We bought a boat but can't see what we paid for

[Roxanne]

My oldest and sweetest memories were of the Ladies’ Lounge with the adorable nurse who taught us all to lie flat in rough weather and never to lift our heads until we docked.

This would have been mid seventies? 

Blankets, sweet smelling pillows, tea and toast in calm seas, and Nurse  lovely lovely Nurse  

Oh Gawd. I think I’m actually about to cry now. 😭 

[Gladys]

2 hours ago, The Phantom said:

I bet @P.K. would love a paisley suit and frilly shirt. 

Brocade suit, please!

[Roger Mexico]

2 hours ago, John Wright said:

It seems pretty par for the course as far as contemporary “cruise” ferry interior design is concerned.

I’ve travelled on each of the Galicia, Salamanca, and Santona from GB/IRL to Spain in the last 12 months. All less than 4 years old, Apart from the Mx being smaller it’d be impossible to tell them apart from inside.

Ah!  The joys of modern capitalism.  I doesn't matter if it's any good, as long as it's exactly the same as everyone else.

I rather agree with PK about the design, it seems to come from the current playbook of taking details from every decade since the 50s and mixing them into a style called something like International Bland.  Except the result isn't soothing but slightly disconcerting and irritating.  And not always even practical, things seem to wear and stain quickly, lighting is often poor, signage and signposting (as Roxanne says) missing or confusing.

[monasqueen]

The furniture always seems to be chosen by people who are regulars in onshore cafes, but never venture out to sea.

Those bar tables with cafe style seats, for instance. Where will those go when there's a bit of weather?

John W, have they had/got/still got those in the Galicia, Salamanca, and Santona?

[John Wright]

53 minutes ago, monasqueen said:

John W, have they had/got/still got those in the Galicia, Salamanca, and Santona?

Yes. After all Santona has only been operating since early March, Galicia since late 2019 and Salamanca since December 2020.

I take my own chair with me, of course, and don’t choose to transfer.

But I do have to move chairs to get spaces at a table, in bar, Club lounge or dining saloon ( they call it a restaurant ). They’re surprisingly heavy. Tables were fixed. One thing I did notice at the accessible tables ( slightly higher ) was that the wheelchair position is fitted with securing points so wheelchairs can be tied down and immobilised. Nice thought, but I’m not so sure!

We went from Rosslare to Bilbao in a nasty storm on 7/9 January ( 2 nights at sea ). The furniture wasn’t thrown about. It stayed still, much to my surprise.

One thing about the e-flexer class, as operated by Brittany Ferries is that they’ve moved the restaurants and club lounge to the front. I was always told food and drink should be midships as there’s less up and down motion. I’m a good sailor, didn’t bother me.

On the sideloaders the dining room was always midships. I can’t quite remember where they were in the sisters, but my recollection is first class dining saloon was below deck, waterline, in the bow. You could watch the waves lap the portholes whilst dining. Disconcerting when there was a swell.

here’s the club lounge on a BF e-flexer. All identical. Pastels are in.

[ADELE]

Stewardesses in the Ladies lounge tea and sick pans  that is my memory although I am a good sailor I always remember there was one by each bunk.   Happy days .

[ADELE]

I think it deserves a mention in the Guinness Book of Records for most photographed boat .

[0bserver]

I'm really worried about the people who are saying we paid for the ship but can't see it... it's fucking massive. #Specsavers

[newaccount]

2 hours ago, 0bserver said:

I'm really worried about the people who are saying we paid for the ship but can't see it... it's fucking massive. #Specsavers

no one wants a tour of laxey mill or the meat plant

[TheTeapot]

4 hours ago, newaccount said:

no one wants a tour of laxey mill 

I'd quite like a tour of the mill.

[Two-lane]

You have paid for the MHKs and MLCs also. How about a tour of their offices to watch them at work? (Note that I wrote "paid for", rather than "bought". I would not want there to be the slightest misunderstanding here.).

 

[woolley]

On 7/13/2023 at 8:09 AM, John Wright said:

It is a problem that ante dates the SNP.

The CalMac fleet is large. Some vessels are 40 years old. Expected life is 25 years.

Well, yes, but the current debacle is with the contract placed in 2017 for the replacement vessels.

[woolley]

On 7/13/2023 at 9:04 AM, 2112 said:

Looks like rules and procedures weren’t followed for the fireworks display.

Probably why they were so good.

[woolley]

On 7/13/2023 at 11:33 AM, Roxanne said:

Which makes finding one’s cabin extremely difficult. I’ve wasted years of my life on all those ships wandering down endless corridors that all look the same. 

And, wherever designed it so the kennels are at one end and the cabins at another should be shot. 

At least you could never get lost on the Ben. Not enough room.

[Roger Mexico]

21 hours ago, newaccount said:

no one wants a tour of laxey mill or the meat plant

I'm sure some do and I'm sure tours are arranged for groups.  But those are working environments with strict hygiene regulation where preparations need to be made so members of the public can enter them.  Unlike say the public areas of a passenger ferry, which are supposed to be set up for members of the public to use all the time.

16 hours ago, Two-lane said:

You have paid for the MHKs and MLCs also. How about a tour of their offices to watch them at work? 

Here you go:

http://www.tynwald.org.im/visit