Santona ferry

MS Santona ferry is a Ro-Ro passenger vessel owned by STENA LINE and operated under charter by the French company BRITTANY FERRIES. The ship has a maximum capacity of 1680 passengers, 550 cars and 64 trucks (or 130 trailers). The vessel was launched in 2022, inaugurated in 2023, and currently operates on the UK England-Spain ferry routes Portsmouth-Santander (crossing time 20 hours) and Portsmouth-Bilbao (crossing time 24 hours), both via Cherbourg France.

In 2024, the cruise ship will be deployed on the Ireland-Spain route Rosslare-Bilbao via Cherbourg (crossing time ~30 hours).

Cabins

As a cruiseferry, Santona has a total of 341 passenger cabins (plus 38 truck-driver cabins / 379 total), all of which are air-conditioned and fitted with en-suite bathrooms, LCD TV (free on-demand movies), hairdryer, and writing/dining table. The ferry company provides bed linens, towels, and toiletries. The ship additionally has reclining seats. Some staterooms are wheelchair-accessible (adapted for passengers with disabilities).

The passenger stateroom categories are 2-Berth Commodore Suite, 2-Berth Commodore Club, 4-Berth Outside "Club Plus", 4-Berth Outside "Club", 4-Berth Inside, 2-Berth Inside, as well as Wheelchair-Accessible (Premium Plus outside and inside) and Pet-Friendly cabins (double and quad occupancy, both with linoleum flooring). All 4-bed staterooms are fitted with either twin beds (lower fixed single beds) or bunk beds (lower and upper Murphy beds folding from the wall).

Unlike passenger staterooms, freight driver cabins (aft on Deck 8) lack en-suite bathrooms and have shared bathing and toilet facilities.

MS Santona's largest staterooms are the Commodore Suites. These luxury accommodations are fitted with a queen-size double bed (160x200 cm, premium-brand mattress, top-quality cotton linens), comfortable seating (2x armchairs and a round coffee table), a tea and coffee-making facility, and a complimentary mini-bar (small refrigerator stocked with bottled water, soft drinks, and light snacks).

Commodore Suite and Commodore Club cabin passengers also receive complimentary access to the C-Club Premium Lounge (forward on Deck 8).

Also available are reserved lounge seats and baby cots (for infants under 2 years of age, provided upon request).

All passengers must vacate their staterooms 30 minutes prior to homeport arrival.

Of all 10 decks, three contain passenger cabins.

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

As facilities, the Santona cruise ship offers:

• A La Carte Restaurant (120-seat venue offering locally sourced meals prepared by French chefs)
• (Deck 7) Azul Restaurant (self-service Main Dining Room/buffet restaurant serving hot and cold meals) - ticket price includes 1x 3-course dinner and 1x Continental breakfast. Azul Restaurant is open for Breakfast (Continental, waiter-served), Lunch (buffet), and Dinner (3-course meals).
• Taberna de Tapas / Cafe Bar (light meals, sandwiches, tapas, cakes, pastries, hot and cold drinks, HDTVs). The cafe restaurant serves tapas (from patatas bravas to traditional regional Spanish favorites) and various hot dishes from the menu. Taberna de Tapas offers waiter-served Continental or Spanish breakfast and (during summer only) the inclusive 3-course dinner from Azul Restaurant.
• (Deck 8) Plaza Mayor is a large bar lounge serving food (snacks and light bites) and beverages (including Spanish wines and beers) throughout the day, as well as Afternoon Tea (coffee and pastries/cakes). The venue features plenty of natural light (from its skylight glass-roof cover) and a large HDTV streaming live sporting events and music.
• (Deck 8) Commodore C-Club Premium Lounge is a limited-capacity bar lounge with large round-shaped windows (providing 270-degree views), HDTVs, and comfortable seating (sofas, armchairs, round tables), as well as two exclusive restrooms (for men and women). Lounge access is complimentary for Commodore-class passengers and available for a fee to passengers in lower-class cabins. The fee can be paid onboard (at the Reception Desk) or prior to departure (online during booking). C-Club Lounge access includes complimentary beverages (hot and cold) and light food (snacks and hot/cold dishes) available throughout the day.
• 2 cinemas - tickets can be purchased from the Information Desk
• (Deck 7) Kids Playroom is an indoor playground (an enclosed part of Azul Restaurant) offering a complimentary children's entertainment program (digital and interactive games, arts and crafts, physical activities) supervised by dedicated youth staff. Two additional Kids' Play Areas (indoor playgrounds) are located midship on Decks 8 and 10.
• Games Planet (teen lounge with video games, air hockey, and foosball)
• Chance Planet (casino/gambling lounge with slot machines)
• Reading Lounge
• 2 Reserved Seating Lounges (with reclining/Pullman seats)
• Le Bar (serving fine French wines, cocktails, hot and cold drinks, HDTVs)
• Les Boutiques (two duty-free shops) selling gifts, souvenirs, spirits, wines (including a large wine cellar), tobacco, perfumes, cosmetics, leather goods, toys, books, confectionery, refreshments, clothing, cameras, sunglasses, and jewelry). Special shopping promotions are held on each voyage.
• Free Wi-Fi, ATM/cash machine (next to the Information Desk/Reception), disabled toilets, Baby Changing Rooms, and a complimentary Baggage Room

