It is! Definitely recommend if you’ve never been. Roscoff too btw. I’m not much of a dessert person really, way too much for me at lunch. Would’ve been happy with pie and chips again tbh 😂
Great to see Jo in a starring role and she had the best line too... "This should do me" "It should, you've got 5 puddings" Also, being vegetarian , it was nice to see her take too. I must say, my view of France is that they just don't do vegetarian... oh and my wife is a veggie that hates mushrooms, so a very good point about the evening meal too. What a great weekend away! Looking forward to the second act 👍
I didn’t know you were a vegetarian mate. I think Jo does struggle sometimes with choice and yes, sometimes it’s leaves etc. must be harder if you’re not a mushroom fan!!
As a young vegetarian in France 30 odd years ago I was presented with a flat savoury pastry in a small town restaurant. My dismay at the thin line of sausage meat running through it was met by a Gallic shrug from the waiter 'but is only a little bit.....'!!
Good to see another vegetarian (we’re not that rare!) showing how places cater for us on their menus. As Jo said, not all vegetarians like mushrooms and it’s nice if we can just have a choice.
Random comment alert ... last week I had a fantastic meal at a vegan French restaurant in NYC. I don't know how they pulled any of it off, but we had escargot, foie gras, baked brie, duck a l'orange and a couple of other classic french dishes without any animal products whatsoever. Anyway, if you're ever in New York, etc ... 🤣🤣🤣
I have travelled many times on Brittainy Ferries out of Portsmouth to France, usually to Cherbourg. Every trip without exception was fantastic, really enjoyable.
St-Malo seems like a lovely place to visit. And overall it looked like this package offered with dinner, lunch and accommodation seemed all worth it. Awaiting part 2
We went to St Malo for a day trip from Jersey. I highly recommend it. We went in a cafe and they served a locally made cider in a large coffee cup and saucer. It was without doubt the nicest cider I've ever drank!
One thing that struck me was the amount of cafes etc in St Malo, there’s certainly plenty of choice. I didn’t try the cider but next time, definitely 👍
We sailed on Bretagne many times to and from St Malo but also in 1989 from Plymouth to Santander when she was virtually brand new. Good old favourite for many people
The golden days of Brittany ferry travel has long gone it’s not the same all about money and no atmosphere but it brings back some good memories of the Bretagne tho . Nice video 🙋🏻♂️👍
Cheers mate. I think, of all the ships in the fleet, the Bretagne is the one that still retains a little bit of that feel. Maybe also the Pont Aven to an extent.
I sailed on the MV Bretagne from Portsmouth to St Malo as a kid in the late 90s. Seems so long ago now, but it’s comforting that it’s still in use on the same route today!
MV Bretagne is a beautifully maintained ship. I did this trip in 2006 and again in 2012 , looks exactly the same but not in anyway dated. I know she underwent somewhat of a refurbishment a few years back . Mark , I really enjoyed this video and eagerly await part 2.
Looks a great trip that, I remember the Bretagne sailing past jersey frequently when I lived there in 2006, we went to st malo with condor ferries several times from jersey found it a lovely place. I wouldn’t mind trying this Bretagne trip you took though from Portsmouth, looks amazing. 😊
Yes St Malo is lovely (as is Jersey) I think the route normally goes between the islands. Definitely recommend this trip if you like classic ships and lots of food!
A whole chicken! Wow, I think that would have put me off the dish because there was so much! (I hate wasting food). Nice to see your partner join you, Mark😊
Brittany Ferries (in my experience) always put on a good show and it feels more of a 'cruise experience' than a ferry in some respects. I know that sounds a bit over the top but I do enjoy their fleet and the staff are great. Definitely recommend them.
Looks impressive Mark, good choice of menu looks comprehensive. Long crossing large vessel as you say retry quiet for the time of the year, I would say good value for money but very tiring. 👍🏻
Bretagne is easily my favourite vessel in the fleet. I sailed on her maiden season as a kid to Santander in 1989 and have probably sailed on her 25+ times and loved every single crossing on her. Food always excellent, the ship has such a wonderful layout. Sailing out of Portsmouth is really nice as is sailing into St Malo. The nicest crossing they do and the timings are perfect. I've never done a mini cruise, I've always taken my car on various holidays and road trips over the year. It's a shame the E-Flexers don't offer the same customer experience as the older 'Cruise Ferries' such as Bretagne and Pont Aven.
