News
Brunel’s historic ship SS Great Britain to set sail again for the first time in 140 years
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SS Great Brittany bow-on
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Pierre Le Bear aboard SS Great Brittany
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Pierre Le Bear in front of SS Great Brittany stern-on
Press release
UNDER EMBARGO until 00.01, 1st April 2026
Brunel’s historic ship SS Great Britain to set sail again for the first time in 140 years
The re-named ‘SS Great Brittany’ will be the first vessel on a new Brittany Ferries route to France
Brunel’s iconic steamship, the SS Great Britain, is to join the fleet of Brittany Ferries and will set sail to France, in its maiden voyage for the ferry company, offering passengers a ‘truly historic channel crossing experience’ from June 2026.
To celebrate the launch, the ship will be officially renamed the SS Great Brittany in a naming ceremony, rechristened with a bottle of 140-year-old vintage Bordeaux red wine.
Tapping into the rapidly growing cruise and ferry market, crossings will take passengers from Bristol to its twin city Bordeaux in the South of France, with sailings taking place weekly.
Nigel Wonnacott, group head of external communications at Brittany Ferries, said:
“This is a historic moment for a historic ship, and we couldn’t be more excited for the SS Great Brittany to join our fleet. We are delighted to welcome passengers from both sides of the Channel to a ship that last sailed before the Eiffel Tower was built.
“Brittany Ferries is famous for bringing French hospitality to all of our crossings, and this will be no different on the SS Great Brittany. We’re offering an extensive range of French wines, aged cheeses and a specially curated 1852 meal including ship’s biscuits and salted pork, plus a lime to stave off scurvy.”
On board, passengers will be invited to step back in time, with period-inspired cabins, traditional dining, and the rare chance to experience maritime travel as it would have been in the 19th century, albeit with a few modern comforts discreetly added below deck.
To celebrate the launch of the crossing, tickets are available for just £26 per person for a limited time only – the price of a steerage (third class) crossing from England to Australia from the last time the ship was sailing regularly.
Blending heritage with hospitality, the experience has been designed for both history enthusiasts and travellers who feel modern travel has become “a bit too efficient.” Due to the age of the ship, and despite a range of modernisations, passengers who are not able to swim are not recommended to book passage.
Louisa Pharoah, director of people and development at the SS Great Britain Trust, said: “We’ve spent decades conserving the SS Great Britain as a snapshot of maritime history, so naturally the next step was to send her back out to sea and show the world what she’s made of.
“While historians may have mixed feelings, we see this as a bold new chapter. After all, Brunel himself was never one to play it safe. If anything, we believe he would have absolutely loved the idea of a 19th-century steamship serving Bordeaux to day-trippers in 2026.”
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Notes to editors
For images please visit https://brittanyferriesnewsroom.com/image_category/ss-great-brittany/
About SS Great Britain Trust
The Trust conserves Brunel’s masterpiece, the SS Great Britain, two related museums, and the national Brunel collection within a 19th-century dockyard complex in Bristol. It is one of the UK’s leading independent museums, internationally renowned, and is accredited with its collections Designated as of national importance by Arts Council England.
The SS Great Britain Trust relies on commercial income driven by ticket sales, and the generous support of individuals, trusts and foundations and corporate organisations to offer communities, young people and the wider public opportunities to better understand and access maritime heritage.
About Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries was conceived in 1972, starting life as a freight-only ferry-service on 2nd January the following year. The first vessel (Kerisnel) linked Roscoff in Brittany with Plymouth on the southwest of England and carried a cargo of cauliflowers and cognac.
Since then, the company has progressively launched, then strengthened its shipping routes. In more than 52 years of service, millions of passengers and businesses have travelled by sea across the so-called Atlantic Arc (France, UK, Spain and Ireland).
They rely on the links forged by more than five decades of experience. In addition to cutting congestion and emissions on busy roads, Brittany Ferries’ motorways-of the sea have helped enrich local communities, creating jobs, nurturing international tourism and boosting cross-border trade.
Five new vessels joined the fleet between 2019 and 2025. Two LNG-electric-hybrids (Saint-Malo in February 2025 and Guillaume de Normandie in April 2025) complete the largest fleet renewal programme in the company’s history.