Ferry deals to France - Summer 2015

Pretzill

I have only eaten breakfast in the Berneval and found it poor quality - I had my suspicions it was the same food served in the self service just waitered to you - 14:99 I think which isn't a huge price and I only availed because it was a delayed sailing and had been rough overnight so needed pampering!

I have eaten in the self service once and once was enough!

I am one of those people you'll see sitting opposite the restaurants and dishing out my own dinner - the odd time I'll buy a portion of chips to accompany something homemade and tasty - yeah it can be a bit of a pain lugging the cooler box onto and around the boat but I'm used to that now and besides the goodies bought fresh in France on the way home always go down well!

I don't like eating before the sailing as it's often too early for an evening meal and I like to have a drink onboard too.

I haven't sailed on the Stena ship so I can't compare or contrast but other than the food on the OW I've always enjoyed the ship, cabin etc.

Fred Swanson

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First Up

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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I've spent close to a couple of hundred hours on the OW and never saw anything like that. They might not want people bringing their own food into the restaurants but they couldn't stop people eating in the public areas, not can I imagine why they would want to try.

Pretzill

First Up wrote: »

I've spent close to a couple of hundred hours on the OW and never saw anything like that. They might not want people bringing their own food into the restaurants but they couldn't stop people eating in the public areas, not can I imagine why they would want to try.

I can only agree and I have travelled on the OW quite frequently - never seen anyone being hassled sitting in the public areas - Many people enjoy sitting there eating or drinking with a view over the sea. But yeah I wouldn't be laying my picnic out in the restaurant - although the microwave in the cafe is very handy I've never been chatised for using it either.

But I mostly travel off peak so maybe a quieter ship offers more leeway.

If the food onboard was even half decent I'd be happy to enjoy a meal but I found it stodgy, barely warm and unpalatable - not the food that you want on the high seas.

BenEadir

I've never had a problem bringing a cooler box of food on board and OW and eating it at a nested table in the main bar area. Bringing your own beer or soft drinks might be taking the pi$$ in all fairness but we get drinks from the bar, eat our sambos/snacks and all is good.

_Brian

The few times we've travelled on the OW we ate in the Steakhouse.
Found it a decent experience and food good.
Self service breakfast was fine to keep us going for a few hours.

Food on BF is probably a bit better but very very expensive.


Have OW booked for July and seriously looking forward to it.

Stone Deaf 4evr

_Brian wrote: »

Have OW booked for July and seriously looking forward to it.

I booked with Brittany in November, I should really unsub from this thread as its only getting me hyped up for a holiday thats six months away from last saturday.

(I'm not counting the days..... honest!)

First Up

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

I booked with Brittany in November, I should really unsub from this thread as its only getting me hyped up for a holiday thats six months away from last saturday.

(I'm not counting the days..... honest!)

Better check your calendar, or your ticket. November is ten months away!

Stone Deaf 4evr

First Up wrote: »

Better check your calendar, or your ticket. November is ten months away!

I booked the holiday in november 2014. :cool:

First Up

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

I booked the holiday in november 2014. :cool:

Ah, that's different!

ScouseMouse

With my wife being a Coeliac, we have to be extremely careful. My general experiences of Irish Ferries food is that its slop. What they put up to us, for my family, was oozing grease and expensive. As for Stena, even when our boat of choice, the Nordica was in dry dock, on the replacement, the Feronia, I think it was called, the food was SUPERIOR, not restaurant quality, but ok and plenty of it. Then when I mentioned Gluten Free, the chef came out and spoke to my wife, then rustled up something special.

I'll never forget the crap we got on Irish Ferries.

First Up

ScouseMouse wrote: »

With my wife being a Coeliac, we have to be extremely careful. My general experiences of Irish Ferries food is that its slop. What they put up to us, for my family, was oozing grease and expensive. As for Stena, even when our boat of choice, the Nordica was in dry dock, on the replacement, the Feronia, I think it was called, the food was SUPERIOR, not restaurant quality, but ok and plenty of it. Then when I mentioned Gluten Free, the chef came out and spoke to my wife, then rustled up something special.

I'll never forget the crap we got on Irish Ferries.

The Nordica doesn't sail to France.

ScouseMouse

First Up wrote: »

The Nordica doesn't sail to France.

I know, I was talking about my general experience of food between IF and Stena. I have done France on the Celtic Horizon (now Stena Horizon) and LD lines (RIP Norman Atlantic) and I could not trust the food for my wife on either. Now Stena has the Horizon, I would have complete confidence on any of their ships.