Oh I definitely agree and I’ve been on all the fleet more than once. The only one that comes close to Bretagne imo is Pont Aven (though I had a strange attraction to Baie de Seine a few years back when she was around!). I’d definitely recommend the mini cruise though for me, next sailing I do will probably be the Pont Aven down to Spain again. Before the school holidays though!! Cheers for the comment 😊👍
Hi Mark...Liverpool Kev here again..Great Video...After cancer my horizons have shrunk a bit so I really enjoy being with your videos....Whether exotic France or a bus in The Midlands haha..so nice to see your charming partner too...Happy Christmas to you both....Liverpool Kev..Looking forward to more content much appreciated in 2024.....Liverpool Kev
Hi Kev, cheers mate. Glad you're enjoying the stuff. I try to vary it a bit (not sure whether that works or not tbh!). The main thing is people seem to like them (mostly) so plenty more to come next year. All the best for Xmas to you and yours. Cheers, Mark
My goodness Mark, all that food 😂, I'd have burst 😂, a whole chicken for lunch 😂, fantastic video bud, lovely to see Jo to, looking forward to part 2, better prepare for more grub 😋 😂
Although it looked like an early start, having a full day to explore is a great feature as on the North Sea cruises, depending on the port, you have considerably less time. I have never seen a mini cruise include a meal at the destination before so that looks a great idea given how long you have to till the return leg. It’s certainly something I will look to do as an alternative to the Netherlands.
A good insight video Mark, nice to see Jo - but a shame the French didn't do some kind of vegetarian option for her. The size of your main & dessert were huge - no wonder you were full. Looking forward to part 2 !
Great video as usual. I know you haven't discussed cost in this part but you mentioned it is very good value - that's always a bonus! Also having a partner with dietary requirements, can be very restrictive, in our case a gluten allergy. French restaurants tend to be quite behind here as well - lots of steak and chips! Cheers for now ;)
I travel on the Steam Packet probably 4 times a year . I agree with your comments about deck space but inside it is so much more spacious and comfortable than Ben My Cree. Personally I like to travel on the Mananan which is usually on the Liverpool route but as I live in Morecambe I do normally travel from Heysham.
A brilliant trip! Heard great things about the Bretagne and Brittany Ferries in general. But getting a full chicken included in the price is amazing 😅 🍗
Great little cruise. Used to do that routes sometimes in a previos life. I was always amazed at te quality of the food. Beats Fish and chips, sausage and chips and pie and chips you get on P & O ferries. But the french have never got their heads around vegetarian food. It seems to be the food of the devil to them. I always enjoy you Vlogs and great to see your lady. Thanks
Cheers Keith, yes I get the impression vegetarians aren’t that well catered for. Doesn’t bother me as a meat eater I thought the food was great 😊 but I’d be interested to know what % of the pop are vegetarian?
Hi, Mark. Great video as usual. Quick question. How easy it it to get from the train station to the ferry terminal if travelling by train? Looking forward to part two. Thanks for posting😊😊
A great partnership trip, looking forward to hearing more from Jo in future trips. With my limited knowledge of the UK road network I didn't envy you Shrewsbury to Portsmouth, I'm guessing you might have come down the M40/A34 at the bottom end rather than across from Bristol/Bath. Having said that the train journey would have been equally challenging. Looking forward to Part 2.
It looked a lot nicer than the Portsmouth to St Malo ferry I remember. The last time I went all the supermarkets were closed! We spent the whole day trying to find a shop that sold booze. Nice video by the way.
That sounds a bit drab. Tbh I’m not sure where the supermarkets are in st Malo but plenty of expensive looking shops. Nice though. Lots of artisan stuff if you’re into that kind of thing.
I've been on that crossing at least 35 time's while we renovated our farmhouse. Now we live in France i don't use it anymore. I just used to think of it as getting on the number 59 bus lol.
A classic ferry I think and I’m very jealous you’ve managed to escape! The MV Bretagne won’t be with us much longer by the looks of it and I’m not sure I’ll use her again unfortunately.
I suffer from motion sickness really badly. Is sea sickness ever an issue on these big boats? Not sure if I should take the eurotunnel and drive the rest.
Sorry to be a pain but The Bretagne is pronounced Bretan - ye. We love her she is a sturdy valiant ship. We have sailed this route many a time through good weather and some very bad weather. Sadly the old darling will be retiring from this route soon for a more gentle route. We will miss her greatly. 😘
St Malo is a lovely place to visit on a mini cruise especially as I live in Portsmouth, I was there myself doing the same trip just a month ago, would have liked longer to explore the area, Bretagne is a lovely old classic cruise ferry & soon to be replaced as she dates from 1989, not sure the new ship will live up to her legacy, I’m looking at doing the same trip again in February 2024 when much newer fleet mate Pont-Aven takes over the route for a few weeks while Bretagne is in refit…
2025 Dave the Bretagne is supposed to be replaced so I’m assuming the refit maybe she’ll be sold to someone and be replaced with an e-flexer type which is fine but yeh, it’ll be a sad day when that happens. I’ve don’t the Pont Aven a few times down to Spain, might do it again next year from Plymouth if I can. But yes I love St Malo. Cheers mate 😊👍
St Malo is the name of the new ship replacing bretagne, and yes she's an e-flexer. I believe that the Normandie will be replaced soon too by the Guillaume de Normandie (yet another e-flexer)
Wow 😲 mark there was enough for 4 people on the plate in st Marlo lol 👍 nice to see Jo was bellyfied! This trip looks really good you have 🐝 n spoilt with the wonderful food can't wait to get the price off you m8 All the best John 😊😊
Been in this ‘day return’ trip. On board food. Hmm as you mentioned that these dats all restaurants must be able to serve all peoples needs. Alas not so. Due to my severe lactose, egg and Soya intolerances. They were not able to offer me anything safe. Same went for the land restaurant. This i am used to. 22 hours on plane to Australia no food.
