Have to agree that article in the irish Independent is a disgrace my Heart goes out for that family

Was just reading an article from “The Phoenix” which someone kindly shared about Eamonn Rothwell.  The gist is questions are being asked about the decision making at the top.  In particular not only the decision to bring Yeats into service in July and take bookings before it was clear the vessel would be ready without any contingency plan, but also the decision to add so much capacity when ICG’s market share isn’t growing with competitors also adding capacity (not just Stena but also Cobelfret).  They argue that the result of all this extra capacity is going to be a price war, a price war that ICG are bound to lose against much larger competitors.  They say a very positive spin was put on last years results which in reality were rather disappointing.

Is his 15% stake enough to save him given his extremely generous remuneration package should these new builds be a step too far?  The Ulysses issue wasn’t mentioned (I assume the article was written before it emerged) but if questions weren't already being asked by shareholders they surely are now, especially given the company is in the news basically daily now.

Have to agree that article in the irish Independent is a disgrace my Heart goes out for that family

I agree.  It sounds as if they have been effectively screwed over by ICG with the company having no consideration at all for their customers.  Such press will not be helping their reputation (and lets face it, that of the industry as a whole), though as I say the independent do appear, rightly or wrongly,  to have a bit of a vendetta against ICG.  Hopefully the family eventually get compensated appropriately in some way.  I believe under EU legislation ICG should have been liable for the costs, but they seem to be wriggling out of their obligations in any way they can.  Perhaps it will take someone to take court action?

Epsilon had some technical issue in Dublin this morning and is running about 2 hours behind schedule. Ulysses provisionally expected back on Wednesday the 25th.
On another note the Queen Elizabeth is expected in Dublin on Wednesday morning and has requested some assistance from shipping agents as some Hot Work will be carried out on her.

Irish Ferries management are keeping quiet and not even informing their staff except on a need to know basis.

The Flemsburg fiasco has damaged irish ferries reputation in the short term , although the cause of the delay has nothing to do with Irish Ferries. Irish Ferries have had a smooth run with all their previous deliveries so this has been a lesson learned for everyone. The delivery of WB Yeats in high summer was driven by the build slot at the shipyard which
actually made things worse than a delivery in February or March. I wonder will Brittany Ferrys suffer a similar faite
next April.

Ulysses removal from service due to prop shaft and gearbox problem has made things worse, however if she goes back in to service next wednesday as is currently forecast this will soon be forgotten about.

The Irish Independant article failed to point out how the family came home. If the family were transfered to Oscar Wilde or Brittany Ferries they would have had a better customer experience on their way home. Bad news sells papers.

For someone who regularly travels on the Swift or Oscar Wilde in winter these text messages are a fact of life. The booking staff in both Liverpool and Dublin are very freindly when you ring up, however as you can imagine at the moment they are a little overworked.

I was in Holyhead last night travelling back on Stena Adventurer. Swift made an appearance in Holyhead departing at 2330 PM. She was full leaving Holyhead and light load arriving from Dublin. A few buses cars and three rigs. She is only deployed on the extra sailing when Epsilons passenger capacity is going to be exceeded which has not happened since the weekend before last.

Irish Ferries management are keeping quiet and not even informing their staff except on a need to know basis.

The Flemsburg fiasco has damaged irish ferries reputation in the short term , although the cause of the delay has nothing to do with Irish Ferries. Irish Ferries have had a smooth run with all their previous deliveries so this has been a lesson learned for everyone. The delivery of WB Yeats in high summer was driven by the build slot at the shipyard which
actually made things worse than a delivery in February or March. I wonder will Brittany Ferrys suffer a similar faite
next April.

Ulysses removal from service due to prop shaft and gearbox problem has made things worse, however if she goes back in to service next wednesday as is currently forecast this will soon be forgotten about.

The Irish Independant article failed to point out how the family came home. If the family were transfered to Oscar Wilde or Brittany Ferries they would have had a better customer experience on their way home. Bad news sells papers.

For someone who regularly travels on the Swift or Oscar Wilde in winter these text messages are a fact of life. The booking staff in both Liverpool and Dublin are very freindly when you ring up, however as you can imagine at the moment they are a little overworked.

I was in Holyhead last night travelling back on Stena Adventurer. Swift made an appearance in Holyhead departing at 2330 PM. She was full leaving Holyhead and light load arriving from Dublin. A few buses cars and three rigs. She is only deployed on the extra sailing when Epsilons passenger capacity is going to be exceeded which has not happened since the weekend before last.

The reason Epsilon's passenger capacity hasn't been exceeded is Stena are taking a lot of transfers!  . If Stena can accommodate the passengers it isn't worth Irish Ferries while running the Swift.  At present Stena have more passenger capacity than Irish Ferries and to put it into the language of one member of crew are "getting slaughtered".  If Irish Ferries are only taking enough bookings to occupy a couple of Swift round trips and the capacity of Epsilon every day at the end of July their shareholders should be extremely concerned given what is on order!

