"BARFLEUR" and "BRETAGNE" back in service soon

                                BRETAGNE at sea in Portsmouth

                                           On board BARFLEUR

BRITTANY FERRIES Cruise Ferries "BARFLEUR" and "BRETAGNE" are resuming commercial service in March, the 1992 built "BARFLEUR" will go back to the old Poole/Cherbourg route on 19.3.2013 and the 1989 "BRETAGNE" the day after on the Portsmouth/Saint-Malo service. "BARFLEUR" returns to BF after a brief spell on lease with DFDS operated on the Dover/Calais route and "BRETAGNE" just going back to her original service after the winter laid-up which has now been happening for the past two years. Good news it's good to see both ships back where they belong, at sea.

M.V. "DEAL SEAWAYS" is the new ship employed on the Dover/Calais service by DFDS/LD LINES joint venture

                          BARFLEUR departing Poole in June last year

                           Truck-Drivers lounge on board BARFLEUR

The BRITTANY FERRIES "BARFLEUR" is the new ship chartered by DFDS/LD LINES joint venture on their new Dover/Calais route, the newly formed group has been looking for some time for a second vessel to join the "NORMAN SPIRIT" on this service. "BARFLEUR" was laid-up in France due to lack of profits on the Poole/Cherbourg route, operated by BF. The 20.133 GRT ship built in FINLAND by KVAERNER MASA-YARDS and completed in 1992 has been re-named "DEAL SEAWAYS", the ship has capacity for 1212 passengers and 370 vehicles, she is on charter for the moment, I have sailed many times on the "BARFLEUR" with BF and I am really looking forward to see the ship with the new DFDS livery, she is a very comfortable ship, no doubt a plus for the new firm on this new service, "DEAL SEAWAYS" started her new role on the 27.4.2012

BRITTANY FERRIES "BARFLEUR" laid up at Caen

"BARFLEUR" has been withdrawn from service last month, she was of course operated on the Cherbourg to Poole route, it has not been decided yet if service will resume next spring, for now the vessel, built in 1992 remains laid up at Caen/Ouistreham, please check my BRITTANY FERRIES blog for other posts and photos of this fine cruise ferry

"BARFLEUR" docking at Cherbourg, busy ferry port

BARFLEUR at the end of her crossing from Poole, at Cherbourg were the Ferries COTENTIN and OSCAR WILDE, photos taken on the 1st September 2011

BACK AT SEA ON BOARD "BARFLEUR"

Last week I was for the second time this year on board BARFLEUR, this time for a crossing Poole/Cherbourg, BRITTANY FERRIES announced recently that this route will end on the 3rd of October, the ship was out of service last year due to lack of profitability, it has not been decided yet if the ship would go back to service next summer, for the moment COTENTIN will guarantee the continuity of freight on the Poole/Cherbourg route, let´s hope the passenger service will be resumed next year, Cherbourg is a lovely city, please visit other previous posts about what to see and do, also for cruise ships enthusiasts, the number of calls is on the increase, the QM2 alone will visit Cherbourg three times before the end of the year

BEAUTIFUL BROWNSEA ISLAND

Brownsea Island is the largest of the islands in Poole Harbour, county of Dorset, it´s owned by the National Trust and much of it is opened to the public, photos taken on the 1st of September on board BRITTANY FERRIES "BARFLEUR" on her way to Cherbourg