Go hungry. Better than being in a coma for days. In a way sort of used to no food for 2-3 days. Had issue all my life just part of me. Lost a holiday to Tunisia. Told chef about my food issue. Had plain chicken on second night. Well thought it was plain. Unbeknown chat had put a lump of cheese under skin as it was cooked. Me one bite and i woke 4 days later, just in time to get coach to airport for return flight.
I was on board the Bretagne on Thursday night. Should have been Wednesday night, but the ferry was cancelled due to industrial action in St Malo. So I was transferred to Thursday night, only to have to turn straight back round and return on the Friday morning sailing back to Portsmouth. I have been a regular on the BF gourmet cruises, however when I tried to book, the lady on the phone said that Gourmet cruises were no longer available to solo travellers. Disappointing, however she reassured me that they were trying to get this changed. Instead I took the day trip offer, as I just love to sail on the ferries, so I was happy just to spend time on board. I enjoyed a buffet lunch in the A la Carte restaurant yesterday, there were only a dozen or so fellow passengers dining. The food was excellent, and the lovely lady on the till said that there were a couple of 'solo' passengers booked for the gourmet cruise last night, so maybe I just got unlucky when I tried to book it! Bretagne is my favourite ship, and the lady in the restaurant said that she has worked for BF for 37 years, and the majority of passengers say the same, Bretagne is a firm favourite, and many many people will be sad to see her go. Sorry I didn't get to meet you as I enjoy your ferry videos very much - perhaps see you on board another time!
Thanks mate, enjoyed reading this and I share your thoughts on Bretagne. Odd about the solo traveller thing - obvs I wasn’t aware of this having booked for two but I may try another ‘special offer’ of theirs at some point so will be interesting to see if it applies to that. The other thing, whilst I do enjoy Brittany Ferries service, some of these offers are a pain to book as for most of them you need to ring up. I’d rather be able to do it online tbh. Anyway, hope you had a decent time and if you do see me on a ferry sometime, please say hello 😊👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip I agree, not being able to book these things online is a pain and seems antequated these days! Despite the niggles I had a great trip, thank you. I enjoyed part two of yours too. See you on board sometime, all the best!
MV Bretange is IMHO the best ship BF have. Yes she's a bit old now but smooth and quiet, full of character. Unfortunately, she'll be coming off service in 2025 when the new ship arrives the MV St Malo. I hope bretagne lives on somewhere else, not Alaga for scrapping
Cheers Glen, Dave in the comments was saying Bretagne is having a refit so I’m assuming will be sold in 2025 to someone (which is good). I agree though - such a great ship, I’d like to take it one more time in the summer when I can utilise the deck space a bit more!
@LetsMakeaTrip we're planning on doing the same... Apparently there's a valentine's cruise planned (much like the gourmet cruise you did). we've just done the Wave Christmas cruise last weekend on her, weather was a bit rough on the return leg (which upset her indoors - not good sea legs!) But I know that this ship has a strong heart and got us home!
I do this crossing once a month, the Bretagne is being retired november 2024 in favour of a new ship. I first did the crossing in 1994 the Bretagne was only 5 years old at the time. Vegetarian, no point in using the les Abers, the cafeteria do a good veggie menu Cafe de l'ouest hahahaha no point in being a veggie
Vegetarian in France??? Good luck with that one! France is one country where meat is king (much to my liking 😂) and, even in a fair size town like St Malo, it's hard finding veggie options let alone a veggie restaurant or cafe. Nice to see you had a healthy pudd..... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Did you see the size of my chicken!! Tbh, if Jo ate meat, that would’ve done both of us. But yep, salad bowls mainly for the veggies unfortunately. One of the reasons I couldn’t really do it! Cheers mate.
It's one thing to eat like that at home, but it's a terrible way to be when you are traveling. Because of stubbornness, you cheat yourself right out of experiencing the local culture, and look ridiculous while you are at it. You need to expand your culinary choices when traveling - otherwise you might as well just stay at home.
France has changed a bit with regards to vegetarianism. Twenty years ago in rural France they would look at you as if you were crazy if you asked for a meal with no meat or fish. Now often you will find a veggie burger or a vegetarian pizza on the menu. Yes I know that’s not fine dining but being vegetarian is not that common in rural France.
Yes this seems to be the case. I’m not one so hadn’t really thought about it much before. Tbh, it was good that we had to go to a certain place because otherwise we normally end up trawling round everywhere for hours before deciding on a place to eat.
The Veggie 's should remember in the story of The Prodigal Son when the father saw his son returning he stated , my son has returned kill the fatted calf we shall have a feast. He never said go and get some cabbage 😂😂😂
Love France but their stubborn refusal to offer good vegetarian food means I won't travel there again while there is so much delicious, interesting food available in the rest of Europe. Spent a week there several years ago when every day all I had was omelette salad. Just not good enough.
