Brittany Ferries has said that its new midweek sailing connecting Cork with France will become a permanent feature of the company’s sailing schedule, as a mark of the company’s long-term commitment to Ireland, Irish tourism and the Port of Cork.
The Wednesday sailing is part of a new three-year deal signed by the Port of Cork Company (PoCC) and Brittany Ferries that was revealed on April 6 on board Armorique, which was docked in Ringaskiddy, Cork.
The new overnight weekly Roscoff Armorique sailing is in addition to the popular Pont-Aven, the flagship of the Brittany Ferries fleet which sails on Saturdays to Roscoff. The services enhance options for passengers, with bookings already registered for 2022 and beyond.
Brittany Ferries’ President, Jean-Marc Roue, Honorary Consul for Ireland in Brittany, stated: ‘Our relationship with Cork and indeed with Ireland has always been a happy and successful relationship. While the last two years have been difficult for us all, I am delighted to be in a position to confirm that this year our early bookings are up by over 35% on 2019 which was our last normal year due to Covid.
‘While most commentators focus on our numbers of Irish holidaymakers heading for France, the reality is that Brittany Ferries makes a larger contribution to Irish tourism. This year, once again, the split in our tourism traffic is 55% /45% in favour of the French taking a holiday in Ireland. I have no doubt that our expanded service will enhance these figures even more. The successful promotion of the Wild Atlantic Way in France and the ease of access to that product from Cork, along with the famous Irish welcome, has always been a compelling proposition for French holidaymakers’.
Port of Cork Company Chief Executive, Eoin McGettigan, stated: ‘This is a special day that not only celebrates our valued partnership with Brittany Ferries which proudly spans over four decades, but we also celebrate new beginnings with the addition of a new weekly sailing between Cork and France. Today, we are honoured also to be able to show Monsieur Roue and his colleagues the significant investment we have made to the Ringaskiddy facility.
‘These investments from the Port of Cork and from Brittany Ferries are symbols of optimism, ambition and celebrate the long-awaited ability for people both in Ireland and France to enjoy renewed freedom after such a challenging two-year period. We are greatly looking forward to seeing a strong and welcome return to tourism and travel between our beautiful countries.’
The Brittany Ferries Roscoff to Cork sailings run from April to October 2022.
