The impressive Val de Loire joined the fleet in 1993 following a multi million pound
conversion and rebuild programme. She offers cruise ship facilities including cabaret
bars, award winning restaurants, shopping malls, cinemas and even a swimming pool. Initially operating on the premier Spanish service the Val de Loire now operates 
between Portsmouth, St Malo and Cherbourg throughout the year.

ship history...
The Val de Loire started life as the Nils Holgersson of TT-Line sailing between Trelleborg and Travemünde. She was constructed at the Bremerhaven shipyard in Germany and officially entered service on the 26th June 1987. At the end of 1992  Brittany Ferries had purchased the vessel for their expanding Spanish operations, as well as to meet the new threat of a competing ferry service to Spain from 1993. On the 14th January 1993 the Nils Holgersson was re-named Val de Loire, and set sail for the INMA shipyard in Italy for a major re-build and refurbishment programme to be carried out prior to entering service with Brittany Ferries.

She officially entered service in June 1993, her maiden voyage being between Roscoff and Plymouth prior to sailing to Santander and Cork later that week. The Val de Loire proved both successful and popular on the Spanish service having operated the route for 11 years, the longest period any Brittany Ferries vessel has served on the route. Her final sailing to Santander took place on the 21st March 2004 prior to the arrival of the newly built Pont-Aven. She departed Plymouth during the evening of the 23rd March bound for St. Malo where she now operates to and from Portsmouth daily.

The Val de Loire made a welcome return to Plymouth during February 2005 where she covered for the Bretagne whilst on refit.

For further information on the Val de Loire visit our feature.