Ferry / Bilbao to Portsmouth
Dec 2nd 2008, 7:21 pm
#16
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Re: Ferry / Bilbao to Portsmouth
To be honest if you are not in a rush and don't mind driving then the drive up through France can be a nice way to go, I have done this a few times, I didn't take record of costs but never really noticed any difference in price and you get a nice drive where you can pull into a couple of French towns on the way for an hours relax if you have no one to share the drive with. I am not really a ferry person, I did the Santander and Bilbao trip many times with my parents when younger, the trips really got to me and have actually only done it twice myself while driving through France several times which I find much more enjoyable.
Everyone to their own I guess but it might be worth giving it some thought.
Everyone to their own I guess but it might be worth giving it some thought.
I quite fancy going the coast way, it will bring back a few memories. ;-)
Dec 2nd 2008, 7:56 pm
#17
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Re: Ferry / Bilbao to Portsmouth
In saying this I did it last time up the med coast to Gerona, cut West to Toulouse at Perpingnan, Bordeaux etc. although longer it was a great drive and made for a change of route, wasn't in any rush so we actually took a few days for the drive up from Fuengirola to Paris and spent a couple of days there... I have always thought the shortest route to be the Granada, Madrid, San Sebastian, Bordeaux way and in my younger days used to do this from Fuengirola to Calais in 24hours non stop (hard to beleive with the way the roads where in Spain 25 to 30 years ago). If you where to go up the med coast it would be shorter not to cut back up to the West coast at Perpingnan and carry on to Leon which is the way I want to go next time I am not in a rush.
Hope you enjoy your trip, be good to know what you decide and how it went if you go one of the driving routes.
Dec 2nd 2008, 8:26 pm
#18
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Joined: Oct 2006
Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: Ferry / Bilbao to Portsmouth
Just to say, we have just booked Bilbao-Portsmouth (one way because we don't yet know when we are coming back) for June and even with an upgraded cabin it is cheaper than the Santander-Portsmouth route.
We hate flying and don't do it unless essential, and don't really like driving through France, although if we do we would much rather do it on the way back because then there are no time constraints.
We hate flying and don't do it unless essential, and don't really like driving through France, although if we do we would much rather do it on the way back because then there are no time constraints.
Dec 2nd 2008, 10:35 pm
#19
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Posts: 20,460
Re: Ferry / Bilbao to Portsmouth
To be honest if you are not in a rush and don't mind driving then the drive up through France can be a nice way to go, I have done this a few times, I didn't take record of costs but never really noticed any difference in price and you get a nice drive where you can pull into a couple of French towns on the way for an hours relax if you have no one to share the drive with. I am not really a ferry person, I did the Santander and Bilbao trip many times with my parents when younger, the trips really got to me and have actually only done it twice myself while driving through France several times which I find much more enjoyable.
Everyone to their own I guess but it might be worth giving it some thought.
Everyone to their own I guess but it might be worth giving it some thought.
To drive through France and up to Birmingham is (return) just under €1100 believe it or not including two hotel nights
To ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth and up to Birmingham is about €850
To fly, and including car hire in the UK is about €550
Dec 2nd 2008, 11:14 pm
#20
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Re: Ferry / Bilbao to Portsmouth
Ive costed it very carefully.
To drive through France and up to Birmingham is (return) just under €1100 believe it or not including two hotel nights
To ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth and up to Birmingham is about €850
To fly, and including car hire in the UK is about €550
To drive through France and up to Birmingham is (return) just under €1100 believe it or not including two hotel nights
To ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth and up to Birmingham is about €850
To fly, and including car hire in the UK is about €550
It's late but I calculate Malaga to Paris as 1455 Klms x 2 = 2910 Klms (Need to check this with my GPS tomorrow). Unless mistaken in my car this would cost me about 290 Euros on Gasoil round trip, 100 for the Chunnel return, about 290 on tolls (so 680 euros+DIGS to get to London and back)...
Last edited by Econ; Dec 2nd 2008 at 11:16 pm.
Dec 3rd 2008, 9:19 am
#21
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Re: Ferry / Bilbao to Portsmouth
I booked 2 weeks ago on P&O going back 14 Dec for 215 pounds inc 4 berth inside cabin. Was 40 pounds more on the 19th Dec.
Jim
Jim
Dec 3rd 2008, 9:50 am
#22
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Location: West Midlands, ex Granada province
Posts: 2,140
Re: Ferry / Bilbao to Portsmouth
Our one-way P&O booking was £265 in June for a four-berth inside cabin (we like plenty of room although there is only two of us), but we paid £15 extra for an outside cabin. We will need one night's accommodation in northern Spain (although you could drive all through the night and not bother with accommodation).
Last edited by scampicat; Dec 3rd 2008 at 9:55 am.
Dec 3rd 2008, 10:22 am
#23
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Location: Scotland, Praia da Luz Portugal
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Re: Ferry / Bilbao to Portsmouth
Brittany starts mid march to Portsmouth http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/ro...outh-santander
