I took a Mini-Cruise on a Ferry! Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth to St Malo – the full experience!

I took a Mini-Cruise on a Ferry! Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth to St Malo – the full experience!

[Music] Hey there everybody, it’s Jamie here and a very warm welcome to your to travel blog Jamie and indeed welcome to Portsmouth UK. Coming up in today’s episode, an afternoon in Portsmouth, UK and the Sper tower ahead of our mini cruise on board San Mallaloor. I’ll show you the check-in process, the boarding process, a tour of my cabin, [Music] a tour of the ferry, entertainment options on board, all the food and drink options, and the disembarkcation process. We’ll then spend a whole day together exploring San Malo, France. [Music] Next up, my overnight stay at the Pierre Evacons Apartments. And finally, the return ferry journey to the UK. All this and much more. It’s day one and as I often do, I’ll be making my way to Portsmouth by train from my home of Bazing Stoke. I will be a foot passenger on this ferry. As you can see, Britany Feries offers multiple routes from the UK to France. I’ll be on the overnight crossing from Portsmouth to San Malo. About 1 hour and 10 minutes later, I make it to Portsmouth. It’s a port city in Hampshire on the south coast of England. It’s also built mostly on Port Sea Island and the UK’s only island city. It’s also famous for its maritime heritage and historic dockyard. Before joining the Samalo Ferry, I’ll be taking a ride to the top of the Spinica Tower. It stands at 170 m tall, offers 23 mile views over Portsmouth Harbor, the city, the Solent, the South Downs, and the Isisle of White. You can also just make out where our ferry will be docked. Uh, no, I don’t know why I’m walking over these glass panels either. Apparently, it’s called the Skywalk, 100 m above sea level. Lucky me. Thankfully, there’s also a bar up here, the clouds. Enjoy a drink or high tea. Back with our feet firmly on the ground, it seems somebody knows me very well. And finally, before heading to the ferry terminal, a late lunch at the Giggling Squid. Some awesome Thai food. Well, my ship tracker says the San Mallo should be coming around the riverbend any moment now. Oh, look at that. on the dot. My chariot arrives. Who knew I’d be this excited about getting back on a ferry after about three decades? The Sam Ferry is a popular choice for cruising direct into Britany. Built in 2024, this is a greener ship combining LNG, that’s liqufied natural gas, with electric battery power. With a 10 to 12hour overnight crossing, there are a range of cabins and restaurants to choose from. Don’t leave without me. She’ll be docked around 2 miles from Gumwolf Key. So, it’s either a 10-minute Uber. It’s coming out at £7 or £8 right now. I guess you could walk in about 40 minutes or you could take the train one stop to Portsmouth South Sea and then it would be about a 15 20 minute walk from there. I don’t know what to do. What should we do? Where shall I go? I choose the train. Made it with 1 minute to go. That was about 3 or 4 minutes on the train. Exit the station. Turn right. Head up the high street. Ooh, fountain. 20 minutes on the nose, or at least at my pace. Welcome y’all to Portsmouth International Port. Foot passengers are expected to arrive 45 minutes before sailing at the latest. All checked in. I just needed to show my passport and proof of my reservation. We’re going to be called to board in about 30 minutes, so I need to present this boarding card. apparently is also the key card to my cruise, I mean ferry to my cabin. It’s nice and cool in here, by the way. And we have a general store. Actually, this is very handy indeed, in case you’ve forgotten any essentials. I don’t even know if you can drink the water from the bathroom in your cabin. Better to be safe than sorry. We have a cafe up on the first floor. Very handy indeed. Oh my god, look how long I am. Uh, someone’s playing the piano down there. Very good at it. Very pleasant outdoor area. We have a bush. All righty. We’ve just had an announcement to begin boarding through security. And now we bought a bus to the ship. Oh my god, the tripus actually onto the ship. Just gone over a ramp now. Is this like the air bridge? Holy macaroni. Wow. Here we are on the ship arriving at jet 3. There is indeed a lift. I’m walking because help elf darlings. Well, this reminds me of a crew area so far. Passenger decks span decks 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Most of the facilities can be found on decks 7 and 8 