Stena Line prepared for busy festive period

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:03:29 GMT

Stena Line, a leading ferry company, is experiencing another busy Christmas period, with many of its sailing across all routes already at full capacity. The company is urging passengers to organise their Christmas and New Year travel as soon as possible.

Over the Christmas week, December 20th - January 3rd inclusive, almost 111,000 passengers and 32,000 cars will travel with Stena Line on the Irish Sea and approximately 57,500 of these passengers and over 17,500 of these cars will travel on Stena Line's routes from Fishguard, Holyhead and Liverpool.

Stena Line's Head of PR and Communications, Diane Poole OBE, is delighted with the busy festive period: She said: "Christmas is always a busy time of year for Stena Line and this year is no exception. In fact, bookings have been coming in thick and fast and many sailings are already full. The phones in our call centres have been ringing off the hook with people looking to travel during the festive season.

"One of the main reasons for this is that taking the car across when they travel allows home-comers the luxury of packing all their presents into the boot at no extra cost. We have also experienced a surge in our online bookings as more people book travel from the convenience of their own home, where they know they can get the best fares available," added Diane.

"There is still some availability but we would advise our customers not to leave it much longer to book as they could end up missing out on their turkey dinner," she concluded.

About Stena Line:
As the market leader between Britain and Ireland, Stena Line offers a wide choice of routes, including Fishguard to Rosslare, Liverpool to Belfast, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire alongside our two recently launched routes - Cairnryan to Belfast and Liverpool to Belfast. Stena Line was awarded the 'Top Ferry Company' for a record 19th time at the annual Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism Awards held in a glittering awards ceremony in Newcastle, this October. The company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea ferry routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

New Stena Line Superfast Ship Arrives in Loch Ryan Port

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:14:24 GMT

Stena Line’s Superfast VII ship has arrived at her new Loch Ryan Port home in Cairnryan in preparation for the opening of the new ferry route between Scotland and Northern Ireland on November 21st.

Superfast VII will be joined by her sister ship Superfast VIII at their new purpose built 27 acre Scottish port that will also encompass a brand new 1,500 square metre passenger and freight terminal. The ships will be the largest ever to sail between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The new port, new route and new ships are part of a £200M rolling investment programme, one of largest route investments ever made by Stena Line, which also included the construction of a new Belfast Port and terminal facility that opened in June 2008.

Stena Line's new Loch Ryan Port, Cairnryan is approximately seven miles north from its current home port of Stranraer and will commence scheduled services for freight and leisure customers on November 21st.

Paul Grant, Stena Line Route Director said: "When we start our new route timetable on November 21st, it will be from one of the most advanced ports in the UK. Loch Ryan Port is the culmination of years of planning by Stena Line and it will provide our customers with a world class facility. But the new port is only half the story. We will also be introducing two of the largest ships ever to have sailed between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"Sister ships Superfast VII and Superfast VIII will complete the crossing in 2hrs 15mins with a level of comfort and range of facilities unrivalled on the Irish Sea. The new ships will even have their own Pure Nordic Spa which will include a Jacuzzi and sauna for use by Stena Plus customers. At 203 metres, the new ships have the capacity to accommodate 1 200 passengers, 660 cars or 110 freight units. The new ships have been reconfigured to ensure that our leisure and freight customers have both been catered for. Specifically with our freight customers in mind, we have ensured that the new Superfast ships have no height restrictions with over 5 metre clearance to ensure they can accommodate the largest freight units on UK roads.

"We are delighted that our new port has been designated a National Project by the Scottish Government and are currently working with the government to look at improvements to the road infrastructure to and from the port to help the new facility maximise its full potential in terms of overall journey times between Scotland and Northern Ireland," he concluded.

Stena Line's new Cairnryan to Belfast route will have 10 scheduled sailings per day between Scotland and Northern Ireland at launch rising to 12 from December 5th.

- ends -

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes between Ireland and Britain, including Belfast to Cairnryan (launching 21 November), Belfast to Liverpool, Dublin Port to Holyhead, Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead and Rosslare to Fishguard. The ferry company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea ferry routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena line sails away with top ferry accolade for 19th year

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:21:30 GMT

Stena Line has been voted the top ferry company for a record 19th time at the annual Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism Awards. The 'Best Ferry Company' award was presented to the ferry company at a glittering awards ceremony at the Slieve Donard Resort in Newcastle in October.

Northern Ireland Travel News has been organising the awards for the past 20 years. This year's ceremony was hosted by TV personality Eamonn Holmes and was attended by over 450 VIPs from the local travel and tourism industry.

Paul Grant, Stena Line Route Director collected the award on behalf of the company. He commented: "I am absolutely delighted that Stena Line has won the Best Ferry Company title for the 19th time and all of us are very proud that our commitment to improving our services has been recognised once again."

