Best ferry/ship memories

[LSWR Cavalier]

I just posted some unpleasant experiences elsewhere, but I have many more good memories of sea travel

Going to the cinema on board, decent sleep rocking gently, out on deck to see the land approaching..
Had some worthwhile encounters on board, with people who could not understand the languages used, helped them to their cabins....

And the expectation, a bit of nervousness waiting for announcement (in four languages): 'passengers please *proceed* to your vehicles'!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Has to be the cruise up the Elbe on the former Harwich-Hamburg route. Worth getting up at the crack of dawn for!

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

It took several hours, I agree with you
At the Wilkommen Hoft shortly before arrival, vessels were greeted with the appropriate national anthem

 

[Gloster]

Having lived in Denmark, I have plenty of ferry memories, but I will always remember the delicious potato salad on the Korsør-Nyborg train ferries.

 

[Ianno87]

Definitely my two trips to Northern Ireland via Stranraer when I was a kid. The idea of spending all day on train, and then finishing up with a ship across the sea was a real adventure. I still remember sailing out of Loch Ryan and seeing the motion of the lights on land going up and down slightly.


Next best are a couple of trips to Northern Spain across the Bay of Biscay from Portsmouth/Plymouth about 10-15 years ago. A day completely at sea (with no dry land) was definitely a 'first' for me!


Also, the Kowloon-Hong Kong ferry is an experience in itself!

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Not a memory but something for later. I read recently about a passage on a freight ship across the Atlantic, a few private passengers are taken. The co2 for one person was zero point something kg
One must be flexible though, the vessel left Hamburg three days earlier than planned

 

[306024]

Too many to mention, but the Danish train ferries were good fun. Scottish island hopping, Hurtigruten in Norway, anywhere with great scenery is just an enjoyable and relaxing way to travel.

For short trips the Star Ferry in Hong Kong does take some beating. Have to go on it every day when in HK.

And for physical effort being rowed across on the Walberswick ferry in Suffolk.

 

[Alfie1014]

Have to agree with Hurtigruten whilst most tourists regard it as a cruise it’s a ferry for the locals. Watching the staff turn around, loading and unloading cars, passengers and cargo in no more than 15 minutes at some of the tiny ports is great fun. Also in Scandinavia any of the routes that sail through the Stockholm archipelago are pretty stunning especially arriving in the early morning. Kiel to Oslo is another experience on the largest ferries on the planet complete with huge duty free shops, where you can pick up your side of frozen reindeer to take home! Before COVID came along was considering Heirstals (DK) to Iceland via the Faroes this summer. Perhaps next year?

 

[30907]

Any long crossing - I've enjoyed the day sailing back from St Malo, and I have a soft spot for the present Harwich-Hoek Stena operation.
However, just at the moment, it's my last trip, a bit over a year ago, on the Puttgarden-Roedby train ferry. The vessels are nothing special, and the cafeteria isn't gourmet, but as a memory...

 

[randyrippley]

Ironically in view of my other post today, my many trips on the Manx Viking.
First Manx ship with lifeboat space for all (as opposed to rafts.)
First to have inside seating for all.
Handpumped Okell's bitter on sale
And massive armchair seats

photos on this page

HHV Ferry

www.hhvferry.com

Wiki entry for her

MV Manx Viking - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[eoff]

When I was a young child I was fascinated by going on the Woolston Cable Ferry and the little train that takes you to/from the Hythe ferry.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Oh dear, many people are reporting Bad Ship Days, but I dragged up the memory of Harwich-Hamburg again. Drove a long way to get the boat and a long way after, but the 20 hours on the boat were real holiday, plenty of time to sleep, relax, free from worrying about where to fill up or have a break, time to try to learn German and to prepare to drive on the wrong side of the road

 

[Bald Rick]

In my opinion, there is no such thing as a ‘best’ ship/ferry memory. Mine are all various degrees of bad.

