With air travel still in doubt, travelling by ferry has enjoyed an unlikely resurgence. JOE takes a look at some of Ireland’s best ferry routes.
Cork (Ringaskiddy) – Swansea
The Cork to Swansea ferry was closed in 2006, when Swansea Cork Ferries Ltd abandoned a service that had carried nearly three million passengers and 700,000 cars to Cork in the nine years it had been in existence. The closure of the route had disastrous consequences for tourism in West Cork, with a 30% drop in tourists from Britain, while Swansea’s economy also suffered as a result.
The consequences of the route’s closure prompted a vociferous campaign to restore the route in Cork and Kerry which earned the backing of local and national politicians. As a result of nearly two years campaigning, the route was opened up again in March of this year and ferry company Fastnet now operate three weekly services in each direction all year round with an additional service each way during the high season in July and August.
The ferry, known as the Julia, departs from Ringaskiddy at 9pm in the evening and arrives in Swansea at 7am the following morning. The Julia can hold 440 cars and offers 300 cabins of varying size for single passengers and families. There are also a selection of bars and restaurants, a cinema, a kid’s club and pet kennels on board.
Prices start at €99 for a single motorist with additional adults costing €25 per person. Cabins or Pullman seats are obligatory on overnight sailings and cost €49 and €17 respectively. Fastnet are currently offering free travel for one additional adult and up to three kids with each car and driver.
For more information go to http://www.fastnetline.com/
Rosslare – Cherbourg
Mention of this particular route instantly brings to mind memories of the annual family camping holiday to France as a child, a ritual that, from experience, was undertaken by a whole host of Irish families and still is to this day.
The ferry journey is all part of the holiday experience, particularly when you consider that the Irish Ferries vessel that currently makes the trip, the luxurious Oscar Wilde, is home to three different restaurants, a piano bar, a live entertainment lounge, a cinema and even a hair and beauty salon. Plenty, I think you’ll agree to keep all ages entertained for the nineteen hours spent on board.
The Oscar Wilde makes the trip three or four times a week depending on the season and the timetable can be viewed on the Irish Ferries website (http://www.irishferries.com/). Prices start at €64 one-way for foot passengers and €99 for a single motorist. Cabin prices start at €79 for a 2 star 4 bed cabin rising to €259 for a top of the range five star double bed suite.
Celtic Link ferries also run a service three times a week between Rosslare and Cherbourg. For more information on timetables go to http://www.celticlinkferries.com/
Dublin – Holyhead
The ferry route from Dublin to Holyhead is the busiest one on the Irish Sea and is popular with football followers given the proximity of the town in North Wales to Liverpool and Manchester in particular, which are only a two hour drive off the boat.
Travellers to Wales have a wealth of options available to them with both Irish Ferries and Stena Line sending over regular ferries and also high speed boats which can cross the Irish Sea in less than two hours.
The regular ferries and the high speed boats both operate twice daily services on both Stena Line and Irish Ferries. Prices for a single motorist on the regular ferries on both operators begin at €79 and from €104 on the faster ships.
If you’re coming from the south of the city, both Irish Ferries and Stena Line both have services to Holyhead from Dun Laoghaire. For more information go to http://www.stenaline.ie/ferry/ and http://www.irishferries.com/
Doolin – Inis Mór
Navigating away from the Irish Sea for a moment over to the west of Ireland, where your next stop leaving the mainland doesn’t have to be America, but a trio of islands where Irish traditions and its language is perhaps most alive and well.
Regular ferry services operate from Doolin in county Clare and from Rossaveal in county Galway to the islands of Inis Mór and Inisheer, but should you depart from Doolin, your journey will come complete with views of the magnificent Cliffs of Moher.
Doolin ferries operates a daily service to and from Inis Mór, leaving Doolin at 10am and returning from the island at 4pm. There are three daily services to and from Inisheer during peak season from May to September. Ferries leave at 10am, 11am and 1pm and return from the island at 12.15pm, 2.15pm and 4.45pm.
For more information go to http://www.doolinferry.com