"Although this is our 19th win, it’s every bit as important as our first success in this prestigious ceremony. The travel industry is used to seeing innovation and high levels of customer service so when they say once again that we are the Best Ferry Company it underscores that the high standards we set ourselves lead the industry," said Paul.

"We are moving into a very important time for Stena Line's operation between Northern Ireland and Scotland. On November 21 we are scheduled to start our new Belfast to Cairnryan service which will also see the introduction of two new vessels, Stena Superfast VII and Superfast VIII, the largest ships every to have sailed between Northern Ireland and Scotland," he continued.

"In the summer we also added the Belfast to Liverpool and Heysham services to our route network. Along with our purpose built Belfast Port in VT4 which was completed in 2008, the overall investment is in the region of £250M, a resounding endorsement of our confidence in the future of Belfast as the regional hub for both freight and passenger traffic," he added.

Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes from Ireland to Britain, including Belfast to Cairnryan (launching 21 November), Belfast to Liverpool, Dublin Port to Holyhead, Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead and Rosslare to Fishguard. The company carries approximately two million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena Line awarded 'Best Ferry Operator' accolade

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:38:04 GMT

Leading ferry company Stena Line has clinched the title of 'Best Ferry Operator' at the prestigious 'Travel Bulletin Star Awards 2011'.

The 'Star Awards' are one of the most widely celebrated trade award programmes in the UK with voting conducted exclusively by the travel industry's 'true experts', the travel agents, to recognise and reward excellence across the travel and tourism industry.

Ross Carson, Sales & Ancillary Revenue Manager was thrilled to collect the award at a glittering gala awards ceremony in London. "It is always great to win an award but when the accolade comes direct from travel agents themselves it is extra special," said Ross.

"To be awarded 'Best Ferry Operator' by Travel Bulletin is an endorsement of our continued commitment to the travel trade and an acknowledgement that across the board, Stena Line is ahead of the competition," he continued.

"With a lot of exciting new developments on the horizon in terms of port, ship and route improvements, this is a position that we hope to continue and expand.

"We will continue to work with the travel trade to ensure that Stena Line provides as much support as we can to them and their customers. This was a great team effort across the company and I am delighted to accept the award on behalf of Stena Line," he concluded.

This November (2011) will be a watershed month for Stena Line with the launch of a new port, new route and new ferries. For the best part of the last 2 years, Stena Line has been working on developing a 27 acres site 8 miles north of their current port location in Stranraer, constructing a purpose built port and terminal facility which will see the company relocate to Cairnryan and establish a brand new route between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

As well as the new port and new route, Stena Line will also be introducing two new ships onto the service, the largest ships ever to have sailed between Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Stena Superfast VII and Superfast VIII will be equipped to accommodate 1 200 passengers, 660 cars or 110 freight units and when the service starts in November they will provide up to 12 daily departures between Cairnryan and Belfast with a reduced crossing time of 2hrs 15min.

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes between Britain and Ireland, including Stranraer to Belfast, Liverpool to Belfast, Holyhead to Dublin Port, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire and Fishguard to Rosslare. The ferry company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena Line to introduce a new level of onboard facilities

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:21:35 GMT

Stena Line has confirmed that its two new Superfast vessels, which will be introduced on the company's new Cairnryan to Belfast service in November, will have a Nordic Spa onboard to offer passengers a totally unique travel experience.

Stena Superfast VII and Superfast VIII will be the largest ferries ever to sail between Scotland and Northern Ireland and are currently undergoing extensive upgrades in Poland by specialist cruise ship outfitters. When complete, they will be the first Irish Sea ferries to offer passengers the opportunity to relax and indulge in a Pure Nordic Spa during the 2 hour, 15 minute crossing.

The spa will contain a sauna and Jacuzzi which will be exclusively available to Stena Plus and Premium fare passengers.

"We have established a reputation for providing a very high level of customer service so the prospect of offering our customers the opportunity to unwind in a Pure Nordic Spa at sea has really got our staff excited about giving our customers an even better travel experience," said Stena Line Route Director Paul Grant.

"We plan to make the facility available to our Stena Plus customers and are confident that it will enhance our premium service offering even further. Although the new ferries will have a crossing time of just 2hr 15mins, our customers will still have enough time to relax and unwind and enjoy their journey even more than before.

"We are always looking at innovative ideas to help improve our offering to customers to ensure that their journey with us is a truly enjoyable experience in itself. The introduction of our Pure Nordic Spas is one such idea and one of a host of on board facilities which are dedicated to leisure and business passengers," he added.

Stena Line's new Cairnryan to Belfast route is scheduled to launch on 21 November. The new Superfast vessels will make 12 crossings per day and each of the ten-deck ships can carry up to 1200 passengers, 660 cars or 110 freight units.