Vegetarian or Vegan are not normally associated with restaurants in France, they eat more meat than us Rosbeoufs. Why eat anything other than fish at a fish restaurant, surely you knew it was that from the booking.
I am a semi vegetarian in that I do eat fish and also dairy products. I have travelled widely in France and have always managed to eat well though choice is of course restricted by my simple belief that I should not eat sentient creatures. Since meeting me my wife has adopted the same belief.
Disgusting lack of choice for Jo and us Veggies.. and you are there saying OH, this is good value... I wouldn't have left the boat for that Salad, followed by Salad..
Ok you Kid yourself she was happy with her meal choices.. the whole package may be value but the Begetairian options were atrocious. Now as for being Fussy. Hmmm, what a rude and dare I say arrogant reply.. I dont think I said owt to deserve that.. Let me flip this.. If there was Many Many choices of vegetairian/Vegan and only Mince pie and Spuds for the MEAT eaters,, HOW FUSSY WOULD YOU BE.
Great to see Jo properly at last. Well done Jo for playing along.
St Malo looks amazing (as did your desserts in that restaurant!) Great part one, roll on part deux!
It is! Definitely recommend if you’ve never been. Roscoff too btw. I’m not much of a dessert person really, way too much for me at lunch. Would’ve been happy with pie and chips again tbh 😂
Ah the Bretagne. Fond memories of twenty years ago when this Ferry brought me to my new home in France. Thanks.
Great to see Jo in a starring role and she had the best line too...
"This should do me"
"It should, you've got 5 puddings"
Also, being vegetarian , it was nice to see her take too. I must say, my view of France is that they just don't do vegetarian... oh and my wife is a veggie that hates mushrooms, so a very good point about the evening meal too.
What a great weekend away! Looking forward to the second act 👍
I didn’t know you were a vegetarian mate. I think Jo does struggle sometimes with choice and yes, sometimes it’s leaves etc. must be harder if you’re not a mushroom fan!!
I am veggie/vegan myself and it is good to see Jo's views. I think there needs to be more choice other than pasta!
As a young vegetarian in France 30 odd years ago I was presented with a flat savoury pastry in a small town restaurant. My dismay at the thin line of sausage meat running through it was met by a Gallic shrug from the waiter 'but is only a little bit.....'!!
Good to see another vegetarian (we’re not that rare!) showing how places cater for us on their menus. As Jo said, not all vegetarians like mushrooms and it’s nice if we can just have a choice.
Random comment alert ... last week I had a fantastic meal at a vegan French restaurant in NYC. I don't know how they pulled any of it off, but we had escargot, foie gras, baked brie, duck a l'orange and a couple of other classic french dishes without any animal products whatsoever. Anyway, if you're ever in New York, etc ... 🤣🤣🤣
I have travelled many times on Brittainy Ferries out of Portsmouth to France, usually to Cherbourg.
Every trip without exception was fantastic, really enjoyable.
St-Malo seems like a lovely place to visit. And overall it looked like this package offered with dinner, lunch and accommodation seemed all worth it. Awaiting part 2
Yes, a lovely place to visit mate - definitely recommended! And what better way to do it than on a classic ship like Bretagne. 👍
Been going on thr Bretagne to see my family for over 26 years! Glad you had a good trip!
I did thanks, the Bretagne is a classic isn’t it. 😊👍
What a relaxing watch this was. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to catching up with Part 2.
Cheers Tim, thanks as always for watching mate 😊👍
What pleasant video ! I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere that the two of you generate while having the lunchtime meal ! Well done !
Thanks very much for watching. Appreciate the comment 😊👍
We went to St Malo for a day trip from Jersey. I highly recommend it. We went in a cafe and they served a locally made cider in a large coffee cup and saucer. It was without doubt the nicest cider I've ever drank!
One thing that struck me was the amount of cafes etc in St Malo, there’s certainly plenty of choice. I didn’t try the cider but next time, definitely 👍
Great video mate. Looks like a great mini trip. Looking forward to part 2
Yep, really enjoyed it. A bit more about the ship in part 2 👍
Seems to be a great way to spend a day or so,thanks for taking us along,till next time stay safe and well, cheers.
Cheers Simon. It was. I’ve been before tbh and it’s really nice in the summer. Plenty of food options and the beaches are fantastic. Recommended 😊👍
Always love your videos, always so relaxed and informative. Keep up the good work 😊
Thanks very much 😊👍
Great video mark. Nice to see you both enjoying yourselves. Looking forward to to the nx video.
Cheers Colin we did enjoy it tbf. Definitely do it again 👍
We sailed on Bretagne many times to and from St Malo but also in 1989 from Plymouth to Santander when she was virtually brand new. Good old favourite for many people
She is, I’d have loved to have tried it when she was new 😊
Brilliant video as always, looking forward to seeing the next video. Hope all is well, take care
Cheers Peter, yep Monday that one’s coming out 👍
Bretagne is as beautiful as always, she is the queen of the fleet after all.
