What’s it like Aboard the Pont-Aven? My Experience on Brittany Ferries Flagship Cruise Ferry

Last Updated on 12th June 2025 by Sophie Nadeau

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On a recent crossing between Plymouth, England and Roscoff, France, we were lucky enough to board the Pont-Aven, which is Brittany Ferries’ longest serving flagship cruise ferry. Equipped with amenities such as two cinema screens, several restaurants, and even a pool, here’s what it was like to be aboard and to sleep on the ship (and my personal opinion and review of the boat)!

The Pont Aven

Due to the fact that we travel pretty often, I’m pretty well versed in the Brittany Ferries line up but had never had a chance to board Pont-Aven, which is the largest ferry in the Brittany Ferries fleet.

Named for a little village in Brittany, MV Pont Aven was built in Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany and has been sailing for the company since 2004. Pont-Aven is so large that she’s actually the fastest and largest purpose built ferry on the English Channel.

Today the ship serves 5 routes:

• Plymouth – Santander
• Portsmouth – Santander
• Plymouth – Roscoff
• Roscoff – Cork
• Portsmouth – Saint Malo (during the winter)

Strictly speaking, the boat is huge! It can accommodate up to 650 cars and has 650 cabins. It has a passenger capacity of 2400, which means navigating between the restaurants and your room can sometimes feel like you’re in a bit of a maze!

The crossing experience

I have always found Channel crossings to be a pretty smooth experience and our latest journey was no exception. Upon arrival in Plymouth we showed our passports for check in and were promptly handed our tickets which doubled as bar-code entry tickets to our rooms.

As we were travelling by car, we were then swiftly placed in a car queue before driving on board with the car. Once you’re parked up, you get the things you need from your car (access to the car deck is strictly forbidden during the crossing- it is possible but you have to head to the information deck and are then allowed to go down with a member of staff) before heading to the upper decks.

We didn’t have a great deal of daylight to enjoy the ship but we explored every area we possibly could and particularly enjoyed all of the outdoor seating areas complete with deck chairs. The ship is so big that it even boasts its own helipad!

Facilities aboard

Having sailed with Brittany Ferries on many of their smaller ships, I was surprised at how much space there is aboard, not to mention how many facilities there are! Some highlights include:

• Duty-free shop: There are lots of books and souvenirs like magnets for sale, as well as more luxurious items like perfumes, jewellery, and even some clothing. However, I would say that you really need to be careful with what you pack to bring aboard with you because there aren’t many personal care items for sale. You can buy basic toiletry packs that contain toothpaste and toothbrushes but nowhere on board (including in the toilets) do they sell women’s sanitary products.
• A nail technician bar: You can get your nails painted on the Pont-Aven by a nail technician!
• Cinemas: There are two cinema screens onboard, each with a lineup of films playing for the day. The tickets are quite pricey though, at €9 for an adult.
• Children’s playroom: There’s a child’s playroom on the ship.
• Games room: There is a games room on the ship with arcade-style games like Mario Karts and Air Hockey. It is £2 per play or €2 per play and so if you do want to play you probably have an interest in paying in euros! The games machines only take cash but there is a cash machine right inside the room itself.
• Pool area: I was very surprised to find a swimming pool onboard. It’s only open during the daytime and so we weren’t able to test it out. It’s pretty small and typically open from the late spring through to the early autumn.
• Spa treatments: There are spa treatments aboard but from what I understand, they’re only available on the longer journeys to Spain.
• Live entertainment: There are several bar and restaurant areas on the ship. I particularly enjoyed sitting in the bar where there’s a piano player, but there was also another bar area with live singers.

Sleeping aboard the Pont Aven

We chose one of the most budget options, a two berth, and so our cabin was small yet cosy and had a plethora of lights to choose from. On night crossings it’s obligatory to reserve some sort of cabin or a reserved lounge seat.

With the latter, you end up in a kind of theatre-looking room with dozens of other people, which is the most budget option but is also the least comfortable, especially if you need to be able to sleep so that you can drive away from the ferry the next day.

Overall there are a number of options when it comes to cabins which can suit a variety of budgets and needs:

• Reserved lounge seats: As I mentioned this is the most budget option, but also not ideal if you want a good night of rest.
• 2 berth inside cabin: With this option you get bunk-style beds and your own bathroom. It’s inside the boat so you don’t have a window (but you’re not allowed to open your blinds outside of daylight hours so having one or not on an overnight crossing doesn’t make much difference anyway). We chose this option as it was the cheapest way to get a bed!
• 2 berth outside cabin: This is the same as above but you get a window. People who suffer from motion sickness might prefer the outside cabins.
• 4 berth cabin: There are a number of options to choose from; including pet-friendly, and inside, and outside options. All 4 berth cabins have an en-suite.
• 4 berth club cabin: As well as getting 4 beds, with this option you also get a TV and tea making facilities.
• 4 berth deluxe cabin: In this option, as well as an en-suite and bunk-beds, you have meals included and can have hot drinks brought to your cabin.
• 4 berth Commodore cabin: This is the most luxurious experience you can have on the Pont-Aven. If you book this cabin then you get perks such as on-demand TV, complimentary breakfast, and even a balcony.