Portsmouth to Caen Onboard Facilities Guide

A complete guide to Portsmouth to Caen onboard facilities covering both ships — restaurants, bars, cinema, shopping, Wi-Fi, entertainment and passenger services on the Guillaume de Normandie and the Mont Saint Michel. The two ships are quite different in what they offer, so this guide covers each separately so you know exactly what to expect before you sail.

All facilities verified from official Brittany Ferries sources for Guillaume de Normandie and Mont Saint Michel

Portsmouth to Caen Onboard Facilities, Le Jardin onboard Guillaume de Normandie

🚢 Which Ship Are You On?

The Guillaume de Normandie is Brittany Ferries’ newest hybrid-LNG ship, in service since April 2025. The Mont Saint Michel has been on this route since 2002 and is significantly larger. Your booking confirmation states which ship you’re on. The two ships differ considerably in what they offer.

Feature	Guillaume de Normandie	Mont Saint Michel
Passengers / Cars	1,310 / 470	2,200 / 800+
Cabins	386 (decks 6, 7, 8 & 9)	224 (decks 7 & 9)
Restaurant type	Riva Bella (brasserie) + Le Jardin (plant-forward)	Les Romantiques (à la carte*) + La Galerie (self-service)
Café	—	Le Café du Festival (deck 9)
Main bar	Les Planches (deck 8)	Blue Note Bar (deck 9)
CClub Lounge	✅ Deck 8 (closed overnight)	❌
Couchette Plus	✅ From £12 (deck 6)	❌
Reserved seat lounges	❌	✅ 419 seats, 5 lounges (deck 7)
Cinemas	❌	✅ 2 cinemas (deck 7)
Games Planet/Video Games	✅ Deck 8	✅ Decks 8 & 10
Boutique (duty free)	Deck 8 + delicatessen	Decks 7 & 8
Exhibition Gallery	✅ ~1,000 artworks	❌
Sun deck	Deck 10 — gym, kids’ play, helideck	Decks 8, 9 & 10
Pet-friendly cabins / kennels	✅ 21 cabins + kennels	❌ Pets stay in vehicle
Cabin sockets	UK 3-pin, EU 2-pin, USB-A/C	Continental 2-pin only
Wi-Fi (free allowance)	1 hour free	1 hour free

*Les Romantiques is closed during the winter period — La Galerie remains open year-round.

Check Prices & Book Now

🚢 Guillaume de Normandie — Complete Onboard Facilities Guide

Brittany Ferries’ newest hybrid-LNG ship. China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, Weihai. Maiden voyage April 2025. 1,310 passengers · 470 cars · 386 cabins.

🍽️ Dining on Guillaume de Normandie

Riva Bella

Brasserie restaurant · Deck 7 · Coastal theme

A spacious brasserie with a coastal look and sea-facing windows. The menu leans on locally sourced ingredients and changes with the seasons, with a wine list drawn from Normandy producers.

Le Jardin

Plant-forward restaurant · Deck 8 · Market garden concept

New to the Brittany Ferries fleet — an airy, market-garden-style restaurant offering both meat and plant-based dishes. Ingredients come from the Prince de Bretagne brand, grown directly on Brittany Ferries’ shareholder farms.

CClub Lounge

Deck 8 · Premium lounge · Closed overnight

A private, sea-view lounge decorated with contemporary art, offering complimentary hot and cold drinks and food throughout the day. Reserve ahead or pay on the day, space permitting. Closed on overnight sailings.

Opening hours for both restaurants and the CClub Lounge shift by sailing and by season, so it’s worth confirming once you’re aboard. A pre-purchased Food Pass adds 5–15% extra credit to spend across every restaurant and café on board. You can pay in either Euros or Sterling, by cash or card.

🎉 Bars & Things to Do on Guillaume de Normandie

🏖️ Les Planches Bar

Deck 8 · Beach-themed · Glass roof

Styled after Normandy’s classic seafront boardwalks, with a striking glass roof overhead. Gin, wine, beer, cocktails and soft drinks are all on the menu, alongside live entertainment and big screens for sport.

🖼️ Exhibition Gallery

Throughout the ship · ~1,000 artworks

Roughly 1,000 pieces — paintings, sculpture, ceramics and photography — spread across the public areas of the ship, celebrating Normandy’s art and culture.

🎮 Games Planet

Deck 8 · Vintage arcade games

A retro arcade room where family and friends can go head-to-head on classic games — an easy way to pass an hour of the crossing, whatever your age.

👧 Indoor Playroom & Outdoor Play Area

Deck 8 (indoor) + Deck 10 (outdoor)

A digital-games indoor playroom plus an open-air play area up on the sun deck for burning off energy in the sea breeze. Look out for a visit from Pierre le Bear, a hit with younger passengers.

