Year: 2016
Could you save 20% off your next ferry crossing?
P&O and Stena January offers Both P&O and Stena Line are currently offering up to 20% off ferry crossings. P&O’s offer is only available on the Larne to Cairnryan route, and you need to use a promotional code on the offer page at http://www.poferries.com/en/troon-larne/offers/try-sailing-from-cairnryan?promotion=EBO20. They have just extended their offer to bookings made up until the 29th of February, and it is for crossings made up until the 15th of December 2016. Terms and Conditions can also be found at the above link. Stena Line are also currently offering 20% off the price of a crossing as part of their January sale (theres also up to 20% off items purchased onboard), however both the Cairnryan and Liverpool routes are included in this promotion. Again you need to use a discount code, and bookings must be made by the 27th of January for travel up until 16th December. The code (and terms and ... Read more
Press Release: P&O Ferries Announces Closure of its Larne-Troon Service
The following is P&O Ferries press release announcing the closure of the Larne to Troon route, reproduced in full P&O Ferries Announces Closure of its Larne-Troon Service After a comprehensive review of its options, P&O Ferries has decided to close its loss-making Larne- Troon route with immediate effect, but the company has also confirmed it will continue to operate its full Larne-Cairnryan route services throughout 2016 and into the future. P&O Ferries has proudly operated this additional seasonal route since 2003, but the stark reality is that the company is continuing to make losses, and sadly the income from ticket sales is not sufficient to cover the annual vessel and port operating costs. In a final attempt to make the route economic the company reduced the service in the off-peak months last year, whilst maintaining the full service in the peak months of July and August. Whilst this measure did significantly ... Read more
The ‘other’ Stena Superfast: Stena Superfast X, coming soon to Belfast (for a while).
Stena Superfast X to operate to Cairnryan next month. Next month will see the maiden arrival in Belfast of the latest permanent addition to the Stena Line Irish Sea fleet, Stena Superfast X. Stena Superfast X was of course built as a sister ship to our own Stena Superfast VII and VIII, although she has had a very different career. Normally Stena Superfast X would operate between Dublin and Holyhead, however she will operate from Belfast for around 2 weeks whilst covering the dry-docking periods of Stena Superfast VII and VIII at Harland and Wolff. The Belfast yard has of course secured a £4m contact to refit the bulk of Stena Line’s Irish Sea fleet this year. Stena Superfast X will offer a different passenger experience to the regular vessels however, as she has been laid out differently internally, reflecting the different nature of her regular crossing. Of particular note is the retention ... Read more
PR: Harland and Wolff Secures £4m Stena Line Contract
Stena Line has continued its tradition of supporting the local maritime industry by placing a £4.4m contract with Harland and Wolff for the refit of its Irish Sea ferry fleet. Over the next two months, seven Stena Line vessels will visit the shipyard on a carefully sequenced timetable to facilitate a range of specialist works including annual inspections, passenger facility upgrade work as well as ongoing technical enhancements. Stena Line recently celebrated 20 years of its operations in Belfast. In 2015, Stena Line transported 1.4 million passengers, 318 000 cars and almost 500 000 freight units on its Belfast services to Cairnryan, Liverpool and Heysham, employing 900 staff. Paul Grant, Stena Line’s Route Manager said: ”Our refits are very important to ensure the smooth and safe running of our expanding fleet of ships. The decision to place the majority of our refit contract work with Harland and Wolff allows us ... Read more
Official: P&O close Larne to Troon service with immediate effect.
No redundancies amongst permanent staff as the loss making Larne to Troon service is axed. P&O today finally announced that the seasonal Larne to Troon ferry service has been closed with immediate effect. This follows the decision last year not to renew the charter of the routes vessel, the InCat catamaran HSC Express, which was subsequently sold by her South American owners to Swedish interests for operation to Gotland. It is also understood that the contract with ABP for the use of the Port of Troon expires this June. Whilst there will be no redundancies as a result of the closure, NIFS understand however that the majority of the staff were seasonal meaning they no longer have jobs for the next year. In a statement released this morning, the ferry company said: “P&O Ferries has proudly operated this additional seasonal route since 2003, but the stark reality is that the ... Read more