... As my route was Dublin to Holyhead, I always used Irish Ferries as at the time the company I worked for entitled me to a discount if I used Irish Ferries.
I last used this service more than four years ago at a time when Irish ferries had just launched their new ferry 'Ulysses', this ship ... Read review
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Advantages: More Leisurely than flying Disadvantages: Can take along time
...to Holyhead, I always used Irish Ferries as at the time the company I worked for entitled me to a discount if I used Irish Ferries.
I last used this service more than four years ago at a time when Irish ferries had just launched their new ferry 'Ulysses', this ship is named after the book by James Joyce who is a famous Irish author.
Tickets:
I booked my ticket on-line at Irish ferries.com, the website ... ...offers panoramic views of the Irish Sea, it's also good for photos of the shoreline when leaving or arriving. Reading areas and even a small portrait gallery are also provided on board this ferry.
Overall I would recommend taking this ferry when crossing from the UK to Dublin, the Ulysses only operates the Holyhead-Dublin crossing which takes 3 1/2 hours and I feel it offers the most leisurely crossing that Irish ferries offer. It ... more
I used to travel between the UK and Dublin quite regularly, sometimes rather than fly I preferred to take the more leisurely route and use the ferry. As my route was Dublin to Holyhead, I always used Irish Ferries as at the time the company I worked for entitled me to a discount if I used Irish Ferries.
I last used this service more than four years ago at a time when Irish ferries had just launched their new ferry 'Ulysses', this ship is named after the book by James Joyce who is a famous Irish author.
Tickets: I booked my ticket on-line at Irish ferries.com, the website is very easy to use and a ticket can be purchased in 4 simple steps. All you need to do is point and click at the various drop down menus for dates, time and passengers and hey presto! The website also carries special offers from time to time as well as routes, timings and company info, which I will not go into as it's not worth repeating the website.
The Ship: I travelled on 'Ulysses' which is holds the Guinness world record as the world’s largest car ferry! It is 12 decks high and has over 3 miles of car parking space. Deck 12 is occupied by the bridge Deck 11 plays host to an open air deck and a dedicated area to freight drivers. Deck 10 is home to cabins for the weary Deck 9 plays host to the retail therapy, food and drink and even a 2 screen cinema! Decks 8 and below are restricted areas!
Checking-in is straight forward as you are guided into lanes whilst your tickets and ID are checked. You then proceed up the ramp to the ship, as the first on you tend to be first off the other side, as you enter the hold of the ferry you are guided to an appropriate lane by the crew. Once parked up you then have to leave the deck and proceed to the upper decks.
The ferry itself is huge and feels like a hotel with out the feeling of water. Great care has been taken with passenger comfort, from thick plush carpets and lots of comfy seating areas. Large seats and big pictures windows create a relaxing environment; quite a few areas have been set aside to act like snug areas away from the hustle and bustle. On entering the passenger area you are greeted by a large reception style information desk along with a bureau de change, I found this quite expensive to change money so beware. To the left of the desk are seating, toilets, public phones, a small diner and a large children’s play area including soft play for the under 5's. To the right of the desk are more toilets, seating and more restaurants and shops also a large bar area with a stage and live children’s entertainment at regular periods throughout the 3 and a half hour trip. Television screens are placed around the ferry showing adverts and destination information; this also helps pass the time away. Should you need more to do then there is a 2 screen cinema showing latest blockbuster films this is at an extra cost of £3.00 this however may have increased since then.
Freight operators are not forgotten as they have a dedicated area on the 11th deck, this comprises of a separate dining and restaurant area along with cabins and shower facilities. Cabins are also provided for the general public, I used one of these for £6, which consisted of a bed, sink and shower handy for the overnight trip for freshening up.
Should you fancy a taste of the open air then the top deck is just for you, it does get windy though and offers panoramic views of the Irish Sea, it's also good for photos of the shoreline when leaving or arriving. Reading areas and even a small portrait gallery are also provided on board this ferry.
Overall I would recommend taking this ferry when crossing from the UK to Dublin, the Ulysses only operates the Holyhead-Dublin crossing which takes 3 1/2 hours and I feel it offers the most leisurely crossing that Irish ferries offer. It gets points for comfort, passenger aesthetics and wins hands down for cleanliness and sheer indulgence.