Irish Ferries seem to be doing anything they can to dodge compensation both in the case of Ireland to France and Ireland to Wales.  Its been a case of the absolute minimum in terms of customer service as well - why cant they phone people rather than putting the onus on their customers to contact themselves?  Speaking as someone who has worked in customer service management I'd have been out of a job if we just texted customers when there was a problem (many of the texts don't even have any contact details on them either).  It seems to be a case of Irish Ferries saying "it isn't our problem so deal with it" to passengers. 

To say Epsilon's France sailings are cancelled due to technical difficulties is an outright lie.  Its also not a case of it not being Irish Ferries fault either.  They took the decision to transfer Epsilon to a different route, not the passengers!  I note the cover vessel for Yeats at Dublin is to be Oscar - the year round freight customers Irish Ferries depend on are going to love that!

On the plus side it appears Yeats passengers transferred to Oscar are getting a complimentary bottle of wine and box of chocolates.  Not exactly what they would be entitled to if Irish Ferries did what other operators do in these circumstances, nor what Irish Ferries outline in their OWN terms and conditions, but better than nothing I suppose!

Speaking of which, since I've been getting questions about compensation from affected customers of WB YEATS, ULYSSES, and EPSILON I have published a handy guide to the rules on compensation due to delay or cancellation of a ferry crossing.  The ferry companies will probably hate me for it, but its nothing they don't bury in their terms and conditions anyway!  Posting here as I know a number of concerned passengers read this forum.

https://www.niferry.co.uk/ferry-delay-cancellation-compensation/

EDIT:  I've just been talking to an affected passenger who has spent the past FIVE DAYS of his week long holiday trying to sort travel home from France with the Irish Ferries call centre.  At present he is in Plymouth with no idea how he is supposed to get back to Ireland and having to arrange and pay for accommodation out of his own pocket in the meantime.  In what way is that remotely acceptable?

Ocsar Wilde Sailings have been blocked out for Booking for July and August since 6th July 2018.

Most Dublin - Holyhead Sailings have been blocked out for booking since Ulysses went to drydock.

I was due to travel back on epsilon on thursday night. I received a text message on thursday afternoon telling me i was being transfered onto Stena Superfast. I called them to transfer onto swift on Friday morning, however this was blocked out. I then bought a stena ticket for Friday night and then transfered my irish ferries booking to 9th October.

As it transpired the traffic from London was worse than normal "Frantic Friday" and i and a number of others mist the Stena Superfast sailing. Stena transfered us onto Stena Adventurer at 0220 saturday morning.

This year alone i have had sailings cancelled on Oscar Wilde 4 times, Swift 2 , Ulysses x 1. I generally try to avoid Epsilon.

As a general rule Irish Ferries are reliable, this year their luck has gone against them.

The Ulysses is back on the Dublin port schedule from the 25th and looks like she will arrive in Dublin on a scheduled sailing from Holyhead?

Is there a schedule for her leaving Belfast?

Out of interest - how long does flooding and exiting a dry dock take for a vessel of that size?

S

The Ulysses is back on the Dublin port schedule from the 25th and looks like she will arrive in Dublin on a scheduled sailing from Holyhead?

Is there a schedule for her leaving Belfast?

Out of interest - how long does flooding and exiting a dry dock take for a vessel of that size?

S

Even IF she leaves dry dock tomorrow she will need trials and to sail to Dublin or Holyhead.  That makes 2am on the 25th look extremely optimistic. 

Edit now not on the schedule until the 26th.  Irish Ferries have told freight customers today they will get an update this week...

ULYSSES still not going anywhere yet.  Looking like it’ll be at least towards the end of the week before she is back.  Timetable not updated yet - this must be an absolute nightmare for all staff and crew involved.

https://www.niferry.co.uk/ulysses-return-further-delayed/

ULYSSES still not going anywhere yet.  Looking like it’ll be at least towards the end of the week before she is back.  Timetable not updated yet - this must be an absolute nightmare for all staff and crew involved.

https://www.niferry.co.uk/ulysses-return-further-delayed/

Latest estimate for a return to service is Friday, however this is contingent on all going to plan.

Belfast ports website is giving a departure of 1700hrs today for Ulysses;

25/07/18 17:00 ULYSSES DEP CNF BDD D L  Dublin - Dublin  HAMILTON SHIPPING (PORT)

Floating out this evening and on the schedule for tomorrow mornings sailing ex Dublin.  All being well of course!

https://www.niferry.co.uk/ulysses-set-to-leave-dry-dock-this-evening/

EDIT: worth noting that EPSILON's sailings have been cancelled tomorrow, suggesting she perhaps might continue to substitute for ULYSSES should something go wrong.

Ulysses has left drydock in Belfast, hopefully everything will work properly on the trip to Dublin allowing the vessel to return to service.

Been out of action for nearly a month.

Ulysses has left drydock in Belfast, hopefully everything will work properly on the trip to Dublin allowing the vessel to return to service.

Been out of action for nearly a month.

Just passed Bangor on its way to Dublin.

Some pics of her on her way here

https://www.niferry.co.uk/irish-ferries-ulysses-finally-leaves-belfast/

Just remember, just like the Titanic, she was fine when she left here! 

Shes currently level with Balbriggan, so given its 01:55 the 2am ETA in Dublin showing on her AIS is rather optimistic.  They won't really have much time to prepare her for the 08:05!