2016 boom for Corsica ferry bookings

DIRECT FERRIES – an online ferry comparison site – says the French island of Corsica is its number one island destination this year with bookings up by 163% in the first six months of 2016.

The island has more than 200 beaches and clear waters, making it attractive for holidaymakers interested in scuba-diving, jet-skiing, yachting, and canoeing. Inland, activities include hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, rafting, and canyoning.

Direct Ferries flags up six lines that offer a total of 21 routes to Corsica from France and Italy.

Departures from mainland France are available from Toulon, Nice, and Marseille, while from Italy, ferries depart from Savona, Genoa, Livorno, and Piombino. Crossings operate year round.

Prices start at £168 return for a car and up to four passengers.

www.directferries.co.uk 

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2016 boom for Corsica ferry bookings

DIRECT FERRIES – an online ferry comparison site – says the French island of #Corsica is its number one island destination this year with bookings up by 163% in the first six months of 2016.

The island has more than 200 beaches and clear waters, making it attractive for holidaymakers interested in scuba-diving, jet-skiing, yachting, and canoeing. Inland, activities include hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, rafting, and canyoning.

Direct Ferries flags up six lines that offer a total of 21 routes to Corsica from France and Italy.

Departures from mainland France are available from Toulon, Nice, and Marseille, while from Italy, ferries depart from Savona, Genoa, Livorno, and Piombino. Crossings operate year round.

Prices start at £168 return for a car and up to four passengers.

www.directferries.co.uk

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Cruise sector generates £2.58bn for UK economy

THE #CRUISE industry is worth £2.58 billion a year to the UK economy, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which has published its annual European Economic Contribution report.

The industry’s direct contribution to the British economy, including goods and services purchased by cruise lines and the salaries of their employees, grew by 3.3 percent, making it the highest on record.

The industry’s economic output in Europe reached £32.22 billion, up two percent on the previous year, and an all-time high.

Employment in the UK cruise industry grew by 4.1 percent to 73,919 jobs and accounted for 20 percent of the market share in Europe.

Southampton has maintained its position as the number one embarkation and disembarkation port in Northern Europe, with a total of 1.75 million passengers passing through in 2015.

Says Andy Harmer, CLIA Europe VP Operations: ‘The figures bear testament to the cruise industry’s contribution to the UK economy. Cruise may have once been considered a travel niche but the multi-billion valuation shows that it’s now a major player within the travel sector. 

‘Every year, new ships enter into service, offering innovative activities and facilities and 2015 was no exception, with a number of significant developments for the UK cruise market including the naming of P&O Cruises’ Britannia by Her Majesty The Queen, Cruise and Maritime Voyages introducing Magellan, and Royal Caribbean’s new ship Anthem of the Seas joining the worldwide fleet.’


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See the Tall Ships

NORTHUMBERLAND'S first Festival of the Coast takes place this summer, celebrating the county's 64 miles of coastline, and at its centrepiece will be the arrival of a fleet of vessels sailing in for the UK's only Tall Ships Regatta (August 26-29). 

Up to 30 Class A Tall Ships will be on show at the port of Blyth over the August Bank holiday weekend. The four-day regatta will feature 1.5 miles of free family entertainment including theatre, music, parades, and fireworks. The event will end with a race from the Northumberland coast to Gothenburg, Sweden. 

The Festival of the Coast will showcase the entire Northumberland coastline, from Berwick-upon-Tweed in the north to Seaton Delaval in the south. 

www.tallshipsblyth2016.com
www.visitnorthumberland.com/coastfest

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DFDS reports record result on Newcastle-Amsterdam route

FERRY operator DFDS enjoyed a record year on its Newcastle to #Amsterdam service in 2015, carrying more than 580,000 passengers. The result was boosted by the company’s strongest ever May to September performance, during which the two ships on the route carried more than a quarter of a million people. Sister ships, the Princess Seaways and the King Seaways, provide daily sailings.

Max Foster, passenger director for DFDS said: ‘We’re excited to have set a new record on the Newcastle to Amsterdam service in 2015 and we’re looking forward to building on that with another record-breaking summer this year. The four-month summer period is a key time, and our teams at the port and onboard work hard to provide our guests with an enjoyable and relaxing start to their holidays.’

Passenger numbers hit record highs last summer, with almost 70,000 people using the service in August alone. The steady growth in the popularity of the route has provided a boost to tourism in the North-East of England, with more than 395,000 visitors from Europe and further afield using the ferry service to visit the region in 2015.