and passenger cabins decks 6, 7, 8, and 9. I’m still gobsmacked that this ferry will fit 1,310 passengers. Where will we all go? And lastly, deck 10 is an open deck. Welcome to deck 6. Apparently, my cabin’s here. Okay, well, I have cabin 6 3 56. Cabins are still being cleaned. So, I’m heading on up to deck 7. Oh my goodness. They have a wellness room. Huh. Didn’t expect that. Imagine spa treatment on a ferry. I never knew that was a thing. I do now. Would you look at that, folks? You can even have your nails done. And no, nobody is touching my nails or my feet for that matter. Seating area. Plenty of European sockets here. Make sure if you’re traveling from the UK, you bring an adapter. Oh, duty free. Not open just yet, but we’ll have a peep inside a little bit later. Oh my goodness. Is this supposed to be an atrium? Is it? Cuz if it is, I’m here for it. Next to our atrium. Yes, I’m calling it that. We have a nice comfort little lounge area. Again, more sockets here to charge your devices and USB ports. We have a vending machine here. Hot drinks here. Reception straight ahead. Another shop. We’ll check that out later. Okay. I did have a question as to whether we were changed in the hour. Looks like we’re staying on British time. Llage. I wonder what this is. I mean, it means the beach, doesn’t it? But what is it? Well, would you look at this? Fairies have certainly changed since I last on board one. Got all these screens here with information about your destination, your departure port. Oh, this is quite funky. And the artwork as well. I like it. More funky artwork. I approve. More seating down here and charging points. Funky AF, my darlings. Wow. I’m assuming this will be open a little later. Some of the snacks and drinks. This is super colorful, isn’t it? We have a terrace area. Oh my goodness. Wow. And you’re going to get awesome views of the cars. Oh, we got steps. Up we go. By all accounts, there’s a deluxe lounge just in here. But you got to be posh for that. I ain’t posh. This is awesome. I love it. I mean, I haven’t even seen my cabin. I don’t care. I’ll sleep out here tonight. Oh my god. Look at this. On top deck, there’s a well-being area. You’re kidding me. This is crazy. And what an absolutely stunning evening for a ferry journey. This is actually nicer than a couple cruise ships I’ve been on. A lot cheaper as well. Wow, the colors are absolutely beautiful. Another seating area. I wonder if there’s a bar near here. I don’t see a bar, but this is a very nice seating area. Aha. That has got to be the top of our beloved atrium. Oh, I might go on that later. Oh, you’re kidding me. Two to six. What? Loads of seating and chairs up here actually. Awesome. We have a live music duo of charm. Did you hear that? We got live music. Yes. In the bar. I don’t know where the bar is. Another we playground over here. Let’s explore a little bit more inside. I’m desperate to find these bars. And then then we’ll head to our cabin. I have located a bar. I repeat, I have located a bar. And I got that wrong. That’s not the glass roof to our atrium. It’s to this whole bar and lounge area. It’s awesome. Okay, maybe I wasn’t wrong after all. That looks like the atrium staircase we saw earlier. I’ll have to have a picture on that later. Wear me tucks or something. Wow. It looks like they’ve got loads of seating areas, doesn’t it? They literally got on and on and Ariston. Ooh, what’s this? Looks like the Jadang is the quick serve restaurant. This looks very nice indeed. It’s the sea club lounge. Well, that ain’t cheap, is it? Does look nice in there. Having said that, we got three restaurants to choose from. The sea club, as we’ve just seen, Lolita and Ljadan. So many funky little spots. Love it. From a 50% discount. Oh, look at that. Oh, you’re so cute. It honestly looks like they’ve got pretty much everything covered in these shops. Can we actually call this a prom deck? I’m not sure actually, my darlings. We are on the move though. See you Pongy Portsmouth. I wanted to remind you at this stage that of course we’re on here tonight. We’re arriving to Samalo tomorrow morning, but our return journey is through the morning and afternoon. So, we will get to try some of the venues on board. I promise you. Not sure about that 55 euro buffet though. Let’s do this. Sam Mallaloor. