Brittany Ferries New Ship Galicia - My Opinion - Review

On the Galicia our 3 course meal was included in the ticket, we were shown to a table by the waitress given menu and our food was served to us at the table, I don’t understand why this didn’t happen for you
 
We travelled on the Galicia on the 10th Nov 17.30 from Spain. The sailing was full and left at 1800. Main evening meal sitting 7.pm. 5 minutes to be allocated table with half hour intervals for each group to be allocated in the restaurant. Service from the waiting staff was fast and efficient. Food was adequate tasty and hot. We do not drink now so did not order any wine etc (good call reasons latter). Meal over in about 50 minutes. So not having purchased drinks with meal, nothing to pay. Good job Q by the one till leaving the restaurant was a long wait to pay. i would guess a good 20 minutes.

We had an inside cabin. Perfectly fit for purpose.around comfort for sleeping. The TV point is fixed to wall some distance from natural viewing point of one of the beds and thus small screen. It was more enjoyable selecting a film or programme via Laptop. There is a dedicated film/TV show channel in which you can choose what to watch. You can pick up this service throughout the ship on your mobile devices so makes viewing in the lounges very comfortable.
No issues with on board passengers taking their own wine/beers
into the seating areas and generally engaging in social chit chat and drinking.
Overall an adequate ferry crossing. You cannot compare services and standards against a main line cruise ship. This is a ferry with a good standard of seating and food for a 24 hour crossing.
We shall see if the same standard is achieved on the 7th December 0900 hrs returning to Spain.
 
Thanks for the advanced warning. I’m no expert and definitely not a sailor but even I know that any fixing screws/nuts/bolts on a sea going ship need to be stainless steel? That tannoy looks like it has been reused?

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If I needed reminding I've thought for a long time that Britanny Ferries was overrated and over priced, their one saving grace used to be good responses to complaints etc. but that's no longer the case in my experience. I didn't bother renewing the club membership last season and now just find the best deal at the time. Recently that's meant Stena or DFDS.
We don't do the long trip to Spain thankfully, prefering a gentle meader through France if heading that way.
 
Bucket said:
If I needed reminding I've thought for a long time that Britanny Ferries was overrated and over priced, their one saving grace used to be good responses to complaints etc. but that's no longer the case in my experience. I didn't bother renewing the club membership last season and now just find the best deal at the time. Recently that's meant Stena or DFDS.
We don't do the long trip to Spain thankfully, prefering a gentle meader through France if heading that way.
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Yes, the customer service is zero compared to what used to be the best in the industry.

The only reasonS I now continue to travel with them, the route, convenience and flexibility.
 
We've just travelled from Santander to Portsmouth on the Galicia. Our cabin was on deck 8, on the port side. When we reached the corridor to our cabin, there was a faint smell of diesel fumes. Every time we left our cabin, we were greeted by the same faint smell of diesel fumes. We went for our included evening meal; after just a mouthful, my wife felt unwell and was sick on the return to our cabin. Was this due to the smell of diesel fumes ?

By Sunday afternoon, we had to leave our cabin as the smell of diesel fumes had become much stronger and unbearable. We asked at the information desk and were told that Brittany Ferries were aware of the problem and were trying to fix it. We completed a complaints form, explaining that we had to leave our cabin due to the unbearable smell of diesel fumes in our cabin and the corridor. A number of other passengers also left their cabins, due to diesel fumes, and completed complaints forms. Even this morning, I still had a taste of diesel in my mouth.

During our crossing, there were 2 occasions when a helicopter had to land on deck, both on Sunday morning, separated by over 2 hours, for medical emergencies. Were these reactions due to the strong smell of diesel fumes?

I've had a quick google to see if this has occurred previously. The first reports I've found are from early March:

https://www.talkquesada.com/quesada-general-discussion-f9/a-travellers-tale-t52094.html

https://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=168028&p=2740447

It's now December, some 9 months since the first reports and it's still not been fixed. Why are Brittany Ferries still selling these cabins on decks 7 and 8 on the port side? Don't they have a duty of care to their passengers?

We won't be using the Galicia in future. We'll limit our travels to sailing on the Pont Aven.
 
Being LNG where did the Diesel smell emanate from. Had a little trip on P and O Iona recently. Their first LNG Ship and largest. Not a whiff of anything that I could discern, but then it was not stamped made in China!

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dash300 said:
Being LNG where did the Diesel smell emanate from. Had a little trip on P and O Iona recently. Their first LNG Ship and largest. Not a whiff of anything that I could discern, but then it was not stamped made in China!
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My guess is a diesel generator which exhausts out the side of the boat below deck 7??

Poor design if it is.