Foster added: ‘A key element of our success is our ability to attract a diverse group of passengers to visit the North-East, especially from Germany and the Netherlands. These visitors play an important role in boosting the contribution of tourism to the regional economy.’

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P&O Ferries launches night travel promotion

P&O FERRIES is offering a 25% discount to passengers who travel between 6pm and 6am in May or June. 

The offer is for anyone taking a holiday of more than five nights away. 

Passengers must book before June 15 and travel between May 1 and June 30. 

Terms and conditions apply as certain vehicle types and durations might be exempt. 

Prices between Dover and Calais for a long break start from £39 each way. 

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Condor celebrates National Ferry Fortnight

CONDOR FERRIES is offering two-for-one day trips to #Guernsey – from Poole – as part of National Ferry Fortnight (March 5-19), meaning passengers pay £30 and can take a friend for free. 

Justin Amey, head of Marketing at Condor Ferries, commented says: ‘We’re delighted to be taking part in National Ferry Fortnight once again, and to offer customers an opportunity to enjoy a great day out with a friend or loved one for free.

‘Day trips are an ideal way to visit somewhere new, and with our special offer, we hope to encourage a new wave of passengers to try ferry travel for the first time and enable even more people to discover the delights of the Channel Islands.’

www.condorferries.com


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Ferry numbers dented by Calais-Dover disorder

FERRY operators have attributed a slip in passenger numbers to the much-publicized disruption on the route between Calais and Dover. 

The number of passengers who travelled on the 75 ferry routes in 2015 was 38.9 million, a drop of 0.6% on 2014. However, the number of cars that travelled on that route was up 1.3% to 8.61 million. Discover Ferries insisted that despite the drop, the number of passengers was still 800,000 up on the 38.1 million who travelled in 2013.

The total passengers carried by P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways on routes to Calais and Dunkirk were down by 2.2% last year from 13.2 million in 2014 to 13.01 million in 2015.

Ferry routes to domestic destinations such as the Isle of Wight, Isles of Scilly, Isle of Man, Channel Isles, and Scottish Islands were the top performing sector in 2015, with the total number of cars travelling up 4.5% to 3.69 million. Passenger numbers were also up by nearly 0.4% to 16 million. Isle of Wight ferry routes carried 1.2% more passengers than in 2014, with figures reaching 8.74 million.

The number of cars travelling on the North Sea ferry routes run by Stena, DFDS, and P&O Ferries increased by 3.9% to 445,000 in 2015.

Passengers on the three Irish operators of Irish Ferries, Stena Irish Sea, and P&O were marginally down by 1.9% from 4.87 million in 2014 to 4.78 million in 2015.

Discover Ferries’ director Bill Gibbons said: "The 2015 figures show the ferry industry is resilient and adaptable. Domestic ferry routes carried nearly 16 million passengers – their best year since 2011 and despite the summer issues at Calais last year, P&O Ferries and DFDS operators adapted their capacity and sailings to great effect, and other continental ferry operators took up any car customers who were able to re-route.’

Mr Gibbons said other challenges included the introduction by the UK government of exit checks.

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New DFDS ferry enters service on Dover-Calais route

DFDS SEAWAYS has welcomed its new Côte des Dunes passenger ferry into Dover, following her inaugural sailing from Calais.

Côte des Dunes has undergone a complete transformation since DFDS took delivery of her at the end of last year. Facilities include a self-service restaurant, a large shop, a dedicated children’s area, and a Road Kings area for commercial drivers, which has showers, a restaurant, and a lounge.

Côte des Dunes is the first of two new ships scheduled to enter service on DFDS’ Dover-Calais route this month. Both vessels will join Calais Seaways on the service, boosting DFDS’ daily sailings up to 30. When combined with DFDS’ three ferries on the Dover-Dunkirk route, the company will operate the largest fleet on the Dover Strait, with up to 54 daily sailings to the two French ports.

www.dfds.co.uk  


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NorthLink Ferries’ Guide to BBC’s Shetland dramas

THE BBC television series #Shetland, which brings Ann Cleeves’ crime novels to life, has attracted attention from as far as Australia and continues to bring a glimpse of the Northern Isles to people across the globe. With the third series starting this month (January), #NorthLinkFerries – which sails daily between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland – has selected four Shetland locations and attractions featured in the programme, for visitors inspired to travel to the most northern part of the British isles. 