Two elevators (passenger lifts positioned forward and aft) provide access to all cabin decks as well as the car decks.

Sun Deck (Deck 10) is a large outdoor area that also serves as a helideck (helicopter landing platform used in emergencies). The sundeck features canopy-shaded seating areas (round tables with garden armchairs), sunbathing areas (with deckchairs and loungers), an outdoor gym (sports equipment), and an outdoor playground for children.

In the Santona cruise ship's Lobby Hall (close to the Reception) several information kiosks (Internet-connected PC terminals with touch screens) are available complimentary to all passengers. MS Santona is BRITTANY FERRIES' third liner (after Galicia and Salamanca) offering a shipwide VOD service (video-on-demand movies, radio, and TV programming). The service is available via passengers' mobile devices (using complimentary Wi-Fi) or through the smart HDTVs in the staterooms.

The cruiseferry features a collection of ~1000 artworks, including paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and photographs. Many artworks were created by Spanish artists.

All onboard emergency instructions are displayed in staterooms, on the TV screens, and at the ship's assembly stations (muster stations). Life jackets are issued at the assembly stations. In case of emergency, the use of elevators/passenger lifts is prohibited.

BRITTANY FERRIES cruise deals

The company offers regularly scheduled ferry services between England and France (travel time on cruise ferries 3-4 hours) and between France and Spain (travel time 20-36 hours). The high-speed UK-France service allows the ships to successfully target the UK's "mini cruise" and holiday travel markets.

As on cruise vessels, all BRITTANY FERRIES ships offer passenger cabins with modern amenities, individually controlled air-conditioning, and en-suite facilities. Cruise accommodations range from 2-bed "Inside Cabin" to "Commodore Suite" (with in-cabin dining, Afternoon Tea, and Breakfast service). Some suites feature private balconies.

Onboard food is predominantly French cuisine prepared by French chefs. All ships feature a la carte restaurants, self-service cafeterias, a selection of bars, live entertainment (singers, magicians, pantomimes for kids), at least one cinema, casino, arcade room, Bureau de Change, baby changing rooms, disabled toilets, sun deck areas, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Cruise ferries on France-Spain routes have swimming pools (open during summer months only), as well as kids' play areas with supervised activities (during holidays only). Spa treatment rooms on Spain-France cruise ferries offer facials (from ProCare), massages (by certified masseuses), modern massage chairs, pedicures and manicure services (OPI nail varnishes), and treatments using skincare products by the French brand "Filorga Professional".

Ships' boutique shops sell tobacco and alcohol (budget and premium wines and spirits) at discounted prices, as well as luxury brand perfumes and cosmetics, designer jewelry, watches, sunglasses, souvenirs, and toys.

Fun fact: BRITTANY FERRIES serves annually around 22 tons of langoustines (Norway lobster), 15 tons of smoked salmon, 260 tons of meat, 240,000 English breakfasts, and 333,000 liters of beer. By onboard perfume sales, the company ranks as France's third-largest perfume retailer.