📱 Ferrynauts App

Free download

A free app-based quest that sends younger passengers off around the ship on a self-guided adventure — a good way to keep children occupied for part of the crossing.

☀️ Sun Deck (Deck 10)

Outdoor gym · Kids’ play area · Helideck

Canopy-covered seating, deckchairs and loungers for sunbathing, an open-air gym and a children’s play area all share deck 10, which also serves as a helideck for emergencies.

🛍️ Shopping on Guillaume de Normandie

Boutique & Delicatessen · Deck 8

Duty-free savings of up to 40% on UK high street prices across perfume, cosmetics, skincare, fashion, souvenirs, toys and a full range of beer, wine, spirits and champagne. The neighbouring delicatessen stocks regional produce, gourmet gifts, sandwiches and cold drinks for the road ahead.

📶 Wi-Fi on Guillaume de Normandie

Satellite Wi-Fi covers the whole ship — join the network called ‘Brittany Ferries Connected’. There’s also a ship-wide Video on Demand (VOD) library of films, radio and TV, streamable to your own device or watched directly on the cabin smart TV.

Package	Price	Duration	Devices	Best for
Surf Free	Free	1 hour	1	Checking email, quick messages
Surf Small	€3.50	1 hr (pausable)	1	Light browsing on the go
Surf Medium	€9.00	3 hrs (pausable)	2	Scrolling social media over a longer sitting
Surf One Way	€15.00	Whole sailing	2	Streaming or heavier data use

⚠️ Switch off mobile data roaming before you board. Out in the Channel, your phone can latch onto an offshore maritime network that charges well above your normal UK rates. Stick to the ship’s ‘Brittany Ferries Connected’ Wi-Fi instead. Club Voyage members get 50% off the Surf One Way package — ask at the Information Desk before buying.

♿ Passenger Services on Guillaume de Normandie

♿ Wheelchair Access

Wheelchair-friendly cabins come in both 2-berth inside and 2-berth outside grades, and there’s a wheelchair-accessible Couchette Plus berth too. Lifts run to every passenger deck — flag your requirements at booking and again when you check in.

🍼 Baby Facilities

Baby changing is available on board. Cots for infants up to 24 months can be pre-booked (one per cabin), and both restaurants serve children’s menus for ages 4–12.

ℹ️ Information Desk (Deck 7)

Staffed throughout the crossing by bilingual crew who can help with directions, assistance or general questions about the ship.

🐾 Pet Facilities

21 pet-friendly cabins across the 4-berth outside and 4-berth inside grades, plus onboard kennels. The pet exercise area sits on deck 7, reached by lift or the “purple stairs”. Dogs must be muzzled any time they’re outside your vehicle or their booked accommodation. If your pet stays in your vehicle, daytime-sailing visits can be arranged with a member of staff — check the pet travel guide for the full process, including why this isn’t possible overnight.

🗺️ Guillaume de Normandie Deck by Deck

Deck 10

Sun deck · Outdoor gym · Kids’ play area · Helideck

Deck 9

Predominantly cabins (9139–9336)

Deck 8

Le Jardin · Les Planches · CClub Lounge · Games Planet · Kids’ play area · Boutique & deli · Cabins (8101–8338)

Deck 7

Riva Bella · Pet exercise area · Information Desk · Cabins (7101–7338)

Deck 6

Cabins (6001–6079) either side of the Couchette Plus communal lounge area

Full Guillaume de Normandie Ship Guide →

🚢 Mont Saint Michel — Complete Onboard Facilities Guide

One of the largest cruise ferries on the English Channel. Van der Giessen de Noord, Netherlands. Launched 2002. 2,200 passengers · 800+ cars · 224 cabins.

🍽️ Dining on Mont Saint Michel

Les Romantiques

À la carte restaurant · Deck 8, aft · Seasonal menu

Tucked at the rear of deck 8, the ship’s à la carte restaurant runs a seasonal menu built on regional suppliers, matched with a hand-picked French wine list. Closed over winter — La Galerie’s self-service option runs all year round.

La Galerie

Self-service restaurant · Deck 8 · Open year-round

A spacious self-service hall with plenty of choice — steaks grilled to order, a salad bar, hot mains, desserts, and wine and beer. Stays open through the year, including winter sailings when Les Romantiques is shut.

Le Café du Festival

Café · Deck 9 · Sun deck access

Sandwiches, cakes, pastries and hot and cold drinks, with direct access to the sun deck for taking your coffee outside on a clear day. The children’s soft play area sits right next door, making this a natural base for young families.