Up Helly Aa

The first series of Shetland focused on Up Helly Aa, Europe’s largest fire festival. This Viking-themed annual event attracts thousands of visitors to the island, with the largest event of its kind held in Lerwick, Shetland’s capital.

Up Helly Aa takes place on the last Tuesday of January and sees marches, traditional music, and a torch-lit procession before the burning of a Viking long boat, known as the Galley.

Fair Isle

Series two of the programme saw Detective Inspector Perez travel to a bird observatory on Fair Isle following the death of a scientist.

Lying midway between Sumburgh in Shetland and North Ronaldsay in Orkney, this small island is full of character and is best known for its intricate knitwear, which can be found on the catwalks of London, New York, and Paris Fashion Weeks.

The stranded unique style of knitting which features bands of geometric patterns originated on Fair Isle many years ago and is now incorporated into designs created by leading brands such as Alexander Wang and Ralph Lauren.

As well as its crafts and cultural heritage, the island, which becomes covered in heather and wildflowers in the summer, is a bird-watchers dream. It is one of Shetland’s best places to spot birds and is home to its own sub-species of wren and field mouse. The Fair Isle Bird Observatory is a great spot to seek out and learn more about a range of birds and mammals that live on or close to the island. 

Crofthouse Museum 

The Shetland Crofthouse Museum acted as the fictional Crofting Museum in the second series of the programme.

Free to enter, the site outside Boddam on the mainland allows visitors to step back in time. The Crofthouse has been restored to its original appearance in the 1870s with box beds, a peat fire, and garden path leading to a repaired watermill.

St Ninian’s Isle

The UK’s largest active sand tombolo, St Ninian’s Isle was the inspiration for Ann Cleeves’ Dead Water novel and the location for much of the second series of Shetland. This natural sand causeway on the west coast of Shetland links the South Mainland with the isle and is easily accessible from Bigton.

Often featured in promotional materials and photographs due to its picturesque landscape, the sandy beach was voted as one of the ‘best places to swim’ alongside those in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Australia by a leading travel magazine in 2013.

NorthLink Ferries – Called the ‘North Boats’ by locals, the overnight NorthLink Ferries service between Aberdeen and Shetland features in the third batch of the BBC’s Shetland dramas.

www.northlinkferries.co.uk
www.shetland.org
www.visitscotland.com

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UK ferry sector records consecutive annual growth

A TOTAL of 21.3 million short sea ferry crossings were made last year, mainly on cross-Channel routes, latest official figures show. This was up by 4% year-on-year and was the first time since the mid-1990s that two years of consecutive growth had been recorded.

The number of travellers using the Channel tunnel was also up, by 3% to a record 21 million in 2014. 

The figures released by the Department for Transport suggest demand for travel to and from the Continental Europe remains strong despite competition from budget airlines. 

Dover-Calais remains the busiest route, with 10.8 million passengers, although increasing numbers are travelling between Dover and Dunkirk. This is now the second most popular international ferry route out of the UK, with more than 2.5 million passengers last year. Portsmouth-Caen was the third most popular route, accounting for 967,000 passengers in 2014.

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FCO urges Brits to 'exercise caution' following Paris murders

A THREE-DAY period of mourning is under way in #France after a series of terrorist attacks in the country’s capital killed 129 people and injured hundreds.

Following the massacre, France’s government declared a state of emergency and Britain’s #Foreign&CommonwealthOffice (FCO) advised UK nationals to ‘exercise caution in public places’.

It added: ‘French authorities have heightened security measures due to a risk of further attacks. The advice of the Paris Police is currently to keep movement around town to a minimum. Systematic border control checks have been implemented at all entry points into France.’

Attractions and monuments, including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, closed over the weekend, as did Disneyland Paris, which will remain closed until Wednesday.

Responding to the tragedy, a number of other travel companies issued statements and advice:

Airlines, Eurostar, and Disneyland Paris were all offering flexibility for customers booked to travel over the weekend.Flybe said it would continue to accommodate customers following the attacks and on Sunday issued a further statement that it was extending its flexibility for a further two days for those who wished to change their travel plans.The statement said: ‘Any customer who is booked to travel to Paris on Monday or Tuesday and who doesn’t wish to now do so may re-book a later date to any alternative destination or obtain a credit note for future travel.’

BMI Regional is also offering customers flying between Bristol and Paris the option to re-schedule or cancel future flights to the French capital.

Eurostar advised passengers to check in 60 minutes before departure. Security was increased across all departure points.