Queen of the fleet - I didn’t know she was called that. But I agree, a suitable name, will be sad to see her go.
The golden days of Brittany ferry travel has long gone it’s not the same all about money and no atmosphere but it brings back some good memories of the Bretagne tho . Nice video 🙋🏻♂️👍
Cheers mate. I think, of all the ships in the fleet, the Bretagne is the one that still retains a little bit of that feel. Maybe also the Pont Aven to an extent.
I sailed on the MV Bretagne from Portsmouth to St Malo as a kid in the late 90s. Seems so long ago now, but it’s comforting that it’s still in use on the same route today!
MV Bretagne is a beautifully maintained ship. I did this trip in 2006 and again in 2012 , looks exactly the same but not in anyway dated. I know she underwent somewhat of a refurbishment a few years back . Mark , I really enjoyed this video and eagerly await part 2.
Cheers Adam, glad you liked it. It’s going in 2025 apparently. That will be a sad day!
Looks a great trip that, I remember the Bretagne sailing past jersey frequently when I lived there in 2006, we went to st malo with condor ferries several times from jersey found it a lovely place. I wouldn’t mind trying this Bretagne trip you took though from Portsmouth, looks amazing. 😊
Yes St Malo is lovely (as is Jersey) I think the route normally goes between the islands. Definitely recommend this trip if you like classic ships and lots of food!
A whole chicken! Wow, I think that would have put me off the dish because there was so much! (I hate wasting food). Nice to see your partner join you, Mark😊
Yep, I may have chosen something else if I’d have known. Should’ve asked for a doggie bag 😂
Good video, nice ship,
Looks a great trip - I'll have to keep an eye open as I'd love to do this -
I think the gourmet cruise is most of the year round apart from July/August peak season times
This looks like quite an experience..🎉
Brittany Ferries (in my experience) always put on a good show and it feels more of a 'cruise experience' than a ferry in some respects. I know that sounds a bit over the top but I do enjoy their fleet and the staff are great. Definitely recommend them.
Looks impressive Mark, good choice of menu looks comprehensive. Long crossing large vessel as you say retry quiet for the time of the year, I would say good value for money but very tiring. 👍🏻
It was quite tiring tbh, a pretty full-on day and then we had the drive down there and back. Good value though yes 😊👍
Bretagne is easily my favourite vessel in the fleet. I sailed on her maiden season as a kid to Santander in 1989 and have probably sailed on her 25+ times and loved every single crossing on her. Food always excellent, the ship has such a wonderful layout. Sailing out of Portsmouth is really nice as is sailing into St Malo. The nicest crossing they do and the timings are perfect.
I've never done a mini cruise, I've always taken my car on various holidays and road trips over the year.
It's a shame the E-Flexers don't offer the same customer experience as the older 'Cruise Ferries' such as Bretagne and Pont Aven.
Oh I definitely agree and I’ve been on all the fleet more than once. The only one that comes close to Bretagne imo is Pont Aven (though I had a strange attraction to Baie de Seine a few years back when she was around!). I’d definitely recommend the mini cruise though for me, next sailing I do will probably be the Pont Aven down to Spain again. Before the school holidays though!! Cheers for the comment 😊👍
Lovely trip think I might do this one looks amazing
Definitely recommend it Sean 😊👍
Hi Mark...Liverpool Kev here again..Great Video...After cancer my horizons have shrunk a bit so I really enjoy being with your videos....Whether exotic France or a bus in The Midlands haha..so nice to see your charming partner too...Happy Christmas to you both....Liverpool Kev..Looking forward to more content much appreciated in 2024.....Liverpool Kev
Hi Kev, cheers mate. Glad you're enjoying the stuff. I try to vary it a bit (not sure whether that works or not tbh!). The main thing is people seem to like them (mostly) so plenty more to come next year. All the best for Xmas to you and yours. Cheers, Mark
Class video mark. Looks like a good journey to take
Cheers Jack, yep I’d definitely recommend it mate 😊👍
My goodness Mark, all that food 😂, I'd have burst 😂, a whole chicken for lunch 😂, fantastic video bud, lovely to see Jo to, looking forward to part 2, better prepare for more grub 😋 😂
Yep, full breakfast to come yet! I was absolutely stuffed after that. If you like your food though, this is the thing for you 😊👍
Although it looked like an early start, having a full day to explore is a great feature as on the North Sea cruises, depending on the port, you have considerably less time. I have never seen a mini cruise include a meal at the destination before so that looks a great idea given how long you have to till the return leg. It’s certainly something I will look to do as an alternative to the Netherlands.
I haven’t tried the North Sea cruises yet but it’s on the list. BF do quite a few of these deals so definitely worth a look on their website 👍
Use this route and ferry regularly, excellent.
St Malo is a fantastic walled town.
It is. Great ship and a beautiful place 😊👍
some lunch....another great upload.....