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Well, a couple things have taken me by surprise. First of all, just how nice the public areas are, but also I wasn’t expecting so many people to be so excited about traveling on this ferry. And yet, there’s like lots of squeals of delight and pointing and smiling and pictures. I love that. What I’m most excited about is checking out our cabin. Come on, let’s do it. Wow, it’s like a maze. I thought cruise ships were confusing. Right, you are here. 6356 straight ahead. If you’d like a cabin for the crossing, choose from a standard two and four ber cabin, a six birth cabin for large groups and families. Pet friendly, wheelchair accessible, and allergyfriendly cabins are also available. For a touch of luxury, there are also five different types of Commodore cabins available and the Admiral cabin. It’s actually the largest cabin on any ship in the Britany Ferry’s fleet. By staying in one of these cabins, you’ll also have access to the Commodore Lounge. Oh, what is that? It’s right next to my cabin, whatever it is. 6356. Now, let’s see if this works. Oh my god, it does. Come on in. I’m excited. Well, for an overnighter fixer upper, it’s actually not bad at all. Look, we’ve got a Bonvoyage welcome light on the floor. That is so cool. As you come in, you have a near floor to ceiling length mirror. Always appreciated. One of those torture devices. We don’t talk about those. Just a little bit of storage space tucked behind. Um, some hangers. There’s a shelf up there. And I mean, it’s quite narrow, but you could pop a few bits and bobs. Sword and sort nick and that brick and right down there. Two by hook or crooks. We’ve got uh a very small uh vanity/workstation area with a pink poof. And I can see a hair dryer below. Let’s just check out how powerful that is or not. Oh, actually that’s not bad at all. And what’s that there for? Oh, heating. Yeah, good. That’s not too bad, is it? We have a European socket, a UK socket, and we also have a USB port here. I didn’t realize this cabin would actually come with a Oh, maneuverable as well. Television. That’s quite cool. And we’ve got another European socket behind. We’ll check out the channels a little bit later. Now, this is a four birth, as you can see. That would be a bit cramped, but since you’re only in here one night, I think you would be absolutely fine. I mean, if there are four of you and you’ve got luggage, not much space for it, my darlings. Just because we’re on a ferry doesn’t mean angles and perspectives aren’t everything. They still bloody are. I love how they’ve made a piece of wall art out of the bottom of that bunk, by the way. Very good. No idea how comfy this is going to be, but I will tell you in the morning, of course. Uh very handy little shelf here, which will be between the bottom beds with more charging device socketry. Four lights here, one for each bed. as you can see up here as well. Very handy indeed. I wondered if they’d have air con and they do indeed. I’ve had to turn mine right down because these people don’t know I like arctic conditions. It’s improving rapidly. And look, yes, it’s a sea view cabin. We have our own window. It’s dark. Who knows what’s going on out there, but hopefully we’ll have some good views when we arrive into Samalo. Are we scared to go into the bathroom? Of course we are. Let’s check it out, folks. Right, let me tell you from the outset, I actually think this bathroom is better than some cruise ship bathrooms I’ve experienced over the years. Please don’t tell me you were expecting glass doors on this shower. You weren’t, were you? Look, you’re going to get about one and a half people in here, but that’s fine cuz you don’t have to shower with someone. You know that, don’t you? Plenty of leg space in front of the toilet. Um, a little bit of shelf space around the sink basin. Good size mirror to add to the sensor space and light even here on a ferry. And there’s nothing to say you can’t drink the tap water. In fact, they got some cups here as well. We’ve got a shavers only point. Some hand wash. Do they have Yes, they do. Is that shampoo? Is it conditioner? I’ve haven’t got a Scooby to be honest with you, my darlings. It doesn’t actually have a label. Who knows? Extra boil. Thank you for that. We’ve got a bin, toilet brush, even that’s a metal one. Qunard, come on now. Uh, pretty much everything you need. Towels up here. Ooh, OCD kicking in. Please keep the toilet seat down. You don’t want any wet towels or pooy towels. And finally, two by hook or crooks on the back of the door. So, what do we think? It’s a ferry. We’ve got one night here. Are we going to be all right? Yeah, we are. I’m all right with this, you know. Time to unpack. Um, that’s kind of it really. It’s shower moment. Bit of a clingy curtain, I’m afraid, but good power. Oh, god