Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Hi. Fellow forum friends.

​​​​​​I just thought I would post about my recent (18th Aug) trip over.
We have now moved permanently but the below is what happens (and doesn't) when travelling by ferry during these unusual times.

We went from Portsmouth to Santander by Brittany Ferries but I reckon they are all the same.

At Portsmouth there are no Covid checks. No temperature check. No questions. Nothing.

However. You will have to fill in a declaration form before you travel. Portsmouth don't even ask if you have this filled out ready. You should have it printed off from their website. None are available on ship.

On the ferry you are informed that you should stay in your cabin as much as possible. Although you can walk around and go outside but you will need a face mask.
The sailing we were on was very quiet. I think it was less than half full. Only 2 bars open and the 1 restaurant. The snack bar was also open (nice cakes)
At arrival in Santander you are called back to you car buy colour code (sticker on your cabin key). And you will sit there for about 20mins.

A member of staff then comes along and collects your filled in forms and takes your temperature. If you don't have a form or your temp is above 38c you get a red sticker on the windscreen.

To be slightly sarcastic now. I think they were just giving stickers to certain number of vehicles and the man with the temp checker refused to show it to anyone. And he was not wearing a mask.

The people in the car alongside us peeled their sticker off the windscreen.

As we came off the ferry all vehicles with red stickers are shown to a holding area.

There were only UK reg vehicles in this area. I checked all the non UK ones and maybe 60% of the uk ones went through without stickers.

After waiting about 45mins we were ushered into a cabin and had our temp checked again. Mine was 36.8 and the wife's was 36.9 so within the range.

​​​​We were then told we could go.

Its a reasonable system but one that is very easy to circumvent. I bet a few people peeled their stickers off.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Who issues the “form” is it Portsmouth port or Brittany ferries and do you Have a link to the form?

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

We are supposed to be sailing back in Sept so will need the form. Brittany Ferries currently moving bookings around as a result of the UK quarantine our return trip in Oct has been cancelled and currently awaiting replacement date. Trip to UK has been altered to santander Plymouth rather than Portsmouth.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Hi. Don't have a link but it's on Brittany Ferries Web site.
It's only applicable for UK to Spain. If the other way you have to fill in the UK government's one.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Its a pain. We should have been on Portsmouth to Bilbao but that's no longer running.
It's all down to reduced numbers because of the uk imposing quarantine on return.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Yes mind they must be taking a huge hit with all this. I had a trip back in May which was totally cancelled. The upcoming trip is a replacement, we need to get back to hopefully get our UK house which is stood empty sorted out and on the rental market. Hopefully we will get back and sorted out. Here's a link to fill that form out online although you can only do it no more than 48 before travelling. https://visas-immigration.service.go...r-locator-form
Sorry yes this is for entering UK from Spain

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

From what I've heard, it seems to be a lot easier from Ireland. Will hopefully be going October but France route. The Spain route seems too long and unfortunately the Pont Aven isn't used on that route.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

PA sails from Plymouth to Santander every Sunday at 17.15 we are booked for the 6th September.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

In Ireland they only seem to use the PA for the France route from Cork to Roscoff and ironically Irish Ferries then stops using the new W.B. Yeats to France from October but uses it between UK:zzz:. Unfortunately the Spain route is too long for us and the route to Bilbao is with the economie ferry. Hopefully this will change but I'll just be glad if we make it this year.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

We are booked to sail on Sunday 30th August

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

my daughter and partner will be on this one tomorrow along with their motorhome. x

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Have they found the 2 page form on the BF site and filled it in to avoid the delay leaving the border in Santander?

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Here is a link to the form > https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/s...%A9s_barco.pdf

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

I was under the impression you had to get a QR code when entering Spain from any other country. I've had to do it on my last 2 trips. https://www.spth.gob.es/faq?tab=1

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Brittany Ferries site gives you the printable version on their site to print off complete and hand in. There is an online one that gives a QR code but that reads for flying? Not sure the difference it makes? However as Brittany ferries shows printable one for entering spain I will use that one to avoid confusion.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

​​​​​​
You can't use the qr code it has to be the printed one. It's collected while you sit waiting on the car deck to get off. All of the vehicles that had red stickers on (see my original post) the forms were in the office that you go to for the temp recheck. I'm assuming that, if you read 38c or above there, they will sort your form before subjecting you to whatever they have planned.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Thanks for the update that is what I thought. I plan to print off and fill in the form ready to hand in. That's if we actually get to travel given how things are going. Fingers crossed we will as we need to get UK property on rental market.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Travelled from Santander to Portsmouth this week.
The usual decent Brittany Ferries experience except for:
boarding 90 minutes before sailing, still boarding an hour after advertised departure time to avoid crowding in stairs and corridors.
Masks to be worn outside of cabins.
Restaurant closed.
Ferry only half full.
Crossing price has increased.
Forms for UK border control.
An hour wait at Portsmouth Border control.
There was no temperature checks at either port.

Will continue using Brittany Ferries Several times a year as long as the prices don’t increase any further,

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Was there no availability to buy food on board?

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Sorry, I can see my message does imply that.

only the more formal Restaurant is closed, the self service dining is open, as are a couple of bars.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Hi thanks for clearing that up as I thought that was the case.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Long wait before boarding. Had a great crossing, ship was clean and food was good / reasonably priced. Staff were very helpful. They stopped anyone not wearing a mask. Departure was well organised and quick.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

If I may ask, how much did you pay? I usually only go via Cork and will be taking the PA Brittany back in October but from France to Ireland and paid €250 for 2 people, 1 car and standard outside cabin with window.

Re: Travelling to Spain by Ferry. Some information for you
 

Warning: new forum user! = me :)

Thanks to BarrieJ for posting the information about the declaration form - very useful.
We were originally booked to go from Portsmouth to Santander on 29th September but that was cancelled last week so are now booked on the Plymouth to Santander on 27th September.
We are moving to Spain to live in our house in Isla Plana purchased last year.
I think I wil be spening a lot of time browsing the forums