But, in the spirit of the thread, I will offer a trip across Tysfjorden in northern Norway, when on the bus from Narvik to Bodø. Stunning scenery. Apparently. I was asleep. Indeed I only knew I’d been on a ferry when my co-travellers told me on arrival at Bodø.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I have an amusing memory...took a ferry from Bari (Italy) to Durres (Albania) and it appeared incapable of turning left. When it needed to do so, it did a complete loop to the right.

 

[181]

All the journeys that I mentioned in the other thread are ones that I have generally positive memories of, but they seemed to fit better in that thread.

Maybe people feel that bad experiences make better stories than good ones.

Scottish island hopping....anywhere with great scenery is just an enjoyable and relaxing way to travel.

I'd agree with this. Oban-Lismore is a journey I've enjoyed quite a lot over the years, and last year I had an enjoyable journey back from Colonsay on a beautiful calm sunny evening.

Kiel to Oslo is another experience on the largest ferries on the planet complete with huge duty free shops, where you can pick up your side of frozen reindeer to take home! Before COVID came along was considering Heirstals (DK) to Iceland via the Faroes this summer. Perhaps next year?

I've done Copenhagen-Oslo, with the very scenic cruise up the Oslofjord. I think one of the best ways to see a country new to you is at dawn from the ship (or train) in which you've travelled overnight. It's a pity the Iceland boat no longer calls in anywhere in the UK -- it would be higher up my list of possible future trips if it did.

Not a memory but something for later. I read recently about a passage on a freight ship across the Atlantic, a few private passengers are taken.

I've done that -- having once visited Canada by air, I felt that there was a gap that I ought to travel across properly some day, and 15 years later I did. It was certainly an enjoyable and memorable trip -- a tour of the southern North Sea and the Channel, from Thamesport (Isle of Grain) with calls at Antwerp and Le Havre, followed by just a few days in the open Atlantic, the John Cabot moment of sighting land, and another 3 days along the coast of Newfoundland and up the St. Lawrence to Montreal.

 

[317666]

For me it would have to be the first time I took the Stena Hollandica from Harwich over to Hoek van Holland, on the night sailing. I was blown away by how comfortable and civilised the whole experience was, and have repeated it a few times since. (Incidentally, the two boats have now swapped over and it's the Stena Britannica that does the Harwich - Hoek night sailing.)

At the other end of the spectrum, a few years ago I took the Plymouth - Cawsand boat early one misty autumn morning. I was the only passenger, and when we arrived Kingsand and Cawsand were similarly deserted. The atmosphere of the place was incredible.

 

[Poolie]

I think I might win here on the ultimate rail/ferry journey! Every year that I can remember from 1958 until 1966 I went to Denmark. My Father was half Danish and a Great Aunt still lived there so that was my summer holiday every year.
We lived in Wembley, so the adventure started from Preston Road to Liverpool Street. The Scandinavian to Parkeston Quay. Then to board Kronprincessa Ingrid or Kronprins Frederik (latterly MV England or Winston Churchill). Arrival at Esbjerg the next day. And then the train from Esberg Hven to Copenhagen via Nyborg and Korsor where the train just slipped on to the ferry and away we go! Arriving in Copenhagen then onto to a local train to Hillerod and another change to the local Gribskovbanen to Vejby. Then six idyllic weeks when the sun did shine every day and sadly the tears on having to return the journey back to school and real life. Writing this I'm now going to dig out loads of old photos and stuff!!

 

[kylemore]

Sailing up the Rhine on the DS Goethe (when she was steam powered) whilst enjoying lunch and a fine bottle of Rhenish and viewing the passing scene through the panoramic windows of the forward dining saloon must be hard to beat!

