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Original poster

Brittany ferries

12 replies

Celticlass2 · 30/08/2014 14:07

I noticed that the ferry prices (Plymouth to St Malo) are out for next year. We have (almost) decided on two weeks in France next summer, one in the vendee and then a week in Brittany, around the Carnac area.

Can anyone tell me the best time to book the ferry crossing?
The price is coming out around £550 for car and roof box, and including a cabin there and back. Is this a good price and should we book now?

We have been to France many times, either flying to the south, or driving from Calais, but have never used Brittany ferries before.

A friend has mentioned that while the prices might not rise hugely, the cabins tend to sell out fairly quickly.
There is no way we would travel overnight without a cabin!

Any thoughts/ experiences please?
We would be looking to go last week in July, first week in august next year.
Thanks

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SwedishEdith · 30/08/2014 14:11

I would agree with your friend. That sounds a fairly standard price and I don't think they drop that much. I think you just pay a deposit at first and then the balance 6 weeks before you go so if you book now it gives you time to pay

Mutley77 · 30/08/2014 14:19

I think that sounds good value for an overnight trip during school holidays with cabin - I haven't been Brittany ferries for a couple of years but tbh the costs sometimes seem extortionate and that doesn't so I would book it!

Original poster

Celticlass2 · 30/08/2014 16:41

Thanks everyone. Going to decide finally by the end of the weekend, and get it booked up. Glad I canvassed some opinions about the price. Perhaps booking early does make a difference!

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EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 30/08/2014 16:46

£550 return? That's a pretty good price.

Original poster

Celticlass2 · 30/08/2014 17:08

Ehric yes I thought it was pretty good. I'm sure I looked at Brittany ferries prices a couple of years back and it was far more expensive, but I know it wasn't as early as this that I was looking.
I didn't even think their prices would be up yet, but I was reading on another forum that somebody had booked up for next summer, so went to have a look on their website.

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dreamingofsun · 30/08/2014 18:04

try not to travel down to the vendee on a sat in july/aug - lots of queues

brittanyfairies · 30/08/2014 18:12

£550 in the summer holidays is a good price, if you know you're coming to France I'd book it now. The cabins do sell out very quickly and if you have to change dates to accommodate gite changeovers or anything like that Brittany Ferries are pretty good in that respect.

thewalrus · 31/08/2014 07:55

Can't comment on price as we normally go from Plymouth. But have a look at the Brittany Ferries club membership as might be worth it for you. I am a massive sceptic about such things normally, but we travel on Brittany ferries once a year and it saves us loads of money - I think it's about £60 to join and then a further £60 or £70 a year, but you get 30% off crossings to France, and various other discounts.

jenpetronus · 31/08/2014 10:13

£550.00 is a good price HOWEVER - hang on a few days! Usually they offer extra discount for a few weeks during September - I'm assuming you have a discount code given to you by wherever you are staying? That usually gets you around 20%, the extra discount will be another 5%, one year it was 10% so it's worth it for a few days, agree with others though, don't hang about the cabins on overnight Friday crossings go fast (if you need a code you can use ours, just let me know)

FoxSticks · 31/08/2014 10:19

We did a week in Vendee and a week in Brittany. Depending on where you live you could also consider Poole to Cherbourg. It's a shorter crossing so you don't have to have the expense of a cabin and the drive isn't too bad once you are in France.

Original poster

Celticlass2 · 01/09/2014 08:28

Appreciate everyone's advice and thoughts. Just skimmed thread now. Will read properly later.

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Original poster

Celticlass2 · 01/09/2014 10:40

Thanks for all the tips. Yes, I have heard about not traveling down to the Vendee on Sat in July or August! Pretty grim, by all accounts!
We tend to travel by ferry or book flights mid week to mid week in the summer hols, as it tends to be cheaper and less busy on a Tuesday or Wednesday than say on a Friday or Saturday.

We were supposed to be coming to a decision this weekend about where we wanted to go on holiday.
We don't normally decide this early, but for various reasons to do with leave, and another holiday, need to get booked up this month sometime.

Had a brief discussion last night, and as much as we love France,- we have been there many times, and DH and Dd would really like to go to Italy, so I think we are going to leave Brittany for another time.

We have enough airmiles (DH travels lots for work) to get us to
Verona and back, and have wanted to explore Lake Garda for ages.
Thanks again for all the help. Good to know there are so many good sources of info on here for Brittany.
I will no doubt be picking your brains now for holidaying in Lake Garda

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