P&O Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry service to end

[SpitfireTriple]

This will bump up the price of the Brittany Ferries Plymouth - Santander...
So if you want to take your bike to Spain, book now and go before 27 September

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...re/8461624.stm

Portsmouth to lose Pride of Bilbao ferry service


More than 250 people work on the Pride of Bilbao

A P&O ferry service to Spain operating from Portsmouth is to be withdrawn due to "unsustainable" losses, putting 252 jobs at risk.
The Pride of Bilbao's final crossing to Bilbao - which P&O Ferries has operated for 15 years - will take place on 27 September, the firm said.
The 252 employees, including 130 agency workers, all work on the vessel. Twelve others work on shore in Bilbao.
P&O said it was talking to unions. The RMT said the route "remains viable".
Contacting passengers
Steve Todd, the RMT's national maritime secretary, said: "We believe the Portsmouth-Bilbao route remains viable and that there is no case for axing the service.
"We will be working with the company to look at options to keep the route sailing.
"In the meantime, we have cast-iron assurances that there will be no compulsory redundancies and we are in negotiations with P&O to ensure that the interests of staff are fully protected."
Crossings are expected to operate as normal up to and including the 27 September.
It is understood the company is contacting passengers with bookings beyond that date in order to make alternative arrangements or offer refunds.
The news comes after Brittany Ferries announced just before Christmas that it was withdrawing the Barfleur ferry between Poole and Cherbourg because it had been losing money since 2003.

[Threewheelbonnie]

They'll be crying over on bingo-lovers.com, that boat was heaven for anyone who wanted to play for 96 hours at a go

It was a garbage service and at least the better service of the two is staying but I guess it is going to effect the price and you have to feel sorry for the workers.

Andy

[Warthog]

Ferry crossings seem to be dropping like flies: same with the Rostock to Helsinki crossing.

[stuxtttr]

ditto the Newcastle to Norway service.

I think I prefered the Portsmouth Ferry I could get down there in an hour and a half whereas the Plymouth route was a right mission and gave less drinking time

[pecha72]

Closing Newcastle to Norway was real sad. I went that way to see the Isle of Man TT in 2005, and that crossing made it a killer route (as opposed to riding through the flat areas bordering the North Sea).

Havent tried this one, and there only seems to be 12 cabins available, but this seems to be operating between UK & Norway (and they have motorcycles in their price list, too):

http://www.dfdstorline.com/DfdsTorLi.../NorBridge.htm

So what´s up with Rostock-Helsinki? The last time I checked, both Tallink Superfast and Finnlines operate regular ferries to either Travemunde or Rostock. Finnlines even has a new line to Gdynia in Poland, so Finland is better connected to these countries than it has been for a long time.

[Tim Cullis]

Interesting that Brittany has doubled its sailings to Spain with four per week from Portsmouth and Plymouth.

[SpitfireTriple]

That's interesting Tim. I did read elsewhere that BF had bought a new ship for the run, in service from March. Maybe it was the knowledge of this that prompted P&O to pull out.

Interesting that one company can expand while others are contracting. But that's business I suppose. And BF doesn't have it all its own way; it is pulling out of Poole: Cherbourg.

Whilst I agree with the other comments about the P&O service being inferior, at least it meant there was competition.

Shame about the Newcastle-Bergen run being lost. I have an old pal living in Norway and a standing invitation to visit. I suppose there will always be far more people who want to drive to Spain than Norway.

As for Plymouth vs Portsmouth, yes, Portsmouth is more convenient for more people than Plymouth. But Plymouth is a much nicer run. Especially if you indulge yourself and go over Dartmoor. And let's face it, if we don't want to indulge ourselves on the ride to Spain, we might as well leave the bike in the garage and fly.

[dave08]

the way p&o are going all will be gone soon,

my nearest crossing from hull has become way over priced, both for fares and onboard, its cheaper to travel to dover

[Flyingdoctor]

For Scandinavia I'm trying the Stennaline Harwich-Hook of Holland overnight boat this time (£128 return with a cabin). The Esbjerg ferry is way too pricey at £400

[dave08]

Originally Posted by Flyingdoctor

For Scandinavia I'm trying the Stennaline Harwich-Hook of Holland overnight boat this time (£128 return with a cabin). The Esbjerg ferry is way too pricey at £400

i've been looking for an option to get to visit friends in sweden but as yet there is nothing within my budget

[Mike Wright]

Originally Posted by dave08

the way p&o are going all will be gone soon,

my nearest crossing from hull has become way over priced, both for fares and onboard, its cheaper to travel to dover

I agree...One person and 1 bike takes up min room yet I was quoted £543 return which I think is way to high. I rode to Portsmouth and got a return for £80!