Holiday destinations for the accompanied traveller

[BruidheanChaorthainn]

There used to be a show on it in the evening. Irish dancing and what not in a huge open room with a massive bar.

[Fagan_ODowd]

@BruidheanChaorthainn

The last car on is the first
Car off too as we found out one year

When I boarded I’d usually go up on deck and watch the last cars racing for the boat. Don’t know how people live like that, last minute.com.

[BruidheanChaorthainn]

Twas coming home we got caught.

It’s lovely though sailing out in the evening. I used to always fill on match magazines and premier league previews as we’d go in the middle of August.

[BruidheanChaorthainn]

@TreatyStones

That seems like a bit of an ordeal. I saw a few Irish regs on site last week in the south of France. That’s some trek. 18 hours on a boat and then another full day driving across the country.

The boat was good craic for a youngster. You’d a couple of restaurants and plenty of arcades along with going on deck.

You wouldn’t notice the time going by. Invariably you’d just wake up get breakfast and then you’d be on your way again.

[Fagan_ODowd]

@TreatyStones

That seems like a bit of an ordeal. I saw a few Irish regs on site last week in the south of France. That’s some trek. 18 hours on a boat and then another full day driving across the country.

I never found it an ordeal. Most relaxing part of the holiday at times. Bit of grub, few pints and retire to the cabin for a good nights kip. Much more relaxing than trying to get through an airport and being snarled at by the Ryanair Kampcommandant.
Getting to the South of France by car would require at least one and preferably two nights stopping. If you picked your stops well you could have a grand evening in a nice French town.

Plus loading up your car with cheap hooch on the way back is one of the great perks of Ferry travel. I’m sure @BruidheanChaorthainn has happy memories of sitting on a box of Cotes de Rhone on his way back from Cork to Limerick

[Little_Lord_Fauntleroy]

the boat is the beginning of the holiday in fairness, its enjoyable

[Esso_Oil]

@Little_Lord_Fauntleroy

the boat is the beginning of the holiday in fairness, its enjoyable

Did it for years when the kids were young. Brittanyy Ferries from Cork was the best of the routes. As yoy say the holiday starts when you drive onto the boat. Went mad one year and drove from Roscoff to San Seabastan.

[BruidheanChaorthainn]

@Fagan_ODowd

@TreatyStones

That seems like a bit of an ordeal. I saw a few Irish regs on site last week in the south of France. That’s some trek. 18 hours on a boat and then another full day driving across the country.

I never found it an ordeal. Most relaxing part of the holiday at times. Bit of grub, few pints and retire to the cabin for a good nights kip. Much more relaxing than trying to get through an airport and being snarled at by the Ryanair Kampcommandant.
Getting to the South of France by car would require at least one and preferably two nights stopping. If you picked your stops well you could have a grand evening in a nice French town.

Plus loading up your car with cheap hooch on the way back is one of the great perks of Ferry travel. I’m sure @BruidheanChaorthainn has happy memories of sitting on a box of Cotes de Rhone on his way back from Cork to Limerick

Indeed I do. That was the big thing for my dad. Load the car up with wine coming home.

[Jake_Stevens]

@Little_Lord_Fauntleroy

the boat is the beginning of the holiday in fairness, its enjoyable

It is your holiday. You only get there and you have to come back

UK to Australia without flying - how to do it.

[tallback]

@Fagan_ODowd

@tallback

Lads. Anyone done the Irish Ferries spin from Dublin to Cherbourg?

We’re heading out this Friday. Ferry is scheduled to depart at 4. Any feedback on when they actually start boarding and when to aim to get there? Website says no later than 60 mins but not sure what’s a good target

I’ve done it multiple times. No science to the boarding that I could ever decipher. I usually get there ninety minutes before the off (but that’s just me, I’d be factoring in disaster scenarios in case I’d miss the sailing). Once you check in you drive in to a large holding pen and you wait til they give the nod to board. You can access the terminal building while you wait which has minimal facilities but crucially has toilets. Don’t overdo the wait in the terminal as you don’t want to be the cunt whose lane was delayed boarding because you and your kids were in the jacks. Fellas would be pointing at you and growling the whole way through the sailing.
Be handy to have something to amuse the children while you wait.

Make sure to have your stuff for one night in a small bag or as few small bags as you can carry. Getting from the car to the cabin decks and back (especially with children and all their accoutrements) is about the only difficult part of the crossing and you will want to be carrying as little luggage as possible.

The grub on the boat is edible if expensive and the bars are grand. Sit up in the bar and sup a pint and let your children run riot like everybody else does. There’s a “quiet room” for cranky fuckers like me where we can go and read a book in peace, so you won’t be putting in or out on the likes of me.

Much appreciated - kinda fits with my memories of doing it as a kid or the Holyhead ones. I’ll aim for check in 90 mins or so ahead.

I’d tend to agree with some of the memories here about it being part of the holiday - certainly was when we were kids anyway.

Heading for il du re. Stopping for a night in Nantes on the way down so drive very manageable. Roscoff would be good but hard to look past the convenience of a ferry port 20 mins from your front door.

I was already delighted to be skipping airport hell but extra happy not to be worried about Aer Lingus etc.

[TheUlteriorMotive]

How do you find driving RHD car on continent.

[tallback]

@TheUlteriorMotive

How do you find driving RHD car on continent.

Never had an issue before. Drove from UK to Tuscany ten years ago for a wedding with no problems

[backinatracksuit]

@BruidheanChaorthainn

The last car on is the first
Car off too as we found out one year

The last car on is allowed to skip past all the other cars and park at the very front of the boat?? And on the correct deck, wow

The boat is grand, but it’s a long time and there’s very little to do really

[gilgamboa]

@TreatyStones

That seems like a bit of an ordeal. I saw a few Irish regs on site last week in the south of France. That’s some trek. 18 hours on a boat and then another full day driving across the country.

You’d want to be going for three weeks to drive to the south…or stay on a few campsites on way down to break it up. The ferry is a part of the holiday it is zero hassle

[gilgamboa]

@tallback

Stopping for a night in Nantes on the way down s

This place well worth a visit in Nantes

Nantes mechanical elephant - Elephant in Nantes - Les Machines de l'île

[backinatracksuit]

It broke down while we were on it and couldn’t get off for a few hours

[tallback]

@gilgamboa

@tallback

Stopping for a night in Nantes on the way down s

This place well worth a visit in Nantes

Nantes mechanical elephant - Elephant in Nantes - Les Machines de l'île

Thanks! Saw it online but great to hear it’s worth it. Reckon it’s perfect for the kids

[gilgamboa]

@tallback

Thanks! Saw it online but great to hear it’s worth it. Reckon it’s perfect for the kids

There is loads inside there aside from the elephant…cool spot

[backinatracksuit]

The old town of Nantes is fantastic as well, definitely worth a couple of hours strolling, beautiful botanical gardens also which I think are close to the big elephant

[caulifloweredneanderthal]

@Phil_Leotardo

Gran Castillo, Playa Blanca, Lanzarote.

Signing in Phil.

Great recommendation.