During the Spanish Civil War, some ships were used by the navy, the company became state-owned in 1978 and was restructured several times in the following years, finally being privatized in 2002. The Spanish shipping company Naviera Armas has held the majority of shares since 2017.
The fleet has been constantly adapted over time. In addition to the ferry connections, cruises in the western Mediterranean and the neighboring Atlantic region were added to the program, and high-speed catamarans and hydrofoils joined the cargo ferries.
The current fleet consists of a total of 29 ships, which serve the mainland-Canary Islands, mainland-Balearic Islands, routes within the individual island groups and trips to the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, as well as Morocco and the southern Spanish strait at Gibraltar.
The offer is wide-ranging, single crossing or return ticket, with or without car. In addition to special resident fares, there are group offers, but combined tickets for bus and ferry can also be booked. Here, the bus ticket from the ferry port to major cities such as Madrid, Santander or Seville can be booked at the same time.
All ferries have outdoor terraces with swimming pools, bars, restaurants and cinemas. Of course, there is also an on-board store, TV areas and gaming tables.
Children are very welcome on board. Children under the age of 2 travel for free and only port charges apply, while children aged 2-13 only pay half price.
People with disabilities receive special assistance when embarking and also on board. It is important to register your exact needs in advance.
Pets can also embark on the journey. On presentation of the relevant documents, the animal will receive its own boarding pass and, depending on the ship and size, will be transported in its own transport box or in the cage provided.