MV Saint Malo Ship Guide: Everything You Need to Know (2027)

🍽️ Le Littoral

French brasserie | Deck 7 | Sea views

The larger of the two main restaurants – a French brasserie at sea, with elegant décor inspired by the blue hues of the Breton coast. Lunch and dinner offer Brittany Ferries’ popular buffet alongside main dishes and Breton specialities, with seasonal menus and a fine selection of French wines, including lesser-known vintages. Children can eat smaller portions of the adult menu, followed by a dessert buffet. Breakfast is a continental buffet, with a full cooked breakfast also available.

🥗 Le Jardin

Counter-service restaurant | Deck 8 | Healthy & local

A relaxed (and, if needed, fast) counter-style servery created for Brittany Ferries’ two newest ships, with a contemporary market garden feel. The menu puts healthy, plant-focused dishes at its heart alongside regional meats and sustainable seafood, with less salt and sugar and zero palm oil. Much of the produce comes from within 160km of the home ports, including the Prince de Bretagne brand grown on Breton farms. Breton galettes and crêpes, light bites, vegetarian and vegan options, and good-value meal deals.

🍺 Breizh Ma Bro Bar

Deck 8, central | Skylight | Live entertainment

The beating heart of the ship – its name means “Brittany, my country” in Breton. Take a seat under the skylight decorated in the style of the Gwenn-ha-Du flag, with gin, wine, beer, cocktails, or soft drinks, and enjoy performances by singers, musicians and magicians on stage. An adjoining lounge offers a quieter atmosphere, surrounded by portraits of Breton crew members in traditional costume.

⭐ CClub

Deck 8, forward port | Lounge-restaurant | Book ahead

A luxurious lounge-restaurant created especially for the Saint-Malo, with panoramic sea views over the bow. Head chef Patrice Pantalini offers a refined dinner buffet on overnight sailings – oysters, langoustines and Breton specialities, followed by French desserts and a fine wine list (£47 per adult). For morning arrivals there’s an English breakfast menu alongside a continental buffet (£16 per adult), and on day sailings an all-day buffet of sweet and savoury snacks with hot dishes at lunchtime. Space is limited – book when you book your crossing or later through “My Account”.

🏖️ La Plage

Deck 7 | Beach-themed | Sea views

A beach-themed haven with incredible sea views and an outdoor terrace. Grab a summertime smoothie from the beach-hut counter, lose yourself in a book, or simply soak up the sea air. Wi-Fi available if you really must check your emails. Perfect for unwinding mid-crossing.

☀️ Sun Deck (Deck 10)

Outdoor gym, sunbathing with deckchairs, canopy-shaded seating, and a children’s outdoor play area. The sun deck offers spectacular views entering and leaving port.

🎨 Exhibition Gallery (Deck 6)

An art collection celebrating Breton culture, including 150 works by Scottish artist Alexander Goudie and a miniature replica of the Saint-Alexis statue. Street art by Retro Graphitism on the outer decks.

🎮 Games Planet

Video games area with the latest titles, air hockey, foosball, and vintage arcade games. Great for teenagers and older children.

💆 Wellness Room (Deck 7)

Eco-friendly sea-based treatments by Phytomer. Facials from €42, foot treatments, manicures with O.P.I nail polishes, and massage therapy. 10% off cosmetics purchased with treatments.

👧 Children’s Playroom (Deck 8)

Soft play area with digital and interactive games, arts and crafts, and physical activities. Complimentary children’s entertainment programme with dedicated supervisors during school holidays.

🐻 Pierre le Bear & Ferrynauts

Brittany Ferries’ beloved bear mascot makes appearances during school holidays with activities, magicians, and competitions. Children aged 7–13 can download the Ferrynauts app for an augmented reality quest – scan 15 hidden stickers to win a prize!

🍷 Wines & Spirits

Large wine cellar. Budget to premium. Whisky, gin, spirits. Wine tastings and special promotions on selected sailings.

💄 Perfumes & Cosmetics

Luxury brand perfumes and cosmetics. Sample fragrances before you buy.

👜 Fashion & Accessories

Designer jewellery, watches, sunglasses, leather goods, clothing, cameras.

