Irish Ferries Fleet movements

[IFPete]

Her time keeping keeping appears to have improved as the crew got used to handling her.

I guess the current stoppage may have been an opportunity to give the crew a rest and sort out some overdue maintenance. I would love to see if she will go to sea in 3 metre plus swell.

I notice Swift travelled to Holyhead this morning and back , however the epsilon covered the afternoon sailing.
Epsilon is now doing an extra sailing on monday afternoon after return from Cherbourg. 

[ferryman972411]

Personally I don't think it Irish Ferries were that lucky and that the return of Ulysses and cancellation of Swift coincided. I think they cancelled (not due to weather) to give her a few days off after being so heavily loaded

[Steven]

If EPSILON can cover for Swift on the last week of July I'd say it isn't worth running swift in the first place to be honest, given EPSILON's passenger capacity and that the whole point of the swift service is about moving passengers!  This is the time of year the swift service should really be earning its keep.  If she's not being covered by a basic Ropax because she's unable to operate for whatever reason, then passenger numbers mustn't be looking too good! 

In any case, I highly doubt commercially minded ICG just pulled one of their vessels off for the hell of it when they've just been forced to hand much of their custom to their largest competitor for a month!!!  I'm sure the shareholders would be delighted.

[IFPete]

This was a relatively quiet week, Next weekend will be different with Bank Holiday in ROI.

[ferryman972411]

If EPSILON can cover for Swift on the last week of July I'd say it isn't worth running swift in the first place to be honest, given EPSILON's passenger capacity and that the whole point of the swift service is about moving passengers!  This is the time of year the swift service should really be earning its keep.  If she's not being covered by a basic
Ropax because she's unable to operate for whatever reason, then passenger numbers mustn't be looking too good!


In any case, I highly doubt commercially minded ICG just pulled one of their vessels off for the hell of it when they've just been forced to hand much of their custom to their largest competitor for a month!!!  I'm sure the shareholders would be delighted.

It doesn't cost them any money at all to cancel the Swift and in fact saves them money as passenger don't get refunded for being moved off the swift onto the Ulysses or Epsilon and they are saving on running costs! After the last couple of weeks they're probably looking to save money, so if everyone can be accommodated on Ulysses it makes sense to cancel the Swift

[IFPete]

Swift Cancellation generates a Euro 40 voucher on the account booked. its a nice touch considering the cancellations are weather related.

[Fast Ferry Fan]

Swift Cancellation generates a Euro 40 voucher on the account booked. its a nice touch considering the cancellations are weather related.

My recollection was that the refund I received when it was cancelled equated to the difference between the additional cost of the Swift compared to the cruise ferry at the time of booking that we were transferred to.  I recall being quite impressed that they had recorded the information, but perhaps it was just chance.

In some instances Swift can be substantially more (presumably because she is nearly full) so it would be unfair to only give a credit of €40.

I suspect last Friday's cancellation of the Swift might have been more closely related to giving the crews a rest than weather related.  I also suspect there are absolutely no delighted IFG shareholders, and they will will be looking for some answers at the next shareholders meeting.  Bookings must have been a well down while Ulysses was away and deeply discounted fares (30% off and free child places) are now trying to recover some of the lost business and fill up capacity.

[Steven]

This was a relatively quiet week, Next weekend will be different with Bank Holiday in ROI.

Why bother at all with the swift on anything but bank holidays then? 🙄

[IFPete]

They will need everything they have available this weekend

[Ncol]

Folks, not sure whether I'm posting in the right place?

I'm traveling on Adventurer on a day trip with the nephew soon enough, was wondering if Anyone has any advice on arranging a bridge visit?

Thanks in advance
N

[LongTimeReader]

Can anyone follow what is going on with the Epsilon?

It seems to be taking a route to Holyhead just south of the Isle of Man. Has operated this way both going to and from Dublin. Sailing yday at 20:00 back to Dublin was cancelled but has sailed again this AM via the Isle of Man again.

This has to be the strangest issue I've ever seen from a ferry - unless there's a load of icebergs floating off the coast of Howth.

[Liam]

Whats going on with the Dublin Swift always cancelled or leaves early or delayed, yesterday it had an engine problem and had to turn back halfway from Dublin

[giftgrub]

Whats going on with the Dublin Swift always cancelled or leaves early or delayed, yesterday it had an engine problem and had to turn back halfway from Dublin

Engine issues, running on three engines according to the Facebook, possibly a broken crankshaft, not a cheap or easy fix when in service. I would think mgmt would be against cancelling sailings again this year and it might soldier on until Oct when it goes off service.

[Alan G]

Whats going on with the Dublin Swift always cancelled or leaves early or delayed, yesterday it had an engine problem and had to turn back halfway from Dublin

Engine issues, running on three engines according to the Facebook, possibly a broken crankshaft, not a cheap or easy fix when in service. I would think mgmt would be against cancelling sailings again this year and it might soldier on until Oct when it goes off service.

They are cancelling swift sailings day by day now, giving little advance notification and covering up their mechanical issues with a bare-faced lie blaming adverse weather conditions for the cancellations.

My opinion of ICG was never great but the carry-on this year in dealing with their various vessel issues has shown them up to be a thoroughly rotten crowd that treat their customers with complete contempt.

[ferryfan]

While I agree with opinions expressed on the management of Irish Ferries, the cancellations of Swift yesterday and today are genuine it is blowing up a fair bit at sea.