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Earlier Opening of Brittany Ferries Reservations for 2022

6th April 2021
Opening today, Brittany Ferries has begun making available reservations for the 2022 season. Above AFLOAT adds the cruiseferry Armorique sailing last week from Ringaskiddy, Cork Harbour.
Opening today, Brittany Ferries has begun making available reservations for the 2022 season. Above the cruiseferry Armorique sailing last week to and from Ringaskiddy, Cork Harbour. Credit: Bob Bateman

As from today, Brittany Ferries has opened its books for 2022 reservations in a move that comes three months earlier than normal and is partly designed to meet customer demand for holidays next year.

But as the French ferry operator highlights, this is also aimed to deliver reassurance to those who hold 2021 reservations, should a return to international travel be delayed.

“We share the prime minister’s optimism that international travel will be back on the menu by May 17,” said Paul Acheson, sales and marketing director Brittany Ferries. “But we also know that many travellers may be concerned about the situation in the countries we serve. Opening early means we cover all bases. We can serve those wishing to book ahead, offering the best choice for 2022 sailings. We can also bring flexibility and reassurance for those with a 2021 booking who may wish to amend their reservation at some point in the weeks ahead.”

The launch will come in two phases, starting today. In phase one, most Brittany Ferries routes to France and Spain will open, covering services extending to November 2022. The list includes ferries linking Portsmouth with Caen and St Malo, Portsmouth & Plymouth with Santander, and Cork with Roscoff. Other routes will be open for sale too, but for now these will be limited to services operating into March next year.

For more details visit this link here.

Published in Brittany Ferries, Ferry
Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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About Brittany Ferries

In 1967 a farmer from Finistère in Brittany, Alexis Gourvennec, succeeded in bringing together a variety of organisations from the region to embark on an ambitious project: the aim was to open up the region, to improve its infrastructure and to enrich its people by turning to traditional partners such as Ireland and the UK. In 1972 BAI (Brittany-England-Ireland) was born.

The first cross-Channel link was inaugurated in January 1973, when a converted Israeli tank-carrier called Kerisnel left the port of Roscoff for Plymouth carrying trucks loaded with Breton vegetables such as cauliflowers and artichokes. The story, therefore, begins on 2 January 1973, 24 hours after Great Britain's entry into the Common Market (EEC).

From these humble beginnings however, Brittany Ferries as the company was re-named quickly opened up to passenger transport, then became a tour operator.

Today, Brittany Ferries has established itself as the national leader in French maritime transport: an atypical leader, under private ownership, still owned by a Breton agricultural cooperative.

Eighty five percent of the company’s passengers are British.

Key Brittany Ferries figures:

  • Turnover: €202.4 million (compared with €469m in 2019)
  • Investment in three new ships, Galicia plus two new vessels powered by cleaner LNG (liquefied natural gas) arriving in 2022 and 2023
  • Employment: 2,474 seafarers and shore staff (average high/low season)
  • Passengers: 752,102 in 2020 (compared with 2,498,354 in 2019)
  • Freight: 160,377 in 2020 (compared with 201,554 in 2019)
  • Twelve ships operating services that connect France, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain (non-Covid year) across 14 routes
  • Twelve ports in total: Bilbao, Santander, Portsmouth, Poole, Plymouth, Cork, Rosslare, Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre, Saint-Malo, Roscoff
  • Tourism in Europe: 231,000 unique visitors, staying 2.6 million bed-nights in France in 2020 (compared with 857,000 unique visitors, staying 8,7 million bed-nights in 2019).