Dublin headquartered Irish Ferries is to significantly enhance its Rosslare to Pembroke Dock service with the redeployment of the Dover to Calais vessel ISLE OF INNISFREE to the route ahead of the summer peak.
The Belgian-built vessel will replace the chartered ship NORBAY as the regular vessel at Rosslare. NORBAY has been covering the route since OSCAR WILDE became the full-time second ship on the Dublin to Cherbourg and Holyhead routes.
Before the ISLE OF INNISFREE arrives at Rosslare, OSCAR WILDE will briefly return to the Pembroke Dock route in place of NORBAY. This change will allow time for the necessary adjustments at Dover and is facilitated by the increased capacity at Holyhead due to the return of the DUBLIN SWIFT for the summer season. NORBAY will return to the Dublin routes at the same time.
Superior Facilities
P&O Ferries owned NORBAY was designed as a freight-only ferry and so only has basic passenger facilities and limited accessibility. The ship and her sister NORBANK were originally built for the Hull to Rotterdam route but spent over two decades sailing between Liverpool and Dublin.
The NORBAY joined Irish Ferries following P&O Ferries’ announcement that it was closing the Liverpool to Dublin route at the end of last year.
It is understood that NORBAY will return to P&O Ferries once the Irish Ferries fleet changes are complete. Although NORBAY’s next assignment has not been confirmed, one possibility is that she will join her sister ship NORBANK on the Tilbury to Rotterdam route.
Irish Ferries’ ISLE OF INNISFREE has capacity to accommodate up to 1,140 passengers, 83 freight vehicles, or 600 cars. The vessel provides a range of amenities for both freight drivers and passengers.
These include a Boylan’s Brasserie self-service restaurant, Café Lafayette, a Club Class lounge, an onboard duty-free shop, a children’s play area, and outdoor decks. Additionally, the ship features a dedicated freight driver’s lounge and cabins.
New Addition to the Irish Ferries Fleet
The ISLE OF INNISFREE will be released from Dover after the arrival of SPIRIT OF BRITAIN on the Dover to Calais route following a charter and purchase agreement with P&O Ferries. The former P&O Ferries flagship will be renamed and rebranded when she joins Irish Ferries next month.
Commenting on the fleet changes, Andrew Sheen, Managing Director at Irish Ferries, said:
“The addition of the Isle of Innisfree on the Rosslare Pembroke route and the Spirit of Britain on the Dover – Calais route is a sign of our ongoing commitment to these routes, and ensuring we offer our freight and passenger customers quality service for these important connections between Britain and Ireland and Britain and France. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board to experience our award-winning hospitality and service.”
Source: Irish Ferries Press Release.
An English Channel Veteran
While originally delivered in 1992, ISLE OF INNISFREE had a major refurbishment in 2017 when the ship was DFDS’ CALAIS SEAWAYS. This will be the first time that the vessel, which was purpose-built for the long defunct Ostend to Dover route, has been in service outside the English Channel.
The ISLE OF INNISFREE has previously linked Dover with Ostend, Zeebrugge, Boulogne, Calais, and Dunkirk. The channel veteran has also sailed on the Ostend to Ramsgate and Portsmouth to Le Havre routes having passed through a number of different operators during her over three decades of service.
