Passengers delayed for five hours at Rosslare because of the French blockade were taking the experience in their stride, but those coming off the ferry from Roscoff said the last 24 hours had been "a nightmare".
"It was horrendous," said Mr Sean Creighton from Castleknock, Dublin, returning from a holiday in the south of France with his wife and three children. The Creightons had arrived at Cherbourg at 5 p.m. on Tuesday expecting to sail to Rosslare an hour later. It was only then they learned that their ship, Irish Ferries' MV Normandy, was in Roscoff.
"There was a young fellow handing out maps and then a port policeman said, `no, you shouldn't be here'. He said the boat was leaving Roscoff at 1.30 a.m. and we had to be there by 12 (midnight).
"I don't know why Irish Ferries did not have someone at the approach to the port to tell us what was going on," he said.
Mr Creighton and his family arrived at Roscoff at 10.30 p.m., only to be confronted by a blockade of taxis. The police, however, ensured they got on the ferry which didn't sail until 6.30 a.m.
"Apparently there was food left out for people when they got on the boat but they never announced it, so most of us didn't know," said Mr Creighton, who intended seeking compensation from Irish Ferries for "stress, fatigue and the extra petrol he had to buy".
Passengers waiting to board the Normandy, which arrived shortly before 8 p.m., had no complaints about their treatment. "The manager and staff of Irish Ferries were wonderful," said Mr Armand Schautteet from Belgium who was returning to his home in Spain with his wife, Andrea. "They are very, very charming," he said.
Passengers who began arriving from late morning for the 4 p.m. sailing to Cherbourg were initially told there was a doubt about the departure. Shortly after 2 p.m. they received the news that the ship would sail to Brest at 9 p.m.
"Five hours of a delay is nothing," said Mr Schautteet. "Don't tell me your plane is always on time or that there is never a delay with your car."
Despite their predicament, most passengers were not prepared to condemn the fishermen and farmers whose protest had caused the delay. "I don't understand why the government is putting extra tax on their fuel," said Mr Herve Hans from Nancy.
Ms Molly Norton from Minnesota in the US said her parents were farmers and she understood it was a difficult time in agriculture.
Mr Edward Emmons from Maine in the US, was less sympathetic. Referring to the blockading boats, he declared: "I would get a destroyer and I would sink 'em and I bet that would end their protest pretty quickly."
