Stena to buy Celtic Link (Rosslare->France)

munchkin_utd

surprised nobody mentioned it already, but it seems that Stena are in the final stages of finalising the purchase of Celtic Link Ferries.

Ferry company Stena Line has announced a deal to buy the Irish-owned Celtic Link ferry service which operates on the Rosslare to Cherbourg route.

Celtic Link currently provides a three times weekly service between Ireland and France with the Mv Celtic Horizon, which can carry 1,000 passengers, 200 cars and 120 freight units.

The final details of the deal are still to be concluded, but Stena Line said it hopes to be in a position to take over the running of the service from the end of March.

No financial details of the deal were released.

"The acquisition of the Rosslare-Cherbourg route is a key strategic investment for Stena Line and one which will help stimulate and strengthen new and existing opportunities for trade and tourism between Ireland, France and beyond," commented the company's route manager Ian Davies.

http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2014/0226/506799-ferry-deal/

and it seems that they intend doing something with the existing ferry facility wise. It'll be interesting to see what they have planned.
They'd hardly throw out everything on an 8 year old ferry and basically turn it into the Stena Nordica II ?

The Celtic Horizon will continue to operate a year- round service and we look forward to introducing the Stena Line experience to the vessel for our customers to enjoy."
<snip>
We believe we can bring significant added value to the route with our wealth of industry experience and award winning customer service standards which we are confident will help to stimulate increased traffic volumes in the future."

http://afloat.ie/port-news/ferry-news/item/24518-stena-line-aquire-celtic-link-ferries-direct-continental-route

munchkin_utd

I just copped onto the fact that stena have 2 sister ships already in the Stena Lagan and Stena Mersey operating overnight services from Belfast to Liverpool.
They got a recent refit which was a nice balance between making it a little plusher and still doing it without ripping out everything of the original interior (e.g. the roof remained and the hard surfaces in places)
heres a good example of the stena mersey cafe area

Bagenal

I have never been on the Celtic Horizon but from what I'm told it could do with a bit of a refit.

munchkin_utd

Bagenal wrote: »

I have never been on the Celtic Horizon but from what I'm told it could do with a bit of a refit.

its grand, as in, its not shabby or tatty or anything. Its just very open plan and unlike what irish ferry customers are used to. The decor is probably more designed with a hot country in mind like Italy where the ship was built and first in service, where hard surfaces and bright heat reflecting colour schemes are favoured over darkness and (puke/ dirt attracting) carpet.

anyhow, its days now till the 31st of March which was to be the handover date.
Stena have a landing page that is slowly taking shape.
http://www.stenaline.ie/routes/rosslare-cherbourg/Fares
and celtic link are directing folks to contact stena for bookings after the 1st of April
http://celticlinkferries.com/stena-line-travel

munchkin_utd

Has anyone actually travelled on this ship and can report on what its now like and what changes have stena made to the ship interior?
I'll be on it again in January, but for the first time since stena has taken over.

From the looks of it the cabins remain unchanged, but have they turned the common areas from a giant Italian ice cream parlour (without the ice cream) to a more carpeted affair ?

Ferry enthusiasts seem to be facinated with the outside of the ship but I cant find for the life of me a picture of inside except some very non descript photos on the stena website and on the directferries website of a review which first dates from the Celtic link era.

Drummerboy08

It's pretty much the same inside from what I noticed. Slightly Stena-ised with colours etc, but pretty much the same.

munchkin_utd

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

It's pretty much the same inside from what I noticed. Slightly Stena-ised with colours etc, but pretty much the same.

yup.
Travelled on it myself just last weekend and can confirm that all right.
Actually, a lot is the same as celtic link days including the restaurant operation.
Not a massive choice, but its good food and good value (9euro for main dinner).

Drinks also great value, Magners pint only 4.10, Stella similar. Coffee only 2.50 or so and theres deals including a pastry for €3 and similar deals involving sambos or soup. So on that front Stena is an improvement.

About the only decor change is that the chairs in the cafe are now mostly wooden with stena logos, as mentioned above theres a few pastel stena panels on the wall to give a nicer feel to the place but the architecture is the same.
Also the same is the funny arrangement with room keys- but at least in the rooms now theres proper warm blankets and the technican was going around making sure the heating was working, which was NOT the case with celtic link previously (whose main priority was the truck drivers, who after a dozen guinness at the bar wouldnt feel the cold anyhow!)

The play room is also slightly improved and has the same play blocks as the one on the Oscar Wilde.

So all in all, Stena running the ship is an improvement but it still is what it is and it wont suit some people who are looking to be wowed and pampered rather than simply get from A to B with a lesser level of service.

Geog1234

Has the kiosk/shop been enlarged?

munchkin_utd

Geog1234 wrote: »

Has the kiosk/shop been enlarged?

nope.

I saw on another fourm that the ship is leased which means that a major renovation like on the Stena Mersey isn't a runner so that explains why the shop and common area are only cosmetically different than before.