# New Ferry to France (Launch Offer)



## dieter1 (13 Dec 2013)

www.ldlines.co.uk

just booked the family to france with a four berth outside cabin return for £251 (300 odd euro). Booked the first two weeks in August.

Seems like anytime of the summer is doable. Irish ferries and the other are normally nearly a grand.....


----------



## Tomorrow (13 Dec 2013)

Brilliant - thanks for the tip - we go every year, that is an amazing saving


----------



## Eithneangela (13 Dec 2013)

Any chance they'll start from Rosslare?


----------



## Slim (13 Dec 2013)

Eithneangela said:


> Any chance they'll start from Rosslare?


But it is from Rosslare, isn't it?


----------



## Tomorrow (13 Dec 2013)

Yes - looks to be
 Plus it actually goes further south so saves some of the driving if you normally travel that direction


----------



## Bonaparte (13 Dec 2013)

I thought this was the service launched by Varadker yesterday but the website doesn't seem to offer Roslare. Am I missing something?


----------



## Tomorrow (13 Dec 2013)

http://ldlines.co.uk/ - this is the link - Rosslare offered


----------



## Bonaparte (13 Dec 2013)

Thank you kindly! Europe has just become smaller, can't wait to take advantage AND they take bicycles as vehicles!!!.


----------



## SlugBreath (15 Dec 2013)

I would like to see a few pictures of the inside of the ships. Are these new ships or are they refurbished rustbuckets?


----------



## Daddy (15 Dec 2013)

As far as I know the ferry they use to st nazaire is called norman voyager.  This is the ferry that Celtic link ferries used in the last few years having leased it from ld lines who now have it back again.   I have been on the ferry twice and their cabins are excellent and 4 berth cabins are bigger than irish ferries equivalent.   You drive up a ramp and park on top of deck and the kids will love that experience as it's a little daunting going up and down.  This is a great offer and grab it.


----------



## smiley (16 Dec 2013)

The ferry used is the 'Scintu'.


----------



## Stronge (16 Dec 2013)

I was having a look at the site for my friends who have 3 young children aged 5, 3 and 1. One cabin would be sufficient but you had to also book a reclining seat as the cabins were for four people.  Most of the cabins that I used in the past would fit 2 adults and 3 small children.  Did I miss something or am I correct about the cabins?


----------



## SlugBreath (17 Dec 2013)

Does anyone know what the exit from St.Nazaire is like for motorists?  I am not used to driving on the right hand side of the road and am a bit nervous?
Also can you get an outside cabin included in the special offer price or do you get the stuffy one in the middle of the ship?


----------



## dereko1969 (17 Dec 2013)

Stronge said:


> I was having a look at the site for my friends who have 3 young children aged 5, 3 and 1. One cabin would be sufficient but you had to also book a reclining seat as the cabins were for four people. Most of the cabins that I used in the past would fit 2 adults and 3 small children. Did I miss something or am I correct about the cabins?


 
Yeah you have to book a seat for the 5th person but you can obviously bring them into the cabin, it's just they need to have all passengers accounted for either in a seat or in a cabin.



SlugBreath said:


> Does anyone know what the exit from St.Nazaire is like for motorists? I am not used to driving on the right hand side of the road and am a bit nervous?
> Also can you get an outside cabin included in the special offer price or do you get the stuffy one in the middle of the ship?


 
Once you get into the booking you can then book an outside cabin, think it might be a few quid more but not very much.

No idea about the exit but have a look on google street view, i've found in France that the way the roads curve helps to remind you that you're driving on the right, as in if there's a right turn the road will sweep that way to make it easier to turn right.

edit: someone on boards has found an interior video and some reviews of the ship see here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=88040692&postcount=188


----------



## shoestring (17 Dec 2013)

Its a good deal and it is also right beside St. Brevins Les Pins and our fav campsite Les Pierres Couchees. Don't like that you can't see any pics of the 'Scintu' inside or the cabins etc. Even though it gets you to the Loire, a quick tot up of the hours would suggest you will be on the boat for 6-7 hours more than you would be to Roscoff, and anyone that knows that feeling of getting up on the arrival day and having to wait until 11am in the Salmon lounge to disembark at Roscoff would be put off by it. I can't imagine waking up on the ferry and not arriving until 7pm that evening. Fear.


----------



## Tomorrow (17 Dec 2013)

This link shows the inside of the boat - its in Italian - if you go to about 6 minutes in you can get an idea what it is like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk5TDl82RkE

 I booked it for August - 3 weeks - 2 adults and 3 kids, outside cabin - €320!!
 I priced Irish Ferries for the same dates are €850

 It looks much like the Celtic Link - which has basic facilities but is clean and safe!!

 We have learned over the past couple of years travelling to France - to be well prepared with plenty of activities for the wee ones to keep them occupied.

 It will shave hours off our driving time to the South of France


----------



## Buddyboy (17 Dec 2013)

I also see that they will be sailing to Gijon in Northern Spain from Rosslaire.

It's great to have a direct sailing to Spain. Up to now it was either drive through France or go Plymouth/Porthsmith to Bilbao/Santander.

It will be interesting to see the special offers when they launch the on-line booking in January.


----------



## dereko1969 (17 Dec 2013)

Buddyboy said:


> I also see that they will be sailing to Gijon in Northern Spain from Rosslaire.
> 
> It's great to have a direct sailing to Spain. Up to now it was either drive through France or go Plymouth/Porthsmith to Bilbao/Santander.
> 
> It will be interesting to see the special offers when they launch the on-line booking in January.


 
It's not quite direct though, you have to stop in St Nazaire for a few hours on the way over but apparently 10 hours on the way back! It would make for a very long journey plus it's 15 hours on the ferry itself from St Nazaire to Gijon!

On the website it has a launch fare of €575 for Gijon.


----------



## Buddyboy (17 Dec 2013)

dereko1969 said:


> It's not quite direct though, you have to stop in St Nazaire for a few hours on the way over but apparently 10 hours on the way back! It would make for a very long journey plus it's 15 hours on the ferry itself from St Nazaire to Gijon!
> 
> On the website it has a launch fare of €575 for Gijon.


 
Hmmm,
i must look into some mix'n'match. Maybe get the ferry all the way to Gijon (in two hops), then travel around (I tour by motorbike) and take it back from St. Nazaire to Rosslaire - cutting out a bit of the return journey.


----------



## Daddy (22 Dec 2013)

Well done opening poster.  I did say to grab the deal.   Hope some others did.  Prices appear to have doubled.


----------



## smiley (10 Jan 2014)

The new LD Lines ferry service sets sail tonight from Rosslare. It will be interesting to hear how people find the service.

The prices seem to be good considering St Nazaire is a 3-4 hour drive further south than Roscoff or Cherbourg.


----------



## Time (11 Jan 2014)

I don't think it is very frequent as the ferry continues onto spain after docking in France.


----------



## smiley (11 Jan 2014)

Hi Time..its once a week put the link to Gijon is very interesting. The Britanny ferries sailing on the Pont Aven from Cork to Roscoff is also once a week and does very well. The pont aven is a much bigger ship though.


----------

