Barcelona to Rome (1 Viewer)

StanandShirley

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Thinking of taking the ferry from Barcelona to Rome or the port just north
Firstly has anyone done it so to give me some advice. Also can you sleep in your van while crossing. Any advice would help thanks
 

Portland

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We did it last year, you cannot sleep in camper but the accommodation not bad. It is run by Grimaldi lines and it is a working boat so do not expect a cruise ship. In my opinion its better than driving 1600 miles when compared to 20 hour's some in bed.
Always book a cabin for exclusive use.
We are doing it again this year with a break in Sardinia. Hope this helps.
 
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Driving your motorhome in Rome would be “interesting”. Probably need a bigger turbo,or some rocket fuel. But I guess you’ll bus into the centre.

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I concur with @Portland, we did the journey in reverse last year, the boat was fine, food not so great but acceptable, best to take some of your own onboard.

In 2009 we returned to Barcelona from Genoa courtesy of Gran Navi Veloci, much the same comments apply.
 
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StanandShirley

StanandShirley

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Thanks Portland and Podney not thinking of driving through Rome in camper not after being in Madrid and by all accounts Rome’s even madder no will be staying outside and train in

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Only Gimaldi Lines operate a ferry service from Barcelona to Civitavecchia (for Rome). This operates 6 days a week, usually departing 23.00, arriving 19.00 next day. For a one-way crossing (booked in advance and non-refundable, more expensive for a refundable ticket), the cost would be around €200-270 depending on date for 2 Adults, a "camper" up to 9m in length, and an outside cabin. Without an outside cabin for the overnight crossing you would only save around €40, so does not seem worth saving even if you could stay in your MoHo on a Vehicle Deck (which you can not). By the most direct road route, the distance is around 790 miles - possible, perhaps, in 2 longish days driving. Full details of the ferry service can be found at https://www.grimaldi-lines.com/en .
 
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Thanks Portland and Podney not thinking of driving through Rome in camper not after being in Madrid and by all accounts Rome’s even madder no will be staying outside and train in
Ah yes,we found the train was good,and the underground was even better,and cheap,seem to recall we got a ticket where you get on/off all day within an area....usual stuff.
 

Brisey

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When visiting Rome we stayed at theCamping Tiber site. (http://www.campingtiber.com/) ACSI accepted.

We chose it as it provides a shuttle bus to the nearest Metro station with direct trains to the centre of the city. It also provides electric hook up, internet access, a pool and a bar.

The site is fairly large and has some static vans so won't be to everyone's taste.

Beware when in Rome and look after your personal possessions. Rome is the
Pickpocket capital of Europe.

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StanandShirley

StanandShirley

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Thanks folks for your help have booked on the Grimaldi site which was cheaper than going through Camping & Caravan even though they said I would get a discount Sailing on the 16th April noted the remarks about the food so will be taking enough grub with us for the trip also booked a cabin as suggested Happy Days and Thanks again
 

mikebeaches

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Great to hear you have booked! Do you mind me asking what it cost, and what the charge includes? We might be doing similar, but a couple of weeks earlier and in 2019.

Thanks .(y)
 
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StanandShirley

StanandShirley

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Mike beaches ,paid just over £300 which included a four berth cabin for the two of us cheaper if you don’t have a private cabin, also included a cancellation fee insurance
Looking at the mileage probably would spend the same on fuel and having driven along the French coast a few times had seen lots of places before
 

mikebeaches

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Mike beaches ,paid just over £300 which included a four berth cabin for the two of us cheaper if you don’t have a private cabin, also included a cancellation fee insurance
Looking at the mileage probably would spend the same on fuel and having driven along the French coast a few times had seen lots of places before
Thanks very much! That sounds a reasonable price for the convenience of saving the driving and also saving time. We would also pay for a private cabin.

I think the cost is probably less mile-for-mile than crossing the Bay of Biscay, from Plymouth to Santander, on Brittany Ferries.

Have a great trip. (y)

Mike
 

Puddleduck

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Just wondering of it would be worth doing Plymouth to Santander then Barcelona to Italy rather than driving from Calais (or Amsterdam or Zeebrugge) to Italy :) Something we would have to work out.

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Puddleduck

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Just wondering of it would be worth doing Plymouth to Santander then Barcelona to Italy rather than driving from Calais (or Amsterdam or Zeebrugge) to Italy :) Something we would have to work out.

We are doing just that later this month! But then we live in Cornwall, not Scotland!

If I am totally bored later I might work out the mileages to see what would work best. We'd probably be going in late September or early October and back late October so availability of aires through France might also be an issue on the return journey.
 
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StanandShirley

StanandShirley

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Puddleduck your trip all depends on if your happy driving and seeing new places both options are valid, it’s because we have driven along the length of France on the med side a few times so going by ferry is a new experience

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Freespirit1

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Grimaldi Ferry Terminal co ordinates are 41.363530 2.172260 - that will take you right to the check in office and slip road to the quay :)
 

Puddleduck

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Puddleduck your trip all depends on if your happy driving and seeing new places both options are valid, it’s because we have driven along the length of France on the med side a few times so going by ferry is a new experience

it will also depend on time of year and how fast we need to be where we are going as we'll be going to visit relatives.... also depends on how fast we want to be away!
 

