Norbank / Norbay Fast Facts
Current Name: Norbank / Norbay | Previous Names: |
Shipyard: van der Giessen-de Noord [NL], 961 / 962 | IMO Number: 9056583 / 9056595 |
Current Operator: P&O Ferries | Current Route: Liverpool [GB] - Dublin [IE] |
Length Overall: 166.77 m | Beam: 23.4 m |
Passenger Capacity: 114 | Vehicle Capacity: 2,040 lane metres (approx. 156 x 12.5m trailers, 125 commercial vehicles, or a mix of HGV’s and cars) |
Tonnage: 17,464 | Sister-ships: No direct sister-ships but Norbank and Norbay share a common hull form with a number of other vessels including Ben-My-Chree, Commodore Clipper, and Kaitaki. |
P&O Ferries’ NORBAY and NORBANK are Dutch-built Ro-Pax ferries which operate on the Liverpool – Dublin route. They were built for North Sea Ferries’ Hull – Rotterdam service as dedicated driver-accompanied freight vessels.
NORBAY and NORBANK moved to the Irish Sea in 2002 after they and the Ro-Pax vessels on the Hull – Rotterdam route, NORSEA and NORSUN, were replaced by PRIDE OF HULL and PRIDE OF ROTTERDAM. The much larger capacity of the new ships meant that P&O Ferries no longer needed additional dedicated freight ships on the Rotterdam route.
![P&O Ferries NORBANK loading at Liverpool, February 2022. Image: © David Faerder.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_4279-1200x710.jpg)
Since their move from the North Sea, both NORBAY and NORBANK have reliably served the Dublin route, only straying briefly to relieve vessels elsewhere or for their own maintenance.
![P&O Ferries NORBAY at Larne while providing overhaul cover on the Larne - Cairnryan route, 2015. Image © Trevor Kidd.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Norbay-Larne-2015_TrevorKidd11-1200x900.jpg)
While primarily aimed at freight, P&O’s Dublin – Liverpool operation is also marketed to passengers as a no-frills service. Although the facilities are more basic than on the ships which operate the shorter Dublin – Holyhead crossing, P&O’s fares are normally lower despite the longer crossing. Two meals are also included in the fare. This makes the service something of a bargain ferry route between England and Ireland.
![NORBAY loading at Larne while relieving on the Larne - Cairnryan route, February 2022. Image: © Gary Andrews](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_9695_edit-1200x900.jpg)
NORBAY and NORBANK are virtually identical. They have a bar, restaurant, small duty free shop, and passenger cabins onboard. Unlike most ferries, there is no lift access. This reflects the role the vessels were originally designed for but means the route may be unsuitable for those with mobility issues. Car drivers may also be required to turn their vehicle around on the vehicle deck as the vessels are stern-only loading.
![Looking back over NORBANK's upper vehicle deck while crossing the Irish Sea. The walkway in the centre of the image is used to access the vehicle deck below through stairs in the funnel casing. Image: © David Faerder.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_4360-1200x900.jpg)
Some clues to the ships’ origins can be seen. The North Sea Ferries logo can be seen on the doors into the main lounge area and some signage around the ship – particularly in the cabin area – clearly dates from the early part of their career.
![Some signage is still in the original North Sea Ferries style onboard NORBAY. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7277.jpg)
![North Sea Ferries branding remains on place on the glass doors onboard NORBAY. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7283-scaled.jpg)
![In this photo of boarding NORBAY at Larne, the name of her original operator can be clearly seen in welded letters on her stern. Image: © Gary Andrews.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_9696_cropped-1200x900.jpg)
Aboard the still-Dutch registered NORBANK can be seen a painting of King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima of The Netherlands.
![This portrait of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his wife Queen Máxima proudly hangs onboard Dutch-registered NORBANK. Image: © David Faerder.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_4294-900x1200.jpg)
For more detailed information on NORBAY and NORBANK, including technical data, please see the main profile page here.
Norbank / Norbay Deck Plan
![A deck layout plan of the public deck on NORBANK and NORBAY, deck 4. Image: Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Nobay-deck-plan_webwm-ST.png)
![Cabin layout plan for deck 5, NORBAY. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Norbay-norbank-deck-5-1200x691.jpg)
Onboard Norbay and Norbank
Whilst many of the photos and comments contained here are based on a trip on the NORBAY whilst providing refit cover on the Larne – Cairnryan route, it should be stressed all details are the same for her sister, the NORBANK.
Reception and Duty Free Shop
As with other passenger vessels linking the U.K. with EU countries, NORBAY has a duty free shop onboard. This takes the form of a kiosk which also doubles as the information desk onboard.
![Duty free shop and information desk, NORBAY. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7251-1200x900.jpg)
The size and passenger capacity of the vessel means that the duty free shop is smaller and carries less stock and variety than those on other routes, but that doesn’t mean that bargains aren’t available. At the time of writing, the headline offers are up to 50% off liquor and up to 40% off fragrances.
![A selection of alcohol for sale at duty free prices on display onboard NORBANK. Image: © David Faerder.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_4313_crop-1200x1200.jpg)
For example, a 1 litre bottle of Smirnoff red vodka retails at just £9.99. That’s less than half the normal price than in U.K. supermarkets. Irish passengers can save even more, with the usual supermarket retail price of the same bottle of vodka around €34 in Ireland due to the higher level of duty there.
![Signage reminds passengers of the duty free limits for entering both the UK and Ireland. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7300-1200x900.jpg)
Cigarettes and rolling tobacco are also available, with prices starting at £50 for 200 Sterling Superkings cigarettes. Again this is significantly cheaper than prices on land, and a variety of popular brands are available. Discounts are even greater on cartons of 400 cigarettes, though it should be noted that the maximum allowance for arrivals in both the UK and EU is 200 cigarettes per individual so this would need to be shared by travel companions. A selection of fragrances from leading names is also available at a discount onboard.
