It is always the same.
Ship breakdown and the public gets short notice.
When will the ferry companies will cop on?
Engine or system failure is usually preceded with commonly diagnostic faults but the owners choose to reset the faults rather than investigate the problem.
Modern systems have a black box recorder fitted and until the regulator authority grow teeth and cut out this messing around, us costumers with be fecked around.
sprinter
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Co Wicklow Age: 92 Posts: 7415 Registered: 01 / 2015 My Motorhome: Matilda 2 Pilote 703FP Explorateur Base Vehicle: 3ltr 318 Sprinter Automatic
Subject:
cork-santander-ferry-sailings-cancelled Topic information
This old lady of the seas has had a hard life and carried many names since her launch in 2006 as the Barja. She is owned by Stena RoRo. More info can be got by putting in MV Connemara in you search engine and reading the wikipedia insert.
Flipperdipper
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: WEXFORD Age: 73 Posts: 1667 Registered: 12 / 2012 My Motorhome: HOBBY 600 Base Vehicle: Fiat Ducato 2.8
Folks....I was looking at booking Cork to Santander for the beginning of October and in light of the negative things
I'm reading about the Connemara I'm having second thoughts. Before I kinock the idea on the head I'm wondering what people who have used the Connemara think of it and the service to Santander in general. Thanks.
eirebus
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: kildare Posts: 7451 Registered: 10 / 2011 My Motorhome: Dethleffs Advantage Base Vehicle: Fiat 2.3
I haven't used this ferry but if you do decide not to use it let the French parent company know why, the office in Cork don't give a flying figroll, it's a hard one to call because of the reliability issues and the Cork offices indifference to their customers
simplybikes
Craic'er
Gender: Location: Dublin Age: 65 Posts: 51 Registered: 07 / 2015 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
The main thing that has me concerned is eactly what you say -the customer service. Whatever about the standard of the ship, it is being left high and dry (no pun intended) if things go belly up. From what I've read it's bad but people only complain when things go wrong so I'm wondering if there are also positive experiences kicking around. I was wondering also if motorhomes are inside or do they get plonked on deck 5 in the open as well. On their website it says deck 5 is for cars but at this stage I'm a non believer.
StrandCampingDoonbeg
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: n/a Location: Doonbeg, Co Clare Age: 58 Posts: 1964 Registered: 05 / 2014 My Motorhome: mobilvetta mh 85 Base Vehicle: Fiat
Thanks for that. A few years ago I took my then VW California to France with Stena and found myself on the top deck in the open.
I could not believe the condition of the van by the time I got to France. It was plastered in salt. I had to drive around until I found a car wash with a ladder in order to get to the roof. Its not something I want to repeat.
Flipperdipper
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: WEXFORD Age: 73 Posts: 1667 Registered: 12 / 2012 My Motorhome: HOBBY 600 Base Vehicle: Fiat Ducato 2.8
I'll be using it on Friday so I'll do a write up here early next week. The ship itself is perfectly adequate for travelling but limited in facilities, one small bar and one small self-service cafe with three or four different choices. If you need to be entertained on your journey then this is not the ship for you as you'll probably be spending most of the time in your cabin. If you want to get directly to Spain without driving the length of France then go for it.
simplybikes
Craic'er
Gender: Location: Dublin Age: 65 Posts: 51 Registered: 07 / 2015 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
Excellent, thanks for that. The quality of services etc. isn't an issue for me as I tend to entertain myself with fresh air and a book. My main concern is the reliability of Brittany Ferries and like all of these things you only hear about the negative stuff so maybe I should just go for it as you say.
sprinter
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Co Wicklow Age: 92 Posts: 7415 Registered: 01 / 2015 My Motorhome: Matilda 2 Pilote 703FP Explorateur Base Vehicle: 3ltr 318 Sprinter Automatic
Just keep in mind that Ferry companies on the Irish sea routes and the words like Reliability, Customer service, loyalty, do not compute.
Look after yourself ,bring your food,drink and entertainment and you will manage ok.
AdiH
AdiH
Gender: Location: Dublin Age: 47 Posts: 275 Registered: 02 / 2014 My Motorhome: Challenger Base Vehicle: Ford Transit
Folks....I was looking at booking Cork to Santander for the beginning of October and in light of the negative things
I'm reading about the Connemara I'm having second thoughts. Before I kinock the idea on the head I'm wondering what people who have used the Connemara think of it and the service to Santander in general. Thanks.
We used it for the first time this summer- family of 5, 2 adults and 3 young children and couldn't fault it at all in terms of food, service etc. We've been sailing with Celtic Link and then Stena Horizon for the last 8 years sometimes twice a year and actually enjoy the whole ferry experience and bring our own entertainment in terms of books, kindles, Netflix downloads etc so lack of entertainment never bothers us.
However given the problems at the beginning of the summer I was v nervous about our crossing going ahead which is not what you want when you're tied to school and work holidays, have been planing an itinerary for 11 months and have no flexibility... That to me was a bigger issue than the boat itself.
Having said all of that we do plan on sailing with them again this summer. Isn't there a new ship being used for this crossing from November with a new schedule of sailing times being released?