P&O Ferries: ‘We would like to re-assure all our customers that we maintain a safe, reliable, and secure service to/from France. Due to adverse weather conditions some services are subject to delay of up to 20 minutes. Please check in as normal.’

DFDS Seaways: ‘Please allow extra time for your journey and expect increased security checks, Dover-Dunkirk-Dover services are operating to the advertised schedule with space currently available. Dover-Calais-Dover services are operating with around 60 minutes delays due to weather conditions in the channel.’

Brittany Ferries: ‘At present, our ships continue to operate as normal. There may be some additional security checks but at present check-in times remain unchanged.’

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle: ‘Our service is operating as planned. However, due to reinforced border checks, customers travelling should allow extra time.’

easyJet: ‘Our schedule will operate as normal. However we would advise that all passengers due to fly with us check the status of their flights on our Flight Tracker page at www.easyjet.com/en/flight-trackerfor real-time information before going to the airport and to allow extra time for security checks due to the reinforced security measures in place. easyJet will continue to comply with all recommendations and guidance from the French authorities."

British Airways: ‘We continue to monitor the situation in Paris after attacks in the city on Friday.The French government has asked for extra security checks at all airports in the country, and this may lead to delays to flights from France.’

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Island offers

WIGHTLINK FERRIES is inviting families to beat the queues and save up to 30% on entrance to the Isle of Wight’s top attractions with bundled ferry and attraction tickets.

Wightlink’s top autumn escapes for families with young children, include:

Dinosaur Isle – open year-round. Book family tickets (two adults and three children) in conjunction with Wightlink ferry travel for a 20% discount.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway – Book family tickets (two adults and two children) for a 30% discount.

Osborne House - Fully open until November 2, and has limited opening (at a reduced price) year round. Book family tickets (two adults and three children) in conjunction with ferry travel for a 20% discount.

Amazon World Zoo – Open year round. Book family tickets (two adults and two children) in conjunction with ferry travel for a 15% discount.

Wightlink’s car passenger services operate from Portsmouth and Lymington, getting families over to the #IsleofWight in just 40-45 minutes. Foot passengers board the catamaran service at Portsmouth Station (the ferry terminal is just a few steps from the platform), which takes just 22 minutes to cross the Solent and arrive at Ryde pier. Adult tickets from £12.20 return and child tickets from £8.90 return.

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Tourism award for Condor Ferries

CONDOR FERRIES was awarded the Development of the Year accolade at this year’s Sibbett Gregory Poole #Tourism Awards.

The awards, sponsored by local commercial property agents, surveyors and town planners, Sibbett Gregory, recognize innovation, dedication, and passion in Poole’s tourism industry.

Alicia Andrews, executive director at #CondorFerries, said: ‘We are delighted to be a winner in the Poole Tourism Awards. As the only ferry operator serving the Channel Islands from the UK, we recognize the important role our base in Poole plays in maintaining a vital link with the islands and its impact on tourism, both in the Channel Islands and in Poole. Since Condor Liberation began operations from Poole in March, she has successfully transported more than 200,000 passengers through Poole – an increase of more than 80% on 2014.”

Jonathan Sibbett, a director at Sibbett Gregory, added: ‘The purpose of Poole’s tourism awards, and in particular Development of the Year, is to recognize those that have a significant impact beyond their own business, on tourism and the reputation of the town. Condor’s decision to invest in the Liberation and the decision to move their base to Poole has stimulated the local economy and provided a major positive influence on tourism in the area.’

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Brittany Ferries gets EU emissions grant, but says it’s not enough

BRITTANY FERRIES has received almost £5 million from the European Union to help pay for low-emission exhaust systems. The grant will be used to install “scrubber” systems on three of its ships to reduce sulphur emissions. 

But #BrittanyFerries says the money is not enough, with the overall cost for fitting scrubbers to its fleet of six ships calculated at £63 million.

The EU last year ordered fuel sulphur levels to be reduced from 3.5% to 0.1% by last January, on the back of recommendations by The International Maritime Organization.

A company spokesman told The Portsmouth News: ‘We are one among a number of ferry companies including DFDS and Stena Line to have received this grant. It is a contribution towards the capital cost of fitting scrubbers to three of our ships this coming winter – Pont Aven, Armorique, and Mont St Michel – and we have received nothing for the three ships already done. 

‘The grant falls far short of the cost of fitting scrubbers to six ships. It is only 8% of the total. It helps, but falls far short of the incremental cost we have had to bear.’