About Stena Line
Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes between Britain and Ireland, including Stranraer to Belfast, Liverpool to Belfast, Holyhead to Dublin Port, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire and Fishguard to Rosslare. The ferry company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena Line announces super ships to shape future of NI ferry travel

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:00:13 GMT

Stena Line has announced the refurbishment of two giant ships that the company will be introducing on the Irish Sea later this year.

The identical 'sister' ships 'Stena Superfast VII' and 'Superfast VIII' will be the biggest ferries ever to sail between Northern Ireland and Scotland and will undergo a refit programme at the Remotova shipyard in Poland which the company claims will ensure that they are the most modern, comfortable and best designed ferries ever to ply the Irish Sea. The ships will carry passengers on Stena Line's new Belfast to Cairnryan route route which launches in November.

Stena Line has appointed specialist marine outfitters MJM Marine from Newry, a company with considerable experience in the global cruise ship industry, to ensure that the new ships are fitted out to the highest standards in order to provide customers with a unique top quality ferry travel experience.

Paul Grant, Stena Line's Route Director, said: "In November this year we will be launching a new purpose built port and terminal at Cairnryan in Scotland which will herald a new route for our Northern Ireland to Scotland service and we will also be introducing two identical ships onto the route, the biggest ever ferries to sail between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

It will be a huge milestone for this service and the culmination of an ongoing investment programme which started with the construction of the new terminal at VT4 in Belfast back in 2008. The combination of the new port and ships will enable Stena Line to reduce the journey time to 2 hours 15 minutes and will provide a level of quality, comfort and facilities never before seen on the Irish Sea.

“Not only that, the fact that the two ships are identical, allied with our already excellent customer service, means that customers are guaranteed a consistency of top quality on board service and facilities that we haven’t been able to offer before, another great advantage for passengers and freight drivers.

“That’s why we have appointed specialist marine outfitters MJM Marine who have a wealth of experience in the cruise ship industry and will play a vital role in enabling us to offer customers the best possible ferry travel experience,” he added.

“The ship layout will also be changed to accommodate our freight customers and I’m delighted to say that for the first time on the route, there will be no deck height restrictions, which means that we can accommodate virtually any load our freight customers have. We believe that this, alongside the fact that we sail direct from and to Belfast with easy access to the motorway system, will provide us with a unique competitive advantage in the market,” concluded Mr Grant.

Jonathan Guest, Managing Director of MJM Marine said: "We take immense pride to be involved with these prestigious refits and view it as an endorsement of MJM's knowledge and experience of working with Stena on their Irish sea routes."

Built in Germany in 2002, the new Stena Superfast vessels will each be able to accommodate 1200 passengers, 660 cars or 110 freight units and will operate up to 12 daily departures on the Cairnryan to Belfast route all year round.

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes between Britain and Ireland, including Stranraer to Belfast, Holyhead to Dublin Port, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, Fishguard to Rosslare and the two new routes recently acquired from DFDS namely Liverpool to Belfast and Heysham to Belfast. The ferry company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena Line signs deal with the Belfast Giants

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:01:05 GMT

Stena Line, the largest ferry company on the Irish Sea, has signed a sponsorship deal with another giant, the Belfast Giants, in a two year title sponsorship deal. The Stena Line Belfast Giants will take to the ice in August for a special pre-season Hockey Fest Weekend at the Odyssey on 27th and 28th against the Nottingham Panthers and will play their first competitive home game at the Odyssey against the Sheffield Steelers on 3rd September.

Stena Line's area director, Michael McGrath, said: "The Belfast Giants are much more than an ice hockey team. They are an outstanding example of how a professional sports organisation can mesh with the community. Winning trophies is always the measure of sports teams but it doesn't show their contribution to their community. The Stena Line Belfast Giants provide excellent family entertainment; work with schools and youth organisations across Northern Ireland and through the Giants Foundation they are dedicated to making a positive impact in the community. Stena Line is proud to be associated with them through this title sponsorship."

It's quite fitting that Stena Line is teaming up with the Stena Line Belfast Giants at this time as we prepare to introduce two of the largest ferries ever to sail between Northern Ireland and Scotland when we open our new route and port in Cairnryan in November 2011. The two Superfast vessels will be another two giants to add to the Stena Line team.

Todd Kelman, General Manager of the Stena Line Belfast Giants, added: "We are delighted to be onboard with Stena Line as our title sponsors for the next two years. Stena Line have been great supporters of the Belfast Giants' community programmes over the years and their commitment and support will enable us to go out and build a winning team for Belfast. Stena Line has always believed in what we are trying to do for Northern Ireland and they are an organisation that we are very proud to be associated with. There are a lot of synergies between both teams and we are looking forward to working together and see if we can sail away with this year's title."