🎁 Gifts & Souvenirs

Toys, confectionery, books, games, newspapers, tobacco, and Breton souvenirs.

🧀 Delicatessen

Right outside the boutique – fresh regional products, gourmet gifts, cold drinks, and sandwiches for your onward journey.

🏠 Pet-Friendly Cabins

28 cabins including 2-berth Commodore, 4-berth inside, and 4-berth outside options – all with vinyl flooring. Outdoor pet exercise area (Deck 7) access included. Book early: these sell out months ahead of peak sailings.

🐶 Dog Kennels (Deck 7)

12 kennels in small and large sizes located on Deck 7. Small: Toy Poodle, King Charles Spaniel, Terrier, Jack Russell. Large: German Shepherd, Labrador, Dalmatian, Boxer, Pointer, Setter. Must be pre-booked.

🦮 Pet Exercise Area (Deck 7)

Dedicated outdoor pet exercise area on Deck 7, starboard side. Dogs must be muzzled and on a lead at all times. Access restricted in bad weather. Guide dogs are exempt from all kennel and exercise area restrictions.

♿ Wheelchair Access

Passenger lifts serve all passenger and vehicle decks. 8 wheelchair-accessible cabins available (Commodore and standard grades). Accessible toilets on Decks 7 and 8. Information Desk open 24 hours for passenger assistance.

🍼 Baby Facilities

Baby changing in the public bathrooms on Decks 7 and 8. Cots available for infants up to 24 months – must be pre-booked when selecting infant passenger. Smaller children’s portions available in Le Littoral, with a dessert buffet.

ℹ️ Information Desk (Deck 7)

Open 24 hours. Cabin enquiries, lost property, onboard information, and travel tips for Brittany. Digital information kiosks also available to guide you through the best places to visit.

🧳 Baggage Storage

Locked baggage room – enquire at the Information Desk. Locked for the duration of the crossing and opened approximately 20–30 minutes before arrival.

💳 Paying on Board

Sterling and Euros are accepted throughout the ship, by cash or card. Prices are shown in both currencies.

⚡ Priority Disembarkation

Book a priority parking space on board for £15 per vehicle, each way, so you’re one of the first off on arrival. You must arrive at the port 1 hour 15 minutes before departure. Not available for passengers with vans, motorbikes, or pets.

What is the MV Saint Malo?

The MV Saint-Malo is Brittany Ferries’ LNG-hybrid cruise ferry, launched in February 2025. She is the primary vessel on the overnight Portsmouth to St Malo route and the company’s first hybrid-LNG ship, combining liquefied natural gas propulsion with a 12MWh battery for lower emissions. Built to the Stena E-Flexer design, the 10-deck vessel carries up to 1,310 passengers and 470 cars, with a gross tonnage of 30,000 GT. She offers three places to eat (Le Littoral, Le Jardin and the CClub), the Breizh Ma Bro bar, an Exhibition Gallery, wellness room, sun deck, and 386 cabins across 6 grades.

Where is the MV Saint-Malo now?

You can track the MV Saint-Malo live using the map above — it shows her exact position, speed and heading in real time via AIS (IMO 9946336 · MMSI 228457700). On a typical evening sailing she departs Portsmouth at 20:15, crosses overnight, and arrives at St Malo’s Gare Maritime du Naye the following morning at 08:45 French local time. The daytime return from St Malo to Portsmouth takes around 8 hours 35 minutes.

Is there a deck plan for the MV Saint Malo?

Yes – the full MV Saint Malo deck plan image is shown above, with a complete deck-by-deck breakdown alongside it. In summary: Decks 1–3 are engineering and crew only; Decks 4–5 are vehicle decks; Deck 6 is the largest passenger deck running the full length of the ship, housing the Exhibition Gallery and the greatest number of passenger cabins; Deck 7 has Le Littoral restaurant, La Plage, the Information Desk, Les Boutiques duty-free shop, the Wellness Room, the kennels and outdoor pet exercise area, and passenger cabins aft; Deck 8 has Le Jardin restaurant, the Breizh Ma Bro bar (central, skylight), the CClub (forward port), the Children’s Playroom, and passenger cabins aft; Deck 9 has passenger cabins on the aft section only; and Deck 10 is the sun deck with outdoor gym, children’s play area, and sunbathing space – no cabins. Your cabin number’s first digit tells you your deck.

