Corsica Ferries opens new route between Toulon and Minorca
‘Mini-cruise’ tickets can be purchased without an overnight cabin
The service is currently set to run until the end of July
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A new two-night ‘mini cruise’ is available between Toulon and the Spanish island of Minorca, and has so far received several positive reviews.
The cruise, offered by Corsica Ferries, departs once-weekly from Toulon, departing on Saturday evenings and arriving around 10:00 on Sunday in the Balearic island’s main port, Ciutadella.
It departs the smallest of the chain’s three major islands (alongside Ibiza and Mallorca) at 20:15, affording passengers most of the day to soak up the sunshine and culture of Minorca.
It then pulls into Toulon around 10:00 on Monday morning.
“This mini-cruise is a great idea. What we like is travelling from one place to another and being able to visit freely during the day,” said couple Pierre and Muriel to media outlet Var Matin.
The ferry company is expanding on the idea of ‘mini-cruises’ where passengers can spend less than a day in an area before returning home, and offers dozens of routes overall.
Relaxed atmosphere, but some passengers have no cabin
The ship has space for around 600 passengers (on top of 90 staff-members) and is more laid back than traditional cruises, similar to the ferries that shuttle passengers between France and England.
There is a bar and restaurant on board, but no evening entertainment, disco, or live shows as you may find on a traditional cruise.
However, it does have a play area for children and a small swimming pool, and allows passengers to bring their dogs with them.
It is also possible to bring your car, useful when arriving in Minorca as the small island has relatively few public transport options on a Sunday.
The stripped-back experience is also different in that customers can purchase a ticket to board the ship without the addition of a cabin, spending the nights sleeping in the bar or on benches scattering the ship.
“The ship has a rest room for passengers without cabins, for around ten euros, but we can't force them to go there,” said a worker on the ship.
Tickets are purchased through the Corsica Ferries website, with trips scheduled on Saturdays throughout June and July.
Prices vary but tickets cost around €79 each way (€160 overall).
