fly or boat to Cork Ireland

terriandaaron

Were staying at a house in Ireland...cork in the summer, have been looking at various boat / car hire/ flight options, but its expensive to hire a car and first time i looked at ryan air it was only a few hundred now its nearly 600 for us all plus more than 600 to hire a 7 seater so am considering boat options and taking my own but am not sure which route from london to take...where is nearest?

Anyone been on the overnight boats from Swansea....what are they like ?
Anyone know of any deals....or are flights/ car hire likely to drop...its for the last week in August.
Thanks.....in advance ...:-)

unsure

We did the Swansea-Cork route a few years ago with 2 kids. It was a twelve hour crossing and the weatrher turnred bad half way. Kids and I were okay if sleepless but wife was ill,miserable and frightened...and it wasn't cheap! taking your own car makes moneysaving sense but I'd be tempted to opt for a shorter crossing. You can do Holyhead Dublin or Dun Laoghrie (sp?) in two hours or Fishguard Rosslare in the same time. Either would get you from the UK mainland to Cork in less time than the Swansea Cork route and there's plenty of scenery to take in and places to stop on the way. Not sure of prices but you could look here:

http://www.directferries.co.uk/ireland.htm

The new motorway between Dublin and Cork apparently makes it a quick, easy drive (acccording to rels over there) but I've always found driving in Ireland to be pleasant and relaxing and part of the fun...once you are beyond the Dublin ring road!

vikingaero

My relatives live in Millstreet outside Cork. We normally fly Stansted to Cork or Kerry to visit them. A few times we've driven over and gone on the Stena Express from Fishguard to Rosslare on the Stena Express. We crossed the Irish Sea about a dozen times now and always on a High Speed Service rather than a traditional ferry.

Tarry

I wouldn't want to be on a ferry for 12 hours to be honest if I can be on a shorter crossing. I've done the Pembroke (poxy - long story) dock to Rosslare crossing, and that takes 4 hours or so when we stay in that neck of the woods.

the_rottweiler

I was on the new Swansea Cork ferry last year and it was very comfortable, we got cabins and had a good nights sleep. Going that route again in August.

Just a word of warning if you hire a car, they give it to you with a full tank and expect you to return it empty, so its a con

Tarry

the_rottweiler wrote: »

I was on the new Swansea Cork ferry last year and it was very comfortable, we got cabins and had a good nights sleep. Going that route again in August.

Just a word of warning if you hire a car, they give it to you with a full tank and expect you to return it empty, so its a con

The bottom point has gone over my head. How is it a con if they give it to you with a full tank?

terriandaaron

it was the cabins i was looking at....but i get sick, dover calais so maybe not a good idea..:rotfl:
Am still undecided...hoping flight prices or car hire drops and makes up my mind for me, i did consider just one way on the overnight then fast ferry on way home, but this makes it just as expensive as flying/ car hire.

I cant believe the cost of car hire in Ireland, paid less for A MONTH IN FLORIDA!

Inner_Zone

the_rottweiler wrote: »

Just a word of warning if you hire a car, they give it to you with a full tank and expect you to return it empty, so its a con

Don't understand that either. Usually you return a car with the same amount of fuel it came with when you collected it. If you return it with less the hire company usually refill it and charge you an arm and a leg for the privilege. Not a con just an expensive way to do it.

margaretclare

the_rottweiler wrote: »

I was on the new Swansea Cork ferry last year and it was very comfortable, we got cabins and had a good night's sleep. Going that route again in August.

We did that a year ago, m.v. 'Julia'. It was great. We paid extra for an outside cabin which is worth it if you're claustrophobic.

It's now possible to fly from Southend Airport via Aer Arann to Waterford and Galway. More routes in the pipeline. Much smaller and more user-friendly than Stansted or any of the bigger airports.

Tarry

terriandaaron wrote: »

it was the cabins i was looking at....but i get sick, dover calais so maybe not a good idea..:rotfl:
Am still undecided...hoping flight prices or car hire drops and makes up my mind for me, i did consider just one way on the overnight then fast ferry on way home, but this makes it just as expensive as flying/ car hire.

I cant believe the cost of car hire in Ireland, paid less for A MONTH IN FLORIDA!

If you are hiring a car anyway, than surely it will be quicker and easier to fly. I've gotten seasick going to Ireland in the past and it was pretty grim

terriandaaron

were only hiring a car if we fly...if we take the boat well take our own ....