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27406286@N05/4575570906">mv Bretagne, Brittany Ferries, off St Malo, Brittany, France</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

DFDS Seaways takes top ferry title

DFDS SEAWAYS has been awarded the accolade of Europe’s leading ferry operator in the World Travel Awards Europe for the fourth consecutive year.

The company operates a passenger network, incorporating four routes from the UK to Europe, via Dover-Dunkirk, Dover-Calais, Newhaven-Dieppe, and Newcastle-Amsterdam, plus a number of passenger routes across the Baltic Sea and a service between Copenhagen and Oslo.

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New Isle of Wight ferry service

A NEW Isle of Wight ferry service has been launched. 

Scoot Ferries’ first vessel runs between Yarmouth and Lymington with room for 12 passengers and a 25-minute crossing time.

Other routes are planned from Cowes to Portsmouth, followed by Cowes to Hamble in June next year with a larger vessel.

The start-up company plans to run services across the Solent seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Fares on the Lymington route start at £9 single and £16 return.

Scoot boats will be equipped with charging points and USB ports in every seat, with free Wi-Fi access.

The company said: ‘New boats are currently being purpose-built to add to our fleet, which will enable us to launch our new Cowes to Portsmouth and Cowes to Hamble routes, and to run two boats on some of our more high-demand routes.’

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Condor Ferries launches selfie competition

CONDOR FERRIES is challenging passengers on board its cross-Channel services to get snapping and post their best selfies for its summer #ferryselfie campaign, in aid of #ChannelIslands Airsearch. 

#CondorFerries is offering passengers the chance to #win a selection of hi-tech gadgets worth £500 by sharing their selfie.

For every entry received, Condor Ferries will donate £1 to the Channel Islands Airsearch, a voluntary service that provides a 24/7 rapid response and rescue service in Channel Island waters. Operated by a volunteer crew, the service is funded by charitable donations along with some governmental assistance.

Justin Amey, head of Marketing at Condor Ferries said: ‘We’re looking for our passengers to send us their most original selfies taken on board our ships. This is a fun campaign that will also help raise funds for a very worthwhile cause.’

Passengers can submit their entries by e-mailing them to adore.competition@condorferries.co.uk with their name and telephone number.

The closing date for entries is October 7.

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Picture Credit: "Baie d'Saint Aubîn Mai 2012 08" by Man vyi - own photo. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baie_d%27Saint_Aub%C3%AEn_Mai_2012_08.jpg#/media/File:Baie_d%27Saint_Aub%C3%AEn_Mai_2012_08.jpg

Costa Cruises to build world's largest passenger ships, as Brits say the Med is best

#COSTACRUISES is to build two ships each large enough to carry 6,000 passengers. No, that’s not an error; it’s not 600. It’s 6,000! 

The Carnival Corporation-owned brand will launch the ships in 2019 and 2020. The vessels will be built at the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, and will be the first ships powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

The Costa new builds will have 600 more passengers than Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class.

Michael Thamm, chief executive of the Costa Group, said: ‘These ships will expand the leadership position for the Costa Group, the market leader in all major continental European markets. The multi-billion dollar contract with Meyer mirrors our strategy to constantly innovate our vacation offers and to deliver an unmatched #cruise experience to our guests.’

Group president Neil Palomba added: ‘The two Costa ships are a real innovation for the market, setting new standards for the whole industry: they will be the first green ships powered with LNG and they will offer a number of guest-friendly features.’

Go Holiday editor David Kernek comments: An ‘unmatched cruise experience’ … ‘guest-friendly features’. Some people might see a cruise ship carrying 6,000 passengers a holiday heaven; others, I suspect, might dismiss it as vacation hell!

Med tops for cruisers

THE Mediterranean remains the popular destination for British cruisers, according to a poll by the Cruise Critic website. Almost half of those polled voted for the Med, which was followed by the Caribbean (30%), Norwegian Fjords (18%), Canary Isles (15%), and Baltic (13%).


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IoW ferry firm in line for award

WIGHTLINK FERRIES has been shortlisted for the Best Family Ferry Operator category in the Family Traveller Awards 2015.

The awards, in association with Family and Friends Railcard, are the first of their kind and have been devised by Family Traveller magazine and familytraveller.com.

The awards are open to public votes. Voters will be entered into a prize draw to win an all-inclusive family holiday for two adults and two children below the age of 18 at a Club Med Sun Long Haul resort.

Votes can be cast at www.familytravellerawards.com

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/89918055@N05/8217038817">Lymington Yarmouth Ferry</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)