Stormy weather affecting UK and Irish waters has led to the cancellation of a number of ferries in the coming days. The bulk of the routes confirmed to be affected are those which sail directly from Ireland to France.
There will be no sailings between Ireland and Cherbourg for at least two days. Most of the competing landbridge services between Dublin and Holyhead, and Dover and Calais/Dunkerque are currently expected to sail, albeit with delays in some cases.
Direct to EU Cancellations
Stena Line and Brittany Ferries have cancelled all of their crossings from Rosslare to and from France on Wednesday March 10 and 11.
Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries ARMORIQUE had been scheduled to sail from Roscoff to Rosslare today, sailing from Rosslare to St Malo tomorrow. These sailings have now been cancelled. ARMORIQUE is now due to sail from Roscoff to Cork on Friday 13, instead of St Malo to Cork. CONNEMARA‘s sailing from Bilbao to Rosslare tomorrow 11th has also been cancelled. The return sailing the following day is also cancelled.
Stena Line
Stena Line’s STENA ESTRID is currently at Cherbourg. At present she is expected to leave the port at 21:00 on Friday. STENA FORETELLER is also cancelled, with her next scheduled sailing from Rosslare at 21:00 on Friday.
Irish Ferries
Irish Ferries, which uses Dublin instead of Rosslare for its service to Cherbourg, has also cancelled its French crossings on W.B. YEATS on March 10 and 11.
DFDS
DFDS’s KERRY was noted leaving the Dunkirk for Rosslare almost two and a half hours early on Tuesday morning. This allowed her to sail from Rosslare around 9 hours early today. This was presumably in order to try and get ahead of the worst of the weather.
According to sources in Rosslare, DROTTEN‘s sailing from Dunkirk to Rosslare today is cancelled, as is VISBY‘s tomorrow. Both DROTTEN and VISBY are currently at Dunkirk. Information from Rosslare indicates that DROTTEN will next arrive at Rosslare on Friday and VISBY on Saturday.
The above cancellations mean that there will effectively be no sailings between Ireland and France for nearly two days. The next crossing between Spain and Ireland will be on Saturday.
Ireland to Great Britain Disruption
Irish Ferries has also cancelled all services between Rosslare and Pembroke today from the 08:45 ex Rosslare forward. Stena Line has also cancelled STENA EUROPE‘s round-trip between Rosslare and Fishguard. Her next sailing is currently expected to be the 18:10 departure from Rosslare tomorrow.
Certain sailings between Dublin and Holyhead operated by MEGA EXPRESS FOUR have also been cancelled both today and tomorrow. MEGA EXPRESS FOUR sailings on Friday 12th are described as cancelled or “in doubt” on the company’s sailing update page.
Despite one ship being cancelled on Dublin – Holyhead, it is expected that STENA ADVENTURER, STENA HORIZON, and ULYSSES will be able to keep traffic moving with some degree of normality. Their shorter crossings mean that delays can be made up more easily, while their greater frequency should clear any backlog quicker.
As ever, all of the above is subject to change. If you plan to travel, please contact your chosen operator directly for up to date information.
Update 12.04.2021: DFDS’s DROTTEN left Dunkerque yesterday bound for Rosslare, where she is expected to dock this evening. Irish Ferries’ W.B. YEATS left Cherbourg just before lunchtime with an ETA in Dublin of tomorrow morning. MEGA EXPRESS FOUR is back in service on the Dublin – Holyhead route, leaving Dublin at 2am this morning.