• Ferry fares are based on departure dates, routes, and time of travel (season).
• A GBP 35 deposit is required to secure bookings during the peak summer season.
• Summer prices are usually higher, as are fares for weekends and overnight crossings.
• Departures in the morning, afternoon, and overnight are offered throughout the year.
• Overnight France-Spain crossings operate 7 times per week.
• Mix-and-match route deals are also available.

Below is the list of all BRITTANY FERRIES routes with crossing times and frequencies.

• Portsmouth-Caen (6 hours) - 3 daily
• Portsmouth-St Malo (11 hours / overnight) - daily
• Portsmouth-Cherbourg (3 hours) - 10 return crossings (late April - early September)
• Portsmouth-Santander Spain (24 hours / overnight) - 3 crossings weekly
• Portsmouth-Bilbao Spain (24-36 hours) - 2 crossings weekly
• Portsmouth-Le Havre (5 hours 30 min) - daily return crossings
• Poole-Cherbourg (4 hours 15 min) - daily return
• Plymouth-Roscoff (6 hours) - 2 return crossings
• Plymouth-Santander Spain (20 hours) - direct weekly crossings
• Cork Ireland-Roscoff (14 hours) - weekly return crossings (April-November)
• Cork-Santander (26.5 hours) - 2 weekly return crossings

Pets on the ship

BRITTANY FERRIES is a DEFRA (UK and EU)-approved pet carrier under the ET140 Pet Travel Scheme. Pets on the cruise ship can travel either in a pet-friendly passenger cabin or in a kennel (for dogs). Pets are not allowed to remain in vehicles.

The shipping company requires dogs to be muzzled and leashed when outside the vehicle or the stateroom, including in the ship's pet exercise area (Deck 7). It is recommended that dogs be exercised and toileted prior to boarding the ferry.

At onboard check-in, the dog's chip is scanned and its passport checked. A sticker is placed on the vehicle's windscreen to ensure that the pet-carrying vehicle is properly parked. Do not remove the sticker during the voyage. Pets are allowed only in the designated staterooms (pet-friendly) and the ship's designated pet exercise zone (Deck 7), and not in any other public areas. An exception is made only for registered assistance dogs.

Vehicles carrying pets are greeted on the car deck by dedicated crew members. Pets remain temporarily in the vehicles while their owners exit the garage for check-in. Shortly before departure, pet owners are called to the Reception Desk and escorted (together with the pet) between the car deck and the cabin. One hour before port arrival, an announcement is made via the ship's PA system asking pet owners to return to their cabins. Shortly afterward, crew members escort them to their vehicles, where the animals remain until arrival. Pet owners are not allowed to remain in the vehicles. After arrival, a PA system announcement invites pet owners to return to their vehicles.

For safety reasons, in bad weather pets must remain in the cabins and access to their exercise areas is restricted.

The cruiseferry Santona provides small and large dog kennels. Kennels must be pre-booked. Small kennels are recommended for breeds such as Toy Poodle, King Charles Spaniel, Terrier, and Jack Russell. Large kennels are recommended for breeds such as German Shepherd, Labrador, Dalmatian, Boxer, Pointer, and Setter.

Car decks

Follows a list of car deck-related safety procedures:

• Disabled passengers or those requiring specific assistance should visit the ship's Information Desk (open 24 hours).
• Apply the handbrake and place the vehicle in park or 1st gear position. Switch off the ignition, alarm, electrical equipment, and headlights. Gas cylinders, if any, must be switched off. Lock the vehicle.
• Take only valuables and essential hand baggage from your vehicle.
• Make a note of your vehicle's location and the garage deck number/stairway before leaving the car deck.
• Access to the ship's vehicle (cargo) decks during the voyage is prohibited.
• Smoking on vehicle decks, as well as in cabins and passenger lounges, is forbidden.
• Wait for the onboard announcement before returning to your vehicle.

To avoid air pollution, do not start the engine until instructed.

The operator/ship charterer Brittany Ferries (fleet, founded in 1972, headquartered in Roscoff France) is a French ferry company operating on the shipping routes France-UK and France-Spain.