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes from Ireland to Britain, including the Belfast to Stranraer, Belfast to Liverpool (Birkenhead), Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Port to Holyhead, and Rosslare to Fishguard routes. The company carries more than two million passengers on its Irish Sea ferry routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena Express returns to Fishguard to Rosslare route

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:07:38 GMT

The Stena Express Fastcraft has returned to Stena Line’s Fishguard to Rosslare route on its summer schedule and will operate until Sunday September 4.

The vessel, which caters for up to 520 passengers and up to 120 cars, boasts a Stena Plus ferry lounge, Metropolitan Grill and Barista coffee house, free Wi-Fi and an onboard shop which offers a wide range of gifts, jewellery, spirits, confectionary and fragrances.

Stena Line Communications Manager, Eamonn Hewitt said: "The Stena Express has commenced its annual summer service on the Fishguard to Rosslare route to assist with the additional demand over the busy summer period.

"The vessel will complement our Stena Europe Superferry, offering customers three round trips daily on the route and boasts excellent onboard facilities giving passengers the chance to sit back and relax as they travel."

Customers can forget about cramped leg room, baggage charges and putting the contents of hand luggage in a plastic bag and enjoy the freedom of sailing with Stena Line and packing as much luggage as they want into their car. Once onboard, customers can sit back, relax and enjoy the ferry crossing, with a great choice of restaurants and bars, enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views of the Irish Sea or pick up something in the onboard shops which offers great savings on fragrances, spirits and lots more.

Stena Line offers a fantastic choice of routes from Britain to Ireland including Fishguard to Rosslare, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, Holyhead to Dublin Port and Stranraer to Belfast.

For more information customers can go to www.stenaline.co.uk, call 08447 70 70 70 or visit their local travel agent.

- Ends -

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes between Britain and Ireland, including the Stranraer to Belfast, Holyhead to Dublin Port, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, Fishguard to Rosslare and the two new routes recently acquired from DFDS namely the Liverpool to Belfast and the Heysham to Belfast routes. The company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena Line buoyant with new routes clearance

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:37:51 GMT

Stena Line has expressed its delight at the announcement that its acquisition of the DFDS routes from Belfast to Liverpool (Birkenhead) and Belfast to Heysham has been fully approved by the Competition Commission.

The acquisition, which amounts to approximately £40M investment, will enable Stena Line to improve its service on the Irish Sea by offering several different alternatives for transportation between Northern Ireland and Great Britain and will improve service and frequency for passengers and freight.

Irish Sea Area Director Michael McGrath said: "We are naturally delighted to have been given the green light by the UK Competition Commission and will now engage in a process of evaluation and integration in terms of the wider Stena Line business. We have always believed that the DFDS acquisition would make a perfect fit for our business and our customers and we are looking forward to implementing our extended route network on the Irish Sea. We believe that the acquisition also strengthens Belfast as a key transport hub within our route network for both freight and tourism traffic."

As part of the deal Stena Line will also acquire four ships from DFDS which will include the chartered Lagan Seaways and Mersey Seaways on the Belfast-Liverpool route and the freight carriers Scotia Seaways and Hibernia Seaways. This will bring the number of Stena Line routes on the Irish Sea to six, adding to the existing Stranraer-Belfast, Holyhead-Dublin, Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire and Fishguard-Rosslare ferry routes.

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes between Britain and Ireland, including the Stranraer to Belfast, Holyhead to Dublin Port, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, Fishguard to Rosslare and the two new routes recently acquired from DFDS namely Liverpool to Belfast and Heysham to Belfast. The company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena Line announces measures to deal with ash cloud

Wed, 25 May 2011 11:40:11 GMT

Stena Line is preparing to assist travellers in crossing the Irish Sea following the UK Met Office prediction that another ash cloud will reach the UK, with the potential of throwing thousands of peoples travel plans into chaos.

As people nervously watch the progress of the ash cloud as it heads towards Europe, Stena Line has increased its web capacity, brought in more staff to deal with customer enquiries in its call centres and has additional crew on standby to ensure it will be able to efficiently help any stranded travellers if Britain should once again become a no fly zone.

Last year, the arrival of the ash cloud, which affected global airspace for up to six days, saw Stena Line experience an unprecedented 350% increase in hits to its UK and Irish websites where visitors can view ferry timetables, up to date ferry sailing information and book ferry tickets online.

"We are currently working hard to prepare our services for the possibility of increased passenger numbers so that we can ensure we can do our best to assist with peoples travel requirements," said Stena Line Communications Manager Eamonn Hewitt.

"Last year the situation with the ash cloud and cancelled flights caused people a lot of stress and inconvenience. Our plans are now in place so should the situation arise again, we are able to accommodate as many people as possible.

"We want to ensure that not only do people get safely to their destinations but that they get to see the best of ferry travel. When we have the opportunity to welcome new customers onboard we want them to experience all of the benefits of travelling by ferry - the convenience, space, no baggage restrictions, hassle free check-in and so on which could influence their future travel decisions," Eamonn continued.

