P&O vs Brittany Ferries ????

hartcjhart

I recently came back from Spain on the Brittany ferries 'Pont Aven',I booked the 'commodore' first class cabin which was ok,
however the facilities on board were in my opinion very limited with only one decent restaurant.
now I used to do this trip on the old 'Billy boat' pride of Bilbao used by P&O and found the facilities far better,in fact the P&O Dover/Calais boats have better facilities than Brittany ones,
what are your thoughts,am I wrong?

who do you think is better?

Tarry

I've only ever done Dover to Calais when I go to France and I've never had a problem with p&o ferries, but I can't really comment on Brittany ferries, never used them. The food on the DOCA ferries isn't too bad. Sets us up for the day. Doesn't help though my reply lol

Gratis

hartcjhart wrote: »

I recently came back from Spain on the Brittany ferries 'Pont Aven',I booked the 'commodore' first class cabin which was ok,
however the facilities on board were in my opinion very limited with only one decent restaurant.
now I used to do this trip on the old 'Billy boat' pride of Bilbao used by P&O and found the facilities far better,in fact the P&O Dover/Calais boats have better facilities than Brittany ones,
what are your thoughts,am I wrong?

who do you think is better?

hartcjhart wrote: »

good trip but sadly the pont aven is lacking facilities,

I don't think either of these comments is really fair – particularly if you travelled Commodore Class.

I saw them when you posted them in February but having, at that time, never sailed on the Pont Aven and knowing that I would be doing so the following month (March 2012) I decided to wait until I had, before posting a response.

Like you, I used to use the P&O ferry Pride of Bilbao quite frequently (our own familiar name for it was "Bilbo" ) and we got to know it well. I was a P&O stockholder (since the sale of P&O itself, to the Dubai Port Authority in 2006, I'm now called a "Unitholder") and this entitled me to a 30% discount on it. Sadly, that perquisite is no longer what it once was but I still get a 30% discount on the Hull routes and a 50% discount on the Dover route.

Anyway, times change and so do ships: “Bilbo” was withdrawn from the Portsmouth - Bilbao route in the autumn of 2010 and has gone. (I’m told, to become the Princess Anastasia, for the St. Peter Line, now plying the route between St Petersburg and Stockholm.)

This, as you will be well aware, leaves only Brittany Ferries operating a ferry service between Spain (Santander + Bilbao) and Britain (Portsmouth) – using two ships, the Pont Aven and the Cap Finistère. They’re significantly different.

As it turned out, in the end I travelled four times on the Pont Aven last month, twice on the St Malo route and twice on the Santander route, so I do now feel qualified to express an opinion on it and compare it with the now sadly departed “Bilbo”. The Cap Finist!re remains an unknown experiece for me, so far.

Now, although your comments are directed primarily at the difference in amenities between the Pont Aven and “Bilbo”, it’s pertinent to point out that the Pont Aven is a substantially larger ship than its former P&O counterpart. It’s 41,700 GRT and it’s 605 ft in length. “Bilbo” was (and presumably still is) 37,800 GRT and 580 ft. Yet, the Pont Aven carries only 2,400 passengers plus 650 cars, compared to the 2,500 passengers plus 580 cars that “Bilbo” accommodated. Significant also is that the operating speed of the Pont Aven is (when needed) 27 knots and “Bilbo”s was 22 knots. All these factors combine to affect the passenger experience on a ship crossing the Bay of Biscay. “”Bilbo” was often delayed by bad weather.

The Commodore Class cabins are extremely well-appointed on the Pont Aven and they have balconies, too. Have you fault with them? I like them.

We did eat well in the “Langan’s” restaurant on “Bilbo” but the main restaurant “Le Flora” on the Pont Aven is also extremely good, its winning feature being the marvellous Brittany Ferry buffets for which one can elect as part of the meal.

:EasterBun

On the other hand, what I saw of, and coming out of, the self-service restaurant on the Pont Aven did not tempt me to avail myself of it.

The entertainment lounge was better on “Bilbo” but its swimming pool was in the bowels of the ship, whereas that on the Pont Aven is on an upper deck and can be opened up to sunshine and the elements on a fine day.

The toilets are kept clean and the lifts work on both ships. The beer is/was dreadful on both – especially since they removed the Spanish draught San Miguel from “Bilbo” in about 2006 (?).

All in all, I’d say that the Pont Aven is a more agreeable experience than “Bilbo” and that its crew/staff are a lot more charming. There were certainly some feisty ones on “Bilbo”.

