I was on the 1400 from Holyhead this afternoon the ship was completely full. It was very uncomfortable and very disorganised. There were 7 or 8 bus loads of foot pax. At Holyhead the check in desks the queue stretched from the desks to beyond the entrance to the train station. Check in opened at the usual time of 1300 with only two desks open for about 30 minutes before they opened a third. Security then decided to check every single item of luggage through the x ray scanner. As usual passengers were crammed onto the filthy dirty transfer buses. On arrival in Dublin (we were about 30 minutes late) there was a long delay in getting the buses on to the ship and chaos in the luggage hall with suitcases blocking the way out. I was sitting on one of the Mortons coaches for about 30 minutes before it left.
Stena knew in advance that it was going to be an extremely busy crossing but did not do a good job of handling matters. Their staff were, as always, very pleasant but there was simply not enough of them.

That's disappointing as Stena are generally very good to travel with but Adventurer is great until it's full. It's not really built for mounds of foot pax.

Incredible that Stena are not geared up for such large loads given the number of weeks this has dragged on for.

A good friend of mine that works onboard for Stena says that they are dealing well with extra passengers transferred from IF. However, the lack of information the pax have received from IF makes a number very irate and angry - and the Stena crew have to deal with that!. Stena's pax numbers for the time of year are already high, with the angry extras makes their shifts difficult.
An example would be a passenger (who had paid for an upgrade to Club on IF) insisting that they were upgraded to StenaPlus, (bookings/upgrades haven't transferred) being so abusive (swearing and shouting) to a crew member bringing her to tears - needless to say the pax wasn't upgraded!

That's disappointing as Stena are generally very good to travel with but Adventurer is great until it's full. It's not really built for mounds of foot pax.

Incredible that Stena are not geared up for such large loads given the number of weeks this has dragged on for.

Incredible that Stena aren’t geared up?  Let’s not forget that it is Irish Ferries that are down a ship, what are they doing about it apart from moving the problem to their competition?  It doesn’t help that the information Irish Ferries have been giving out is minimal, nor that they aren’t telling anyone when the vessel has been further delayed (including Stena) until they absolutely have to!

I was on the 1400 from Holyhead this afternoon the ship was completely full. It was very uncomfortable and very disorganised. There were 7 or 8 bus loads of foot pax. At Holyhead the check in desks the queue stretched from the desks to beyond the entrance to the train station. Check in opened at the usual time of 1300 with only two desks open for about 30 minutes before they opened a third. Security then decided to check every single item of luggage through the x ray scanner. As usual passengers were crammed onto the filthy dirty transfer buses. On arrival in Dublin (we were about 30 minutes late) there was a long delay in getting the buses on to the ship and chaos in the luggage hall with suitcases blocking the way out. I was sitting on one of the Mortons coaches for about 30 minutes before it left.
Stena knew in advance that it was going to be an extremely busy crossing but did not do a good job of handling matters. Their staff were, as always, very pleasant but there was simply not enough of them.

You mention the filthy passengner transfer buses. How is it that the IF's berth has a foot passenger gangway, but not the Stena berth which is right next to it?  I appreciate that it costs money to erect these structures, but weren't both berths built at the same time?

Matt

Actually, No! Irish ferries Terminal (Known as Terminal 3), including the walkway, which is only accessible from the Irish Ferries Building, was constructed several years before Terminal 5. It was first used for the Isle of Innisfree, then Isle of Inishmore prior to the introduction of Ulysses. At that time, Stena were using the (now defunct) single tier loading Terminal 4 for ro-ro only, as all pax travelled on Stena Explorer from Terminal 1.

Terminal 5 was later constructed for the introduction of Stena Adventurer and also involved land reclamation to make sufficient space for their trailer park.

You mention the filthy passengner transfer buses. How is it that the IF's berth has a foot passenger gangway, but not the Stena berth which is right next to it?  I appreciate that it costs money to erect these structures, but weren't both berths built at the same time?

Matt

Also, gangway hasn't been in use for many years after storm damage - and from memory the structure has now been removed

You mention the filthy passengner transfer buses. How is it that the IF's berth has a foot passenger gangway, but not the Stena berth which is right next to it?  I appreciate that it costs money to erect these structures, but weren't both berths built at the same time?

Matt

Also, gangway hasn't been in use for many years after storm damage - and from memory the structure has now been removed

I recall reading somewhere at least partial disassembly had commenced.

----------------------


STENA SCOTIA is officially returning to Belfast

https://www.niferry.co.uk/stena-scotia-belfast-return/

The gangway was removed earlier this summer. There are scafholding towers between berths 3 and 5.

 I was told a new Gangway was going to be build to meet both Stena and Irish Ferries requirements.

Lets see if it happens.

The gangway was removed earlier this summer. There are scafholding towers between berths 3 and 5.

 I was told a new Gangway was going to be build to meet both Stena and Irish Ferries requirements.

Lets see if it happens.

Thanks!

Matt

The gangway was removed earlier this summer. There are scafholding towers between berths 3 and 5.

 I was told a new Gangway was going to be build to meet both Stena and Irish Ferries requirements.

Lets see if it happens.

Possibly in conjunction with the forthcoming port redevelopment I would think

STENA FORERUNNER is coming to Belfast, increasing capacity on the Birkenhead run.  She’s one of three sisters which are a larger version of the 4-Runner design STENA CARRIER is based on.  She will be replaced early in the new year by a vessel of similar capacity so she can return to the North Sea.  Stena Line are quoting an impressive growth this year of 6% on the Birkenhead route, and I’m sure the extra capacity and flexibility this vessel gives will be very welcome.  It’s telling that they appear to be sacrificing a vessel on the North Sea (although only until next year, unless I guess something suitable turns up in the meantime) to offer customers continuity at Belfast!

https://www.niferry.co.uk/stena-line-new-belfast-liverpool-vessel/

Edited to add more info

Hi folks,

I’m traveling on adventurer soon enough with my nephew on a day trip.

Does anyone have any experience or advice on how to best arrange a bridge visit? Where to ask, who to email etc?

Thanks in advance
N

Hi folks,

I’m traveling on adventurer soon enough with my nephew on a day trip.

Does anyone have any experience or advice on how to best arrange a bridge visit? Where to ask, who to email etc?

Thanks in advance
N

Try writing to head office and asking nicely, you never know it might be possible.

Superfast X had to return to Dublin yesterday afternoon after departing due to a medical emergency on board