blind me. That’s hot on me bits and bobs. Always test the water temperature. Oh, that is actually nice. We made it. Oh, look. If you know, you know, right? I’m all freshened up. No need to worry about dress code on a ferry. Thank goodness I tried out the shampoo. It’s like cocoa butter. Mhm. I mean, I literally wanted to eat it. It was all right. Better than what they give you on NCL. Let’s hit the town. Just so you know, on this crossing, you’ll receive 1 hour’s free internet access each way. Internet packages are also available to purchase starting at €3.50. I wonder if I’ll get a turnown. Very handy having my cabin right next to a stairwell. And look, an exhibition gallery. Are you kidding me? Oh, I love a model. All right, I’m heading to the quick serve lad. They got meal deals here. Not a bad selection actually. Prices um kind of what I thought for a ferry. This is like the the mindful garden, isn’t it? Right. That took an age. Anyway, here I am with a chicken curry chabata and some salad. Cheeky Pepsi Max. That came to £1150, so about £10. Can’t decide if that looks gross or not. I’ll tell you what, I’m not so keen on the uh salad dressing. It’s very vinegary and it’s run all over the plate. And onto my glorious chibata. Okay, it’s acceptable. That’s as much as I’m saying about it. Cheers everybody. There’s a magician/ comedian on right now. I don’t like that. It’s great for families, of course. And just one last thing. It’s inside the box. It is, of course, I am quite pleased it’s finished, though. I’m waiting for some live music. Apparently 10:30. Yes. This is a good savvy blanc, by the way. Just over £5. All righty. Let me show you the drinks menu on board and costs. Can we Can we respect on the old ship. Yeah, I know. I thought the oldest child is And thank God for snacks. She like [Music] showing all over you. [Music] Wasn’t expecting any live music, so that was a bonus. But it is time to start settling down for the night. We’re back, honey. Honey, turn down. No. It may not be much to write home about, but here’s the view from the bed. It’s important all these angles and stuff, you know. Emergency supplies, just in case. And you’re damn right I’m going to have them. Oh, it looks like we got a good number of channels on this television. Oh, look at that. were already out into the channel. We’re heading here. Videos on demand. Love that you don’t have to pay for these. It looks like breakfast is served on board in the restaurants between 6:00 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. UK time. I ain’t getting up that early. No, no, no. I’m going to sleep in and maybe have breakfast in Samo. That sounds like a better idea, doesn’t it? Of course it does. Bonjour. [Music] On that note, it is time for Betty Poos, especially not in a fairy cabin. Don’t forget Idiot. Good morning everybody. I had a terrible night’s sleep and it was nothing to do with this cabin cuz actually the air temperature in here is perfect for me. The bed was surprisingly comfy. Mattress kind of like middling when it comes to firmness. The duvet was nice and light. Zero problems with that. And there was no noise in here. A very smooth crossing. Just a tiny bit of rolling at one point. I just couldn’t get to sleep. I wasn’t anxious. I wasn’t thinking of anything in particular. Just one of those nights for me. What gives? Jamie’s brain. What gives? If you’re worried about sleeping through your alarm, please don’t panic. They pipe relaxing music into your cabin from 5:50 a.m. Oh, it’s now 6:50. We’ve just had an announcement into our cabin saying we must vacate and leave the doors open. Duly noted. Well, it’s time for those ritualistic farewells. Bye, little cabin. I’ve got to say, you were much more comfy than I was expecting. Not sure that I’d need a window again for an overnight crossing. Stupid Jamie. Oh my goodness. I didn’t notice this yesterday. A kennel and pet exercise area. That’s awesome. Bonjour. Get this. Our beloved bar is serving coffees and panos chocolate slo life force for duvi. Why is it the kids have all the fun? Oh, we haven’t seen Lolita yet. €1250 for a continental breakfast bucket. That’s not too bad actually. And if you like it hot in the mornings, €1850. And none too shabby in here. Very nice. Okay, time to disembark. [Music] This just blows my mind. Everything is like clockwork. So after your 5 minute shuttle from the ship to the terminal, it’s immigration time. after passport control straight into the ferry terminal. Let’s do this day. We got this. According to my trusty map, my hotel is in that