What's new for 2009? New ship, new route and more
Despite the doom and gloom of every recent news bulletin, Brittany Ferries is upbeat about its exciting plans for next year. First and foremost is the introduction in February of a new luxury cruise-ferry, built specifically for the Plymouth-Roscoff route. Then in March a new weekly service from Portsmouth to Santander in northern Spain starts, with a crossing time of just 24 hours.
The new state-of-the-art £90 million ship, Armorique, has room for 1,500 passengers and over 500 cars and will provide exceptional levels of comfort and style on the route which established the company some 35 years ago. Incorporating the very latest technology, Armorique will be particularly fuel efficient as well as environmentally-friendly by keeping CO2 emissions to a minimum.
The new route to Spain will use its flagship, Pont Aven, which is more like a cruise liner than a ferry. With a crossing time of just 24 hours, it will be some 8 hours faster than other ferry services from Portsmouth to northern Spain.
Having one of the most modern fleets on the channel and maintaining a premium quality service is a priority for Brittany Ferries, which is why Bretagne, a firm favourite amongst many of its regular travellers, is undergoing a £5 million upgrade this winter. This will include the installation of flat screen TVs in 50 Club cabins with access to Sky Sport and other English language channels plus, amongst other things, a redesigned restaurant. Also, WI-FI is being introduced progressively on board all ships.
David Longden, Managing Director, comments: "Brittany Ferries has built a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its service and ships which is why we are continuing to innovate and invest during these difficult economic times. I am particularly enthusiastic about the new route to Spain as Portsmouth is easily accessible via an excellent road network for a huge number of people located in Greater London and the Home Counties. The appeals of Northern Spain are becoming more widely appreciated and, by providing a faster crossing than anyone else is able to, thereby allowing passengers to spend just one night at sea, we believe we can grow the market."
Released 3 November 2008
