock. If that is the case it must be for scheduled maintenance as operating schedules are unaffected.

I'm due back from Spain on the PA in late October.

I've only just realised that you are intending to travel after the end of October when the service from Plymouth ends.


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## damar1 (Sep 29, 2012)

After useing the portsmouth to bilbao ferry for about ten years ,when it was P & O, we tryed the new service and were not inprested with the cost and the service. So we now travel down through france taking a few days to do it and enjoy the different things we see, never go on toll roads and all stop overs aee free. Also we always went to southern spain so you still have 600 miles down to Almeria in the south, this is almost half the distance there from uk


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