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

KD cruisers on the Rhein do (did?) offer free travel for birthday children of all ages
Did four hours Ruedesheim-Koblenz once
Back home on the train of course, either bank

 

[joncombe]

Two stick in my mind. The first was the crossing from Poole to Guernsey on board one of the Condor catamaran's on a windy day. The boat was bouncing around all over the place and impossible to walk around the ship without holding on tight at all times. The duty free was smashing all over the place and other items falling over in the shops. Outside the deck was ... shall we say re-decorated! I did feel queasy but wasn't actually sick however I do remember the near constant sound of people being sick around the boat was making me feel ill. Not a pleasant trip at all. I remember a local sat opposite me commented about all the people eating a cooked breakfast as we set off and how they will soon regret it. She wasn't wrong!

The second was a boat trip from Longyearbyen to Ny-Ålesund. It was a small boat and had to go fast given the distance needed to travel there and back in the day (there is no other way for the public to get there). Literally bouncing out of seats on that one (the crew had special "bouncy" seats) and having to grab onto the tables. I do remember the staff had biscuits they advised us to eat before setting off that they said would absorb the liquid in your stomach which is the main cause of sea-sickness, which did seem to work in my case. This area is exceptionally remote (Ny-Ålesund is the most northerly town in the world and where expeditions to the North Pole often begin) and we were out of radio contact for some time so I do remember thinking what would happen if the boat broke down or otherwise got into difficulties (though I suspect they had a satellite phone). An amazing experience though, it was a wonderful day.

An amusing one was going over to the island of St Agnes on the Isles of Scilly on another wet and windy day. It was a small open wooden boat and I do remember after the very rough crossing, with lots of spray, when we got there the skipper turned around and said "did we lose anyone on the way?" and when people said no his response was "good, you wouldn't believe the forms", which got a good laugh.

 

[leshuttle]

Likewise, taking the ferry overnight Harwich to Hoek of Holland it was a surprisingly smoother crossing than I’d expected and I think the first time in my adult life travelling solo on a ferry which added to the feeling of adventure. Slight disappointment the other in having to take a bus as the railway was closed for conversion to a metro line.

 

[adamedwards]

Crossing Windermere on the Bike Boat. Just me and the captain. Personal cruise!

The North Uist to Harris ferry on a sunny day, as the view changed every few minutes as the ship wandered around the reefs.

St Malo to Portsmouth, turning the corner at the lighthouse off I think Cap de la Hague.

Leaving Lymington for the isle of Wight. 30 secs train to car deck with bikes and then the slow trip down the river to the sea.

 

[181]

I've remembered another good one: an excursion from Oban to Iona and back on the paddle steamer Waverley, in the kind of weather that you see pictures of on calendars -- blue sky, blue sea, not much wind. (Added interest was provided by the transfer to smaller boats for the landing on Iona, which had in the past been a common way of getting there and many other places on the west coast of Scotland).

 

[185143]

A recent one for me, though I haven't done many lengthy sailings.

Belfast to Birkenhead on the Stena Edda. Running at around 20% loaded so lots of room on a lovely new ship that had entered service in March so was still pretty much brand new. A very smooth crossing, though I know that's often not the case. Spent most of the 8 hour crossing sat in the restaurant at the very front of the ship looking out across the bow talking to a passenger I'd met on the way over to NI whilst enjoying a pint or err... several. Excellent value for £11 each way!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Nothing better than Stockholm-Mariehamn-Turku through two Baltic archipelagos.
It's both great scenically and a navigational tour de force.
I've no idea how they pick their way through the islands at speed. Turning 180 degrees on a sixpence at Mariehamn is a speciality.
Proper ships too, no plastic catamarans here (I used Silja; Viking are the competition).
Fares (for foot passengers) are remarkably cheap - €15 for an 11-hour trip when I last went.
Plenty of local ferries in Stockholm, including some with steam power.
Some of the larger archipelago islands are linked by basic car ferries which are free (considered part of the road system).

Two other great scenic ferry routes:
the Interislander between North and South Island NZ (sadly the Arahura has been retired and replaced by two ex-Irish Sea ferries).
BC Ferries from Vancouver across to Victoria or linking various ports up the Sunshine coast.