Cheers James
 
dash300 said:
Being LNG where did the Diesel smell emanate from. Had a little trip on P and O Iona recently. Their first LNG Ship and largest. Not a whiff of anything that I could discern, but then it was not stamped made in China!
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Galacia is diesel powered, not CNG. Salamanca is CNG.

P&O Iona was built in Germany
 
Just to add our recent experience on the Galicia...

We were on it on Dec 2nd for the 34Hr crossing in a Dog Friendly Cabin, Only Issues we had was the Loading and Unloading times, it was delayed on departure by 45mins,but still arrived on time....Hundreds of Thousands already used it, and can't find many negative comments online...

Its a Cross Channel Car Ferry, not a Cross Atlantic Liner, but obviously this is only as we found it, we all have different expectations...

Search for sites is another, some peeps expect London Living for Blackpool Prices on some of the sites, where as 90% of the reviewers are very happy with what they got for their money...Just my Humble Opinion you Understand...
 
dash300 said:
Being LNG where did the Diesel smell emanate from. Had a little trip on P and O Iona recently. Their first LNG Ship and largest. Not a whiff of anything that I could discern, but then it was not stamped made in China!
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Galicia isn't powered by LNG, she's MGO. Salamanca & Sedona will be powered by LNG/electric Hybrids which is why their vehicle decks will have less capacity. Both the smaller Bretagne II & Normandie II will be also be powered by LNG/electric hybrids.

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Kozikot said:
Its a Cross Channel Car Ferry, not a Cross Atlantic Liner, but obviously this is only as we found it, we all have different expectations...
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Doesn't matter if it's a cross channel car ferry or a cross atlantic liner - shouldn't have to put up with any diesel fumes in the cabin and corridor, let alone the level of fumes on our crossing.
 
RobertJary said:
Doesn't matter if it's a cross channel car ferry or a cross atlantic liner - shouldn't have to put up with any diesel fumes in the cabin and corridor, let alone the level of fumes on our crossing.
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As I stated, only my Humble Opinion of our Experience, in case you missed it...
 
We took Galicia back and forth to Cherbourg and St Malo this autumn.
Slept in 8139 and 8142

Thoughts:
Staff were lovely
Cabin was noisy from the engine and there was a smell of diesel (but not overpowering)
Definite risk of folk on the outside deck choosing your cabin door to go back inside.
Embarking from Cherbourg took hours with several folk sent to the naughty step for their paperwork and at least one cocky would be immigrant who kept coming back despite the angry dog.
Only one check in desk for all - around 150 minutes before joining yet another queue.
Grumpy French customs. Nice Brit customs.

Always go pont Aven for the big trip
 
bladerunner said:
We took Galicia back and forth to Cherbourg and St Malo this autumn.
Slept in 8139 and 8142

Thoughts:
Staff were lovely
Cabin was noisy from the engine and there was a smell of diesel (but not overpowering)
Definite risk of folk on the outside deck choosing your cabin door to go back inside.
Embarking from Cherbourg took hours with several folk sent to the naughty step for their paperwork and at least one cocky would be immigrant who kept coming back despite the angry dog.
Only one check in desk for all - around 150 minutes before joining yet another queue.
Grumpy French customs. Nice Brit customs.

Always go pont Aven for the big trip
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So did you have the double bed cabins that we had?
 
Eurotrotters:
yep. both were.
actually good beds, but the shower area not as good as Pont Aven IMO.
And its a lot a stairs in motorcycle gear wearing a face mask.
 
I agree

I fondly remember my first long ferry journey - I think it was P&O Portsmouth to Bilbao. two nights one day.
Commodore cabin at the front with three rooms - sitting, bed and bathroom.
Personal assistant if needed.
Full fridge of booze
Great meal passing Isle of Wight - which was lit up by firework display.
Sat in armchair next day watching close to 100 porpoises playing in the bow wave

May also have been something to do with the person I was with at the time - but that's strictly "no comment" territory !!!
 
bladerunner said:
I agree

I fondly remember my first long ferry journey - I think it was P&O Portsmouth to Bilbao. two nights one day.
Commodore cabin at the front with three rooms - sitting, bed and bathroom.
Personal assistant if needed.
Full fridge of booze
Great meal passing Isle of Wight - which was lit up by firework display.
Sat in armchair next day watching close to 100 porpoises playing in the bow wave

May also have been something to do with the person I was with at the time - but that's strictly "no comment" territory !!!
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I did like POB though.

I remember when we were on one night, disco was full, cigarette smoke included. It was too loud for us and the little ones. So we went off to bed. I decided I wanted a smoke so went up in the lift to the deck.