It was. Like I said I normally only have a bit of cheese on toast! 😂
A good insight video Mark, nice to see Jo - but a shame the French didn't do some kind of vegetarian option for her. The size of your main & dessert were huge - no wonder you were full. Looking forward to part 2 !
Cheers Andy. I really enjoyed mine but yep, it can be tough being a vegetarian sometimes!
Great video as usual. I know you haven't discussed cost in this part but you mentioned it is very good value - that's always a bonus! Also having a partner with dietary requirements, can be very restrictive, in our case a gluten allergy. French restaurants tend to be quite behind here as well - lots of steak and chips! Cheers for now ;)
Good to see you back in Portsmouth 😀
It was great to be back 😊👍
I travel on the Steam Packet probably 4 times a year . I agree with your comments about deck space but inside it is so much more spacious and comfortable than Ben My Cree. Personally I like to travel on the Mananan which is usually on the Liverpool route but as I live in Morecambe I do normally travel from Heysham.
A brilliant trip! Heard great things about the Bretagne and Brittany Ferries in general. But getting a full chicken included in the price is amazing 😅 🍗
Haha, yeh. I didn’t know it was a whole chicken when I ordered it tbh, a baguette would’ve done me!! Cheers mate 😊👍
Great little cruise. Used to do that routes sometimes in a previos life. I was always amazed at te quality of the food. Beats Fish and chips, sausage and chips and pie and chips you get on P & O ferries. But the french have never got their heads around vegetarian food. It seems to be the food of the devil to them. I always enjoy you Vlogs and great to see your lady. Thanks
Cheers Keith, yes I get the impression vegetarians aren’t that well catered for. Doesn’t bother me as a meat eater I thought the food was great 😊 but I’d be interested to know what % of the pop are vegetarian?
I think there are many more veggies than there used to be but perhaps not in France. @@LetsMakeaTrip
That chicken look nice 😊 how the other half live great video that cabin was a bit small .was going lend u me cat ....😊
It was nice, I should’ve asked for a doggie bag really, could’ve had chicken sandwiches for the rest of the week 😂
Hi, Mark. Great video as usual. Quick question. How easy it it to get from the train station to the ferry terminal if travelling by train? Looking forward to part two. Thanks for posting😊😊
Easy. Go to Portsmouth Harbour. If you watch my Commodore Clipper video there’s a bit on it at the start as I did exactly that myself 👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip Thanks Mark. I have a look at the video. I do remember you posting it but had forgotten the begining🙃🙃
A great partnership trip, looking forward to hearing more from Jo in future trips.
With my limited knowledge of the UK road network I didn't envy you Shrewsbury to Portsmouth, I'm guessing you might have come down the M40/A34 at the bottom end rather than across from Bristol/Bath. Having said that the train journey would have been equally challenging. Looking forward to Part 2.
Cheers Kevin, down to Cheltenham then via Swindon is the way I normally do it.
It looked a lot nicer than the Portsmouth to St Malo ferry I remember. The last time I went all the supermarkets were closed! We spent the whole day trying to find a shop that sold booze. Nice video by the way.
That sounds a bit drab. Tbh I’m not sure where the supermarkets are in st Malo but plenty of expensive looking shops. Nice though. Lots of artisan stuff if you’re into that kind of thing.
I've been on that crossing at least 35 time's while we renovated our farmhouse. Now we live in France i don't use it anymore. I just used to think of it as getting on the number 59 bus lol.
A classic ferry I think and I’m very jealous you’ve managed to escape! The MV Bretagne won’t be with us much longer by the looks of it and I’m not sure I’ll use her again unfortunately.
I suffer from motion sickness really badly. Is sea sickness ever an issue on these big boats? Not sure if I should take the eurotunnel and drive the rest.
Sorry to be a pain but The Bretagne is pronounced Bretan - ye. We love her she is a sturdy valiant ship. We have sailed this route many a time through good weather and some very bad weather. Sadly the old darling will be retiring from this route soon for a more gentle route.
We will miss her greatly. 😘
St Malo is a lovely place to visit on a mini cruise especially as I live in Portsmouth, I was there myself doing the same trip just a month ago, would have liked longer to explore the area, Bretagne is a lovely old classic cruise ferry & soon to be replaced as she dates from 1989, not sure the new ship will live up to her legacy, I’m looking at doing the same trip again in February 2024 when much newer fleet mate Pont-Aven takes over the route for a few weeks while Bretagne is in refit…
2025 Dave the Bretagne is supposed to be replaced so I’m assuming the refit maybe she’ll be sold to someone and be replaced with an e-flexer type which is fine but yeh, it’ll be a sad day when that happens. I’ve don’t the Pont Aven a few times down to Spain, might do it again next year from Plymouth if I can. But yes I love St Malo. Cheers mate 😊👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip hey that’s good you know you stuff,, yes an E flexer… which won’t be as good as the. Bretagne but we will see 🙄🙄🙄❤️
St Malo is the name of the new ship replacing bretagne, and yes she's an e-flexer. I believe that the Normandie will be replaced soon too by the Guillaume de Normandie (yet another e-flexer)
Wow 😲 mark there was enough for 4 people on the plate in st Marlo lol 👍 nice to see Jo was bellyfied! This trip looks really good you have 🐝 n spoilt with the wonderful food can't wait to get the price off you m8 All the best John 😊😊
Cheers John. All will be revealed in the next video (had a massive breakfast too!).