Last year Stena Line experienced one of its busiest years on record which saw the company carry an additional 60,000 passengers with a particularly busy spring period bolstered by the impact of the volcanic ash cloud.

For more information or to book a ferry trip, customers can log on to the Stena Line website, call 08447 70 70 70 or visit a local Stena Line travel agent.

Stena Line celebrates National Ferry Fortnight

Tue, 10 May 2011 15:48:45 GMT

Stena Line, the leading ferry operator, has announced it will be offering 15 per cent off bookings made between 14 and 28 May 2011, for travel completed by 8 January 2012 to mark the Passenger Shipping Association's third annual National Ferry Fortnight.

The offer is valid for all vehicle types, "dutchflyer" (rail and sail) and foot passenger bookings, as well as all elements of booking from cabins to pre-booked meals and Stena Plus lounge access.

The 15% discount on travel to Holland offer means a family of four (two adults, two children aged four to 15) can save £24.90 on the lead-in price for a return crossing to Holland with their car and includes unlimited luggage allowance.

The same family would save £35.10 for a return to take Stena Line's "dutchflyer" (rail and sail) option, which includes rail travel from any National Express East Anglia station to any NS rail station within the Netherlands.

The offer includes travel on the two largest Superferries in the world, the Stena Hollandica and Stena Britannica, which launched in May and October respectively last year. Departing twice daily, crossings with Stena Line from Harwich to the Hook of Holland take approximately 6.5 hours with a choice of day or night sailings in each direction.

National Ferry Fortnight has been arranged by the Passenger Shipping Association to help consumers learn about the investments that ferry companies make in order to improve the travelling services for passengers. It also celebrates the benefits of traveling by ferry, highlighting the unlimited luggage allowance, onboard space and facilities and absence of surcharges, lengthy pre-departure check-in times, taxes and queues. The fortnight runs from 14th May till the 28th of May 2011.

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB, Stena Metall AB and Stena Sessan AB. Stena Line also owns the Swedish vessels of the otherwise German- and Danish-owned Scandlines.

About the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA):
The PSA is the body that represents all passenger shipping interests and of which Stena Line is a member.

Stena Line recommences service on Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire route

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:04:35 GMT

Stena Line has announced that the HSS Stena Explorer will recommence service on its Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire route on Friday April 1 until Tuesday September 13 to cope with the additional demand over the summer period.

The reintroduction of the HSS Stena Explorer will provide Stena Line with the ability to handle higher volumes of foot passengers as Dun Laoghaire Harbour provides passengers with an adjacent Dart connection straight to Dublin City and the surrounding area.

The vessel which caters for up to 1500 passengers and 350 cars, boasts the Metropolitan and Barista coffee bar, Stena Plus lounge, free Wi-Fi, free movies and an onboard shop which offers a wide range of gifts, jewellery, spirits and fragrances.

Stena Line’s Communication Manager Eamonn Hewitt said: "We look forward to welcoming the HSS Stena Explorer back on the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire route which will provide customers with even more reason to cross the Irish Sea during the summer months.

"The vessel, which offers excellent onboard facilities, will complement the timetable on Holyhead to Dublin Port route as it offers customers a mid-morning departure from Holyhead and a lunchtime departure from Dun Laoghaire."

The HSS Stena Explorer will operate one round trip per day with a 10.00am ferry sailing from Holyhead and a 13.15pm sailing from Dun Laoghaire. Customers have the opportunity to upgrade to Stena Line's premium ferry fare for an additional £20 which includes advance boarding and disembarkation and entry into the Stena Plus lounge where passengers can avail of complimentary snacks, beverage and newspapers.

Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest ferry fleet and the widest choice of routes from Britain to Ireland including Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, Holyhead to Dublin Port, Fishguard to Rosslare and Stranraer to Belfast routes. The ferry company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year.

Stena Line predicts 100% increase in Indian tourists to mainland Europe

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:41:53 GMT

Stena Line, one of the world's largest ferry operators, has announced it is predicting a 100 per cent increase in Indian passengers in 2011 on its twice daily ferry service between Harwich and the Hook of Holland.

Some 10,000 Indian tourists travelled the route between Harwich and the Hook of Holland in 2010 and 20,000 are expected to travel it in 2011 as Indians holidaying in Europe are trying to avoid the Air Passenger Duty (APD) costs that would be incurred if they chose to fly back home from the UK.

India is in the APD band C which means that the tax has doubled at the end of 2010 to £100 for standard class passengers and to £150 for premium passengers. Indian tourists who traditionally travel around on a trip to Europe are deliberately planning their itineraries to avoid flying back to India from the UK to prevent paying the newly increased charge.

Lars Olsson, general manager of Stena Line said, "Whilst I am not condoning the hike in APD, there has definitely been a huge upturn in traffic for Stena Line, particularly from the Indian market, who are ensuring they create a comfortable and relaxing itinerary that means they do not have to fly back from the UK."

