# Bilbao



## 88785 (May 9, 2005)

Has anyone done (sure there have been many) Portsmouth to Bilbao with P&O Ferries.
Just been looking for next years holiday, dates would be from end of July to 14th Aug.
When i went through the online booking it came up with a price of £760 for 3 of us, I thought this seemed quite a good price, is it?
The ferry times seemed pretty good to, although the return journey seemed shorter than the outbound. Wonder if they have made a mistake, said we would sail thursday 27th at 20.45 and arrive on saturday morning at 08.00. The return was leaving sunday 13th aug at 13.15 and arriving at 17.15 on the monday !!

If we do it, has anyone got any advice of places to go camp sites/aires etc

cheers


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## shibby (Aug 22, 2005)

*ferry to Bilbao*

Are you heading East or West, either way just remember to get to you weekend site for Thursday morning as Fridays are mad, we found Alan Dodgy's book a waste of time, get the El Camping y su Mundo book it's all in ES,F,NL,I the sites are well maintained and the rating system is very good all the symbols are very easy to understand, also a Michelin 572 Asturias, 573 Euskadi, Navarra, La Rioja Regional maps has loads of sites on, the roads are great, people wonderful, food is fantastic, if I can help some more give me a pm.


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

:lol: Hi *TheOggies*. The price is about right for a rip-off journey. IMO. We only ever did the trip once from Spain to the UK then the UK to Spain. Bothe times it was a pain wating to get on. Preferential trearment for those that paid meant a long, long wait for us poorer class people. You ring them up and they say they only have a 4 berth cabin which we have to pay for. Then when you get there and meet frineds who have booked at the last minute. They have got a 2 berth cabin. Then they are not happy with the 2 berth cabin and are moved to a different one.That's why we never travelled that route again. Just My Very Honest Opinion. :evil:


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## 96088 (Aug 22, 2005)

It's a wonderful crossing.

Especially if the Whales and Dolphins are about. The top deck is devoted to information about these fantastic creatures and I spent literally hours there with my binoculars.

Excellent facilties on board and you do (as they say) arrive refreshed and ready for your onward journey in Spain.

The different crossing times are due to P and O trying to be conveinent to their passengers and the ferry travels slower to Bilbao so as to arrive at breakfast time. instead of the late evening (That's how the they expained it to me!).


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

Agree it is a wonderfull journey

Even in a force 12 gale in February
Even better in calmer weather

We had an outside cabin (extra coast) still it saves about 600 miles of road 

Outwards is a night sailing & return is a mid day sailing 
Think that they adjust the speed 

Certainly much space for weather adjustments 
One trip ws in a thick fog & only 1 hr late


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## 96088 (Aug 22, 2005)

Yep

There is photo onboard showing the spray lashing over the bridge (Deck 13?)

As for costs..yes it could be considered expensive, but... so is time, fuel, stoppovers etc if you go from Dover.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi Chris,

That seems a reasonable price, last time we checked a few years ago with an outside double it was about £900 rtn!

Not motorhome related, but we've done a footpassenger minicruise to Bilbao and the crossing and entertainment both ways were excellent, had a great time.

Another way of cutting the costs - P&O will let you mix crossings so you could go out portsmouth/bilbao and come back calais/dover or vica versa.

pete.


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Crossed to bilbao in september, on the bike as no motorhome yet. So can't comment on prices. we all have different views on what is enjoyable, will be unlikely to make this trip again. 
Main reason is we are non smokers, although there are non smoking areas they are not separate from the smoking areas, and if there are any extractors, they are ineffective.
My asthma is well controlled, but i have not yet recovered from the smoke inhalation. went outside as much as we could. Cabin was stuffy, though spotlessly clean.
We were also disturbed by those who had been up till the early hours drinking.
On the plus side we met some great people both bikers and motorhomers (is there such a word?).
Loading on the outward journey was a pain, delayed due to a technical problem. We were only informed of the reason for the delay once boarded, glad it wasn't raining, did envy those of you who could relax in comfort and not have to pay inflated prices for a drink.


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## 88785 (May 9, 2005)

Thank you all for the responses that you have given, I think that we will probably go, unless something else crops up mean time

regards


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## 88838 (May 9, 2005)

We did a one way version earlier this year, came back to Hull. We are thinking about doing the two way run next year, price I saw couple of weeks ago for 2 was about £800 [for posh outside cabin - well worth the extra imo]. 
The trips are of different lengths, don't know if its the prevailing winds or the assumption that you want to get there early morning and so the overnight bit is stretched going south. 
The downside was the total incompetence of Portsmouth staff, the loading was abysmal and took forever, with a mrked prejudice against campers.
The weather when we arrived was wet and overcast and so we headed into France, were laid out in the sun in Biarritz in a matter of hours; good spot it took us ages to prise ourselves further north.
Don't forget, Tesco vouchers reduce price to 25% :lol: :lol: :lol:

have fun and don't forget your binoculars.

8)


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## johnsandywhite (May 9, 2005)

twooks said:


> The downside was the total incompetence of Portsmouth staff, the loading was abysmal and took forever, with a mrked prejudice against campers


 :lol: So I am not the only one then? :lol:


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## smiler (May 23, 2005)

Hi Twooks, did you mean that Tesco vouchers reduce the ferry price to 25% 0f cost ,or by 25%.How do we get hold of these vouchers?


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## 89019 (May 12, 2005)

*bilbo*

Hi all me and the wife just paid £267(1way) ports/bilbo with inside 2 berth cabin ask for the "special" we leave on the 19th dec we were quoted return for £615(with cabin) ,by the way this is with P&O just ask for the special when booking
pete


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## 88838 (May 9, 2005)

smiler said:


> Hi Twooks, did you mean that Tesco vouchers reduce the ferry price to 25% 0f cost ,or by 25%.How do we get hold of these vouchers?


First get a Tesco clubcard [and credit card] you can pick up an application form at Tesco's. You get 'loyalty' points when you shop at Tesco stores / fuel, using their credit card anywhere, and there are other places that give them as well. 
[http://www.tesco.com/clubcard/clubcard/index1.htm]

4 times a year your points are converted to vouchers, [1000 points = £10 vouchers] you save these up and ring P&O ferries to book your trip = tell them you are paying by Tesco vouchers, send off your T vouchers to Tesco and order ferry vouchers from Clubcard Deals . £10.00 Tesco clubcard vouchers will get you £40 worth of ferry vouchers. Send off to P&O as payment - note you won't get 'change' !
thus P&O want £195, you change £50 clubcard v - Tesco give you £200 - usually in multiples of £20. [ i think] You either give P&O £200 or £180 plus cash.

Downside, you pay top rate to P&O - but .. .. .. .. on balance not that much of a downside.

Clubcard Deals also include Eurotunnel, but I can't face the idea of going underground, can just about manage Mersey tunnels.

8)


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## 94664 (May 1, 2005)

Sadly,the wife does not do water very well.I position her opposite the bar on the Dover - Calais crossing.She will only look out onto land.Personally would love to do Portsmouth or Plymouth crossing on our way to Southern Spain.No chance with the stories she quotes about others experiences in the Bay of Biscay.
However,for us,we cover the ground in about the same time and cost as using the UK to Spain ferries.Then onwards to Almeria.
Lucky I love driving.


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