Brittany Ferries scoops top award at Ferry Shipping Conference

Brittany Ferries, the leading ferry company on the Western Channel, received the “Best Ferry Concept Award” for its £100 million flagship, Pont-Aven, at the recent Ferry Shipping (Shippax) Conference in Oslo.

Shippax, publishers of the world’s leading guide on the ferry industry, Cruise and Ferry Info, made the award “for the overall design and service approach reflecting a unique sense of sophisticated modern European hospitality architecture throughout the public areas and accommodations”.

Pont-Aven combines cruise comfort and design with a very high cruising speed of 27 knots. The 41,000 tonne vessel, which can carry 2,400 passengers and 650 cars, is the first northern European car ferry with facilities that were, until now, only found on cruise ships. For instance there is an open deck pool, whilst other on-board features include a range dining opportunities in elegant à la carte restaurants, bistros and tea rooms, a central atrium with panoramic lifts, an extensive shopping mall, cocktail and cabaret bars, two cinemas and a special leisure area for younger clientele.
As with everything else on board, cabin accommodation is also of the very highest standard. All 650 cabins match any good hotel and are air-conditioned with full en-suite facilities and four types are available: Standard • Club Class • De Luxe • Commodore. All, apart from standard cabins have a flat screen TV with comfortable seating and the luxurious Commodore cabins feature wide patio doors that offer panoramic views and lead directly onto a private balcony.
The Pont-Aven décor reflects the artistic influences made famous by the distinguished French school of painters bearing the same name.

Pont-Aven operates twice weekly from Plymouth to Santander in Northern Spain and Roscoff in Brittany, with a weekly crossing from Cork to Roscoff.

Details of all current Brittany Ferries services can be found at www.brittanyferries.co.uk

For further information contact Stephen Tuckwell at the Brittany Ferries Press Office.
Telephone: 0870 901 0215
Fax: 08709 000 289
Email: pressoffice@brittanyferries.com

Released 21 June 2005