Stena Line offers six hour overnight and daytime ferry crossings between Harwich and the Hook of Holland, aboard the largest Superferries in the world, the Stena Line Hollandica and Britannica, which were launched in 2010.

About Stena Line:
In the UK alone, Stena Line currently offers two daily crossings on its Harwich to Hook of Holland route as well as over 30 daily crossings on its five different routes to Ireland (Stranraer to Belfast, Fleetwood to Larne, Holyhead to Dublin, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire and Fishguard to Rosslare). Stena Line provides fast and efficient crossings with excellent onboard services and facilities.

Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB, Stena Metall AB and Stena Sessan AB. Stena Line also owns the Swedish vessels of the otherwise German and Danish owned Scandlines.

Stena Line thinks big with new ships for its Scotland-Northern Ireland service

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:31:39 GMT

Stena Line has confirmed the addition of two new Superfast ferries on its service between Scotland and Northern Ireland in Autumn 2011 to coincide with the opening of its new £80m Loch Ryan Port at Cairnryan.

Sister ships Superfast VII and Superfast VIII will replace the HSS Stena Voyager, Stena Caledonia and Stena Navigator, which currently operate on the ferry crossings between the two countries.

The Superfast ferries the biggest ships ever to operate on the Scotland-Northern Ireland route, will cater for both passenger and freight traffic. Each ship can carry up to 1,200 passengers, around 660 cars or 110 freight vehicles and will be able to complete the journey between Scotland and the heart of Belfast in 2 hours, 15 minutes.

For freight customers, the ships will be altered to allow for extra deck height to accommodate the trend for higher, more efficient freight units.

They each have a gross tonnage of 30,285 and are capable of travelling at 27 knots. The ships will be leased from Tallink, the Baltic Sea shipping group.

The introduction of the new ships to the route later this year will coincide with the opening of Stena Line’s purpose built £80M port facility at Loch Ryan Port, Cairnryan in Scotland, which will replace its current ferry terminal at Stranraer.

Gunnar Blomdahl, Managing Director of Stena Line said: "This investment is another stage in Stena Line’s ongoing multi million pound investment program which aims to take the Stena Line fleet to the next level. I’m convinced that the changes on this route will be very positive for our customers between Scotland and Northern Ireland."

Before the ships are deployed on the route both vessels will be given extensive refits to ensure that they deliver a great experience with new attractive onboard concepts for restaurants and public areas and as well as providing complete flexibility for freight operators. The upgrades will include the provision of extra deck height to cater for the trend towards higher vehicles and hauliers’ increased use of double-deck freight units.

Paul Grant, Route Director for Stena Line Scotland-Northern Ireland said: "The new ships will be the largest vessels ever to operate between Scotland and Northern Ireland and will provide Stena Line with increased operational efficiency by replacing three ships with two. The unique combination of speed, capacity, increased deck height, great onboard facilities and modern ports at each end of the journey will greatly enhance the ferry travel experience for all our customers. We have a commitment at Stena Line to do travel differently; we call it 'Making Good Time'. Modern travel doesn't have to be stressful, it can also be fun and enjoyable."

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes between Britain and ireland, including the Stranraer to Belfast, Holyhead to Dublin Port, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire and Fishguard to Rosslare. The company carries over two million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena Line announces ferry travel across North Sea boosted 8.7% by new Superferries

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:36:57 GMT

Stena Line has reported its highest number of North Sea passengers for three years in its figures for 2010.

For the first time since changing its Harwich to Hook of Holland operations to a twice-daily service in 2007, the ferry giant carried over half a million passengers in a year.

Stena Line is attributing part of the 8.7 per cent annual growth in North Sea passengers to reinvigorated interest in ferry travel, fuelled both by the two new-build Superferry vessels it launched on the route in May and October and by difficulties affecting the UK aviation industry.

Growth during the final quarter of the year, which saw the launch of the second of the two new Superferries, was particularly strong, with 10,000 more passengers travelling than during the same period in 2009 (a 10.3 per cent increase).

The ferry company reported an upsurge in all types of ticket sales, with over 1,000 coaches (25.2 per cent more than the previous year) and 30,465 foot passengers (30 per cent annual growth) travelling from Harwich to the Hook of Holland during the year.

In terms of number of bookings, the most successful segment was the rail and sail sector - Stena Line's "dutchflyer" product - which witnessed 35 per cent year-on-year growth. The smallest growth was in number of cars carried, which grew by 0.6 per cent year-on-year.

The ferry industry as whole saw travel from the UK to the Continent increase in 2010. However Stena Line's figure of nearly 9 per cent is above the average, with the excitement surrounding the new vessels and the quality of their onboard facilities having been a significant factor in this growth.