direction. Not quite sure how far. I don’t think it’s more than 10 15 minute walk and the center of San Malo in this direction. We’re going that way. It’s way too early to check in for a hotel yet. I am indeed the blue dot. We will turn left. Pedestrian access. Mucho a precioo. And about 6 minutes later, we made it. Oh, palm trees. I love a bloody palm tree. Now, this looks like my sort of bar. How awesome. For anybody questioning where the sunshine is, I’ve ordered some for later. We don’t want to peek too early today, do we folks? Ooh, wheel. Along the marina, you can hop on board the a threemasted six rate frigot. A replica of HMS Blandford. This tour ship was built in 1996. Oh, it looks like we’re playing chicken with the sea water. I like this. Uh, yeah. Wet. What a start to the day. I’m soaked. Oh. Woo! Wa! It’s just water at the end of the day, isn’t it? Well, that was certainly a refreshing start to the day. It just needs some sunshine now to dry me off. Praying for sunshine. Wa! No, no, no. Okay, it seems like I need to really work on my prayers. Wo! I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun. Indeed. Pay attention to waves. Whoa. Looks like the tide is on its way out now. Oh, now this looks very cute. Wa. I mean, as long as you don’t mind nearly being swept out to sea, it’s none too shabby a walk. And she’s off. See you tomorrow morning, baby. Please do come back for me. All righty. I think it’s time we hit the fortified part of Samalo. These walls dating back to the 12th century. This is super picturesque. [Music] We got a trolley. [Music] I’m going on in. Oh, this is so cool and very French. Whenever I see steps, I’ve got to go up them. It’s so cute. 33,000 turds. This is bustling. Oh, look. Hotel Kakier, named after Jacqu Kakier, the famous French explorer from Salo. Oh, I thought I could smell something glorious. Anywhere specializing in gallette is a win in my book. Wow, these pastries look amaz. Oh yes, homemade gallette with emontal for me. Oh, that is like a little slice of heaven. We were told the German soldiers were still inside San Sal. You know what? I haven’t visited Samalo since I was a young boy. And I’d forgotten just how beautiful it is here. As one of my American friends asked me once, is that the House of Pain? I think bread, my darling’s bread. All [Music] right, it is time to head to our apartment, the Res Pierre Evac. From the ferry terminal, turn right and then keep left. Well, that was super straightforward. About 15 minutes from the ferry terminal, unlike our walk earlier, you turn right when you exit the terminal. Well, by all accounts, this is quite basic accommodation, but I spy a decent looking pool down there. Dinky little reception area and a lot of wicker. What a lovely welcome to France. Thank you so much to the staff here. We have made it. Apartment 207. Come on in. I paid £100 for this apartment. It sleeps four people. If there were four of you, I’d say that’s bloody good value. It’s just me, so stings a little bit more, but I think it’s still fair value, especially as we got a pool as well. The main bed, as you can see, is actually a sofa bed. Now, not everybody appreciates a sofa bed. I’ve read the reviews. Uh, I don’t have a problem with it, to be honest with you, as long as it’s comfy enough. As you can see, we have a dining area. Ooh, balcony. Nice. Didn’t realize that. We have a small kitchen, but it looks like we’ve got all the essentials. There’s a dishwasher. We’ve got a two- ring hob, microwave, lots of cupboard space. Aha. Full of utensils, dishes, pots and pans. More in here. Kettle, coffee machine. This looks like a good size fridge. Yeah, very good indeed. Uh, small freezer compartment at the top. It really does look like they’ve got everything covered for a self catering estate. Let’s check out that balcony and the views. There’s somebody next door. I can see their feet. I better be quiet. Stupidly didn’t check whether there was aircom when I booked. There is no air con. However, in spite of the very mild weather, uh it’s quite cool in here. So, I think we’re going to be just fine. Right. Let’s check out this bathroom. Oh, what is this? Oh, okay. Like a little closet. We’ve got plenty of hanging space there. Um shelf. Another huge shelf up there. No way I would reach that. And our bathroom. Uh lots of shelves here. I’ve seen a number of European sockets. This is quite basic, but more than acceptable, especially as I’m just here for one night. Yeah, we’ll be fine, won’t we? That is a twoperson shower. And there’s also room for one cheek, two