CORSICA FERRIES, welcome to hell in August!

I love Corsica and travel regularly there, I like crossing the Mediterranean sea but it was the first time I have travelled this route in August and I  would not recommend this experience to anyone.

I took a night ferry from Toulon to Bastia and for the return a day one from Bastia to Nice.

The ferry was full and on my first journey, it was not possible to get a cabin at all, so I had to spend the whole night in the bar and for the return, the ferry was so full that you have to fight  to get a seat somewhere, yes you still have the option after 1 hour or queue to get a day cabin, only 1 hour after the departure in my case with no window and for 45 Euros, instead of the normal 25 but I guess this a way to make money in the summer, plus when I board, the escalator was broken so I had to climb with my big suitcase onto the ferry, not really a nice welcome.

Usually I travel with them but not during the summer and I understand it is a different challenge to transport passengers at that time by the way the other ferry company on these routes is the  SNCM and is worse all year and would not recommend to travel with them.

It is the first time I have travelled with Corsica Ferries, that I have not been generally happy with the company.  Usually I like it because of the Italian flair (Corsica ferries is an Italian company based in Bastia), Italian staff, cuisine and ambience, really all you need to make your crossing pleasant and the ferry is very comfortable with nice lounges, dining rooms, play area for children, piano bars, very similar to a cruise ship.

So the conclusion,  if you are planning a trip to Corsica, crossing,  Corsica Ferries is fine but avoid, June, July, August as the crew is overloaded  with work and easily irritated and would make your journey a kind of hell!  That said, I am sure that every other ferry company operating at full capacity will also be the same – so I guess the overall advice is that if you can avoid it – avoid travelling in peak months. 

Erick Munnings