On my way back the lift doors opened and some woman stood inside shouted to me "Wheres my F in Pint" (As she stood there with one in her hand 🤔). I waved her on, the lift doors closed, I went up the stairway instead. When I got to our floor, a bloke who looked a bit like me was waiting for the lift doors to open. As they did, out popped the drunken lady who proceeded to pour her pint over his head.

I was so glad I used the stairs.
 
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We travelled on the Portsmouth-Santander crossing of 2 Dec 2021 on deck 7, outer cabin.
There was a strong smell of diesel fumes in our corridor but hardly noticeable in the cabin. The wind was from NW then W.

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We travelled from Spain on board the Galacia on the 27th November this year. We had an outside cabin on deck 9 and did not have any smell of diesel. I found this ferry very boring with no entertainment at all for the whole crossing. The duty free shop must be the smallest on a ferry and it only sold French wine which I found surprising as it travels from England to Spain. The 4 berth outside cabin we had was on the small side but clean and tidy. The food was only ok and not a patch to what we used to get on the old Pride of Bilbao[P&O]. I found the staff very friendly and helpful. This was a rough crossing. I found this ship was second rate compared to the Pride of Bilbao which had various types of entertainment throughout the crossing. It also had a large duty free shop, hairdressers, amusement arcade and far superior restaurants. Come back P &O.
 
hymermick said:
We travelled from Spain on board the Galacia on the 27th November this year. We had an outside cabin on deck 9 and did not have any smell of diesel. I found this ferry very boring with no entertainment at all for the whole crossing. The duty free shop must be the smallest on a ferry and it only sold French wine which I found surprising as it travels from England to Spain. The 4 berth outside cabin we had was on the small side but clean and tidy. The food was only ok and not a patch to what we used to get on the old Pride of Bilbao[P&O]. I found the staff very friendly and helpful. This was a rough crossing. I found this ship was second rate compared to the Pride of Bilbao which had various types of entertainment throughout the crossing. It also had a large duty free shop, hairdressers, amusement arcade and far superior restaurants. Come back P &O.
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Wonder why P&O pulled off the route, no other operator has been able to make them pay.
I used the Pride of Bilbao a few times and others with entertainment and other stuff that I am not interested in, it all goes on the ticket price.
Can't see the point of a duty free shop even now that we have duty free back, as far as I can see stuff is still cheaper in Spain.
 
matamoros said:
Wonder why P&O pulled off the route, no other operator has been able to make them pay.
I used the Pride of Bilbao a few times and others with entertainment and other stuff that I am not interested in, it all goes on the ticket price.
Can't see the point of a duty free shop even now that we have duty free back, as far as I can see stuff is still cheaper in Spain.
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I have always found P&O to have a far cheaper ticket price than Brittany Ferries.
 
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hymermick said:
We travelled from Spain on board the Galacia on the 27th November this year. We had an outside cabin on deck 9 and did not have any smell of diesel. I found this ferry very boring with no entertainment at all for the whole crossing. The duty free shop must be the smallest on a ferry and it only sold French wine which I found surprising as it travels from England to Spain. The 4 berth outside cabin we had was on the small side but clean and tidy. The food was only ok and not a patch to what we used to get on the old Pride of Bilbao[P&O]. I found the staff very friendly and helpful. This was a rough crossing. I found this ship was second rate compared to the Pride of Bilbao which had various types of entertainment throughout the crossing. It also had a large duty free shop, hairdressers, amusement arcade and far superior restaurants. Come back P &O.
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www.hiddeneurope.eu

From Bilbao to Murmansk: A Tale of One Princess

Large ferries often go through multiple incarnations and we developed a sort of vicarious attachment to the Princess Anastasia, a vessel which we saw in Bilbao in 2008, and which is now based near Murmansk where she has become part of the infrastructure for tackling the COVID pandemic.
www.hiddeneurope.eu www.hiddeneurope.eu
 
matamoros said:
Wonder why P&O pulled off the route, no other operator has been able to make them pay.
I used the Pride of Bilbao a few times and others with entertainment and other stuff that I am not interested in, it all goes on the ticket price.
Can't see the point of a duty free shop even now that we have duty free back, as far as I can see stuff is still cheaper in Spain.
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We loved PoB. The entertainment was varied with a piano bar, bingo (never went), highlights from shows, casino (never went) and 2 films (never went). However, the greatest attraction for us was the superb views from the observation deck, where the wildlife officer gave reports of dolphins, whales etc which he had spotted. The camaradie there was excellent and we used to try to grab the central seat at 8am when it opened! (And we stayed until it closed, taking turns to get food and drinks, or go to the loo ;) )

Duty free? I can't imagine supermarkets carrying out the checks and paperwork to allow that, so it is probably duty paid (at the local rate and still cheap).

Gordon

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