Very good video there been lots of talk about the ship but planning to go on her soon
Cheers mate. 2025 I believe she’s going so a bit of time yet 👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip definitely
Your timings were they gmt or French time? You were say 0730 so could’ve 0830 French time?
The ship is on UK time.
They have some cabins on this ship below the water line on decks 1 and 2 secured by huge steel doors... otherwise the Bretagne ferry is great...
You may see this in part 2 Richard 👍
The size of that chicken made me laugh out loud! Poor Jo, hope you've taken her to a posh Veggie restaurant to make it up to her :-)
Honestly, when that came out I was like OMG how am I going to demolish this! I did my best 😂
you need Ship Finder to follow your ships routes especially at night 😉
Yes, good point mate. I’ll try that next time 👍
Excellent 🛳🛳🛳🛳🛳⛴⛴⛴⛴⛴🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅
Cheers mate ⛴️⛴️⛴️⛴️⛴️🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷👍🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🍗
Been in this ‘day return’ trip. On board food. Hmm as you mentioned that these dats all restaurants must be able to serve all peoples needs. Alas not so. Due to my severe lactose, egg and Soya intolerances. They were not able to offer me anything safe. Same went for the land restaurant. This i am used to. 22 hours on plane to Australia no food.
That must be really tough mate. I am interested to know what your options are in these situations.
Go hungry. Better than being in a coma for days. In a way sort of used to no food for 2-3 days. Had issue all my life just part of me. Lost a holiday to Tunisia. Told chef about my food issue. Had plain chicken on second night. Well thought it was plain. Unbeknown chat had put a lump of cheese under skin as it was cooked. Me one bite and i woke 4 days later, just in time to get coach to airport for return flight.
I was on board the Bretagne on Thursday night. Should have been Wednesday night, but the ferry was cancelled due to industrial action in St Malo. So I was transferred to Thursday night, only to have to turn straight back round and return on the Friday morning sailing back to Portsmouth. I have been a regular on the BF gourmet cruises, however when I tried to book, the lady on the phone said that Gourmet cruises were no longer available to solo travellers. Disappointing, however she reassured me that they were trying to get this changed. Instead I took the day trip offer, as I just love to sail on the ferries, so I was happy just to spend time on board. I enjoyed a buffet lunch in the A la Carte restaurant yesterday, there were only a dozen or so fellow passengers dining. The food was excellent, and the lovely lady on the till said that there were a couple of 'solo' passengers booked for the gourmet cruise last night, so maybe I just got unlucky when I tried to book it! Bretagne is my favourite ship, and the lady in the restaurant said that she has worked for BF for 37 years, and the majority of passengers say the same, Bretagne is a firm favourite, and many many people will be sad to see her go. Sorry I didn't get to meet you as I enjoy your ferry videos very much - perhaps see you on board another time!
Thanks mate, enjoyed reading this and I share your thoughts on Bretagne. Odd about the solo traveller thing - obvs I wasn’t aware of this having booked for two but I may try another ‘special offer’ of theirs at some point so will be interesting to see if it applies to that. The other thing, whilst I do enjoy Brittany Ferries service, some of these offers are a pain to book as for most of them you need to ring up. I’d rather be able to do it online tbh. Anyway, hope you had a decent time and if you do see me on a ferry sometime, please say hello 😊👍
@@LetsMakeaTrip I agree, not being able to book these things online is a pain and seems antequated these days! Despite the niggles I had a great trip, thank you. I enjoyed part two of yours too. See you on board sometime, all the best!
When is part 2 out?
Monday
The wife looks like the actress who played Diane Short in Family Affairs. Is that her sister or something?
2023 and Jo struggling to find a decent veggie meal ! Disgraceful really. Hope it didn't spoil the trip.
No, not at all. I think it’s a bit more difficult for vegetarians in France from what others have said.
MV Bretange is IMHO the best ship BF have. Yes she's a bit old now but smooth and quiet, full of character. Unfortunately, she'll be coming off service in 2025 when the new ship arrives the MV St Malo. I hope bretagne lives on somewhere else, not Alaga for scrapping
Cheers Glen, Dave in the comments was saying Bretagne is having a refit so I’m assuming will be sold in 2025 to someone (which is good). I agree though - such a great ship, I’d like to take it one more time in the summer when I can utilise the deck space a bit more!
@LetsMakeaTrip we're planning on doing the same... Apparently there's a valentine's cruise planned (much like the gourmet cruise you did). we've just done the Wave Christmas cruise last weekend on her, weather was a bit rough on the return leg (which upset her indoors - not good sea legs!) But I know that this ship has a strong heart and got us home!
