Martín i Soler

âš“ The Martín i Soler is a cruise ferry operated by Baleària with room for 1,164 passengers and 540 lane metres of vehicles. Built at the Galician yard Hijos de J. Barreras and winner of a Shippax Award for best interior design, she stands out for her generous choice of cabins and lounges, which make her a very comfortable option for overnight sailings. In 2021 she was converted to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), joining the operator's fleet of greener vessels. She currently works the Almería–Melilla route.

The ship is named after the Valencian composer Vicente Martín i Soler (1754–1806), a contemporary of Mozart and a key figure in eighteenth-century European opera, whose work was a triumph at the courts of Vienna and St Petersburg.

History and background of the ship

The Martín i Soler was built as hull number 1,655 at the Hijos de J. Barreras shipyard in Vigo for Baleària, as part of the "Baleària+" programme that ordered four ferries from the same Galician yard. She was launched on 5 June 2008 and delivered on 15 January 2009, at a build cost of 89 million euros. She is the first of the four ships in the programme and won a Shippax Award in the best interior design category.

She entered service in January 2009 under the Spanish flag with her home port in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, working initially on the Barcelona–Balearics and Valencia–Balearics routes. In 2021 she was converted to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), with her original engines replaced by two dual-fuel Caterpillar MaK 9M46DF units. She now works the Almería–Melilla route. She takes her name from the Valencian composer Vicente Martín i Soler (1754–1806), a contemporary of Mozart and a leading figure in eighteenth-century European opera.

Full technical specifications

Routes operated and indicative timetables

* Indicative timetables, subject to seasonal changes. Check real-time availability and prices on I Love Ferry.

The ports of Almería and Melilla: how to get there and what to bear in mind

The Martín i Soler sails from the Almería ferry terminal, right in the city centre and well connected to the airport and the motorway network. In Melilla, the ship berths at the Port of Melilla, just minutes from the town centre. We recommend arriving at the port at least 90 minutes beforehand if you are travelling with a vehicle, and 45 minutes if you are a foot passenger.

Fares, discounts and how to book

The price of a standard seat varies according to the season and how far in advance you book. Cabins cost extra depending on the type and occupancy. Booking ahead is advisable, especially in summer and during the Operación Paso del Estrecho, the annual summer crossing operation to North Africa.

Available discounts:

• Melilla resident: discount applied to the base fare. You must prove residency.
• Youth card (Carnet Joven): reduced fare for passengers aged 14 to 30.
• Baleària Club: the operator's points scheme. Collect points on every trip.
• Large families: discount applied under the rules in force.

You can compare prices and real-time availability directly on I Love Ferry.

Which accommodation should you choose for your trip?

ferry Rosalind Franklin

âš“ The Rosalind Franklin is one of the most modern and sustainable conventional ferries in the Baleària fleet. Powered by dual-fuel Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) engines, she stands out as one of the first passenger ferries in the Mediterranean to adopt this technology, cutting polluting emissions dramatically compared with conventional vessels. She works mainly on the routes between mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, linking Barcelona and Valencia with Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Formentera, with room for up to 1,400 passengers and more than 300 vehicles.

The Rosalind Franklin was built at the Visentini shipyard in Porto Viro (Italy) and joined the Baleària fleet in 2021. She forms part of the operator's strategic commitment to decarbonising its fleet, in line with the European Union's sustainability targets and part-financed with European funds. Her name honours one of the most important scientists of the twentieth century, whose work was fundamental to the discovery of the DNA double helix.

A tribute to science: Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin (London, 1920–1958) was a British chemist and crystallographer whose contribution to the discovery of the structure of DNA was for decades systematically overlooked or credited to others. Her X-ray diffraction images — above all the one known as Photograph 51 — were decisive in allowing Watson and Crick to propose the double helix model in 1953, research for which they would receive the Nobel Prize in 1962, four years after Franklin's death.

Her name has since been reclaimed by the international scientific community as a symbol of women in science and of the female contribution to humanity's great discoveries. With its series of ships named after distinguished women scientists, Baleària pays tribute to that legacy on every crossing.

History and background of the ship

The Rosalind Franklin was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire (France) and launched on 4 February 1989 under the name Bretagne for Brittany Ferries, the first ship built specifically for the company and its flagship until the arrival of the Val de Loire in 1993. Her interior, decorated in Breton style with works by the Scottish painter Alexander Goudie, set a new standard for onboard facilities among English Channel ferries. From 1993 until her withdrawal in 2024 she worked mainly on the Portsmouth–Saint-Malo route, with occasional cover on Cherbourg–Poole, Ouistreham–Portsmouth and other company services.

Withdrawn in November 2024 after 35 years of service with Brittany Ferries, she was bought by Baleària, which renamed her Rosalind Franklin in honour of the British chemist and crystallographer whose work was key to the discovery of the structure of DNA. The ship sailed from Le Havre on 18 March 2025 to join Baleària's Mediterranean fleet, where she currently works on the Palma de Mallorca route.

Full technical specifications

Routes operated and indicative timetables

* Indicative timetables, subject to season and availability. Confirm the exact time in our search engine.

The port of Palma de Mallorca: how to get there and what to bear in mind

The Rosalind Franklin works mainly out of the port of Palma de Mallorca, the main ferry terminal in the Balearic Islands. Unlike the fast ferries that berth at Port d'Alcúdia, this conventional ferry arrives in the heart of the Balearic capital, barely 10 minutes from the centre of Palma by taxi or bus, which makes her the most convenient choice if the city is your destination.

If you are travelling by car, we recommend arriving at the departure port at least 90 minutes beforehand. If you are travelling as a foot passenger, 45 minutes is enough. In high season (July and August), always allow extra time.

The overnight ferry is a particular favourite with travellers: you board in the evening, sleep in your cabin and arrive in Palma in the morning, without losing a day of your holiday or paying for a night in a hotel.

Fares, discounts and how to book

Standard Sirena seat fares start at roughly €40–60 each way in mid season. Inside cabins can be found from €70–100 in mid season, and rise considerably in July and August. Booking ahead is advisable, especially if you are travelling with a vehicle in summer.

Available discounts:

• Balearic resident: 75% off the base fare. You must prove residency with a Spanish ID card (DNI) or a certificate of registration (empadronamiento).
• Ceuta and Melilla residents: a discount applies on routes connecting with mainland Spain, in line with the rules in force.
• Carnet Joven (youth card): reduced fare for passengers aged 14 to 30. Check availability when you book.
• Baleària Club: the operator's points scheme. Collect points on every trip and redeem them for discounts on future bookings.

You can compare prices and real-time availability directly on I Love Ferry.

Which accommodation should you choose for your trip?