I've searched through this site for answers to this question without results, so her goes...
We are planning to take the ferry (Brittany Ferries) from France (Cherbourg) to Portsmouth on May 25, 2011. Our ferry arrives at Portsmouth at approx. 1730 and there is a train that leaves from Portsmouth/South Seas station at 2030, and arrives at Gatwick at 2210. Is it reasonable to expect that we can make that train? I know that we will need to catch a taxi from the dock. We will have 2 small roller bags and 2 back packs. I can't seem to find any definite answers on Brittany's website. Any info would be greatly appreciated. This will be the last night of our 2 week vacation....I don't want it to be too stressful

We did that run a couple of years ago. You will make that connection with about three hours to spare. As I remember it was about a 5 min cab ride.

Ooops...sorry, our arrival is at 1930, not 1730! Sounds like we'll still have enough time Thanks for your response.

You'll have no problems at all. The ferry terminal and that station are less than 2 miles apart. Takes less than 10 minutes by cab.

The taxi transfer should be no problem at all, as others have already said. By the way, it's "Portsmouth & Southsea" station.

On this service, you'll have to change trains at Havant (which is only 12 minutes out of Portsmouth) in order to catch the 20:51 departure that goes on direct to LGW, arriving 22:10. Havant is a small station, I can't remember if you have to change platforms but you have 7 minutes so should be OK.

That's quite a late arrival at LGW - I assume you plan to stay overnight before flying out the next day?

Yes...we are spending the night at LGW. Our flight out is the following day. Some of the concern I had with catching the train was our luggage. Brittany Ferries site says that they only allow "hand luggage" in the passenger areas, and that other luggage must be stowed in the vehicle area, which you will not have access to during the trip. Our rollers are small enough to be classified as "carry-on" for the airlines. I don't know if they make us check them on the ferry. If so, I'm not sure how long it will take to retrieve them.
Thanks so much for the info on the taxi ride and transfers!

You will be travelling on Brittany Ferries' fast ferry, the NORMANDIE EXPRESS. If you have hand luggage that you can carry around with you during the trip, then you shouldn't need to use the luggage rack, but for a case on wheels, you will need to put it in the luggage space. This shouldn't cause any delay when disembarking.

The ferry terminal is about a mile from Portsmouth and Southsea station, so it's an easy walk without luggage. A new ferry terminal building opened this year and has a taxi rank outside.
http://www.portsmouth-port.co.uk/fer...how_to_find_us

If you miss that train, it doesn't really matter because there are later connections from Portsmouth to Gatwick.

Fast ferries are more susceptible to delays or cancellation in bad weather that ships, so you should check before you leave France in case you need to take an alternative route.

Thanks so much Geoffhamer! The alternative route was not even a thought....hmmmm

As someone who lives on an island, I can tell you that when dealing with ferries, alternatives should always be somewhere in the back of the mind.