cheeks, right? Now, do we have to do that in France? Do we? And as much as I’m having a lot of fun showing you all the storage and shelf space, I really want to go to the pool. Let’s hope this water temperature is acceptable. Oh, I can definitely get in that. Yes. That is nice. Just a teeny bit refreshing. You know me, I’m a total wimp, so I’ve managed to get in. It’s a good sign. All righty. Let’s have a look at the area surrounding our hotel. Doesn’t look too bad at all. I told you I was bringing the sunshine, did I not? I don’t let you down. Now look what I found. This is pl dea sablong. Just like the molds, isn’t it folks? [Music] Well, that was a fabulous afternoon. Going to head back into the old part of San Malo now because I’m going to need some foder at some point. We’re back. That took me 15 minutes on foot. My goodness me. Don’t things look better when the sun is shining. It’s literally busy here 24/7. Just went live. That was fabulous fun. And everybody said it was acceptable for me to go to Chapati for Indian street food. Just saying. This looks like my sort of place. No messing about. Apart from the back wall. I mean that is something else. These onion baji look really crispy and they smell amaze balls. They don’t smell of balls by the way. They smell of onion baji. Next course has arrived. Takadal and a plain na. Smells awesome. Oh, this is good stuff. Yummy, yummy, yummy. Big pointy thing. Uh-oh. Push me. I’ve gone under because those people ahead have gone under and they’re French. So if they can do it, I can bloody do it. Well, these locks are still very much operational. [Music] Well, that’s setting my tinus off, isn’t it? I’m back, babies. It’s time to get cozy. Woo! Smother me in cream and call me cracker, my darlings, after just a few hours sleep last night. 26,000 steps today. I am ready to hit the sack, Jack. And don’t you no tomorrow. We are sailing again. So, you better get some rest. Good night, Mami. I love you all. Um Oh, you up there. Get down first of all. And also start wearing deodorant. Good night. Oh, good morning everybody. I’ve tidied up the apartment. All the linen and towels are on the table as requested. Bins emptied. I did have a good night’s sleep in spite of the fact someone was having a rave or something somewhere. And this sofa bed is much more comfy than it looks. It worked for me. It’s 10 8. Time to say my ritualistic farewells of my little French apartment. Bye, baby. Thanks for being so accommodating. Bye shower for two and bye Mr. One cheek, two cheeks. Just a bit too scared to use that lift. I think I’ll take the stairs. Oh, colorento. Looks like we made it. All right, let’s get checked in at the Britany Fair’s counter. All checked in and cafe time. Oh, it says bar actually, doesn’t it? Okay, the def passport control followed by security and then through the Disney shop. Okay, taking the shuttle which will drive us onto the ferry. I’m on a ferry. We made it, folks. I’m coming home, mama. Today’s the weather forecast is good. Pretty good. Galma slide. We hope we All righty, let’s find ourselves a spot at La Plaza. Certainly a bit busier than when we came out, isn’t it? I look like I’m in a padded cell or something, don’t I? Although a nice blue one. Well, the journey back to Portouth is about 3 hours quicker than going out to San Mallo. As a result, and also because we are traveling through the daytime, I decided not to purchase a cabin for this journey. There are plenty of comfortable spaces to kick back and relax. I’m going to go to Lolita for my lunch today. We’re going to be fine, aren’t we? Don’t forget the ship is on UK time, so I’m going to need to put my devices back 1 hour. Couple snacks from the La Plaz bar. Now, each leg of the journey, you get one hour’s free Wi-Fi, but it’s unpausable, so make sure you’re in it for the duration. It’s the atrium of life. It is. There’s an actual quiz taking place. We got entertainment. This is awesome. You’re given a device to play with and you can see how you’re doing compared to everyone else. We got two. Let’s talk food. Obviously, the jadam, which is the quick serve, uh was open for breakfast today and is going to be serving lunch very soon. All righty. It is lunchtime and I’m heading to Lala. It’s pretty big in here, folks. I’ve got a lovely table with forward facing views. Quick peep at the menu. You can order alakart or go buffet style. And they’ve got deals if you want two courses, three courses, or a main dish with a glass of wine. Okay, I’ve gone with the veggie burger. Comes with fries. Sorry about the carnage. I’d