Children’s menus are served everywhere on board. Opening hours shift by season and by sailing, so it’s worth double-checking once you’re aboard. A pre-purchased Food Pass adds 5–15% extra spend across all restaurants and cafés, and you can pay in Euros or Sterling by cash or card.

🍷 Bars, Entertainment & Things to Do

🎵 Blue Note Bar

Deck 9 · The only bar on board · Stage, ATM

The ship’s single bar sits centrally on deck 9, serving wine, cocktails, hot and cold drinks and snacks across a large seating area with window-side sofas and a central stage for entertainment. Flat-screen TVs carry live sport and news, and there’s a cash machine tucked near the stairs.

🎬 Two Cinemas

Deck 7 · Surround sound

Two comfortable screens with surround sound, showing films in English with no subtitles. Buy tickets at the Information Desk 15 minutes after departure. Adults €9.00, children under 12 €7.50, family ticket (2+2, U/PG certificates only) €30.00. Not wheelchair accessible.

🎮 Games Planet & Video Games

Decks 8 & 10 · Latest consoles

Gaming spread across two decks, with the larger Games Planet room on deck 10 aimed squarely at teenagers. A reliable option whatever the weather’s doing outside.

👧 Children’s Playroom

Deck 9 · Peak season programme

A playroom for younger children sits beside Le Café du Festival and the soft play area. In peak season this expands into a full entertainment programme — treasure hunts, games and organised activities, always with children supervised.

🐻 Pierre le Bear & Live Entertainment

School holidays · Blue Note Bar

During school holidays, Pierre le Bear turns up for games, songs and photos with younger passengers. The Blue Note Bar runs its own entertainment schedule too — quizzes, live vocal sets from the ship’s singers, and the occasional silent disco. Pick up the programme from the Information Desk.

☀️ Sun Decks

Decks 8, 9 & 10

Open-air deck space spread across three decks, best used for fresh air and sea views as you leave Portsmouth or approach Caen in good weather.

🛍️ Shopping on Mont Saint Michel

Les Boutiques · Decks 7 & 8

Two duty-free boutiques stock spirits, wine, tobacco, perfume, cosmetics, leather goods, sweets, toys, fashion, souvenirs, newspapers, games, cameras, sunglasses and jewellery — though wine, spirits and tobacco can’t be bought while still in UK waters. Le Kiosk and La Vitrine on deck 8 cover newspapers, gifts and snacks.

📶 Wi-Fi on Mont Saint Michel

The Mont Saint Michel has satellite Wi-Fi throughout the ship. Look for the network named ‘Brittany Ferries Connected’ and connect to that one only — the first hour is free, with paid packages available if you need longer. Best signal: deck 7 near the boutique, deck 8 around the restaurant areas and Le Kiosk, and deck 9 close to Le Café du Festival and the Blue Note Bar.

Package	Price	Duration	Devices	Best for
Surf Free	Free	1 hour	1	Checking email, quick messages
Surf Small	€3.50	1 hr (pausable)	1	Light browsing on the go
Surf Medium	€9.00	3 hrs (pausable)	2	Scrolling social media over a longer sitting
Surf One Way	€15.00	Whole sailing	2	Streaming or heavier data use

⚠️ Switch off mobile data roaming before you board. Out in the Channel, your phone can latch onto an offshore maritime network that charges well above your normal UK rates. Stick to the ship’s ‘Brittany Ferries Connected’ Wi-Fi instead. If you’re a Club Voyage member, ask at the Information Desk before buying — you get 50% off the Surf One Way package.

♿ Passenger Services on Mont Saint Michel

♿ Wheelchair Cabins

Three 2-berth inside cabins on deck 7 are adapted for wheelchair users. Lifts cover every passenger deck, and the whole ship is accessible bar the two cinemas. Accessible toilets are dotted across decks 7, 8, 9 and 10.

🧒 Autism Support

Ask at check-in for a booklet designed for children on the autistic spectrum, walking through each stage of the sailing using simple eye-spy style games.

🍼 Baby Facilities

Baby changing rooms are on decks 8 and 9. Cots for infants up to 24 months can be pre-booked, one per cabin, and every restaurant on board offers a children’s menu.

🧳 Baggage Room & Showers

Both are on deck 7. The baggage room stays locked for the crossing and reopens roughly 20–30 minutes before arrival. Ask the Information Desk if you need directions to either.

ℹ️ Information Desk (24hr)

Staffed round the clock on deck 7 for cinema tickets, cabin queries, lost property and general help. A defibrillator is kept nearby.

🐕 Pet Facilities

No pet-friendly cabins or kennels on this ship. Pets stay in your vehicle for the whole crossing. On daytime sailings you can arrange a supervised visit via a badge from the Information Desk (one person, 15 minutes maximum) — but overnight sailings allow no visits at all.

