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Earlier this year I posted a
Voyage Report concerning my first ever voyage on the original
Vikings which have now transferred to the Dublin service. My
comments were none too favourable and I drew less than favourable
comparisons the much lamented DAWN MERCHANT and BRAVE MERCHANT.
After a period of eight weeks or so had elapsed it
was interesting to go back and reappraise my original comments and
it would be fair to say I returned from my trip with a more positive
attitude towards the service which DUBLIN and LIVERPOOL VIKING
provide. It was also interesting to make comparisons between DUBLIN
and LIVERPOOL VIKING. My previous round trip had been on LIVERPOOL
VIKING both ways.
22:00 BIRKENHEAD - DUBLIN July 26
I arrived at the Twelve Quays fairly early around
18:45. On driving into the terminal I noted that the road layout had
been changed. The Car Parking area appears to have been enlarged -
which is good news for anyone wishing to travel as foot passengers
on the Belfast or Dublin routes.
The marshalling lanes for
private cars and light commercials now run around the front of the
terminal building to reach the check-in booths. Freight traffic has
acquired a separate compound further to the north. Once consequence
of this change appears to have effected the small food kiosk which
is now located in the freight compound behind what appeared to be a
locked turnstile.This
means drivers of cars and light freight vehicles now have to queue
up at the turnstile and someone has to come and feed them through
the fencing zoo style - all probably in the grounds of security of
course!
Check in opened around 19:30 and I noted that
there had also been a change in the marshalling arrangements for
Dublin bound traffic. I am not sure if this is permanent or just as
a result of the late running of MERSEY VIKING.
On my previous two departures from Twelve Quays
Belfast and Dublin Cars were marshalled in the same compound near
the terminal buildings with drivers being given destination
"danglies" to hang from their rear view mirrors.
This time the Dublin bound traffic was assembled
much nearer the river. DUBLIN VIKING was already on Twelve Quays
south berth, though MERSEY VIKING was only just approaching the
north berth. As she berthed a large customs / police complete with
sniffer dog reception committee assembled on the exit route from the
ship right in front of the outbound traffic.
Why they assembled in the open is not known, just
a few yards away is what appears to be a "rummage" shed for checking
inbound vehicles. A few disembarking cars were stopped as what
appeared to be IDs were checked.
Private cars commenced boarding DUBLIN VIKING
around 20:30 and as with my previous trip cars were diverted down
onto deck two after following the foot passenger boarding bus down
onto the landing stage. The top of what looked like a Guinness
Tanker could be seen down on deck one. For those who remember the
old Guinness ships, it should be remembered that since the closure
of Guinness' London Brewery once again the "black stuff" comes from
Dublin and LIVERPOOL and DUBLIN VIKING can be considered to be the
"Guinness Boats" successors.
Unlike my previous Dublin - Birkenhead sailing
I made sure I remembered all the stuff I needed to take out of the
car! On ascending the lift to deck 5 I obtained my cabin key and
immediately noted an interesting difference between DUBLIN and
LIVERPOOL VIKING. DUBLIN VIKING does not have that strange church
pew style wooden bench across the windows which look out onto the
weather deck. Instead there are moveable seats.
I was allocated cabin B43 an outside forward
facing cabin below the bridge. It was well presented and unlike my
previous trip on DUBLIN VIKING there were no nasties - such as a
soiled floor - awaiting in the shower / toilet. However, the fixed
upper bunks still annoy on these ships especially when the cabins
are only occupied by one or two persons.
Passengers were soon called for dinner around
21:00 and there was a good spread of food I opted for gammon for the
main course which was fine - though it was noted that as with DUBLIN
VIKING the gravy is kept uncomfortably close to the custard!
I ordered a bottle of wine with the meal - the
little Filipino waiter tried very hard serving the wine - surely he
would have been much better in more palatial surroundings though. He
earned his tip! In passing I will comment that Norfolk Line, like
it's predecessor Norse Merchant continues to keep a fair selection
of reasonably priced wine on board.
By the time I had concluded dining it was
going dark - it was around 22:10 and DUBLIN VIKING was moving off
Twelve Quays. Wandering outside I noticed a lot of fresh paint and
DUBLIN VIKING looked much cleaner than LIVERPOOL VIKING had done on
my previous trip in May.
Running down the channel the remains of
daylight streaked across the northern horizon just crying out to be
photographed. The wide flat top to the open deck passenger rail
around the front of the ship makes an ideal camera platform for
photography at low shutter speeds.
Ahead of DUBLIN VIKING could be seen CELTIC
STAR and in the river the tug TRAFALGAR awaiting the inbound
freighter HERMES which passed near Crosby.
I wandered inside and after a quick drink
decided it was time for bed given the likelihood of a very early
call - 03:50 on DUBLIN VIKING in May! As I commented at the time it
did appear unnecessarily early. I slept soundly from around 23:00 to
04:10. I though it strange that someone had not been around banging
on the cabin doors by now. So I lay and waited - at 04:20 I heard a
light weight hand bell being rung around the accommodation corridors
- it was certainly a much more welcome and more gentle wake-up call
and one had had an extra half hour in bed!
