Brittany Ferries has confirmed its direct service between Ireland and Spain for 2024 and has released 2024's schedule. The year-round service will be twice weekly, connecting Rosslare Ireland with Bilbao (Spain Basque Country), with each sailing taking ~30 hours.
Summer 2023's one-way fares currently available are priced from EUR 451 for a car and two people, including reserved seats.
During a specific period from November 7th to March 25th, 2024, the main destination will temporarily switch from Bilbao to Santander (Spain Cantabria). This change is necessary to facilitate work on Port Bilbao's infrastructure, according to Brittany Ferries.
The Ireland-Spain ferry crossings are operated since November 2022 with the Salamanca ship, accommodating 1015 passengers across 321 cabins. The ship has been well-received by Irish customers, with reservations for this year showing a significant increase compared to the previous vessel.
In 2024, Salamanca will be joined by two sisterships - Santona and Galicia. The three ferries will share the sailings to Spain. Galicia (2020-launched) has a similar passenger capacity but offers 421 cabins, while Santona (2022-launched) has 341 cabins. Both Santona and Salamanca are Stena E-Flexer vessels powered by LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas).
The three cruise ferries cater to car and foot passengers, as well as travelers with motorhomes or bicycles, in addition to freight traffic (trucks and semi-trailers).
Passengers can enjoy a variety of high-quality French and Spanish dining options, duty-free shopping, and family-friendly entertainment on all three vessels. Brittany Ferries also offers a limited number of pet-friendly cabins. In the summer months, passengers can even participate in whale- and dolphin-watching activities, accompanied by expert wildlife guides from Brittany Ferries' conservation partner ORCA.
French timetables for 2024 will be made available shortly, according to the company's announcement.