As for amenities, I’d say it works out about even, overall, for a 24-hour crossing: it depends upon what you want to do and how you want to spend your time. But, for those who want it, the self-service restaurant is unappealing and there were dark mutterings from passengers about its food whenever I passed it. Nor is it cheap; even the little packets of butter cost 35p! The main restaurant, all inclusive, is infinitely better value and the wine list is very reasonably priced. For anyone who doesn't want to use that, my advice would be to carry a tasty picnic on board with you!

My biggest grievance with the Pont Aven is how poor the coffee is (everywhere) and how wretched the beer is.

Still, I’ll be taking the Pont Aven again next month, on my way to the Spanish GP and my home in Var – and I’m looking forward to it!

So much for the Spanish routes.

But what you ask is also how does Brittany Ferries compare with P&O generally.

Well, frankly, I think P&O’s North Sea ferries are dire (those on the Zeebrugge route even more so than those on the Rotterdam route) and I also really hate the way they determinedly wake you up, with speakers in your cabin that you can’t turn off or even down, at 5:00 am, to try to hustle you into getting up and having a severely unwanted breakfast in their restaurants (canteens) hours before the ship docks.

By contrast, I’ve always enjoyed sailing on Brittany Ferries’ French routes, in particular the Bretagne on the St Malo route. It has a charm and an intimacy that the others can’t match. Its restaurant, "Les Abers”, is the nicest of them all. (And, as with the Pont Aven you get a very gentle and soothing wake-up announcement in the cabins, come morning-time, instead of being blasted with noise, like reveille in a drill camp.)

That, for the purposes of your question, leaves the short crossing, Kent to Pas de Calais or Nord.

Over the last 60 years, I’ve made that crossing in all number of different ways, from the British Rail / SNCF boats of my childhood, through the dear old British Air Ferries (when you put your car on a ‘plane) of my teens, through the days of the hovercraft and SeaCats, and now it’s back to just the “Scuttle” or boats again.

To be honest, in a crossing of such short duration, the most important factor to me is how long it takes to get on and off the thing rather than how good (bad) the scrambled eggs are on it. It helps if the toilets are not blocked and out of service (which I frequently found them to be, inexcusably, on the “Scuttle” carriages :mad:).

I’ve not yet travelled on P&O’s new “Spirit” ships, plying the Dover - Calais route but the problem with large ships is how long they take to embark and disembark cars. A big ship for a short crossing means delays with loading and unloading.

So there you have it. For me, Brittany Ferries comes out way ahead of P&O.

Do let us all know how you find the Cap Finistère, though, if you travel on it before I do. Other travellers seem to like it less than the Pont Aven. It has a different layout (and no buffet ).

I have a nasty feeling that the Pont Aven and the Cap Finistère are soon to become dubbed "Ponty" and "Finny" in this household, as a term of affection, while the four North Sea Ferries will remain, collectively and anonymously, the "Hull Hulks".

(The Bretagne, of course, has long been known and loved as "Britney", hereabouts )

Thanks for your posting. Is there any way to revive the poll?

Bob_the_Saver

hartcjhart wrote: »

I recently came back from Spain on the Brittany ferries 'Pont Aven',I booked the 'commodore' first class cabin which was ok,
however the facilities on board were in my opinion very limited with only one decent restaurant.
now I used to do this trip on the old 'Billy boat' pride of Bilbao used by P&O and found the facilities far better,in fact the P&O Dover/Calais boats have better facilities than Brittany ones,
what are your thoughts,am I wrong?

who do you think is better?

Isn't one enough?

Tarry

I’ve not yet travelled on P&O’s new “Spirit” ships, plying the Dover -
Calais route but the problem with large ships is how long they take to embark
and disembark cars. A big ship for a short crossing means delays with loading
and unloading.

I have, and you are offloaded really strange, instead of just driving out, you seem to go round in a circle, and than down a ramp. Well at least on the car deck. We where placed on the lorry deck last December on the spirit ferry and you where offloaded where you drove straight off, but on the cardeck you where around in a circle. I'm crossing over the channel in a couple of weeks and booked into the Pride of Calais, I'm surprised that's still sailing.

It regards to the toilets it helps if they flush and clean, not grim, bleugh

Gratis

hartcjhart wrote: »

I recently came back from Spain on the Brittany ferries 'Pont Aven',I booked the 'commodore' first class cabin which was ok,
however the facilities on board were in my opinion very limited with only one decent restaurant.
now I used to do this trip on the old 'Billy boat' pride of Bilbao used by P&O and found the facilities far better,in fact the P&O Dover/Calais boats have better facilities than Brittany ones,
what are your thoughts,am I wrong?

who do you think is better?

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Isn't one enough?

No.

Not when, in the evening, the main restaurant serves only a (very good) four course meal and you’ve had a large luncheon (perhaps ashore, before boarding).

