portsmouth - bilbao

[GillC1]

We are going across to france on the portsmouth/bilbao crossing next august, we have booked a 4 birth outside cabin, can anyone tell me if you get tea and coffee making facilities in the cabin. I also understand there is a swimming pool on the boat do this cost extra?

thanks

 

[MikeP]

I haven't been on the Pride of Bilbao since 2000 (as in the year 2000, not 8 o'clock this evening***), but I remember the pool being free of charge. There are tea and coffee making facilities only in "club" cabins. When we do a long crossing we take 3 or 4 bottles of cheap water on board and save about

 

[BigAl1]

Travelled on tHE Pride of Bilbao Aug/Sep gone. Cabins have 2 base beds with bunks over with an ensuite shower room. The cabins are compact but adequate. There are no tea making faciities but there is a 230 volt electric socket which is the continental 2 pin type so you need to take an adaptor with your electric kettle etc.

Adaptors are on sale in the shop but cost a lot more than on the High Street.

Shouldn't really pass this on but milk and sugar can be found in packets on the counters of the ship's own coffee bars (know what I mean).

To be fair we found the food in the self serve restaurant fairly priced.

Entertainment on board is good and if you like dolphins you will get to see them in the Bay of Biscay.

The awimming pool is free, it is very deep but not very wide/long. Rembember to take all that you need to your cabin because there is no access to the car decks.

 

[GillC1]

thanks for the info much appreciated

 

[Mark_5040952]

I know it's none of my business and people have free choice etc but why do people still use the Portsmouth/Bilbao ferry, it doesn't make sense?

This ferry makes the crossing in 35 hours where as the Plymouth/Santander ferry does it in 18. That's a day and half added to your time in Spain rather than sat on a boat feeling sea sick in the Bay of Biscay (if you're unlucky).

In the time I've been making these crossings I have experienced one very bad crossing in the B of B and it was very, very rough and I was very glad I wasn't going to be on the ferry for another 18 hours!!

You also don't really save anything travel wise as Santander to Bilao is only 64 miles and has much better motorway links etc.

If someone can tell me a good reason to use the P&Slow ferry I'm happen to listen to reasonable arguement.

Cheers

Mark

 

[GillC1]

Mark,

The reason i am going portsmouth bilbao is that my tesco vouchers paid

 

[Mark_5040952]

Gill,

That's a hell of a saving and I can see now why you're going on that route! "Every little helps!"

Have a great holiday

Mark

 

[MikeP]

I too used Tesco vouchers, and paid nothing at all in real money. We are using P & O next year only to return from Spain (going out Portsmouth St Malo with Brittany then taking 4 weeks to get to Bilbao). Coming back, the crossing is 28 hours. On at 1300, off at 1700. Also, we live 55 miles (1h 15m) from Portsmouth but 210 miles (5 hours?) from Plymouth.

 

[Themass31]

After a trip this year on the bilbao with out the caravan I have decided that I would rather pay fuel prices down to spain than go through a storm force 12 again.

mass

 

[GillC1]

craig,

just out of interest what time of year did you use this ferry

 

[MikeP]

I have crossed the Bay of Biscay in Bilbao in a force 10 in March. You could feel the boat slamming into each wave, but it didn't roll at all. I'm looking forward to this year's trip, the rougher the better.

It is a big ship with effective stabilisers. I remember the old days (lates 1970s!!!) and school trips to Boulogne when we had to sit on the floor as otherwise we would have fallen off our seats.

 

[Themass31]

I went in october not that matters so my brother says as he has seen it coming over the flight deck in warmer months, a bit late telling me now though, as far as stabilisers go I can't really comment they didn't seem that good because we were all falling out of our bunks and the captain had to turn out to sea and in to the wind for about 8hrs and we travelled about 60knts in that time.

mass

 

[Saladdodger]

Travelled on tHE Pride of Bilbao Aug/Sep gone. Cabins have 2 base beds with bunks over with an ensuite shower room. The cabins are compact but adequate. There are no tea making faciities but there is a 230 volt electric socket which is the continental 2 pin type so you need to take an adaptor with your electric kettle etc.

Adaptors are on sale in the shop but cost a lot more than on the High Street.

Shouldn't really pass this on but milk and sugar can be found in packets on the counters of the ship's own coffee bars (know what I mean).

To be fair we found the food in the self serve restaurant fairly priced.

Entertainment on board is good and if you like dolphins you will get to see them in the Bay of Biscay.

The awimming pool is free, it is very deep but not very wide/long. Rembember to take all that you need to your cabin because there is no access to the car decks.

Al

Do you mean that you stole the sugar and milk from P&O. If this is the case you should be ashammed of yourself.

It is people like you who are wrecking the few moral standards that we are left with in our society.

 

[BigAl1]

Al

Do you mean that you stole the sugar and milk from P&O. If this is the case you should be ashammed of yourself.

It is people like you who are wrecking the few moral standards that we are left with in our society.

Dodger.

You are joking....aren't you?