Biggest disappointment was Sorrento to Amalfi.
It was a fast catamaran, but you had to occupy a seat in a packed cabin so there was no view, similar experience to a hovercraft.
In any case the windows were virtually opaque and the sea fog meant you could hardly see the coast or Capri anyway.
And expensive.

 

[Mag_seven]

A couple from my childhood:

As a kid in the 70s I went on the PS Waverley from Glasgow Anderston Quay down the Clyde to either Dunoon or Rothsay (can't remember which) and back. It was a late afternoon / evening cruise and I remember going past the Clyde shipyards at night on the return journey and seeing the night sky lit up by the welding activities going on in those yards.

In the early eighties mum and dad took me on the boat from Ardrossan on the Clyde coast down to Douglas on the Isle of Man. We took the car on the boat and I remember thinking it was a far more civilised way to travel from Central Scotland to the Isle of Man compared to driving to say Heysham and taking the boat from there.

Great memories.

 

[43055]

Some of my personal favourites:

Red funnel from Southampton departing at the same time as the criuse ships and sailing with them for most of the journey.

Also Red funnel watching the Cowes week fireworks from the ferry.

Finally, Poole to Guernsey for a day trip last year on Condor Liberation. First time taking a larger ferry and first time I have been to the channel islands which I would like to go back at some point.

 

[sheff1]

I think one of the best ways to see a country new to you is at dawn from the ship (or train) in which you've travelled overnight.

Not just countries new to you. Many a time I have been on deck as we approached Dover or Folkestone on the midnight(ish) ferry from Ostend. Something special about the White Cliffs. Still remember it now.
More recently, sailing up the Mersey at dawn on the overnight ferry from Belfast is a great way to start a day.

 

[Iskra]

Although I’ve generally lived in the landlocked West Riding, I’ve had many pleasurable nautical experiences:

- A couple of cruises around the Caribbean; weeks of free bars, amazing sunsets, waking up to stunning views, dolphins swimming along the front of the ship, sunshine on tap. It doesn’t get better than that. I also got to tour one of the ships which was really cool going on the bridge and in the engine rooms etc.
- On one of the above cruises I got to go on a proper submarine, which was extremely cool seeing the fish and a shipwreck and it’s quite a rare experience, something I always wanted to do.
- On the same trip I went on a catamaran that had a free bar, saw sea turtles and flying fish which amazed me at how numerous and fast they were. Travelling on the sea under sail power was pretty cool too, a very chilled experience.
- I’ve had a lot of cool trips across the Straits of Messina due to my parents having a house in Southern Italy. Being a bit of a nerd I appreciated the train ferry. I wasn’t a passenger on the train, we just happened to hit lucky when crossing with a car. It was a bit surreal watching a train join us on the ship. I like the crossing at Messina, you see the naval fort and warships, Mount Etna, fight your way across the busy shipping lanes, see aircraft going into land at Reggio, see the trains. I’ve also crossed on a Hydrofoil which again is a cool experience. It’s also quite dramatic in bad weather or amazing when it’s sunny and the seas are blue.
- Lastly and somewhat less exotically, I paid £3 for a speedboat ride at Bridlington, which was good fun and definitely rates as the best £3 I’ve ever spent.

One of my life ambitions is to sail to Antarctica, so hopefully I manage that one ...although I best get saving.

 

[CW2]

On holiday with the family at Morar, we decided to catch the train to Arisaig then the ferry MV Sheerwater across to one of the islands (I forget which one). Pleasant weather, kids behaving themselves and enjoying the boat trip, when suddenly a couple of whales decide to put in an appearance and keep us entertained for the crossing. The skipper slowed down so we could have extra time with them, and radioed his mates (who had gone out on a specialist "Whale Watching" charter out of Mallaig, and found nothing) to tell them where the whales were. After a pleasant coffee + cake and a wander round whichever island it was, we returned to Arisaig to wait patiently for the bus to Morar (there being no trains at that time of day). One of the crew of the boat stopped his pickup and gave us all a lift back to Morar. Top day out.