Lars Olsson, Stena general manager for travel on the North Sea, said: "Having invested over £375m and three years' work in the construction of our two new passenger-freight Superferries, which add 33 per cent more passenger capacity to the route, it’s very important to have witnessed such considerable year-on-year growth in our North Sea passenger traffic.

"It's also the case that UK air travel was hit by various factors, from snow to volcanic ash clouds. The passengers who unexpectedly experienced our new vessels during these aviation-free periods assured us of their intention to return and to spread the word about the free WiFi, Dux beds and à la carte restaurants they discovered onboard."

ENDS

About Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB, Stena Metall AB and Stena Sessan AB. Stena Line also owns the Swedish vessels of the otherwise German- and Danish-owned Scandlines.

Stena Line announces Holland ferries to new Canal House hotel

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 15:15:17 GMT

Stena Line has announced that its newly launched ferry crossing to Holland will allow travellers to visit the newly opened Canal House hotel in central Amsterdam.

Since the completion of Stena Line's North Sea fleet renewal in October 2010 the ferry company has offered travel to the Hook of Holland from southeast England on two plush new supersized Superferries, replete with Swedish beds, free WiFi, wine bar, sun terrace and à la carte restaurant. This month Holland will also see the opening of a chic 23-room hotel along the Keizersgracht canal in Amsterdam's trendy Nine Streets district.

The third property of A Curious Group of Hotels, Canal House will boast individually designed rooms featuring limited edition handpicked art. Created by Amsterdam-based design firm Concrete Architectural Associates, the glamorous and contemporary interiors are based on a muted colour scheme of black, purples, coppers and greys. Canal House will also feature a 40-seat Great Room for dining, and menus and mini-bars will include regional delicacies. In Canal House's spa, guests will find the Curious Group of Hotels' own bath and body range, Green and Spring.

Travellers seeking a cultural weekend will love Amsterdam's Nine Streets district, flower market and Anne Frank's house. For the budget-conscious an overnight ferry to Amsterdam with Stena Line will allow people to maximise their stay without adding additional hotel nights to the cost of the trip.

Stena Line offers a twice-daily six-hour ferry to Holland crossings between Harwich and the Hook of Holland.

About Stena Line:
In the UK alone, Stena Line offers two daily crossings on its Harwich to Hook of Holland route as well as over 30 daily crossings on its five different routes to Ireland (Stranraer to Belfast, Fleetwood to Larne, Holyhead to Dublin, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire and Fishguard to Rosslare) providing fast and efficient crossings with excellent onboard services and facilities.

Stena Line announces Christmas ferries bringing festive cheer

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:45:22 GMT

Stena Line has revealed it has carried an additional 5,000 passengers on its Belfast to Stranraer route in the last few days of December as thousands of people face despair and disappointment with continued flight cancellations in the run-up to the festive season. The company is reminding people that its sailings are continuing to run as scheduled with availability between now and Christmas.

Stena Line Communications Manager, Nigel Tilson said: "We have carried additional 5,000 foot passengers on our Belfast to Stranraer route over the past number days due to the ongoing flight cancellations and last minute bookings.

"All our Ireland ferry and UK sailings are operating as scheduled and we have brought in extra staff to help accommodate the uplift in customers at this time. We have also organised additional coaches to help cope with the extra demand that we are experiencing.

"Sailings are continuing to book up fast, especially the UK ferries, but we still have availability on most sailings, so our message to people needing to make travel arrangements is not to leave it until the last minute," Nigel continued.

"We recommend customers book their ferry crossing through the website or our call centre rather than arrive at the port without a booking as they may face disappointment."

Also running as scheduled are the ScotRail train services from Stranraer to Glasgow and Glasgow to Edinburgh and Virgin trains from Glasgow to Carlisle, Birmingham and London are operating with minor delays.

From December 20 to January 5 Stena Line will carry 105,000 passengers across its five Irish Sea routes, 47,000 of which will be on our Belfast to Stranraer route.

During 2009, approximately 15.4 million passengers travelled with Stena Line. 3.3 million cars and 1.6 million freight units were transported during the same period.

Stena Line scoops top ferry company award for 18th year

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 11:45:57 GMT

Stena Line has announced its success at the Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism Awards where the company was voted the top ferry company for a record 18th year.

The 'Best Ferry Company' award was presented to Stena Line at a glittering awards ceremony at the Slieve Donard Resort in Newcastle.

Northern Ireland Travel News has been organising the awards for the past 19 years and this year’s ceremony was hosted by TV personality Craig Doyle with more than 450 VIPs from the local travel and tourism industry attending.

Paul Grant, Stena Line's Belfast - Stranraer route director collected the stylish trophy. He said: "I am absolutely delighted that Stena Line has won the Best Ferry Company title for the 18th time and all of us are very proud that our commitment to improving our services has been recognised once again," said Paul.