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/media/pdf/r/7/Example-menu-2010.pdf

Given that this ship spends 90% of its time sailing to and from Spain (and that the Cap Finist!re spends all its time sailing to and from Spain) what both of them need is a good tapas bar as well.

And, given that the ship is French owned and crewed, somewhere with a decent selection (ie. more than two) of stuffed baguettes with some good coffee.

If would have been helpful if the OP had indicated what the actual facilities are that s/he feels the Pont Aven lacks and P&O still provides.

(At least you can get a good, big Cafe Nero type cappuccino or latte at one outlet on the Hull Hulks.)

McKneff

(At least you can get a good, big Cafe Nero type cappuccino or latter at one outlet on the Hull Hulks)

Yeah, right, cant remember how much these are not but the last time i went (last year) they were over £3 a go.

I bought myself a little travel kettle 8 years ago and use it in the Cabin, its been worth its weightin gold over the years, we go at least twice a year using either P&O from Hull or ~DFDS from Newcastel to
Rotterdam, now the DFDS ferries are really the pits compared to P&O. Prices on all the ferries are horrendously expensive and just a blatant rip off.

Gratis

I’m happy to hear that a travel kettle works well for you but I’m not sure including an espresso machine in my hand-baggage is a practical proposition.

The ferries are now indeed becoming extremely expensive for conventional (as opposed to “day-trip”) crossings. That said, what I also notice is that it's always the most costly cabins that sell out first, particularly the Commodore Class on Brittany Ferries’ Spanish routes.

But, the thing is, it’s also becoming increasing expensive to travel by road.

When you factor in the price of fuel and the cost of a hotel for the night, instead, the difference is not as great as one might think at first sight - particularly if (in Europe) there are tolls to add. Indeed, in some instances a long-range ferry is cheaper and quicker overall.

Consider the Brittany Ferries routes to and from Spain. Full fare, Santander or Bilbao to Portsmouth, for two people with a car, costs between £450 and £500 in summer, each way, with an ordinary 4 berth (two single beds) outside cabin. But you’d get there the next day.

If you were to drive from Santander to Calais, it would cost you £250 in fuel and tolls, to do it in any sort of comfort you’re going to want to spend at least one night, if not two, in a hotel en route; it takes a couple of days and, even then, you'd still be only in Calais and have to get across the Channel. Then, there’s the wear and tear on the car (tyres, servicing costs, etc.) and the wear and tear on yourself.

Ultimately, it all depends on where you live and where you want to get to.

Even Hull to Rotterdam (which you cite) or Zeebrugge, on a Hull Hulk is competitive with the cost in fuel and a hotel of driving from Hull and paying, say, £40 for a Dover-Calais crossing.

Where I do feel Brittany Ferries is exploiting the cost of alternative solutions is on the Western Channel routes between Britain and France.

(On the other hand, a ferry company that offers a good standard of service for a stiff fee and makes a profit is better than a cheap ferry company that goes bust and leaves people with no alternative.)

What’s still making a big difference between now and a few years ago (particularly with foreign ferry companies) is the 30% drop in the value of the Pound against the Euro when the Brown stuff hit the fan in the autumn of 2008 before the (western) world banking crises. (Don’t get me wrong; personally, I benefitted greatly from Britain’s huge and negligently managed personal credit bubble bursting. I’m merely being objective.)

I'm sorry to learn that the DFDS Scandinavian Seaways Newcastle service has now gone down the pan. (Doesn’t that still go to IJmuiden rather than Rotterdam/Europoort, though?). It’s been a few years since I used it but I always preferred it to the Hull Hulks.

King_Seaways

I have travelled on most of Brittany Ferries' French routes and on both the Plymouth-Santander and Portsmouth-Bilbao routes. Whilst I enjoy the civilisation offered by travelling by ferry, and the freedom of taking to the open road for a touring holiday, I can honestly say I have never been so disappointed with the services offered than in recent years It seems to me that Brittany Ferries has lost their way, and what is more they now operate a monopoly on the Spanish routes since the departure of the Pride of Bilbao, so there is no competitive incentive to improve.:(

I hear that the company is struggling in the current economic climate and I can't say I'm suprised. The problem is that those at the top of the company don't listen to the views of passengers, or they pretend to listen but they really don't do much about it. There are several aspects of the experience which leave a lot to be desired. My experience of the following:

1) Organisation - hit and miss, sometimes loading and unloading is well orchestrated, with crew awaiting to greet as you board. The captain never makes an announcement to welcome you on board. Call me old fashioned but this would be a nice touch. P and O do this, and keep you well updated with progress of the journey - so do DFDS. Occasionally, certain of the crew are turse and obstructive, but this is usually offset by others that are efficient.:cool:

2) Dining - Recently travelled to St Malo on the Bretagne, a classy ship and one of the better in the fleet. However, the decor inside is dated, and public areas in need of some attention. As for the reclining seating area and 'cafe' next to the main bar area (I use the inverted commas, since I never actually saw anyone using this facility) I honestly do not know what Brittany Ferries was thinking of when they ordered the refit of this area. Most of it is wasted space - a vast expanse of reclining seats which is never much used.

