Share your questions about ferry travel with expert Mums - £200 voucher to be won

[CeriMumsnet]

Are you going on holiday by ferry this summer? Perhaps you’ve never taken your family away by ferry but you’re keen to find out more?

Mums Rachel, Kirsty and Sybil have all just returned from different Brittany Ferries trips with their families and they’re here to help! Whether it’s choosing the destination, what to pack, how to keep kids entertained or what the onboard facilities are like, share your questions on all aspects of the experience for our expert Mums to answer.

• Everyone who shares a question on the thread below by 29 June will be entered into a prize draw
• One lucky Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice
• Our experts will be back online in a few weeks to answer some of your questions

Here’s what Brittany Ferries has to say:
“Brittany Ferries is an award winning Ferry Travel and holiday company who are experts in Western Europe, and winners of the Best Travel Company for Family Holidays at the 2022 British Travel Awards, voted by consumers. We offer a choice of routes from UK and Ireland to France and Spain that save you miles of driving, avoids airport queues and delays, and offers award winning on board service with space and comfort, ensuring you are on holiday from the moment you drive aboard. ”

About our experts
Family 1 - Rachel
Rachel travelled with her husband and two children (aged 3 and 1) on the Portsmouth to Caen route.

Family 2 – Kirsty
Kirsty travelled with her Mum and two children (aged 3 and 6 months) on the Rosslare to Bilbao route

Family 3 - Sybil
Sybil travelled with her cousin and two children (aged 4 and 1) on the Portsmouth to Santander route.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ
Insight T&Cs apply

@jellybeanpopper The Brittany Ferries website has a great search page or I'm sure if you call them and discuss the experts can help

Kirsty

Hi @Vergeofbreakdown23 We travelled the Rosslare to Bilbao route outbound and unfortunately there were no tea or coffee making facilities in our cabin. However, the staff onboard are more than happy to fill hot water flasks for you if you ask at the bar. There are also coffee shops, bars and restaurants where you can buy them if you want. In the C-lounge the tea and coffee is included in the price so you can have as many cups as you wish! On our journey home (Santander to Plymouth) on the Pont-Aven we did have a kettle in our room with teas, coffees and a box of macaroons.

Kirsty

Hi @TheHighQueenOfTheFarRealm We travelled Rosslare to Bilbao outbound and Santander to Plymouth inbound. Both overnight ferries, and infact the Rosslare to Bilbao journey required 2 nights sleep as it was 30 hours long. It really did not feel like a long trip at all. It felt like part of the holiday - not like when you're stuck waiting in an airport. On the way home we even got to see a film in the on-board cinema. On the way there the weather was lovely the whole journey so we even spent time out on deck dolphin spotting - we were lucky we got to see dolphins a few times. On deck there is also an outdoor gym and an outdoor play park. Inside on the ships there are children's play areas and lots of activities for the children planned by staff such as mask making, drawing competitions. In the evenings there are music acts such as singers and pianists in the bar areas.

Kirsty

Hi @Mazatapec @TheGirlWithGlassFeet
Since my first trip with Brittany Ferries we went to book another trip. This time with our two small cocker spaniels. You have 3 options for dog transport onboard - leave them in your car, put them into the onboard kennels or book a pet cabin. The pet cabins are located in one area, with access to a pet friendly outside deck area. Your dogs need to be muzzled whenever they leave your dedicated cabin. The only difference between the normal 4 berth cabins and the pet cabins are the flooring. Pet cabins have hard flooring, and the normal cabins have carpet. A special touch from Brittany Ferries are they provide a little dog goodie bag in your pet cabin too. Communication from Brittany Ferries regarding pets pre-travel was great too. They send you a pre sailing checklist to make sure your pet is fit for travel with all the right documentation. Remember to check the requirements for the country you aim to visit as your pets may require vaccinations weeks in advance.

Kirsty

Hi @HipHipWhoRay When you book your journey you are required to book a sleep option - cabin or sleeper seat. So I recommend you book a cabin straight away.

Kirsty

I vomited like a trooper on the way back from Dieppe, no issues on the outbound and it wasnt that rough either....

Hi @PatatiPatatras No you do not stay onboard at your destination. Think of the ferry like a flight with a cruise feel. Brittany Ferries are partnered with many hotels at their port destinations though so I'm sure they could help you find somewhere to stay! I highly recommend the hotel we stayed at in Santander - Hotel Chiqui.

Kirsty

Hi @DinkyDaffodil Absolutely! You cannot hear the noise from the bars or restaurants from your cabin at all, and there is only a very quiet noise from the ship in the background. My 3 year old and 6 month old slept all through the night without being disturbed.

Kirsty

Hi @DanBenandBud I cannot fault the cleanliness of the play areas on board the Salamanca. They were absolutely spotless! The interactive games on the big screen were a huge hit with my 3 year old, and he also loved pretending to sail in the play ship within one of the play areas

Kirsty

Are the prices reasonable I wouldn't mind going further afield

How did you keep the kids entertained whilst on board?