Getting to spain

Daveil

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Hi all, I fancy trying Spain this year. Don’t have time to drive all the way,any cheap ways of g3tting a ferry,discount etc, Portsmouth to Santander return seems to be about £1000, makes an expensive hol.
 
Think there is only one ferry company that operates that route so they charge what they like. So you have a choice, Drive from Calais ( We normally do this ), Get the ferry ( Expensive ) or Just head down through France and see the wonders of the west coast.
 
anyone sharing their ferry code with you receives £10 you save 10% on the ferry (not cabin) crossing takes 24hrs each way , calais crossing is about £150 return 1600 mls at approx 25mpg thats 320ltrs €420 so if you have limited time the 6 day drive there & back using toll roads ( another €100 ) or 10 days non toll have to count against that as well , personally i split the difference use st malo or roscoff with 2 day drive & about €20 tolls not using nantes bordeaux works for me
 
If you have a bit of time and are OK on Ferries Then Post #3 seems good.
We would probably use Calais and the tunnel...BUT we have time !
 
Daveil said:
Hi all, I fancy trying Spain this year. Don’t have time to drive all the way,any cheap ways of g3tting a ferry,discount etc, Portsmouth to Santander return seems to be about £1000, makes an expensive hol.
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Depends on when you’re going, Sod driving through France this time of year.
We’re off in 3 weeks to Santander (£325 one way) for 5 months (****** allowing) & then
driving back through France in June can be quite pleasant.
 
spigot said:
Depends on when you’re going, Sod driving through France this time of year.
We’re off in 3 weeks to Santander (£325 one way) for 5 months (****** allowing) & then
driving back through France in June can be quite pleasant.
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We're contemplating the same at around the same time too with a destination in mind but not a return date, it depends on several things. We've done the Spain, Portugal, Spain and France trip once, but never again (stuff kicked in to spoil it). For us a night rockin' and a rollin' in the bay of Biscay is a much easier way. But whatever you choose-enjoy
 
This time of year it would be the ferry to Spain every time. The costs of short Ferry crossing, Fuel + tolls isn't much different in costs than the Spanish route and for the little extra its worth it to not have to drive
The last direct trip up thru France cost €204 fuel & €115 tolls so Spigots £325 is a good deal
. For myself with no time restraints and between April and Sept I'd drive and enjoy France for several weeks
 
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We're driving, Mrs G couldn't handle another night of rocking and rolling.
 
would love to take the long ferry again some time but pet friendly crossings to spain are almost impossible to find ive tried as a shareholder & a voyage club member
 
The most reliable way to get a pet friendly cabin is to book a crossing before the sailing timetable is published.

It requires a degree of flexibility because the exact sailing dates are not known.

Phone Brittany Ferries and ask them to make a booking on or around your preferred date. Request a pet friendly cabin.

Once the timetable is published you will be offered a crossing for confirmation.

This technique is the one I used with success.
 
POI Admin said:
The most reliable way to get a pet friendly cabin is to book a crossing before the sailing timetable is published.

It requires a degree of flexibility because the exact sailing dates are not known.

Phone Brittany Ferries and ask them to make a booking on or around your preferred date. Request a pet friendly cabin.

Once the timetable is published you will be offered a crossing for confirmation.

This technique is the one I used with success.
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thanks and i hope you have good year, t.t.f.n ok pj
 
Portsmouth to Caen is a reasonable compromise. Only 5 to 6 hour crossing. Calais can be a pain.
You're well down France, if the weather's crap
There are good toll free roads, if you set your satnav
 
From the North West, I reckon the long ferry to Spain is about £100 each way more expensive than the tunnel and gives you an extra 2 days each way longer in Spain. The choice depends on your individual requirements. If money is tight use the tunnel, if time in Spain is limited get the Spanish Ferry.
No right or wrong answer, just the answer that best suits your circumstances.

We hate the long drive in France, so for us it is a no brainer. Bur for others the tunnel is a no brainer choice.
 
Pauljenny said:
Portsmouth to Caen is a reasonable compromise. Only 5 to 6 hour crossing. Calais can be a pain.
You're well down France, if the weather's crap
There are good toll free roads, if you set your satnav
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This way is also my recommendation, off ferry about 1500hrs Caen, 3 to 4hrs drive. Night stop. Following night stop over Northern Spain. Generally in the Algarve late afternoon day three
 
Our 6m hymer is costing £770 return leaving Saturday booked immediately time tables appeared.
To us its well worth it rather than trail through frances bad weather / expensive autoroutes/slow RNs/ the french.
We do have 3 months to play with though
 
We did Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao in 2018 and 2019 but the anxiety of not knowing if the ferry would actually sail due to bad weather was not worth it. First time we did not get away until nearly one in the morning due to storm delay of the incoming ferry and once the ferry after ours was cancelled - January is always a bit iffy weather wise in the Bay of Biscay. If your ferry is cancelled you do not just get offered the next day as they are generally full and you may end up driving up to Brittany anyway. So it is St Malo for us next week. It was going to be Caen but you get a longer night's sleep on the St Malo trip:)
 
***** said:
We always used to use Newhaven to Dieppe as it was very very cost effective with the 20% old fart discount and it is less than one hour to Rouen saving about 2 hours each way compared to Calais.
Last year we splashed out and did a return to Roscoff as we only did Brittany on that trip and later we did a return to Santander. The price did hurt, but was enjoyable, missing out all the roundabouts and chicanes in France
We have booked the Santander ferry again for later in 2020, but I do struggle justifying the expense
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We tried Santander once, never again, Bay of Biscay was so rough took us a fortnight to recover, thankfully it was the return leg
 
***** said:
We always used to use Newhaven to Dieppe as it was very very cost effective with the 20% old fart discount and it is less than one hour to Rouen saving about 2 hours each way compared to Calais.
Last year we splashed out and did a return to Roscoff as we only did Brittany on that trip and later we did a return to Santander. The price did hurt, but was enjoyable, missing out all the roundabouts and chicanes in France
We have booked the Santander ferry again for later in 2020, but I do struggle justifying the expense
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keep us informed, as we hope to make a crossing, this year, p,s, happy new year, ok, pj oh and thankee kindlee,
 
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