Basically it’s because the two ships were specifically built for a 90 minute crossing, and for a quick throughput of passengers.
Her lounges, apart from club, were ample for 90 minutes but there was no cabin space or extra lounge area which would have been needed on longer trips.
Her whole economic viability was based on the short trip and fast turnround.
In some ways it’s a mercy that she goes like this in that she won’t suffer a similar fate to the British Rail ferry ‘Dover’ which is currently in a sorry state sunk at her moorings next to the transporter bridge in Middlesbrough.
Jazzandy:
She and her sister, Pride of Dover, were ordered by Townsend Thoresen and were the successors to the Pride of, Herald of, and Spirit of Free Enterprise class ships.
Pride of Dover was delivered in Townsend colours but by that time the Herald disaster had occured and Townsend had already been taken over by P & O.
Pride of Calais, aka Ostend Spirit, was delivered a year after the Pride of Dover in full P & O livery.
They were both excellently designed ships for the Dover Calais run but would have been difficult to operate on any other which is why they were impossible to sell as going concerns.
Could you please explain why she couldn,t have gone somewhere else . Not well up on the ferry side of things , is it to with her size and ro-ro decks ■■?
She has no internal ramps for accessing the vehicle decks, so without spending money on her, is only good for a double deck link span (which are generally unique to UK based crossings), she’s also 26 years old - most ex channel boats tended to end up in Greece doing inter island type stuff, but Greece has new rules saying no vessel over 30 years old can have a passenger certificate.
That said, the old Free Enterprise VII (Pride of Walmer) built in 1973 appears to have outlived all her successors and still working in Indonesia
Jazzandy:
Basically it’s because the two ships were specifically built for a 90 minute crossing, and for a quick throughput of passengers.
Her lounges, apart from club, were ample for 90 minutes but there was no cabin space or extra lounge area which would have been needed on longer trips.
Her whole economic viability was based on the short trip and fast turnround.
In some ways it’s a mercy that she goes like this in that she won’t suffer a similar fate to the British Rail ferry ‘Dover’ which is currently in a sorry state sunk at her moorings next to the transporter bridge in Middlesbrough.
Is this still there? Looked up the story on internet, but can’t find it on google maps satellite view…
Jazzandy:
She and her sister, Pride of Dover, were ordered by Townsend Thoresen and were the successors to the Pride of, Herald of, and Spirit of Free Enterprise class ships.
Pride of Dover was delivered in Townsend colours but by that time the Herald disaster had occured and Townsend had already been taken over by P & O.
Pride of Calais, aka Ostend Spirit, was delivered a year after the Pride of Dover in full P & O livery.
They were both excellently designed ships for the Dover Calais run but would have been difficult to operate on any other which is why they were impossible to sell as going concerns.
Could you please explain why she couldn,t have gone somewhere else . Not well up on the ferry side of things , is it to with her size and ro-ro decks ■■?
She has no internal ramps for accessing the vehicle decks, so without spending money on her, is only good for a double deck link span (which are generally unique to UK based crossings), she’s also 26 years old - most ex channel boats tended to end up in Greece doing inter island type stuff, but Greece has new rules saying no vessel over 30 years old can have a passenger certificate.
That said, the old Free Enterprise VII (Pride of Walmer) built in 1973 appears to have outlived all her successors and still working in Indonesia
She did not go quietly!. Took two attempts both at over 19 knots. On the first she was heading for the wrong berth and managed to hit Lochnagar, and on the second she came right up onto the beach! Well done Captain Wood!
gettin-on:
Proper waiter service on these two use to prefer geting on these than the ex stena line boats
Was it one of these that the woman with big hands and adams apple served in the drivers restaurant
Around lAte 90’s early 00,s
Just didnt look right in a skirt(he/she not me)
Fond memories but why was the soup always French onion back in the day and a steak was always slightly burnt . .