When I arrived on deck 5 on Thursday around
04:40 I was greeted by the purser, a cheerful Scottish lady who I
think used to be on DAWN MERCHANT some years ago. I commented to her
that it was interesting to note that we were given and extra 30
minutes before being called compared to my previous experience on
LIVERPOOL VIKING - she laughed and said she couldn't possibly
comment on how LIVERPOOL VIKING was run! So perhaps she had probably
had received similar comments before?
After breakfast I wandered outside to see
NORBAY sail past and also CELTIC STAR which we had overtaken during
the night. DUBLIN VIKING was secure at the Norfolk Line terminal
around 05:06. The freight traffic appeared to clear quite quickly
and deck 2 was opened up to free the cars. In no time I was through
Dublin well before the rush hour and making my way onto the Cork
road.
22:00 DUBLIN -
BIRKENHEAD - July 31
I arrived at
the Dublin terminal a while before the Norfolk Line check in booth
opened - and was only second car in the queue. Something which I
didn't note on my previous trip due to the fact that the check-in
booths were already open when I arrived was the fact that booth #2
still retains its Irish Sea Express signs! Whilst the Steam Packet
appeared quick to remove all traces of Irish Sea Express from the
Liverpool terminal within a couple of days, Dublin Port has proved
much less swift in removing evidence of this short lived operation.
Alongside at
the Norfolk Line berth LIVERPOOL VIKING was waiting. At 20:10 SAGA
MOON which was on the adjacent berth departed on her overnight
sailing to Heysham. Quite a low number of private cars for this
sailing mustered at Dublin for this Monday evening sailing, though
there were a number of vans. When boarding commenced the ritual of
following the security van followed, with foot pax accommodated in
the van.
Leaving the
marshalling compound to enter the Norfolk Line Terminal necessitates
the crossing of the main access road to the Dublin Passenger
Terminal building. It was interesting to note that two small traffic
signals had recently been installed - but were not yet in use to
stop vehicles on the access road whilst cars cross to the Norfolk
Line terminal.
This time all
private vehicles were directed up onto the weather deck which was
quite lightly loaded with just driver accompanied rigs standing
under the accommodation area.
I picked my
cabin key up and again was allocated a forward facing starboard side
cabin - B41 this time. Again it was well presented. A spent a while
wandering around outside and it was interesting to note that quite a
lot of cleaning and painting had been going on since my last sailing
on LIVERPOOL VIKING, about three quarters of the decking had been
given a fresh coat of green paint and quite a lot of other touching
up had been done. LIVERPOOL VIKING certainly looked a lot better
than last time.
Dinner was
served from around 20:30. There was a different variety of main
courses including an unusual pancake warp with spiced mincemeat
inside. It was unusual and tasted quite good. I also noted that this
time the gravy was kept away from the custard! - Sorry to keep going
on about this!
ULYSSES slipped
away whilst I was dining at 21:00, followed 15 minutes later
by STENA ADVENTURER. Later NORBAY passed by and LIVERPOOL VIKING
followed her out just after 22:00.
After dinner I
wandered down to the shop and picked up an excellent Norfolk Line
body warmer complete with lost of pockets - ideal for the
photographer and a snip at just £9.95!
I went and
fetched a drink from the bar, and sat in the reception area.
Fortunately the kids who had been occupying the "waste of space"
play area had gone off to bed. Standing up I forgot about the
unattached seat lashing in this area and nearly tripped over it!
Something that hasn't been fixed - surprising really as it is rather
a hazard.
Another good
sleep followed but then silence was broken at 03:50 exactly with a
heavy rapping on the door! After breakfast there was a bit of a wait
whilst LIVERPOOL VIKING berthed at Twelve Quays south - arriving at
05:00. As no cars were down on deck two all drivers were able to
return to the vehicles at the same time, though it took some time to
remove the drops which had been placed around the private cars on
the return trip.
Driving off it
was interesting to note that after the reception committee which met
inbound vehicles off the late arriving MERSEY VIKING there were no
vehicle / passenger checks and everyone drove straight out of the
terminal and I was back home by 06:00.
I am glad I was
committed to undertaking the second round trip with Norfolk Line by
having made two reservations back in March. It enabled me to sample
DUBLIN VIKING and it also gave me the opportunity to re-evaluate my
previous comments.
These were
partly due to having been so used to DAWN and BRAVE MERCHANT the
older Vikings and their rather different layout came as something of
a shock! There appeared to be fewer passengers travelling this time
than back in May when I travelled at the beginning and end of the UK
mid-term break this probably made the ships feel more spacious.
I would still,
however, have some reservations about undertaking day time sailings
on the DUBLIN and LIVERPOOL VIKING given the fact that there is very
limited seating and virtually all of that is confined to the main
bar area.
However, I am
warming to the Norfolk Line Viking experience and will come back for
a repeat - at least when an overnight sailing is required. Though I
still wonder why one gets half an hour more sleep on DUBLIN VIKING!
However, whilst
one might have still some niggles still about the ships - one can't
fault the crew both the "local" and overseas crew members do try
very hard to please and they are a credit to the company.
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