P&O Fleet Movements

Started by Collision-course, February 10, 2011, 03:19:47 PM

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FlyingCello

Rumours on Wikipedia of Pride of Burgundy or European Seaway moving from Dover to Cairnryan...can anyone shed any light?

Not sure if this would be to add capacity or free one of the current vessels for service elsewhere. Can't see there being the demand for a third vessel, particularly with the capacity that Stena have added with the Superfasts...

giftgrub

European Seaway has been chartered for use on a wind farm by Centrica Renewable Energy so thats not going to Northern Ireland for the next few months.

http://www.windpowermonthly.com/News/EmailThisArticle/Send/1121460/

As for the Pride of Burgrundy, would have thought it would be required on the Dover - Calais route as the demise of Seafrance leaves P&O with a need for capacity on the route.

FlyingCello

Seems P&O may be interested in acquiring the SeaFrance Rodin and SeaFrance Berlioz though for the Dover run...

That would leave them with the two new Spirits, the Pride of Kent, Pride of Canterbury and the two SeaFrance vessels...so the Burgundy could be released.

giftgrub

#18
P&O are making some adjustments to their service on the North Channel for 2013.

The European Causeway and European Highlander will operate a reduced crossing time of 1 hour 45 mins instead of 2 hrs.

Express will operate to Troon only from 27 March;
Ex Larne - 0745 and 1645
Ex Troon - 1100 and 1930

Refits are as follows:
European Highlander - 23/4/13 until 09/5/13
European Causeway - 09/5/13 until 24/5/13

It is believed they will go to Harland and Wolff.

Norbay will provide cover and her schedule will be ex Larne:  0400, 1200, 2000 and ex Cairnryan: 0730, 1600, 2359. Causeway or Highlander will sail ex Larne 0730, 1630, 2000 and ex Cairnryan 0400, 1300, 2359.

Express will sail to Cairnryan at 1255 and return at 1500 during the refit period only.

These changes are obviously as a result of the impact the Stena Superfast service has had on P&O's operation, it seems the battle for the North Channel is getting interesting.

mrwt.nsf

This is very interesting and I agree that this is due to the competition with the Stena Superfasts, just as the closure of the Troon-Larne freight only service was.

I think that transferring the Express to operate solely on the Troon-Larne route, will provide P&O with the opportunity to get rid off her and the route in one move, over the next 12-18 months. What do other people think?

FlyingCello

Can't see the Troon route closing. It provides a great access point for car traffic to Glasgow and Edinburgh, both for tourism and for university traffic (winter excepted). Also, the Express must be reasonably economic as fast ferries go.
A 15 minute reduction in crossing time for the Cairnryan ships isn't going to offset the hour you gain from travelling to Troon. It might help a little in competing with the Superfasts though.
I've always thought the Troon route must be quite profitable for P&O, given that they can afford to lay Express up for five or so months of the year.

giftgrub

I am no expert on the P&O North Channel operation but I would imagine that the Troon route is far from profitable at the moment, it's not that P&O can afford to have the Express laid up for five months, it's really that it is too expensive to run for the five months (less passengers, bad weather etc) and they try to run it when they can at least break even and then possibly put it in a profit situation. They have to pay the charter for the vessel regardless and I believe that they have the Express chartered until 2015. The 2012 season was plagued by technical issues and P&O will probably be hoping that running a less intensive schedule will improve reliability for 2013.

The Express is scheduled to drydock at H&W Belfast this weekend, which means it will be sharing the drydock with the Stena Europe, which will make an interesting sight.

pjamieson267

" I Cannot believe that the crossing times for Larne - Cairnryan (Superferry) is 105 minutes again I am so please to see that crossing time again."  :)

giftgrub

It seems that the crossing times for the P&O operation on the North channel are not being adjusted and that the booking engine was just quoting incorrect crossing times.

The ferries will remain on a 2hr crossing time not moving to the 1hr45mins as indicated above.

mrwt.nsf

Well whatever happens it wouldn't surprise me: they reduce the crossing time to be more competitive or they don't in order to save fuel.

giftgrub

#25
With all the Irish Ferris and Stena Line Irish Sea refits completed its now the turn of P&O to start refitting their vessels.

First off the Norbank is going to Swansea for dry docking at the weekend. Clipper Ranger is the cover ship for P&O Dublin-Liverpool for 8 weeks at least.

(Stena Adventurer refit was expected to overrun, this is why Norbank is Swansea bound)

Norbay and the European Highlander and European Causeway twins are still for Harland & Wolff Belfast after Norbank comes back to cover for them.

Express is back at Larne as from yesterday and starts her season on 27 March. She has a new Club Class Lounge, Costa Coffee shop etc.

European Causeway and European Highlander will also be refurbished while on refit with a Club Lounge added and improvements to the bar and restaurant areas.

The internal refit-refurb is being carried out by Blu Marine.

http://www.blumarine.co.uk/index.html

pjamieson267

QuoteWith all the Irish Ferris and Stena Line Irish Sea refits completed its now the turn of P&O to start refitting their vessels.

First off the Norbank is going to Swansea for dry docking at the weekend. Clipper Ranger is the cover ship for P&O Dublin-Liverpool for 8 weeks at least.

(Stena Adventurer refit was expected to overrun, this is why Norbank is Swansea bound)

Norbay and the European Highlander and European Causeway twins are still for Harland & Wolff Belfast after Norbank comes back to cover for them.

Express is back at Larne as from yesterday and starts her season on 27 March. She has a new Club Class Lounge, Costa Coffee shop etc.

European Causeway and European Highlander will also be refurbished while on refit with a Club Lounge added and improvements to the bar and restaurant areas.

The internal refit-refurb is being carried out by Blu Marine.

http://www.blumarine.co.uk/index.html
That is good news about the new P&O Club Lounge for Express, European Highlander and European Causeway. The passengers will be pleased about it. :)

giftgrub

with Norbank now in drydock in Swansea, its time to repost a link of its last visit to drydock and see what they did to it last time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps4zRyj43sE&feature=player_detailpage

[media width=600]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps4zRyj43sE&feature=player_detailpage [/media]

Caoimhin_McGuinnes

Wonder will they add wifi as anytime im on the highlander or causway to cairnryan ( very rarely i am but sometimes) bordness kicks in and just cant wait to get off the P&O boats ! P&O should have wifi as if you look at it this way .. every other ferry company has wifi in there boats .. Even aircrafts are starting to get wifi in there planes now .. Hopefully this is one of P&O's changes when they go in for drydocking!

pjamieson267

There is a video just release on youtube about the new look on P&O Express if you like to see it just press the hyperlink here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKT91n6Lp6Y

This video should be good. :)