Advantages: Efficient Service Disadvantages: Expensive at certain times, docks in centre of Dublin
...it was to book using Irish Ferries own web site. You get a £5 discount for booking on line which is not a particularly good discount on a fare of £289. There were other sailings available which could have saved a fair amount of money on that fare but the sailings we got were both afternoon ones and the convenience was worth the extra. We also got the HSS Swift service which means a sailing only takes 1 and three quarter hours to Dublin. We sailed ... ...getting on board and the return journey was very similar to the outward one. The Irish Ferries service is generally quite good but certainly the terminals need improving. With the food on board also a bit expensive I can only suggest you take your own food and drinks. ...
polydeuces 13.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Irish Ferries
We travelled to Ireland on Irish Ferries for a friends Stag night. The plan was to cruise across, having a few beers on the way, a night out in Dublin and then get the swift ferry back the next day.
On trying to book this we were told that we could only book the slow ferry as we were a large group, not very convenient as this would have left us in Holyhead at midnight on sunday evening.
We tried 3 or 4 times to persuade them to let us book the ... ...citizens in the eyes of irish ferries.
We turned up in holyhead with plenty of time to spare. The secure parking didn'l look very secure, and the pay and display machines didn't work, however we had no choice but to leave the vehicles there and hope for the best.
We checked in and fairly quickly were transported onto the ferry. On board we realised that the ferry was very busy, and that we were the last people to get on board! There were very few ...
Review_Master 31.07.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Irish Ferries
Advantages: easy booking, free on promo Disadvantages: Hard to find harbour, boring
I decided to visit the town of wexford for 5 days after recieving a 5 day promotion, i booked the ferry for 4 of my friends and myself, on arrival a pembroke dock via the train, there was no clue as to where to go, after asking three polite locals, i was on my way to the ferry port,
On arrival i handed in my booking number and the actuall booking was over in a minet or so, recieving 5 return tickets i entered the departure lounge, i was almost instantly ... ...there was absolutly nothing to do, there was a refreshment stall with over inflated pricing, and a few glossy magazines, possibly a few toys but nothing to appeal to me and my friends as teenagers.
We were foot passengers only therefore it wasnt overly busy and you got the impession that they value car passengers more so than foot passengers, logically because the recieve more money from car passengers, anyhow.
I sat there with my friends for an ...
samxp 26.03.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Irish Ferries
Advantages: Much cheaper than the competition Disadvantages: No AA reduction when booking online
Well done Irish ferries. I booked up online to take a car and two passengers on the Holyhead to Dublin Swift service recently. I have travelled with the company before and found their online booking service very efficient. A few days later I found out that there would be two more passengers and telephoned the call centre to see if this would cause any probles. Well not only did it not cause any problems, the charming Irish sales rep told me that ... ...restaurants. It was clean and comfortable with plenty of seats, only a few minutes late docking and we were kept informed by the captain of our progress as we crossed the Irish Sea. Long gone are the days when passengers were treated like cattle. A service I can truly recommend. ...
boydgray 15.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Irish Ferries
Advantages: cheap reliable and very comfortable Disadvantages: None that i have found
...I find the staff on Irish Ferries very accommodating and ever so polite.I often travel with my children and find the facilities on board the ferry very child friendly.The cinema is great comfort if you want to keep the kids busy while you have some quiet time.I think the bar is a great asset as the seating is so comfortable that you dont want to move and the bar also serve a great cup of coffee.The cleanliness of the ship is outstanding in my opinion ...
shazbaz100 30.10.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Irish Ferries
Reliability
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I had the task of travelling to mainland uk in july not once but twice. Not having travelled to the mainland for ages i was looking for the cheapest and best option for my needs. the fist time i travelled i was alone, the second time i was with my youngest daughter who was then 12 years old. The cost of air fare was a no no for me and even the short ferry crossings from where i live to where i was going were out of the question as well. looking on the net i found Norse IrishFerries now known as (Norse Merchant Ferries). I phoned and booked two days before i was due to travel, and the staff at the booking office where very friendly and informed me that i could pick my tickets up the next day or even on the day i was due to go. Booking in on day of travel was 2 hours before departure. I had also been advised by staff that the ferry ...
