# Spain Via P&O/Brittany Ferries/Acciona



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Hello all,

Having just reurned from Spain via P&O I have to say our only disapointment was the Large number of Drunks who spoilt an otherwise pleasant crossing.

As an example is seemed some passengers chose to buy a crate of strongbow from duty free, steel an ice bucket from one of the bars or Restaruants and commandeer the tables (inculding those of the bar) with a sea view in order to consume their purchases in large quantaties. Well in fact I think many of them camped there overnight. The "Silverstones Bar" was not the classiest joint on the ocean by far and by 1am the decks were plastred with vomit, discarded ciggarettes, broken glasses and the odd comatose drinker. Despite seeking refuge in our cabins, loud music banging of doors, drunken rows continued. The morning we discovered more stubed out cigarettes in the hallways, stale smell of puke and urine.

Now don't get me wrong I am no killjoy and I very often have and enjoy a good drink. I am very much live and let live, though not at the expense of others enjoyment.

So my question is for those who have had had the opportunity to travel with other operators: How do the others fair and do they also have the Booze cruisers?

Trev


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Spain*

Hi

The mini cruise market on this stretch of water is huge. Without it, I doubt the "Bay" could support three operators.

P&O do publicise the mini cruise and advertise through various companies offering the product. Indeed, many coach firms advertise a mini cruise including coach travel to and from Pompey.

Brittany used to market the mini cruise but I think they are only available at Chirstmas now a days.

AT Ferries also offer the product - but I think this only on the trip based around the weekend.

If you have a look at Cruise World's web site - you get an idea which ship is likely to be heaviliy loaded with mini cruisers.

Rapide561


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Yuk ! Not what you want when you have a hard days driving next day Trev. 

Have you written and told the ferry company what you think of their crowd control ? More people who do the more they might try to do something about it.

G


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## JustRadio (May 21, 2005)

Was this the short sea crossing? You say you had an overnight cabin so I guess it was Bilbao or perhaps St. Malo? 

I thought the booze cruisers were all Dover Calais


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

A 'minicruise' is a long version of the boozecruise, its just a scheme to fill the empty cabins on the out of peak season crossings, the only differencr is you drink all the booze on board instead of taking it home with you on a boozecruise :wink: ......

http://www.pominicruise.com/

We did one from Harwich to Esjberg ages ago which was very enjoyable with no drunken revellers and a coachtrip into Esberg, perhaps we were just lucky on that one as we also did a Bilbao one not so long back and it was just a glorified p*ss up with a cabin. Lots of shouting and laughter into the early hours but once again we were fairly lucky and didn't have too much trouble down our corridor or any pukey experiences but that depends on the roughness of the crossing I suppose ukeright: ukeleft: 
Not many on the coachtrip to Bilbao the next morning either, they were all suffering from Gorrilla syndrome no doubt :roll:

pete


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

peejay said:


> A 'minicruise' is a long version of the boozecruise, its just a scheme to fill the empty cabins on the out of peak season crossings, the only differencr is you drink all the booze on board instead of taking it home with you on a boozecruise :wink: ......
> 
> http://www.pominicruise.com/
> 
> ...


Pete,

We have never had too many problems with the mini cruisers on the Hull -Rotterdam/Zeebrugge crossings.

What got up my nose one year was, we met some friends who'd paid £15 for a return crossing and that included a tour of Amsterdam, there good value if that's your thing.

Just a word of warning, all the drivers coming off the ferry at Rotterdam after an overnight crossing were breathalysed by the Dutch police. It was panic stations all round they pulled dozens.

I don't know the out come, at the time I just wanted to be on my way.

Don


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Complaint*



Grizzly said:


> Yuk ! Not what you want when you have a hard days driving next day Trev.
> 
> Have you written and told the ferry company what you think of their crowd control ? More people who do the more they might try to do something about it.
> 
> G


Hello G,

Not not complained yet, just getting some feedback first from here to see if it worth my effort.

Yes it was Bibao crossing
Trev


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Complaint*

Hello everyone,

Well wrote a letter of complaint to P&O bit more detailed than my post here.

Short and tall of the reply from P&O was,

What a shame
Some passengers do spoil it for others
Thanks for your loyal custom over the years

Yours didly dah.

My response is to avoid P&O in the future where possible and look elsewhere, as I am not a fan of Norfolkline, we will no doubt be doing Short sea by Eurotunnel in future.

Having used many ferries over the years is it just me or are P&O and NL realy crap?

Stena Line - Magic
Eurotunnel - Brilliant
Speed ferries- 100%
Brittany - Expensive but nice
Colorline - as above
DFDS - okay
Fjordline - Great
Sally - Good
HoverSpeed - Excellent

Trev


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## 95853 (Jul 25, 2005)

I had a similarly appalling P&O crossing to Bilbao when I went in October. Never again.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Complaint*



teemyob said:


> , as I am not a fan of Norfolkline,
> is it just me or are P&O and NL realy crap?
> Trev


I wonder if P&O really think of the consequences of sending a template letter like that !

Can you tell us why you don't rate Norfolkline trev ? We've always found them very good - flexible and understanding when we want or need to change our plans, responsive on the phone and no queues to speak to a machine, clean boats, fuss-free sailings and so on. Dunkirk is not exactly the nicest place to land but it is easy to get away from !

G


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