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Is der one of them hugge pay seat lounges on superfast 10?  In the ferry mag it says it's in the cinema in the ones up north but I thought it was in that bit behind the canteen.  Says it's in a cinema so maybe it means 10 as one of dem got made into seats I think?

I like going outside when things get a bit rough so me face gets covered in salty spray. 

So much for P&O's improvements on the Cairnryan service. I was on the European Causeway on Friday and it was identical to my last trip last year. The "free wifi that works" didn't work very well either! Im beginning to think these so called improvements are just a marketing exercise designed to distract from the closure of the Troon route, with no real changes actually taking place (except for the cuts to the menu in the food court - 4 main meals to choose from now, they've killed off the lovely burgers as well) :(. Very poor from P&O - they seem to have given up on Irish Sea routes. A look at de Facebook page says a lot - the only mention of the Irish Sea this year is the troon route closure :(.  This once great British company seem to only want to promote Calais and Rotterdam as destinations - I don't think I have ever seen the Dublin route mentioned.

I replied to a comment on the Facebook page earlier and they actually lied to me in their reply and said that de changes are already taking place!!!  European Endeavour was filthy as well when I travelled a few months ago.  It was cheap though which was about the only thing that was good about it. 

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has a long tradition of enjoying a pint (or 3) on any ferry trip - but what is your favourite beer to enjoy on a ferry.  For me it has to be Heineken - not too light and not to heavy.  Tend to stick to Guinness on dry land though!
Edit: just realised I posted in the wrong section - should have been in the off-topic bit

Read this in the Belfast Telegraph

Ferry giant Stena Line looks set to introduce drastic pay cuts for new staff and dozens of its current temporary workers, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.



And it's those on 'zero-hour' contracts which are set to feel the brunt of the cuts, with hourly pay to plummet from £8.41 to £7.67 - dropping by almost 9%.

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That could affect around 80 ship workers here, and others across the UK as a whole. And some new permanent roles, starting in January 2016, are being hit with cuts of up to 24%.

The details have been revealed in a pay cut proposal from the national RMT union, seen by the Belfast Telegraph.

But permanent workers already with contracts will see a 'year two pay award of 1.75% for January 2016'. A letter sent to RMT members says that as part of Stena's 'strategic achievement plan', it's aiming to make cuts of £120m.

Stena Line told the Belfast Telegraph that as a result of cost cutting, it was reducing the "rate of pay on offer for future new employees if we're to remain competitive".

The union said it maintained "members should not be the brunt of the company's cost cutting agenda".

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But "despite the company's best efforts" and following "lengthy discussions" it has outlined the current proposals.

In another case, a typical new wage earned by a bosun - a senior member of the crew - will fall by 18%, from £35,480 to £29,000, according to the new proposed cuts.

One worker told the Belfast Telegraph temporary staff were "getting a raw deal" and said he will lose around £1,300 a year as a result of the cuts.

"We are being treated with a lack of respect," he said.

The employee, who wished to remain anonymous, is one of dozens of workers who have no fixed hours, shifts, contracts or sick pay.

He said when he returns to work next year, he'll begin on the lower wage.

That's something he says will have a "significant impact" on his standard of living.

Members of the RMT union have now been balloted on whether to accept the cuts, with results expected at the start of next month.

Stena Line currently has two 'Superfast' ferries which operate from Belfast to Cairnryan in Scotland, as well as two others, which sail to Liverpool.

In response, a spokeswoman for Stena Line said as the result of "many years of unsustainable financial losses" it was having to "reduce the operating cost of loss making Irish Sea vessels".

"As a result, following considerable discussions with trade unions and employee representatives, we have secured the pay and terms and conditions for all of our permanent seafaring staff but have had to make changes in regard to the future employment of new entrant seafarers on board our vessels, whether permanent or temporary workers," the firm said.

The company said while "all temporary contracts of employment were honoured fully for their duration at the agreed pay rates" it has "unfortunately been necessary for us to reduce the rate of pay on offer for future new employees if we're to remain competitive".

"Stena Line remains committed to employing a local workforce and these changes will allow us to continue that commitment at a time when many of our competitors are using low-paid EU and non-EU staff to reduce costs."

The company said it will "make every effort to try to offer protection to current employees".

The largest ferry operator in Europe, Stena Line is still owned by the Swedish Olsson family, who founded the company in 1962.