marilee12

Has anyone ever taken the ferry from France to Dublin? How long does it take and it is the best way to get from france to dublin or does flying take significantly less time?

janisj

"<i>does flying take significantly less time? </i>"

Uh - yes.

There are ferries from Cherbourg and Roscoff to Rosslare which is about 100 miles from Dublin. But they mostly leave France in the late afternoon/early evening and arrive in Ireland around noon the next day.

flanneruk

Like almost all ferries in the British Isles, the Rosslare-Normandy boats are geared to cars and lorries.

It's a reasonably short walk from the ferry at Rosslare to the railway station, and (though check), there are usually trains to Dublin (or at least Limerick Junction) that more or less relate to French ferry arrivals and departures. The connection is less convenient at Cherbourg or Roscoff - both a considerable shlep from anywhere in France you might be if you weren't planning to be in Normandy anyway.

Taking a car hired in France into Ireland isn't at all straightforward, since insurance companies often charge a supplement, and your insurance can be invalidated if you've not announced you're going to Ireland. One-way hires can be killing.

travelme

Janisj wrote " Uh-yes"
No need for a snarky remark. The OP doesn't know how long the crossing and getting to the airport hours in advance is always required plus getting to a center city from the airport is also added time. If you cannot answer the question nicely, then do not answer it at all.

irishface

A few years back I looked into taking the ferry from France to Ireland. I thought I would save time and money by sleeping aboard and saving a night in a hotel. However, when I looked into it more deeply, I realized that the flight would be cheaper and let me spend more time on things I wanted to see. (I was also traveling with a friend who has seasickness issues and wasn't keen on the idea.)

Also, besides the insurance and one way issues with a rental car, there is also the issue of the steering wheel being on the opposite side for left hand drive in Ireland. In France, they drive on the right (note, I didn't say "correct" but right as in direction) side of the road.

Padraig

travelme wrote: "Janisj wrote " Uh-yes"
No need for a snarky remark. The OP doesn't know how long the crossing and getting to the airport hours in advance is always required plus getting to a center city from the airport is also added time. If you cannot answer the question nicely, then do not answer it at all."

Wow. janisj wrote a bit more than "Uh - yes", explaining why she said what she did.

Your post (like mine, because I have been provoked) adds nothing of value.

nytraveler

It sems to me that some of us are too judgemental about the responses of others.

Yes - is a perfectly valid response when the answer seems obvious. (I've never taken any such ferry nor looked into it - but can;t imagine how anyone can think a ferry is as fast as flying for a distance of more than a very few miles. Boats don;t go several hundred mph.)

Palenque

Janisj wrote " Uh-yes"
No need for a snarky remark.


Janis obviously did not read the new Fodor's Guidelines posted yesterday to combat such snarky remarks!

Palenque

Anyway i guess i will give Janis the benefit of the doubt here upon reflection - meant in humour i guess with no malice of forethought - but to say i have taken those boats and it was the roughest ride i've ever had - everyone onboard got sea sick - i suppose it may have been an unusual event but to be on such a long cruise in rough weather...

janisj

ok -- the 'uh' seems to have upset a couple of folks. 'Uh' is snarky? Anyway, sorry.

Padraig: Thanks, but don't sweat it. That poster does this all the time. Apparently some time in the past I offended her/him in some way (you too BTW - check the posting history).

PQ: Perhaps you'll want to re-read the guidelines. I didn't break any rules . . . .

samples of a tiny slice of travelme's posts -- out of sooooo many I really get tired fighting it:

• <blue>Janis wrote: Otherwise, I can't imagine even knowing anyone who would print up a t-shirt like that -- let alone being married to him . . . . . .

Really, I am shocked! You being so worldly and all!</blue>

(this was a thread about a really offensive t-shirt a traveler wore in Egypt and many Fodorites were equally flabbergasted by the t-shirt --but travelme's only comment was about moi - weird)

• <red>By the way, janisj is always right on!

Curious
No,as it turns out, she really isn't. The poor dear!</red>

• <green>Janis wrote "Oh - but it is much more fun to abuse them for a bit before alerting the forum monitors"

Once again, you show your true colours!</green>

(The above was a thread where lots of us were 'abusing' a silly advertisement before the editors nuked it)

• <blue>Janis, Is someone a bit snarkey today?</blue>

• <red>Janis wrote" As for the TA complaint about the "brown water" - brownish water in Scotland is not undrinkable" Oh Janis how can you make excuses for that? Really!</red>

(If travelme had ever been to Scotland she would know that the water often IS brown. It is the peat)

• <blue>I'm sure you mean well, Janis but your are coming across a bit pedantic.</blue>

• <green>Janis wrote "you can't really see Dublin and/or Cork and/or Galway in a week, andthe kids will hate you afterwards since they will spend hours a day in the back seat of a car ".

Not to beat a dead hourse but this is an extreme exaggeration.</green>

• <blue>Janis wrote" They are practical info based on having lived in the UK for 5 years"

How nice for you!</blue>

Enough already . . . .

Palenque

All i know is that janis is one of the most helpful of all Fodorites in terms of Britain and most knowledgeable as well - I think her advice is usually spot on - especially with itineraries and accommodations if not always with rail travel.

He/she tirelessly answers posts in detail and most find her advice priceless.

Palenque

Consider taking the boat for the experience even though it is longer than flying - if the seas would not have been so rough i would have enjoyed the voyage - though as flanner says these ships are geared to lorries and caravans and cars they also take on foot passengers and have quite a bit of amenities on board - restaurants, pubs, often movies, etc.

And for younger folk the pub/disco is always a magnet.

so it may take longer than flying but if you've never been on a long boat ride do something different - hit Irish Ferries web site to see if they have any discount advance fares, etc.

Palenque

Irish Ferries Official Site | Ferries to Ireland & France | Cheap ...
Irish Ferries operate ferries between Ireland & the UK, and a car ferry between Ireland & France. Book a cheap ferry at our official site & save on fares.
www.irishferries.com/