I don`t really understand the question? I almost always do the overnight crossing on Brittany Ferries to one of the Norman or Breton ports though. It fits in much better with the long drive from Scotland. We have kids, so we get the cheapest cabin and get some kip, drive off the next morning and head straight for the campsite. We try to make our first stop somewhere fairly close...last year we took the Portsmouth-St Malo ferry and were camping at Dol-de-Bretagne, so we were pitched and in the pool by 11am.
Brittany ferries are big and modern, standard roll-on roll-off jobs. You get on board and find your cabin if you have one...the number will be on your ticket. The key will be in the door and extras inside. The shops and restaurants will be open..not all of them run all night but they will in the evening. Portsmoth-St Malo boards quite early, doesn`t it? About 9pm? I remember us taking the kids to watch a magic show.
In the morning irritating music will start playing in your cabin. About half an hour later someone will start telling you that it`s time to get up and please to leave your cabin soon. Actually, you have plenty of time and no-one will throw you out as the cleaners won`t come on board till you dock. Then it`s down to the car decks and off.
Before we had kids we used to get couchettes for the overnight trips...my advice here is to get a cabin if you have the cash. If there are four of you it`s not so much more expensive. The couchettes are noisy and you don`t get much sleep. With kids it would be a nightmare.
Was that the sort of thing you wanted to know? My only other advice is to take a bottle of drinking water to the cabin with you as you can`t drink the tap water on the ferry.
Just one question; have you booked a cabin? If so, it will be a doddle, if not then be prepared to have to fight for somewhere to get your head down - we saw people asleep in the aisles, under the stairs, everywhere (and most uncomfortable it looked, too!).
I wouls also recommend getting a cabin if yu are travelling during the day. They are cheap enough and give you somwhere to crash and leave any gear; particularly handy if you're travelling with young kids, they can get some sleep without any problem
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But it´s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can´t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself
Ricky Nelson
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Got a cabin, sailing 20:30 hours thinking kids would need a bed for the night in preperation for the drive in the morning, glad it appears to be so easy.
Really looking forward to the wake up call, NOT. Dare I ask what sort of "music" we can look forward to!!!!?
We're travelling Portsmouth - St Malo on the overnighter too and really looking forward to it
I've done another ferry crossing to Santander in Spain a few years back and the crossing was awful with most travellers being ill - Hoping for a smoother crossing this time ha ha ha
If the cabins are anything like they was on that crossing they'll be tiny but adequate for your needs.
One question I have though to anyone else who has been on this crossing, is breakfast served on the ferry? I was assuming that it is but now thinking about it it'll be about 6:30am..... will they be serving that early?
Kim
------------- Ging gang goolie goolie goolie goolie watcha,
Ging gang goo, ging gang goo.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
If you get the best cabins 'Commodore', they are expensive but like a smart hotel room with plenty of space, cosy seating area, DVD player, free mini bar etc a lovely start to the holiday, a really nice French breakfast is included and is served in the cabin about an hour before disembarking, Charlie loves the hot chocolate and brioche. Otherwise, on board cafes and shops are open in plenty of time to pick something up. Also St Malo old town is nice, you might even want a look around and find a cafe there.
Alison
Plenty of places to eat on board, but, yes, suggest you take drinking water. Also, make a note of where your stairs are, so you can locate them easily in the morning. You will be given a card with the stair/deck number.
St Malo is lovely, but a nightmare to find parking, but if you have a roofbox, you can park (for free) next door to the coaches in the coach park!!
And for those who will need somewhere to sleep when they arrive:
http://www.malouins.com/campings/
There are 4 municipal campsites around St Malo. We've stayed at Les Ilots a couple of times and it's lovely. I've always quite fancied the Alet too, it's right by the port and looks spectacular. They're all run by St Malo & have computerised bookings/
BTW, secret squirrel. What d'you mean you can park in the coach park? Are you sure?! Surely everyone'd be doing it if it was true! As we've got the biggest roofbox I've ever seen.... pleeeeze do tell!
Well....it was our neighbours on the campsite who told us - apparently true and legit! They couldn't fit under the barrier to the carparks. We didn't try it for ourselves (not having a roofbox, you understand!!)
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
If the ferry to St Malo is anything like the one we travelled on to and from Caen recently you shouldn't have any problems at all. The "Mont St Michel" is a really nice spacious ship, we had a four berth cabin to ourselves and the ship is really well furnished and equipped.
The only problem you may find is having your sleep disturbed by rowdy uncontrolled children running amok down the corridors for some time.
Some parents tend to think that the children are confined to the boat so allow them free rein to run around as they wish..... including playing in the lifts and along the cabin corridors. I use the ferries regularly on trips back to the UK so can safely say that this is not unusual. Here's hoping you are allocated a quiet area before your long drive!
It's for this reason that, by choice, I use day passages on Condor whenever possible.
Thanks everyone, got a cabin and seat, FOR ME!! Thought children should sleep as journey in the morning might be a nightmare, hope they do not get disturbed by unrulies!!
It's just the first time so wanted to get a general idea of what to expect, thanks all for your input.
Graeme reference the cost I am a fraid that we "packaged" through sites abroad. We are staying in The Loire for 7 nights then on to St Jean De Luz (south) 10 nights then up to the Vendee for 7 nights with an evening return from Caen ( gosh that is a lot of erecting!!!), the total cost was £925.06! so really not sure how much ferry is, sorry.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Overnighter to St Malo