say that was quite nice. The best thing about this burger was the peppercorn sauce. That was delicious. Nice fluffy fries. All righty. I want to find a spot to do some editing. Look, it’s me nook and cranny and funny. I like this little spot. Right, folks. This is my spot. It’s not yours. It’s not anybody else’s. Nice quiet little area for me to do me editing. I’ll see you in about 3 4 hours. Right, a bit of progress made with the old editing. Time to stretch my tiny legs. [Music] Folks, the air con inside is so good. It’s almost too cold for me in places. Can you believe that? I’ve come outside because it’s much mass warmer. Look how focused they all are. They’re now playing bingo. They’ve now got karaoke taking place in the bar. This is becoming more like a cruise every hour. Someone’s down there murdering a Taylor Swift song. Not that it needed much murdering to start with. No, no, no. I like Taylor Swift. I just want to make that clear. I do. Forgot live music. Awesome. I’m trying to be subtle for obvious reasons. I’m in the bathroom area. No one wants to hear somebody chatting away. They in the cubicle. You think it’s weird. But look, I wanted to show you the bathrooms here have showers. That’s awesome. Just make sure you bring your own towel. Well, the aisle of white is now to the west of us, so it won’t be long before we arrive into Portsmouth. In the meantime, I wanted to give you some of my own reflections on this Wii adventure. Well, first and foremost, and most importantly, I’ve really enjoyed this adventure over the last couple days. The ship has certainly exceeded my expectations in terms of the facilities, the decor, the friendliness of the staff, and range of dining options. I’m still gobsmacked that they have live entertainment through the day and the evening. I admit to being a little bit nervous about booking into a cabin overnight. I needn’t have been worried at all. Genuinely, I thought the cabin was comfortable. It was clean, more than acceptable for just one night. I also highly recommend a visit to San Malo. What a beautiful place. You want to know about Kaching? I know you do. My return fair was £100 in total. I added on to that my sea view cabin for another £100. So £200 in total plus the £100 I spent staying overnight in San Malo. There are of course deals to be had. Prices fluctuate all the time. And bear in mind, I’m sailing in August, the school summer holidays. I mean, I might actually try this again. Maybe a different ferry, a different route. Never say never. Just a couple critiques from me. I thought the food was just okay at best. And certainly Kachingama, not a deal breaker for me, but certainly my least favorite part of this experience. On that note, it looks like we are arriving. All right, it’s time to disembark. Bye, little fairy. You’re so cute and quaint and quirky and also hidden Mickey. Back down to deck three where our chariot should be waiting. Just of note, there are normally long lines for the lift. If you can, you are allowed to and passport control. I’m back, mama. I’m back. I don’t know why I say that. And I don’t know why it makes me laugh. I’m sorry. Come on, hands up. Who’s taking a ferry somewhere now? Is it you? See you on the horizon. Thank you for your support as we head towards 46,000 subscribers. Today’s shoutouts go to my gorgeous tiers three, four, and five patrons. And yes, you too can become a patron. Just search patreon.com/travelblogjamie. For your personalized video messages, just search cameo.com/travelblogjamie. Don’t forget we can follow each other on Facebook, jamwrobins. Instagram @travel blogjamie. And of course, my darlings, right here, right now on YouTube.

I took my first ferry journey in 30 years onboard Brittany Ferries Saint Malo from Portsmouth, UK, to St Malo, France, staying in an ocean view cabin overnight. Ferry journeys used to fill me with dread! Let’s see if / how they’ve changed! In this episode I’ll show you the check-in and boarding process as a foot passenger, a tour of the ship and all its venues / facilities, a look at my cabin, I’ll try out some of the restaurants / food onboard, share drinks menus, experience onboard entertainment and details about the ship. In Portsmouth I’ll give you some ideas as to what to do / where to eat, and in St Malo we will spend the day exploring together, and I’ll show you my overnight accommodation before our return ferry journey to Portsmouth. This is a different kind of cruising experience for me but is this a mini-cruise too far?

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