![A closer view of the duty free shop on NORBAY. Note that the signage advertising a buffet dinner is specific to when she was in service at Larne, as this is included int the price of the crossing on the Liverpool - Dublin service. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7206-1200x900.jpg)
As with other P&O Ferries ships, the shop on NORBAY is a World Duty Free concession, though it is manned by P&O Ferries staff. Duty free is only available to purchase at certain times during the crossing as communicated onboard.
The Bar
Passengers are able to purchase alcoholic and soft drinks at the bar. Seating is provided on bar stools opposite the counter itself as well as seats around tables to either side. The bar sits between the information desk/duty free shop and the restaurant.
![The bar counter onboard NORBAY. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7253.jpg)
![High stool seating opposite the bar counter on NORBAY. Image: © Steven Tarbox](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7297.jpg)
![Port-side bar seating on NORBAY. The restaurant seating is behind the windowed partition in the background. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7294.jpg)
![Looking towards the bar counter onboard NORBANK from the starboard side of the lounge. Image: © David Faerder.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_4368_edit.jpg)
Operating on the Dublin route, needless to say a good quality pint of draught Guinness is offered!
![The lounge area onboard NORBAY and NORBANK is split into two. Here we see the starboard side of NORBAY with restaurant seating to the left and bar seating to the right. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7255.jpg)
Self-service Restaurant
All meals onboard are taken in the self-service restaurant and on the Liverpool – Dublin route are included in the fare. On all crossings a three-course meal is provided at one part of the crossing and full cooked breakfast at the other. Complimentary hot drinks and juice are also available.
![Liverpool - Dublin menu onboard P&O Ferries' NORBAY. These meals are included in the price of the crossing. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/norbay_menu-900x1200.jpg)
The food isn’t Michelin standard, but it is good quality hearty fare that’s above average for self-service ferry food. Many dishes are prepared from scratch onboard.
![](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7199.jpg)
![The restaurant counter onboard NORBANK, February 2022. The lane screen was added as a COVID-19 precaution. Image: © David Faerder.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_4299_edited.jpg)
![The restaurant counter onboard NORBANK, February 2022. The lane screen was added as a COVID-19 precaution. Image: © David Faerder.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_4376_edited.jpg)
![Port-side restaurant seating onboard NORBAY. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_7201-1200x900.jpg?v=1646346499)
![Port-side restaurant seating onboard NORBANK. Image: © David Faerder.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IMG_4369_edit-1200x900.jpg)
When the vessel is used as cover on the Larne – Cairnryan route, passengers can purchase a food voucher from the bar. On her most recent stint at Larne, a three-course meal was offered for just £7.99.
A Visit to Norbay’s Bridge
NI Ferry was kindly invited to the bridge during a crossing between Larne and Cairnryan, these photos are from that visit.
![Looking forward from the entrance to NORBAY's bridge. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NorbayBridge1_st-1200x778.jpg)
Although NORBAY was built back in 1994, the ship and her sister have been continually updated to keep up with (and exceed) changing legislation.
![Looking across NORBAY's bridge from the starboard side. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NorbayBridge2_st-1200x900.jpg)
Rather than dated CRT monitors, the bridge has been fitted with more recent LCD technology and uses digital charts. Satellite navigation takes care of much of the crossing, although there are of course human eyes constantly checking and making adjustments.
![Some of the instruments on the bridge of NORBAY. Note that the ships wheel is more like an aircraft rather than a traditional round wheel. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NorbayBridge3_st-1200x900.jpg)
Berthing at both Dublin and Liverpool can be challenging for different reasons, and the ships have been customised to reflect this. At Liverpool, the ships have to negotiate the lock system with little clearance on each side.
![Looking across NORBAY's bridge from the port side towards starboard. Image: © Steven Tarbox](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Norbay-Bridge--1200x800.jpg)
A CCTV camera is installed on each bridge wing looking down the side of the vessel. The live video from this is shown on a monitor on the opposite wing so that both sides of the vessel can be monitored simultaneously. This is not only useful in the Liverpool lock system, but also when making the tight turn in the River Liffey at Dublin.
![The CCTV monitor on NORBAY's port side, showing the view from the starboard side. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NorbayBridgemonitor_st.jpg)
![The CCTV monitor on NORBAY's port side, showing we are safely alongside with Cairnryan to starboard. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NorbayBridgemonitor2_st-1200x900.jpg)
In common with other Van der Giessen built ships, NORBAY and NORBANK’s bridge wings overhang the vessel by a significant amount. This means that while manoeuvring the vessel from the bridge console the captains whole body is beyond the side of the ship. This gives him or her an unobstructed 180 degree view of the vessel’s position.
![The bridge wing on NORBAY and NORBANK overhangs sufficiently that the master has an unobstructed view along the side of the entire ship from the wing console. Image: © Steven Tarbox](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/NorbayBridge5_st-1200x900.jpg)
The bridge console is also parallel with the side of the ship aiding accurate manoeuvring onto the berth.
![P&O Ferries' NORBAY at Cairnryan following her crossing from Larne on 08 February 2022. Image: © Steven Tarbox.](https://www.niferry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Norbay-at-Cairnryan_ST-1200x800.jpg)
With thanks to P&O Ferries for their assistance with this article, in particular Captain David Crerar, Onboard Services Manager Colin Mansfield and the rest of the crew on NORBAY, for their hospitality.