Portsmouth to St Malo Ferries
The Portsmoth to St Malo ferry crossing, serviced by Brittany Ferries is bound to give you a relaxing start to your family holiday. Of all of the longer ferry crossings it is without a doubt the most picturesque. You get the convenience of a departure from Portsmouth, with it's excellent facilities in case you've time to spare, plus you get to enjoy making port in the beautiful and historic harbour town of St Malo.
Outward ferries from Portsmouth to St Malo run evening crossings, typically departing around 8pm and taking about 12 hours. this is intentionally longer than daytime crossings to allow weary travellers a chance to rest and fully appreciate the onboard facilities. On overnight crossings some form of accommodation is mandatory, although this can range from reclining lounge seats to comfortable cabin berths. In fact, if you opt for one of the more luxurious Commodore Class cabins you can enjoy a fully stocked mini bar in the evening and have breakfast served to your room the next morning.
The return crossing from St Malo to Portsmouth is usually a daytime cruise with a shorter duration of only 9 hours. Although shorter than the overnight outbound ferry this still gives you plenty of time to relax.
In addition to 2000 passengers and about 500 vehicles the ferry also houses a cinema, duty free shop, games room and a selection of bars and restaurants. Catering options range from self-service to a more relaxed piano bar with table service. In the lounge bar you can kick back and relax while watching the big screen TV and leave the kids to play in the soft play area. If you'd really like to push out the boat (pun intended) you can always try the onboard "a la carte" restaurant, although it's advisable to book a table in advance.
The ferries on the Portsmouth to St Malo are especially well equipped for family fun, and you can tell that Brittany Ferries knows the challenges that a parent faces when travelling with kids. The cinemas are usually showing family friendly features, and there's a kids disco in the lounge bar before the evening really gets underway. By the time you've watched a movie, had a drink then enjoyed a meal you'll be ready for your bed.
When you wake in the morning you'll have just enough time to enjoy breakfast at the self serve restaurant before going above deck to watch the beautiful port of St Malo come into view.
St Malo itself is a fortified and historic harbour town, with many attractions to explore. It seems a shame that so many tourists don't stay for long enough to appreciate the charms of St Malo, and if you have enough time to spare you could far worse than take a look around before hitting the road for the next leg of your journey.