Brittany Ferries · Four ships
The ships that sail to Spain
Four vessels cover every direct crossing from the UK and Ireland to Spain: the Pont-Aven, the Galicia, the Salamanca and the Santoña. Which one you get is decided by your route, not by choice, so it is worth knowing what each is like before you book.
Four ships, four routes
Brittany Ferries is the only operator running direct sailings between the UK or Ireland and Spain, so every crossing on this site is one of these four vessels. Ship assignments do change between seasons, and 2026 is a swap year for two of them.
| Ship | In service | Route in 2026 | Propulsion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pont-Aven | 2004 | Plymouth to Santander | Diesel |
| Galicia | 2021 | Portsmouth to Bilbao | Diesel with scrubbers |
| Salamanca | 2022 | Portsmouth to Santander | LNG dual-fuel |
| Santoña | 2023 | Rosslare to Bilbao | LNG dual-fuel |
The Salamanca and the Santoña swapped routes for 2026
The Santoña had worked Portsmouth to Santander since 2023 and the Salamanca had worked Rosslare to Bilbao. For 2026 they have traded schedules. Guides written before this year will have it the other way round. Check the vessel named on your own booking.
The three new ships: Galicia, Salamanca and Santoña
These three arrived between 2021 and 2023 as part of the largest fleet renewal in the company’s history. They are E-Flexer class, a standard hull design built by Stena RoRo and shared with several Stena Line ships and DFDS’s Côte d’Opale, which is why they look so similar to each other.
The Salamanca and the Santoña run on liquefied natural gas rather than diesel, which makes them noticeably quieter. The Galicia, built first, uses an exhaust gas cleaning system instead.
What the three have in common
- Spanish interiors, artwork and food rather than French
- Tapas-style dining alongside a main restaurant
- CClub lounge, private for Commodore-class passengers and payable for everyone else
- Sundeck with sports equipment and a children’s play area
- Video on demand through cabin TVs or your own phone
- Pet-friendly cabins, kennels and an open-deck dog walking area
Where they differ
- The Galicia entered service first and burns diesel with scrubbers
- The Salamanca and Santoña are LNG dual-fuel and quieter under way
- Cabin layouts vary slightly between the Galicia and her two part-sisters
- Route assignment changes between seasons, so the ship is decided by when and where you sail
The Pont-Aven, the odd one out
The Pont-Aven is the company flagship and the oldest ship on the Spanish routes by some distance. She was built at Meyer Werft in Germany and entered service in 2004: around 186 metres long, ten decks, and a cruising speed of 22 knots that makes her faster than the newer vessels.
That speed is why the Plymouth to Santander crossing takes 20 hours 30 minutes when the Portsmouth routes take 33 hours or more. She is also the only one of the four with an indoor pool, and her styling and dining lean French rather than Spanish.
Read the detail, including what a Commodore Suite actually gets you, on the Plymouth to Santander route page.
You pick the route, not the ship
There is no sailing where you choose between vessels. Each route is worked by one ship, so the decision happens when you pick your crossing.
If the ship matters most
- Want the pool, the shortest crossing and a single night at sea: Plymouth to Santander, the Pont-Aven
- Want the newest vessel and the quietest ride: Portsmouth to Santander, the Salamanca
If the destination matters most
- Bilbao for Barcelona, southern France and the costas: Portsmouth to Bilbao on the Galicia
- Santander for Madrid, Segovia and Portugal
- Travelling from Ireland: Rosslare to Bilbao on the Santoña
Full timings and fares for each crossing are on the UK to Spain ferry routes map.
Find your sailing
Four direct crossings to Spain, all operated by Brittany Ferries.
Compare all routes →