🗺️ Mont Saint Michel Deck by Deck

Deck 10

Games Planet · Aft sun deck

Deck 9

Blue Note Bar · Le Café du Festival · Children’s playroom · Baby change · Cabins (9001–9616) · Sun deck

Deck 8

Les Romantiques · La Galerie · Le Kiosk · La Vitrine · Video games · Baby change · Aft sun deck

Deck 7

Cabins (7001–7916) · Boutique · 2 Cinemas · 5 Reserved seat lounges · Information Desk (24hr) · Sick bay · Baggage room · Showers

Full Mont Saint Michel Ship Guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a restaurant on the Portsmouth to Caen ferry?

Both ships have restaurants, though the offering differs. Guillaume de Normandie runs Riva Bella (brasserie, deck 7) and Le Jardin (plant-forward, deck 8), plus the CClub Lounge (deck 8, shut overnight). Mont Saint Michel has Les Romantiques (à la carte, deck 8, winter closure), La Galerie (self-service, deck 8, year-round) and Le Café du Festival (deck 9). Children’s menus and a pre-paid Food Pass work on both ships.

Does the Portsmouth to Caen ferry have Wi-Fi?

Both ships give you the first hour free (Surf Free), then charge for extra: Surf Small €3.50 (1 hour, pausable), Surf Medium €9.00 (3 hours, pausable, 2 devices), or Surf One Way €15.00 (whole sailing, 2 devices). Club Voyage members get half off Surf One Way. Join the ‘Brittany Ferries Connected’ network — and switch off data roaming on every device, since the offshore mobile network isn’t free and your own provider will bill you for it.

Is there a cinema on the Portsmouth to Caen ferry?

Only the Mont Saint Michel has cinemas — two screens on deck 7 with surround sound. Adults €9.00, children under 12 €7.50, family ticket (2 adults + 2 children, U/PG only) €30.00, tickets from the Information Desk 15 minutes after sailing. All films play in English with no subtitles, and the cinemas aren’t wheelchair accessible. Guillaume de Normandie has no cinema — she offers a games room instead (Games Planet, deck 8) plus an Exhibition Gallery of roughly 1,000 artworks.

Does the Portsmouth to Caen ferry have a swimming pool?

No — not on the Portsmouth to Caen route, neither ship on this route has a pool. That’s a feature reserved for other Brittany Ferries vessels, such as the Pont-Aven on the Plymouth to Roscoff route. Both Guillaume de Normandie and Mont Saint Michel do have open sun decks if you want fresh air during the crossing.

Can I bring my pet on the Portsmouth to Caen ferry?

It depends on your ship. Guillaume de Normandie has 21 pet-friendly cabins plus onboard kennels, so your pet can stay with you in a cabin, in a kennel, or in your vehicle. Mont Saint Michel has neither — pets remain in the vehicle for the whole sailing, with daytime-only visits via a badge from the Information Desk (15 minutes maximum, no overnight visits). Dogs need to be muzzled any time they’re out of the vehicle or their booked accommodation. Full documentation requirements are in our pet travel guide →.

Which ship is better — Guillaume de Normandie or Mont Saint Michel?

It comes down to what you value. Guillaume de Normandie, the 2025 newcomer, brings UK/EU/USB sockets, the CClub Lounge, Couchette Plus from £12, allergy-friendly cabins, pet-friendly cabins and kennels, plus an Exhibition Gallery of around 1,000 pieces. Mont Saint Michel carries more people (2,200 vs 1,310), and offers two cinemas, 419 reserved lounge seats across five lounges, and the lively Blue Note Bar — but her cabins only have continental 2-pin sockets, and there’s no pet cabin option. Check your booking confirmation to see which one you’re on.

What plug sockets do I need on the Portsmouth to Caen ferry?

It depends which ship you’re on. Guillaume de Normandie fits UK 3-pin, EU 2-pin, USB-A and USB-C sockets into every cabin, so there’s nothing extra to pack. Mont Saint Michel only has continental 2-pin sockets (220v) and a 110v shaving socket, so UK travellers will need an adaptor. Since you’ll likely need one for France anyway, packing a travel adaptor regardless is a sensible habit.

Can I buy duty free on the Portsmouth to Caen ferry?

Both ships have duty-free shops. Guillaume de Normandie has a boutique and delicatessen on deck 8, with savings of up to 40% versus UK high street prices. Mont Saint Michel spreads Les Boutiques across decks 7 and 8, with Le Kiosk and La Vitrine on deck 8 for newspapers and gifts. Spirits and tobacco are duty-free but can’t be bought until you’re clear of UK territorial waters. Pay in Euros or Sterling, cash or card.