Fred Olsen Express Tenerife - La Gomera
Customer Service
Value For Money
Fred Olsen Express Tenerife - La Gomera
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works.
User Reviews
Customer Service
Value For Money
I Have Family Who Live In La Gomera In The Canary
I have family who live in La Gomera in the Canary Islands which is not the easiest place in the world to get to. It involves a flight to Tenerfie South airport, a transfer to the port and then either a 40-minute or 1-hour transfer by ferry to the island of La Gomera which is some 20KM away across the Atlantic.
The ferries are run by a company called Fred Olsen Express which is actually a Norwegian shipping company. Before they started running in the early 1970s, the island was practically cut off from the outside world. It's still feels a world away from the overbuilt islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria but that is the subject of another review.
The fleet that runs to La Gomera comprises one catamaran, the Benchijigua express and one trimaran called the Benchi express. The trimaran is a large car and lorry-carrying vessel which has multiple outdoor and indoor loungers, a cafe, a shop and, best of all, free wifi. The journey on this boat takes about 40-minutes.
The Benchijigua express is a much smaller, passenger-only catamaran which has a small bar and airline-style seating. The journey takes slightly longer - about an hour or so.
If you have a choice get the bigger Benchi express, the local sport is watching all those passengers who have taken the smaller Benchijigua alight trying to hide the fact they have been seasick. Being trapped on a small boat full of kids and adults vomiting - especially on rough crossings is not fun.
The journey itself is quite picturesque. You are pretty much guaranteed to see dolphins and twice I have also seen pods of whales on the crossing. The journey is about 30 Euros each way. The ferry also runs services to La Palma, EL Heirro and Gran Canaria.
If you are travelling by ferry make sure you time your flights correctly because you could either have a several hour wait for the next sailing of if you arrive late you would have to stay the night in the tacky town of Los Christianos in Tenerife before getting a sailing the following day.
"I found this review somewhat helpful because"... it at least opened up the subject of the ferry services betqween Los Cristianos and La Gomera, and points to the important fact of making sure your flight arrives at a suitable time. Hanging around in Los Cristianos is NOT much fun, especially since most who are heading for La Gomera are consciously trying to avoid mass tourism.
HOWEVER, the writer has confused the two ferries - the Benchi Express is the smaller vessel, and the Benchijigua Express the larger. Furthermore, the reviewer makes no reference to the fact that the Benchi Express also travels on from the Gomeran capital San Sebasti n (where the larger boat stops) to Playa de Santiago and Valle gran Rey, along the south coast.
Since both these latter destinations have hotel and villa rental accommodation, it may well be a significant factor in people's choice of ferry - the alternative is a lengthy and tortuous bus or taxi ride over the hills from the island's capital.
The poster notes correctly that the smaller boat does not carry cars, and yes, it is more prone to service interruptions if the sea is rough, though on the several occasions I have taken it I have not actually seen anyone being seasick.
A further point is that with a car one is not OBLIGED to take a Fred Olsen ferry at all. There is also a car/passenger service from Los Cristianos to San Sebasti n operated by Naviera Armas (http://www.navieraarmas.com/index.php?id_pagina=4&idioma=es), which runs several times a day and is preferred by some, not least for its attractive sun deck.
Q&A
There are no questions yet.