Back on board "PRIDE OF BURGUNDY"

Last 28.3.2013 I was travelling on the "PRIDE OF BURGUNDY" on my seventh trip, she was built in 1992  and is today one of the oldest ferries on the P & O FERRIES fleet operating on the Dover/Calais route, due to the Easter Holidays she was almost full on this crossing, with the introduction of the new SPIRIT-CLASS ships, "PRIDE OF BURGUNDY" looks more than ever a freight only Ferry with very limited facilities for passengers. Photos, top three, 28.3.2013 and the other dated, 13.9.2012 showing the ship departing Calais

Back on board "NORMAN VOYAGER"

I was back on board "NORMAN VOYAGER" on the 7.4.2013, this was my third trip on the ship, the last one was one week before her November refit last year, I was pleased to see her almos full with passengers and freight, a lot to do of course with the Easter Holidays, also the ship has changed for the better, there is more open spaces on board for the passengers to enjoy, she still looks very well looked after with a caring crew. "NORMAN VOYAGER" is not by any means a cruise ferry, passengers don't cruise, there's not many facilities on board, but overall it is a pleasant crossing if of course you like travelling by sea, the opening of the new open deck spaces can only contribute for the well being of passengers particularly during spring and summer months. Her food served on the Self-Service Restaurant, only one available, was a lot worse than last time I was on board with very limited options, more demand for the same limited number of crew could be the reason. After her last refit she also lost the LD LINES logo and letters painted on her hull, it has been suggested that she will be painted with the DFDS livery later this year after another refit, we will be here to post future developments on the subject. Photos 7.4.2013

Blue is the colour on the Dover/Calais route

Blue is definitely the dominant colour on the Cross Channel Ferries operating on the Dover/Calais service, DFDS and PO FERRIES have used the blue livery for many years, with the collapse in 2011 of SEAFRANCE, the joint company formed by DFDS/LD LINES, with the NORMAN SPIRIT was the only exception to the rule with her red and yes also blue colours, that's been changed recently with the ship renamed CALAIS SEAWAYS and also painted with the DFDS all blue colours, the only exception to the rule became the newly formed MY FERRY LINK which is now using a few letters and stripes red to make a change on the competition. I hope readers of this blog don't get bored with this text, the same way we feel the Dover/Calais ferries are boring in terms of colours. Photos 28.3.2013

"CALAIS SEAWAYS" at Dover

Seen here with her new DFDS livery is the "CALAIS SEAWAYS" captured at Dover from on board P&O PRIDE OF BURGUNDY, the ship has been operating for the DFDS/LD LINES on the Dover/Calais route since February 2012 until recently under the name NORMAN SPIRIT, here she is now with her new colours, photos 28.3.2013

"DIEPPE SEAWAYS" at Dover

                        SUPERFAST X departing Zeebrugge in 2004

                    SEAFRANCE MOLIERE arriving Calais during the spring of 2011

"DIEPPE SEAWAYS" is the latest addition to the DFDS fleet on the Dover/Calais service, the ship was originally built in 2002 for SUPERFAST FERRIES as the SUPERFAST X, in 2007 for a few months she became the JEAN NICOLI she was then transferred to SEAFRANCE and became SEAFRANCE MOLIERE. After the collapse of the French Operator, she was laid-up for a few months before joining DFDS in October of 2012, her maiden voyage as the "DIEPPE SEAWAYS" was on the 7.11.2012. This built for speed Cruise Ferry is 29.800 GRT and is capable of speeds over 30 knots. Photos here included, "DIEPPE SEAWAYS" ready for sea at Dover, 28.4.2013 and as the SUPERFAST X and SEAFRANCE MOLIERE.

"RODIN" at sea

"RODIN" at sea captured from the "PRIDE OF BURGUNDY", the ship was built for SEAFRANCE as the SEAFRANCE RODIN in 2001, since 2012 she has been operated by newly formed MY FERRY LINK, twelve years in service on the busy Dover/Calais route, she is one of my favourite cruise ferries operating on the English Channel. Photos 28.3.2013