ColinM
Craic Addict
Gender: Location: Co. Armagh Age: 43 Posts: 413 Registered: 10 / 2016 My Motorhome: Rapido 655F Base Vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Certainly Stena don't have pet friendly cabins. I was disgusted with their attitude on the Belfast Birkenhead route. We had to leave Loki in the Motorhome all day. I wouldn’t dream of putting him the kennels as they were disgusting. One family took their dog out of them and put him in a carrying case.
nilrac
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Inishowen Co Donegal Age: 86 Posts: 694 Registered: 10 / 2012 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
MV AF Michela is another old lady of the seas launched in italy in 2001 as the Stena Energia, I could not find where she was until 2007 when she was the Cartour,then Vinashin Prince, then Hoasen in 2011, Hoa sen in 2013 .She returned to her birth name Stena Energia in 2017 before becoming AF Michela in 2019. Now she will have another one with Brittany. She does not seem to have had a long charter anywhere not like the Isle of Innisfree that went down to New Zealand in 2006 and in 2017 they got fed up paying hire and bought her. She is still connecting the two islands as the Kaitaki.
ColinM
Craic Addict
Gender: Location: Co. Armagh Age: 43 Posts: 413 Registered: 10 / 2016 My Motorhome: Rapido 655F Base Vehicle: Fiat Ducato
Was coming back from Wales in July on Stena, I'd booked a kennel for the dog, and when we got parked on the car deck , I asked one of the deckhands for directions to the kennels. He described where I had to go , then finished up by saying " I wouldn't put my dog in there" . I took his advice !!!
Bounder
Craic Addict
Gender: n/a Location: West Cork Age: 51 Posts: 321 Registered: 12 / 2013 My Motorhome: 2015 Adria 640 SHX Base Vehicle: Ducato X250 2.3
Sometimes those older vessels are nicer than the new ones, the Connemara and her sisterships were all designed for low fuel usage and as such have a very small area underwater and tend to roll a lot more than older designs.
I was booked on the Connemara this year but due to family circumstances wasn’t able to travel but I will be traveling next year regardless of what vessel is chartered. BF have had a run of bad luck with breakdowns hopefully that will change in the future, the sailing is a great way to get to Spain without driving for days and burning diesel and tolls.
witzend
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Cornwall Posts: 694 Registered: 08 / 2012 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
We used the Normandie earlier this year , got a dog friendly cabin, and enjoyed the crossing . They even had a doggy welcome pack in the cabin. Would definitely book a dog friendly cabin , given the choice . I just hope more operators cotton on to this option and offer it on more ships.
Flipperdipper
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: WEXFORD Age: 73 Posts: 1667 Registered: 12 / 2012 My Motorhome: HOBBY 600 Base Vehicle: Fiat Ducato 2.8
After a slight delay in boarding we got on board about 10:55 Friday night. Cabin was clean and fresh, sleeps up to four people. After organising our gear we turned in for the night. The ship got underway about 11:30 after the captain apologising for the delay and warning us of possible bad weather later on the way. After clearing Cork harbour it got a little "lumpy" for a while but nothing to worry about. It later flattened out to a slight swell. The self-service restaurant had a good choice of dishes for all meals but I wouldn't recommend their tasteless sausages or their almost runny mashed potatoes. The roast beef was excellent which really surprised me as the French usually haven't a clue how to cook meat. WiFi was free but useless, slower than a county council snail on a work-to -rule. No entertainment on board and very little deckspace to walk around. Is there anything that would stop me using this service in the future ? No, defiantly not, I'd be happy to go again anytime. If your time is limited then it is the ideal way to get to Spain quickly, just remember the Friday night sailing is two nights at sea which may not suit everyone.
eirebus
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: kildare Posts: 7451 Registered: 10 / 2011 My Motorhome: Dethleffs Advantage Base Vehicle: Fiat 2.3
Enjoy the trip Liam. I know a lot of people are concerned about vehicles on the open deck on the older boats. what was the story on your sailing?.
This morning as we approached Dublin on the WB Yates I was looking down on some very expensive cars on the rear open deck and on the way out the last vehicle in each row had their rear exposed to the elements.
CHAUSSON
Eat's Sleep's craic
Gender: Location: Tipperary Posts: 6813 Registered: 02 / 2012 My Motorhome: Knaus Sport Ti 700 UFB Silverline Base Vehicle: Renault Master 150 dci Quickshift
Sorry, late coming to this, used the Connamara five times this year to both Roscoff and Santander, have not found it a problem, cabins are spacious and menu on board is standard ferry fare with prices a little better than on the Pont Aven, also think the portions are better. Crew are excellent, friendly and courteous. Bar itself is a little small and service can be patchy while lounge area is spacious with plenty seating. M/homes are always on the lower deck and lanes are wide.The Connamara will be replaced by The MV Kerry on the Santander route from November,with both the Connamara and Kerry operating the routes currently operated by the Pont Aven which is due a major overhaul this winter.
simplybikes
Craic'er
Gender: Location: Dublin Age: 65 Posts: 51 Registered: 07 / 2015 My Motorhome: Base Vehicle:
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