First Up

ScouseMouse wrote: »

I know, I was talking about my general experience of food between IF and Stena. I have done France on the Celtic Horizon (now Stena Horizon) and LD lines (RIP Norman Atlantic) and I could not trust the food for my wife on either. Now Stena has the Horizon, I would have complete confidence on any of their ships.

Maybe you should check out the chef as well.

Nekarsulm

"The Left Bank" on the Oscar Wilde, is more or less the same food experience as any Texaco or BP filling station. Just a premium price because you are a captive audience.

Stone Deaf 4evr

Nekarsulm wrote: »

"The Left Bank" on the Oscar Wilde, is more or less the same food experience as any Texaco or BP filling station. Just a premium price because you are a captive audience.

Yup, that'd be my opinion of 99% of travel related dining, planes, trains, boats (unless its a week long cruise). none of it is the same standard as what you'll get on dry land and the same goes for value.

ScouseMouse

First Up wrote: »

Maybe you should check out the chef as well.

Judging by the quality of what was put up to the rest of the family on previous Irish Ferries sailings, I would not bother. There appeared to be a serious lack of quality and interest in the food.

On one Stena trip, they forgot to do a childs meal. Free ice cream was given to the TWO kids to keep them happy while we waited for the one missing meal. Little things like that really do make the difference.

Fred Swanson

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Pretzill

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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I don't think I'd open my picnic in the bar area either, certainly wouldn't take out a drink there (even if bought in the boat shop) but in the public areas between I don't think they could move you along...and the cabin isn't bad for having your dinner in either if you want to watch a bit of tv, but we all know it's nice to break the journey up by getting out of the cabin for while, they can get a bit oppressive!

First Up

Fred Swanson wrote: »

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If I was having a drink in the bar I wouldn't appreciate having picnicers at the next table either. There's plenty of proper public areas for that - or your cabin.

First Up

ScouseMouse wrote: »

Judging by the quality of what was put up to the rest of the family on previous Irish Ferries sailings, I would not bother. There appeared to be a serious lack of quality and interest in the food.

On one Stena trip, they forgot to do a childs meal. Free ice cream was given to the TWO kids to keep them happy while we waited for the one missing meal. Little things like that really do make the difference.

I don't know if your experiences include IF to France but from experience of both IF and Stena on the French routes, I certainly wouldn't base my choice of carrier on the food served in their cafeteria style restaurants.

With IF to France, you at least have the option of trading up to nicer restaurants but I have no idea if they might offer the free ice cream that seems to have made you a loyal customer of Stena.

In any case - enjoy!

_Brian

We found the OW a more stable ship overall and if you get a rough crossing that can make things more comfortable. We opt for a 3 Star cabin which is a bit bigger and has TV.
We did one crossing with Celtic Link and on a not too rough sea it was uncomfortable all the way, in fairness the Captain warned it would be rough before we left but I was disappointed with how poorly the ship coped with the choppy water - As far as I know its the same style ship used by Stenna now..

If money was no object I'd probably travel on Brittany Ferries Pont Avon, but I think its just too dear..

First Up

_Brian wrote: »

We found the OW a more stable ship overall and if you get a rough crossing that can make things more comfortable. We opt for a 3 Star cabin which is a bit bigger and has TV.
We did one crossing with Celtic Link and on a not too rough sea it was uncomfortable all the way, in fairness the Captain warned it would be rough before we left but I was disappointed with how poorly the ship coped with the choppy water - As far as I know its the same style ship used by Stenna now..

If money was no object I'd probably travel on Brittany Ferries Pont Avon, but I think its just too dear..

It is the same ship that Celtic used.

If I lived within easy reach of Cork and if Roscoff suited me as an arrival port, I'd be happy to use BF also. Nice ship and a shorter crossing, with good early arrival time if you have a long drive ahead. But for me its an extra few hundred k's driving and €50 extra fuel, on top of the higher fares.

Pretzill

_Brian wrote: »

We found the OW a more stable ship overall and if you get a rough crossing that can make things more comfortable. We opt for a 3 Star cabin which is a bit bigger and has TV.
We did one crossing with Celtic Link and on a not too rough sea it was uncomfortable all the way, in fairness the Captain warned it would be rough before we left but I was disappointed with how poorly the ship coped with the choppy water - As far as I know its the same style ship used by Stenna now..