Freespirit1

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@StanandShirley - Got off this ferry last night Grimaldi Line - ship called “Cruise Barcelona” It’s a really nice Ferry and very big - the food on board was pretty good quality but expensive - advisable to order meals at time of booking to reduce costs. My departure time was 23.00hrs and it arrived the following day at 19.00hrs. A great ferry the crew were very friendly and professional and excellent facilities - would definitely recommend it! :)

93816B00-FB4C-4C73-A2BC-375C4A440E98.jpeg

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sallylillian

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@StanandShirley - Got off this ferry last night Grimaldi Line - ship called “Cruise Barcelona” It’s a really nice Ferry and very big - the food on board was pretty good quality but expensive - advisable to order meals at time of booking to reduce costs. My departure time was 23.00hrs and it arrived the following day at 19.00hrs. A great ferry the crew were very friendly and professional and excellent facilities - would definitely recommend it! :)

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Can you tell me even though you book online and get a "ticket", do you still have to take that into the office to get a proper boarding pass before checking in? Thanks. We went on the sister ship the Roma last time but have no idea which one this trip.
 
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Freespirit1

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Can you tell me even though you book online and get a "ticket", do you still have to take that into the office to get a proper ticket before checking in? Thanks.

Yes - take your print out of your ticket and your passport and any passengers passports into the office and they will issue you and your Motorhome a boarding pass - those will be checked as you wait in the queue in the lanes on the quay. They will then put the destination port label under your wiper blade. Keep the boarding passes with you when you leave your vehicle once it is safely parked on board.

Many vehicles will arrive up to 6 hours before departure and can be parked on the access road to the quay along side the Grimaldi offices which also contain toilets and a very smart bar/ cafe open all the time. The access gates to the quay will open approx 4hrs before departure :)
 
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DBK

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Just wondering of it would be worth doing Plymouth to Santander then Barcelona to Italy rather than driving from Calais (or Amsterdam or Zeebrugge) to Italy :) Something we would have to work out.
I think unless you have a gas guzzler it is invariably cheaper to drive through France.
However, cost isn't everything so we are sailing to Santander a week on Sunday from Plymouth. Even with the Club discount it is around £850 return with a cabin but we just look at it as a mini-cruise with the chance of seeing whales. We saw two Sperm Whales on one trip!

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sallylillian

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Yes - take your print out of your ticket into the office and they will issue you and your Motorhome a boarding pass - those will be checked as you wait in the queue in the lanes on the quay. They will then put the destination port label under your wiper blade. Keep the boarding passes with you when you leave your vehicle once it is safely parked on board.

Many vehicles will arrive up to 6 hours before departure and can be parked on the access road to the quay along side the Grimaldi offices which also contain toilets and a very smart bar/ cafe open all the time. The access gates to the quay will open approx 4hrs before departure :)
Thanks that's what happened in 2016, we wont get there until after 7 I think to avoid the queues. Last time they put us in the wrong queue and I was surrounded by Arabian looking types with a complete household on the roof, finally I went to ask and they said what are you doing there?? Well just about caught the ship, all very amusing.
 

Freespirit1

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Thanks that's what happened in 2016, we wont get there until after 7 I think to avoid the queues. Last time they put us in the wrong queue and I was surrounded by Arabian looking types with a complete household on the roof, finally I went to ask and they said what are you doing there?? Well just about caught the ship, all very amusing.

Yes - the queuing isn’t particularly logical and as the magority of the cars seem to be Italian there will be a spontaneous move by all the car lanes as soon as one lane starts to move and it develops into a drag race - they put a pace van in the road round to the ferry to slow the race - sort of the safety car in a Formula1 race lol :)
 
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Really great info for your trip from everyone really helpful for a future trip for ourselves thanks all :)

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StanandShirley

StanandShirley

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Freesprit1 thanks for your help as I booked on line I have a photo of booking one more question as on the tunnel do you have to turn off your gas just thinking if stuff in fridge? Have a great time in Italy
 

Freespirit1

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Freesprit1 thanks for your help as I booked on line I have a photo of booking one more question as on the tunnel do you have to turn off your gas just thinking if stuff in fridge? Have a great time in Italy

No - leave it on - the garages as they are called have large open sections each side and lots of ventilation running - also the fridge lorries are running! - will only be in Italy 2 nights - just passing through :)
 
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Ferry operators (e.g. Brittany Ferries and I would be surprised if Grimaldi was different) require the gas supply to be turned off at the bottle/tank and often ask you to confirm this has been done at check-in (and may even check it themselves). It is not a ventilation issue but a perceived fire risk if any device is burning gas on the vehicle decks.

On a MoHo most fridges use absorption technology (running on gas when not on EHU or 12 volt when engine running). If you have a compressor type of fridge (which does not run on gas), unless your engine is running, you have an EHU supply or sufficient solar panel input you will probably flatten the Leisure Battery if you run it for the duration of the passage.

Refrigerators on lorries do not run on gas. For longer passages the power for refrigeration is supplied by an EHU. Very unlikely any ferry operator would provide an electrical supply to a MoHo.

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