Irish Ferries' new flagship will begin offering weekly services between Oreland and France from 2019
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Irish Ferries newest fleet member, W. B. Yeats, has departed to Germany’s Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and is on course to arrive at her new Dublin homeport before Christmas 2018.
Named in honour of Irish poet William Butler Yeats, the flagship was originally expected to debut in July 2018 but was beset by delays in the delivery of components from third-party suppliers. In 2019, the ferry will begin offering up to four weekly sailings between Dublin and France, which will see her travelling 125,000 nautical miles annually – the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe nearly six times. Irish Ferries will be the only operator providing customers with a direct crossing from Dublin to France.
“We’re delighted to bring W.B. Yeats and its superior luxury to Dublin,” said Andrew Sheen, managing director of Irish Ferries. “The introduction of this magnificent new ship offers holidaymakers unrivalled comfort with direct route access from the convenient and centrally located Dublin Port to France. Irish Ferries look forward to welcoming passengers onboard the W.B. Yeats to sail in style in 2019.”
The 54,985gt W. B. Yeats is the largest cruise ferry designed to sail on the Irish Sea to date and can accommodate 1,800 passengers in 440 cabins, including luxury suites with their own private balconies and butler service. Onboard highlights include bars, restaurants, shops, cinemas and passenger areas decorated with art and literature from Yeats and other well-known artists. Passengers will also be able to listen to downloadable audio extracts from the Yeats’s catalogue of poems.
There will also be almost three kilometres of car deck space.
“Whether it’s a gourmet break away in a picturesque French village, or a seaside adventure for all the family, we’re giving our customers the chance to enjoy the freedom of unlimited luggage and the comfort of travelling with their own car,” said Nora Costello, director of Consumer Marketing and Sales at Irish Ferries.
FGS will also build a second, larger €165.2 million cruise ferry for Irish Ferries, which will be delivered in 2020. When she debuts on the route between Dublin and Holyhead, the newbuild will be the largest in the world in terms of vehicle capacity and will also boast accommodation for 1,800 passengers and crew.