The sale of NORMANDIE, seen here and BRETAGNE was for Brittany Ferries and for the world of the ferries the end of an era, truly was. Both ships were withdrawn from the fleet in the space of just six months, first the BRETAGNE in November of 2024 and the NORMANDIE just last week, on the 18th of April 2025. During my life as a passenger ship admirer, I am used to lose ships that are special, very close to my heart, the list is endless. But, let's just concentrate on these two, they were paramount helping me for decades on my business travels to mainland Europe, I have been on board both of them more than 230 times. BRETAGNE and NORMANDIE are well known in the shipping world, they were catalysts of the development of the so called "cruise-ferry" ships, they were beautiful with fascinating interiors and a joy to be on board. Both were reliable and much loved by crews and passengers. It will take a long time for many people to digest the fact that they are no longer daily visitors to Portsmouth, Saint-Malo or Ouistreham, but like everything in life, people will not forget them, but also like everything in life, move forward is the only way. I am truly thankful to the ships and their crews for making me feel so special in many occasions. Now, it's time to welcome the successors, SAINT-MALO and GUILLAUME DE NORMANDIE, two very different ships but also with lots of appeal, they are also more comfortable and spacious, their interiors still adorn the beauty of the regions of Bretagne and Normandie and specially on the case of the SAINT-MALO, she inherited the soul of the unforgettable BRETAGNE. So, thank you BRETAGNE and NORMANDIE for the countless memories and here's to the beginning of new memories with SAINT-MALO and GUILLAUME DE NORMANDIE. Photos here included, NORMANDIE arriving Ouistreham back in 2016 and on the bridge of the ship on my very last trip, arriving Portsmouth on the 26th March 2025.
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