We are going for a play in the Pyrenees last week of October and have decided to do the Portsmouth - Santander ferry instead of Dover - Calais and travel down. supprised at the cost, only £460 return includes a double cabin with eu-suite:cool: put that against hotel, petrol costs, wear & tear traveling through France I think it’s a bargain;) probably be bored shitless on the boat though!!!
Will report on the experience on our return:)
Sounds great! Have fun! 
You won’t be bored. There is a bar 
I’ve taken that ferry a few times, its not too boring and the food on Brittany is pretty good. Cinema, bar and swimming pool and you cant go far wrong!
We did Portsmouth to Bilbao a few years ago, which does not run any longer. That was 2 nights on the boat - is yours? We found the whole middle day a bit boring, but the weather was good and we sunbathed on the deck for most of it. Hope you have calm weather, we did but heard that it can be a bit rough in parts on that route sometimes. Major plus was seeing whales spouting and dolphins jumping out of the water very close up.
Enjoy it:)
PS take plenty of top box food as the meals on board are not inexpensive. I stuck two bananas down my pants at dinner for breakfast. I have to say I got some admiring glances on the way back to our cabin.
Brittainy Ferries still run a service from Portsmouth to Bilbao. The two ports are so close to each other it hardly matters.
Bay of Biscay can be spectacularly rough at times - we went and it was like a millpond.
Don’t go with four hairy bikers in one cabin - not good!!
I think the ferry crossing time is down to about 24 hours now so not too boring.
Was a bit pricey on board so worth taking some food (and a bottle if you are that way inclined) and some decent reading/entertainment with you. You do get to see a lot of sea and sod all else.
Yes Chris, we are on the two nighter to Bilbao outward and one night return from Santander:)
Bugger!!! wish I had room for a banana down my pants:w00t::hehe:
I hope you didn’t share your banana with someone.
How long is the ferry crossing to Santander? A day?
£460 seems a lot of money. I prefer motorcycling to sailing 
Sailing time varies depending on the sailing but approx 28/32 hours, £460 a lot of money??? costs approx half as much again to travel through France. you are looking at £400 just in hotels 4/5 nights and I don’t know of anything that can get to Spain and back on 60 quids worth of fuel:w00t:
Yes it can be done cheaper! camping (no chance) run down in one hit (why?) cheaper hotels. when we travel, with no one else to consider, we like our creature comforts.
I’ve done this crossing quite a few times for the MC Piston rally in Spain. This year we’re riding back through France so will get the best of both worlds. The crossing can be tedious and there is some dodgy entertainment laid on, especially the magicians who are definitely to be avoided. It’s a good idea to bring your own munchies. You never get challenged and they will even give you an empty glass in the bar if you ask. Being mean, I also bring my own teabags as hot water is free, and we’ve also been known to have a brew up in the cabin with a camping stove (not sure if you’re supposed to do this though 
). Enjoy your trip! And don’t forget the Kwells.
