Brittany Ferries launches new ferry from Rosslare to Bilbao

New ‘cruise-ferry' will sail directly from Ireland to Spain twice a week – bikes, foot passengers and dogs welcome.

Brittany Ferries has officially launched its 214.5m “cruise-ferry” Salamanca at Rosslare Europort.

The new ship will take over the direct route from Rosslare to Bilbao in Spain, carrying over 1,000 passengers and accepting customers on foot and bike for the first time on the route.

Salamanca will sail from Rosslare to Bilbao twice weekly departing Wednesday and Friday mornings. Sailings to Spain take 29 to 30 hours with one to two nights spent on board.

“Passengers will feel as though they have been transported to a Spanish city from the moment they step on board,” said Frederic Dumoulin, chief commercial officer for Brittany Ferries.

At the time of writing, one-way rates for two passengers and a car sailing from Rosslare to Bilbao are quoting from €232, with reclining seats included. The price for two people with a car and cabin start from €342 each-way.

Accommodation is also compulsory on the sailings, with seats starting from €12 each way and four-berth cabins from €135 each way this month.

Salamanca replaces a previous vessel, Connemara, adding passenger capacity, space and more creature comforts on what is currently the only ferry service connecting Ireland to Spain.