If money was no object I'd probably travel on Brittany Ferries Pont Avon, but I think its just too dear..

I was on the OW in October - it was a rough evening - very rough - the captain made the decision not to leave the port until things settled - I for one was delighted he didn't venture out - it meant with waiting in Cherbourg the voyage took 24 hours in total but once the extremely high seas had subsided to roughish you'd hardly notice it onboard the OW. I've sailed in December when it was rough to very rough all the way and it was still bearable. This is the main reason I won't sail on the Celtic Link / Stena I'd be worried about how much you'd feel a rough crossing as I often sail when the chances of a poor crossing outweigh the good ones.

BenEadir

First Up wrote: »

If I was having a drink in the bar I wouldn't appreciate having picnicers at the next table either. There's plenty of proper public areas for that - or your cabin.

When did ferry's develop "public" areas? If you're a fare paying passenger you're not a member of the public, you are a customer. If there is a particular section of the ferry closed off and only accessible to people who have paid a premium for access e.g. a business class type area then fair enough but if I was sitting in the "public bar" (that's why they bars are called "public houses") having a drink I'd paid for at the bar eating a sandwich I'd brought on board it would take more than a muscle head to move me I can tell you.

Would the same rule apply to someone in the public bar feeding a kid some carrots as a snack or to someone who proceeds to eat a sweet they brought onboard?

Can't see it happening and if it did the person trying to move me would end up wearing the sandwich.

First Up

BenEadir wrote: »

When did ferry's develop "public" areas? If you're a fare paying passenger you're not a member of the public, you are a customer. If there is a particular section of the ferry closed off and only accessible to people who have paid a premium for access e.g. a business class type area then fair enough but if I was sitting in the "public bar" (that's why they bars are called "public houses") having a drink I'd paid for at the bar eating a sandwich I'd brought on board it would take more than a muscle head to move me I can tell you.

Would the same rule apply to someone in the public bar feeding a kid some carrots as a snack or to someone who proceeds to eat a sweet they brought onboard?

Can't see it happening and if it did the person trying to move me would end up wearing the sandwich.

So you reckon it would be OK for a family of 6 to descend on the Berneval sit down restaurant or it's equivalent on other ferries, unpack their cool box and tear away? Could they do it in the cinema too?
The ferry companies are entitled to designate certain areas for certain things - such as eating or drinking items sold there, or watching a film. Nobody is going to stop someone feeding a baby but they are entitled to decide where to draw the line.

BenEadir

First Up wrote: »

So you reckon it would be OK for a family of 6 to descend on the Berneval sit down restaurant or it's equivalent on other ferries, unpack their cool box and tear away? Could they do it in the cinema too?
The ferry companies are entitled to designate certain areas for certain things - such as eating or drinking items sold there, or watching a film. Nobody is going to stop someone feeding a baby but they are entitled to decide where to draw the line.

No is the answer to your question. If you're sitting in a restaurant you buy their food, if you buy a ticket for the cinema you can bring in and eat your own snacks and once you have bought some drinks at the public bar you are free to eat a sandwich.

Nekarsulm

In my view, the point of the ferry is to get us off this island. It's 18 hours duration , and if the tickets are cheap enough, and the ship is maintained safely, I can forgive a lot of things. I know they have the slogan "as soon as you board, your holiday begins/you're in france" but lets face it, you're in the equivalent of a giant Applegreen, complete with car park, that just happens to be afloat. I have never been on a cruise liner, but I would expect a very different experience on Royal Caribbean or whatever.

Stone Deaf 4evr

Nekarsulm wrote: »

In my view, the point of the ferry is to get us off this island. It's 18 hours duration , and if the tickets are cheap enough, and the ship is maintained safely, I can forgive a lot of things. I know they have the slogan "as soon as you board, your holiday begins/you're in france" but lets face it, you're in the equivalent of a giant Applegreen, complete with car park, that just happens to be afloat. I have never been on a cruise liner, but I would expect a very different experience on Royal Caribbean or whatever.

Oh man, if theres one holiday you should do in your lifetime, Its a proper cruise. Be prepared to gain 10lbs though.

First Up

BenEadir wrote: »

No is the answer to your question. If you're sitting in a restaurant you buy their food, if you buy a ticket for the cinema you can bring in and eat your own snacks and once you have bought some drinks at the public bar you are free to eat a sandwich.

The post described the people concerned as having picnics. I doubt very much that anyone just eating a sandwich was affected.