Steve I can accept she does not take foots on her runs from Dublin as that would mean additional staff and a bus i guess and a cost that would hardly be returned but Rosslare and Pembroke would be geared up for this anyway so can not see the problem!

I Love travelling from Rosslare to Pembroke on the Inishmore BUT you don't see as much ships as going to Holyhead from Dublin!

When you travel from Dublin to Holyhead at 08:05 on Ulysses, you might see a cruise ship heading into Dublin (during summer), Stena Adventurer following behind you, you also pass the H.S.S. Stena Explorer, Stena Nordica, Epsilon and then the Swift passes out the Ulysses.

Where as when you go to Pembroke, you only see the Stena Europe following the Inishmore for a certain time before she swings off to Fishguard and you MIGHT see some cargo/container/tanker ships travelling up the Irish Sea to maybe Belfast, Dublin or Liverpool, etc; from Continental Europe or somewhere else.

I know when I last travelled on the Inishmore back in June, When we left Rosslare, the Stena Europe was following us for about an hour and a half, then she swong off to Fishguard. One of those big car carriers went across the Inishmore's bow at one stage but thats it, you might see one or two tanker ships docked in the Haven.

Just wondering with Epsilon on Rosslare - Pembroke in January 2015, I see it not taking foot passengers, any one know why as even with her limited capacity would not have thought it would be a problem at this time of the year and if I remember foot passengers embark and disembark in both Rosslare and Pembroke by bus so does anyone know any other why? Seems strange to be turning down business small an all as it is as the staff would be there to drive the bus any way.

Correct - foot passengers are bussed on and off at both ports. A strange situation given that Megabus operate a daily shipside service on the London - South Wales - Pembroke Dock route which drops passengers right outside the terminal in time for the 02.45 sailing and returns with passengers who have travelled over on the 20.45 ex Rosslare.

If they don't want a shuttle bus to occupy a space on the deck surely passengers could walk on and off via the vehicle gangway.

Irish ferries dont leave a bus on the Isle of inishmore.....the last time i travelled as a foot passenger on the IOI they actually used a private taxi company bus for the short transfer. In pembroke they used their own mini bus.

In Pembroke...do you really think they are going to allow foot passengers along the vehicle ramp?

Id rather not read about some poor chap getting squashed under an articulated truck or car

Irish ferries dont leave a bus on the Isle of inishmore.....the last time i travelled as a foot passenger on the IOI they actually used a private taxi company bus for the short transfer. In pembroke they used their own mini bus.

In Pembroke...do you really think they are going to allow foot passengers along the vehicle ramp?

Id rather not read about some poor chap getting squashed under an articulated truck or car

Last time I travelled it was the same shuttle bus that bussed us on at Rosslare that bussed us off at Pembroke Dock.

In suggesting foot passengers use vehicle ramps I should have added the fact that this would be either before or after vehicle movements along the ramp as happens at other ports - such as at Dublin for IOM sailings or at Holyhead with the Jonathan Swift. There is no danger of any mishap as vehicles and foot passengers do not use the ramp at the same time - this is strictly controlled by crew/port staff.

Still a health and safety nightmare though, someone needs to check all vehicle movements are complete, you would need to ensure there is no port traffic, and on top of that you have the implications of having passengers walk up the ramp without safety railings etc in this age of no win no fee solicitors (all it takes is a slip or trip and you have a child in the water).  Additionally you have passengers milling around while the crew are trying to prepare the ship to sail, and then there's the time it takes for the passengers to actually walk to and from the ship as well (short of tying a rope round everyone's waist how do you make sure no one goes missing).  Given there is little if any money made on foot passengers is it really worth the operator going out of their way and perhaps employing additional staff to facilitate this?

I traveled on the Ulysses in July, only getting a chance to upload pics now...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/

Hello, new member here, I have being having a good read and enjoying the general chat on the forum.
I noticed that there has being a few posts regarding the possible return of Isle of Innisfree/ Kaiitaki to the Irish sea.
I think the likelihood of this is almost nil given her age and also the huge investment put into by her operator Interislander. The ship
underwent a massive refit last year and almost all traces of her Irish Ferries days have vanished. Here is a link to the Interislander Facebook page with pics of her refit.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151750736320891.1073741830.348668635890&type=3

The Isle of Innisfree is the ideal ferry to go on Pembroke if IOI eventually goes north.

Irish Ferries had an input in her overdue refurbishment.

From rte news - sad news - careless and cruel

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/1029/655675-greyhounds/


The Department of Agriculture has said it is investigating and incident in which 11 greyhounds were discovered dead in a van on board the Irish Ferries Oscar Wilde vessel just before it docked in France on Monday afternoon.

The greyhounds were being transported in cages in the van and it is believed they suffocated during the 14-hour journey from Rosslare to Cherbourg.

An Irish Ferries spokesperson said they were unaware the dogs were being transported in the vehicle.

The driver was questioned by French police but has since been released.

As a precaution, nine other pet owners travelling with their animals were held on board the vessel for a short time after it docked until the cause of the greyhounds’ deaths was established.

In a short statement the Department of Agriculture described the incident as "very serious" and said it is continuing to liaise with French authorities.

Meanwhile, Bord na gCon, which regulates greyhound racing in Ireland, said it was horrified at the deaths of the 11 greyhounds.

The board said it would provide all possible assistance to investigations into the incident by authorities in France and by the Department of Agriculture here to determine whether there has been breach of animal welfare regulations surrounding the transport of animals.

According to the latest issue of Ferry&Cruise the Oscar Wilde will again take over Rosslare - Pembroke for Christmas (allowing the Inishmore to become second vessel in Dublin )before being replaced on the Pembroke route by the Epsilon for January.

According to the Irish ferries website the Oscar Wilde will take over the Rosslare -Pembroke route and remain on this till IOM returns as in dublin you see the Epsilom with the IOM and Ulysses. Comfort for Rosslare -pembroke passengers for 6 weeks so.

Looking forward then to getting onto the IOI again this year from Holyhead to Dublin

Yep isle of inishmore back on the  dublin -holyhead route for christmas ,and I would say in spring and summer run head to head with stena superfast x, which would be great to see, four big guns on the route.

It all depends on how Irish Ferries manage to replace IOI on Rosslare Pembroke Route.