I do this crossing once a month, the Bretagne is being retired november 2024 in favour of a new ship. I first did the crossing in 1994 the Bretagne was only 5 years old at the time. Vegetarian, no point in using the les Abers, the cafeteria do a good veggie menu Cafe de l'ouest hahahaha no point in being a veggie
Vegetarian in France??? Good luck with that one! France is one country where meat is king (much to my liking 😂) and, even in a fair size town like St Malo, it's hard finding veggie options let alone a veggie restaurant or cafe.
Nice to see you had a healthy pudd..... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Did you see the size of my chicken!! Tbh, if Jo ate meat, that would’ve done both of us. But yep, salad bowls mainly for the veggies unfortunately. One of the reasons I couldn’t really do it! Cheers mate.
It's one thing to eat like that at home, but it's a terrible way to be when you are traveling. Because of stubbornness, you cheat yourself right out of experiencing the local culture, and look ridiculous while you are at it. You need to expand your culinary choices when traveling - otherwise you might as well just stay at home.
Mark, Is Jo your wife? Or, Is Jo a friend you invited to travel with you to St. Malo?
She looks lovely. If she's representative of the kind of groupie travel bloggers get I shall set up my own channel this very day! ;-)
@pedrorubiotejero_aka_prt Well, we have two kids 😊
@@LetsMakeaTrip So, you are married and your wife's name is Jo, Right?
Q: this company have entertainment onboard?
High season only I think
@@LetsMakeaTrip like june - October or less!?
Thank you. I won’t go on a Sunday cruise again
Cheers 😊👍
I wouldn't be happy if my dinner came served in something resembling a dog bowl on a gourmet cruise.
😂 it did look a bit like that yep! I dunno, maybe that’s a trendy way of eating stuff? Not sure what’s wrong with a normal plate though tbh!
France has changed a bit with regards to vegetarianism. Twenty years ago in rural France they would look at you as if you were crazy if you asked for a meal with no meat or fish. Now often you will find a veggie burger or a vegetarian pizza on the menu. Yes I know that’s not fine dining but being vegetarian is not that common in rural France.
Yes this seems to be the case. I’m not one so hadn’t really thought about it much before. Tbh, it was good that we had to go to a certain place because otherwise we normally end up trawling round everywhere for hours before deciding on a place to eat.
Would be well stuffed after that meal. That chicken could feed a family of 5....
I know! I could barely walk afterwards!
Mark drags Mrs Mark on this one is this a new feature
But will it work 🤔😂
The Veggie 's should remember in the story of The Prodigal Son when the father saw his son returning he stated , my son has returned kill the fatted calf we shall have a feast. He never said go and get some cabbage 😂😂😂
😂
The size of that chicken!
I know, it definitely didn’t say whole chicken on the menu!
I burst out laughing when i saw the chicken which you had for lunch, crikey you must have been stuffed.
I was! Then I had to try and eat the dessert! 😂
A day isn't really long enough, I don't know why they impose this limit.
Unfortunately the French aren’t always great with vegetarian options, but they are getting better.
Yes, most of the comments on here saying the same thing. I hope for Jo’s sake it gets better!
Love France but their stubborn refusal to offer good vegetarian food means I won't travel there again while there is so much delicious, interesting food available in the rest of Europe. Spent a week there several years ago when every day all I had was omelette salad. Just not good enough.
No I agree, omelettes are nice but every day I think they’d soon become a bit boring!
France doesnt do vegetarian lol
I gather it’s not great!
@@LetsMakeaTrip on another note wondering do they do this ferry the other way? So French people have a day in Portsmouth?
Give me that chicken
Haha, it was amazing! Actually someone said it may have been a cockerel? I’m not an expert, tasted like chicken to me!
Not always so easy to d
Vegetarian or Vegan are not normally associated with restaurants in France, they eat more meat than us Rosbeoufs. Why eat anything other than fish at a fish restaurant, surely you knew it was that from the booking.
No, the name of the restaurant is not given.
I am a semi vegetarian in that I do eat fish and also dairy products. I have travelled widely in France and have always managed to eat well though choice is of course restricted by my simple belief that I should not eat sentient creatures.
Since meeting me my wife has adopted the same belief.
Is this a new girl you are with
Haha no! And I hope she doesn’t see this comment!
Vegans are never going to have a happy experience dining in France
Well, as Alan Partridge once said ‘if you will be a fussy eater’ 😂
Disgusting lack of choice for Jo and us Veggies.. and you are there saying OH, this is good value... I wouldn't have left the boat for that Salad, followed by Salad..
Jo actually thought it was good value too. I guess it depends how fussy you are 🫤
Ok you Kid yourself she was happy with her meal choices.. the whole package may be value but the Begetairian options were atrocious.
Now as for being Fussy. Hmmm, what a rude and dare I say arrogant reply.. I dont think I said owt to deserve that.. Let me flip this..
If there was Many Many choices of vegetairian/Vegan and only Mince pie and Spuds for the MEAT eaters,, HOW FUSSY WOULD YOU BE.
@@dadachoski5946 I don’t think the French are that big on the vegetarian thing tbh. All the best anyway, cheers 😊