The Cap Finistere is not much better. It has a strange layout. The 'salad bar' on the semi open deck area is something else. By 'salad bar' one expects there might be a decent choice, perhaps something like a condensed 'Subway' where one could choose their choice of fillings and baguettes (apt this being a French-flagged ship). Sadly not. All that greets the hungry passenger if they are lucky, are wilting bowls of pre-prepared lettuce, Kit-kats, and a laughable range of other token snacks. Not particularly impressive, yet with the potential to be so much more enticing with correct management. When I travelled, the draught Fosters was 'off' in both the Salad bar, and the inside bar lounge. There is an inside enclosed shop/cafe selling noodle pots which passengers warm in a microwave!! I believe this is in the old casino areas aboard what was formerly a Superfast ferry on the Greek routes so I suppose they have tried to make the best of this area, however it feels awkward with a lack of style. I have approached the management with these comments but have only being offered the excuse that it is was never really intended as a salad bar!:rotfl: Yet, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this what it is described as??!!

Buffet meals are not much better. The Pont Aven ... Well, try getting a well done entrecot there, and it invariably comes medium-rare. There are always long queues. Recently on the Bretange, there was only one cashier's desk in operation, yet another lying empty. The place was filled with hungry punters. Fingerpointing is a useful international communication - certainly the French officer on duty understood my sentiments, and hurriedly ushered a crew member to open another lane. :j At least I have to give them that on this occasion. However, the usual result is that it is all a bit 'Mrs Overall' - stumbling all over the place with trays of food, which after the general rigmarole of getting though the till, collecting the cutlery, and the predicament of whether it is better to pay in pounds or euros, most of the food is now either cold, on the floor, or down your front!!

The sit down restaurants are better. On the Cap, there are two, port and starboard, but they serve the same. These are more intimate areas than the massive buffet abord the Pont Aven, the layout of which I have never much liked.

The food on DFDS North Sea routes (although I agree more pricey) is definately better in terms of quality.

2) Things to do: Now you might think that given a long crossing, there might be some emphasis on providing activities aboard for passengers. Wrong again!!

My experience of entertainment on board is generally poor. It was certainly much better under P and O. There is no comparison with what is provided by DFDS on the Newcastle-Ijmuiden route.

I really do not know who chooses these acts for Brittany Ferries, but I suggest they do not have much knowledge of what constitutes a decent entertainer. Most Brittany Ferries that do offer entertainment on longer crossings involve some form of magician act. After the sixth or seventh time of exactly the same experience, the routine does get somewhat tiresome. There is a need to vary the schedule. The Pont Aven is a classic for this. Recently, on the Bretagne, the magician was absolutely dire - he couldn't pull a single trick, and it was embarrasing for all when a group of passengers began to give him the slow hand clap off stage. As for the 'singer' that came next, well she could certainly sing, but her sidekick couldn't drum to time, even to a kareoke backing track. Not impressed.

On a crossing from Ouistreham-Portsmouth aboard the Mont St Michel the entertainment consisted of the 'entertainment manager' sitting at the mixing desk, ordering up tracks, in between frantically checking his mobile phone, and generally showing no interest in providing a service. Anyone could do that job - entertainment manager I kid you not. Again, the Mont is a nice ship with a good layout and quality fixtures with the potential for a much better ambience.

3) Cleanliness - this is generally good, but occasionally dire. On the Cap outbound to Bilbao last Summer, there was a problem with blocked drainage (apparantly two of their eight sewerage pumps failed). I have the impression this might happen quite a bit though, as there are very visible warning signs over the cistern warning passengers 'not to flush anything down the toilet' - well, I don't think they mean it nquite that literally but you get the impression! On this occasion, had the impact of flooding the cabins with a terrible odour, which had to be endured all through the night. Really quite disgusting. They were able to move us one deck up after some strange story from the desk about there being a 'problem in one of the cabins which is locked and cannot be sorted until the morning'? I don't bother to ask about these things anymore, since it's not worth the hassle. This fortunately being a quieter crossing there wasa vacant cabin available, but there was still a smell here and at one o'clock in the morning, one could do without the inconvinience.

So, all in all the Brittany services are average, acceptable in the main, but the service etiquette is not a touch on other operators. They could learn a thing or two if they were astute to improving their business model.