"To win this accolade is recognition that the high standards we set ourselves have impressed our customers and indeed the awards judges. At a time when travel companies across the globe are implementing cut-backs, over the last year Stena Line has invested millions across its five Irish Sea routes to ensure our customers have the best travel experience.

"As well as an investment of over £9M on a makeover of eight ships on Stena Line's Irish Sea routes to ensure the highest standard of facilities, work is also well advanced on our new £200M Loch Ryan Port investment in Scotland, so we're continually improving our quality and service for our customers," he added.

Stena Line is the market leader on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes from Ireland to Britain, including Belfast to Stranraer, Larne to Fleetwood, Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Port to Holyhead and Rosslare to Fishguard. The company carries approximately three million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival ferry operators combined.

- Ends -

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is the Irish Sea ferries market leader, offering the biggest ferry fleet and the widest choice of routes from Ireland to Britain including Belfast to Stranraer, Dublin Port and Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead, Rosslare to Fishguard and Larne to Fleetwood. The company carries over three million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival operators combined.

Stena Line experiences North Sea coaching upsurge

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 11:45:11 GMT

Stena Line experienced a significant upsurge in coach travel on its North Sea route to Holland during the first half of 2010. The ferry operator carried 36.6 per cent more coaches on its route between Harwich and the Hook of Holland than during the first half of the previous year.

The second quarter of 2010 was particularly strong, with Stena Line transporting 38 per cent more coaches than during the second quarter of 2009. The growth in coach traffic between Harwich and the Hook of Holland has continued into the third quarter, with Stena Line reporting a 55.7 per cent year-on-year increase in coach crossings during the month of July.

Lars Olsson, Stena Line's commercial manager for travel on the North Sea, said: "2010 has been an exceptional year for Stena Line’s coach traffic and we’re looking forward to building on the growth that we’ve achieved so far.

"In April there was a hike in the number of coaches crossing and this was partly linked to the volcano-related restrictions on air travel from the UK at that time. However we’ve sustained these high levels of year-on-year growth, which we feel reflects the rediscovery made by travellers of the convenience of travelling to Holland by coach and ferry.

"In May this year Stena Line introduced the first of our two brand new North Sea Superferries, the size and onboard comfort of which make them ideal for coach travel to Holland. We're also increasingly seeing Amsterdam considered as a major European hub for onward coach travel throughout Europe and we’re hoping to capture more and more of this market."

Stena Line will be launching the second of its two new Superferries, the Stena Britannica in October 2010. The first is the Stena Hollandica which was launched on the 16th May 2010. The Stena Britannica ferry will carry 300 freight units and 230 cars, a capacity increase of about 36 per cent in comparison with its predecessor.

Stena Line announces new onboard children's menu from Annabel Karmel

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 12:15:52 GMT

Stena Line has announced the launch of a new menu by Annabel Karmel MBE, one of the world's most successful writers on children’s food and nutrition.

Annabel has sold over 4 million books worldwide and has become the expert in getting children, no matter how fussy, to follow a healthier diet. A selection of little people's favourite dishes including Fruity Chicken Curry, Fish Pie, Spaghetti Bolognaise with hidden vegetables, Chilli Con Carne, Macaroni Cheese and Chocolate Sponge with chocolate sauce will initially be sold in all food outlets onboard Stena Line's routes from Holyhead to Dublin Port and Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire and in Stena Plus lounges on all other Irish Sea Routes, with a roll out to all other onboard food outlets in 2011.

Stena Line's Head of Onboard Services, Jimmy Howey believes the new menu will allow customers to provide children with healthy and tasty food choices when travelling. He said: "We are delighted to launch the Annabel Karmel food range onboard our ships as the meals will provide parents with an easy way to ensure children can eat healthy, tasty food when travelling.

"At Stena Line, we pride ourselves on providing families with a stress free way to travel with dedicated children’s play areas and onboard cinemas on our ferries and this latest partnership with Annabel Karmel demonstrates our commitment at providing parents with healthy food options for little people."

Annabel Karmel commented: "Offering parents the opportunity to give healthy and tasty food choices to their children is a huge bonus when travelling and I am delighted to be working with Stena Line in order to do this."

Stena Line offers a choice of routes from Britain to Ireland including Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, Holyhead to Dublin Port, Fishguard to Rosslare, Stranraer to Belfast and Fleetwood to Larne. Once onboard customers can sit back, relax and enjoy the great choice of restaurants and bars, enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views of the Irish Sea or pick up something in the onboard shops which offer great savings on fragrances, spirits and lots more.

About Stena Line:
Stena Line is the Irish Sea ferries market leader, offering the biggest ferry fleet and the widest choice of routes between Britain and Ireland, including Stranraer to Belfast, Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire and Dublin Port, Fishguard to Rosslare and Fleetwood to Larne. The company carries over three million passengers on its Irish Sea routes each year, more than its rival operators combined.

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