Which deck is best on the MV Saint Malo?

It depends on your priorities. For the least motion in rough seas, choose a midship cabin on Deck 6 – the lowest passenger deck and the most stable position on board. For convenience, Deck 7 puts you closest to Le Littoral restaurant, La Plage, the Information Desk, the duty-free boutique, and the Wellness Room. Deck 8 has the Breizh Ma Bro bar, Le Jardin restaurant, the CClub (forward port) and the Children’s Playroom. Deck 9 cabins are aft only and at height, so more motion may be felt. Deck 10 is the sun deck (no cabins) – the best spot on the ship to watch the approach into St Malo bay. You cannot choose a specific deck when booking online; call Brittany Ferries after booking to request a preference at 0330 159 7000. Phone lines are open: Monday to Friday 09:00-18:00. Saturday & Sunday 09:00-16:30

Is the MV Saint Malo a new ship?

Yes. The MV Saint Malo is a brand-new ship, built in 2024 and entering service in February 2025. She replaced the much-loved MV Bretagne – launched in 1989 and on the route for over 30 years – and represents a significant step forward in passenger facilities and environmental performance.

Does the MV Saint Malo have a cinema?

No. The MV Saint Malo does not have onboard cinemas – those are a feature of the Armorique, which operates a small number of sailings instead of the Saint-Malo (7–20 March 2027). Entertainment on the Saint-Malo instead centres on the Breizh Ma Bro bar (singers, musicians, magicians, quizzes and silent discos), La Plage, the Exhibition Gallery on Deck 6, and the free Video on Demand service available in every cabin and throughout the ship via Wi-Fi.

How long is the crossing on the MV Saint Malo?

The overnight sailing from Portsmouth departs at 20:15 and arrives in St Malo at 08:45 French time – a crossing of around 11 hours 30 minutes. The daytime return sailing leaves St Malo at 10:45 and arrives in Portsmouth at 18:20 UK time – around 8 hours 35 minutes. There is also an overnight return on some days, leaving St Malo at 20:30 and arriving at 07:45. A cabin is compulsory on overnight sailings but optional on the daytime return.

What plug sockets does the MV Saint Malo have?

Every cabin on the MV Saint Malo has UK three-pin sockets, European two-pin sockets, and USB-A and USB-C ports – so UK passengers do not need any adaptors. This is a key advantage over the Armorique, which only has continental 2-pin sockets and requires a travel adaptor for UK devices.

How do I know if I’m sailing on the MV Saint Malo or the Armorique?

The ship operating your sailing is confirmed in your booking details. The MV Saint-Malo is the primary vessel and operates the route all year, except for a small number of sailings between 7 and 20 March 2027, when the Armorique operates instead. If you want to be certain you are sailing on the Saint-Malo – particularly important if you want a Commodore cabin, Admiral suite, the CClub, or Les 8 Trésors access – check your booking confirmation before finalising.

Is food included in the MV Saint Malo crossing?

No – meals are not included in the standard fare, on overnight or daytime sailings. You pay as you go in Le Littoral, Le Jardin, the bars and the CClub (CClub breakfast £16 and dinner £47 per adult, best booked in advance). The easiest way to save is a pre-booked Food Pass (£25, £40 or £50, giving 5–15% extra to spend on board). Commodore and Admiral guests have breakfast included – in the Les 8 Trésors lounge or, on overnight sailings, served in the cabin – plus complimentary drinks and snacks in the lounge.

Cabin Guide

Every cabin on both ships – prices, specs, and honest advice on which grade to book for your party

Cabin Guide →

Onboard Facilities

Complete guide to dining, bars, shopping, Wi-Fi, entertainment, pets, and passenger services on both ships

Facilities Guide →

Timetable

Full 2027 Portsmouth to St Malo sailing timetable – departure times, sailing days, and seasonal dates

Timetables →

Explore St Malo

Ramparts, beaches, day trips, dining, and everything to see and do in St Malo and Brittany

St Malo Guide →