I arrived at Hogan’s Quay on Monday for my 1st day with Fastnet Line Cork Swansea Ferry. I must say the Julia looked impressive as she lay berthed in Cork Port. I have already had a tour onboard so know she looks equally as impressive onboard.
The 1st thing that hits me is the story of how the ferry is back. Basically a group of regular people got together and started a campaign to bring back the Swansea Cork Ferry. I know we all have our own pet likes and we all say at one time or other we are going to do something.
The difference with these people is that they actually made it happen. As I stand on the deck on the Julia I am very aware that I would not be here if it was not for the efforts of the bring back the Ferry Campaign. For more details & history of this amazing campaign check www.bringbacktheswanseacorkferry.com
I meet Tom Barrett the CEO. Tom & I worked together with Choice Hotels Ireland. As I have seen Tom in action before I know the Fastnet Line Company could not be in better hands. Tom introduces me to Owen & Fergus. Both these guys have a major job getting the Julia ready for her 01st sailing on the 01st March 2010.
While this might seem a long time away both Owen & Fergus are already putting in a lot of hours. Everyone will have a part of getting ready for the 1st sailing; both Owen & Fergus will play a major part.
On of the 1st tasks I have is to get the www.fastnetline.com updated. Many thanks to Adrian Brentnall for his speedy help with this. We do plan to have an other site update in the coming months. I am very encouraged by the many emails coming in wishing us success. There is a genuine goodwill for this Cork Swansea Ferry service.
We are currently working on our pricing. A big part of this is getting a booking engine. It needs to be easy to update for Fastnet Line, flexible & most important easy to use for the public. We should be selling online by late Nov.
I have looked at our competitors & they currently have prices up to late this year & not for 2010 yet. Needless to say we would still like to get out prices to the public as soon as possible.
What will we offer? We can guarantee you we will be very competitive. We want to give people a chance to cruise across the Irish Sea overnight and enjoy our many onboard services at a great price.
So 1 week down. Main points to remember.
The Julia is here and docked in Cork Port
The service will start on the 01st March 2010
Sailings will be overnight departing at 2100hrs and arriving at 0700hrs
You can save up to 600km driving on a round trip by sailing on the Cork Swansea Ferry route.
Check us out on www.fastnetline.com
You can also follow us on Twitter @corkswansea
Until next week.
Pat O Neill
34 Responses to “Onboard the Julia”
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Good to read your blog on the boat… Where are the photographs?
After 30 years of experience travelling Ireland Uk
Overnight sailings alone will NOT be enough
to make the service work.
Suggested Summer Timetable
cork swansea swansea cork
WeFrSaSu 0900 1850 2100 0650 TuWeFrSaSu
MoTh 2100 0650
Has the proposal to adopt the Innisfallen name been dropped?
Keep up the great work.
Hi John,
We do plan to have extra sailings during peak times. As of now a change to Innisfallen has not been decided on.
Thanks for the feedback.
Pat
pat
very best of luck with your new position , just one question been a sailor myself (ableseaman)
they are rummers going around about forgein crew
working onboard when she sails i dont think this would be a good idea with the peoples ship
paul
Hi Paul,
Thanks for the good words. As far as I know no decisions on crew or most other positions have not been made yet as we don’t sail until the 01st May.
Pat
Paul,
I’m glad you raised that point about the crew on the boat. It’s well worth public discussion.
I wonder what you mean by “foreign” crew? Would that be crew from outside Cork, outside Munster, outside Cork + South Wales, all Ireland, all UK & Ireland, all EU ?
Perhaps you’d clarify. There are laws governing who is entitled to apply for a job on the Ferry. If you suggest that this business should break the law in its recruitment practices, you’d be suggesting something that would put the whole operation at risk. So I am puzzled as to what point you might be making in practice.
As a customer (meaning one who sailed 4 times on the old service) who has no attachment to the name Innisfallen, I suggest the name has too much of an old ring to it. I’d expect nothing much from such a name.
So much depends on what the business is promising… The name should offer a promise.
wat i mean regards to crew is i hope its not going to be polish or philepenos or any other people that are after coming to our country and destroying it i think it should be between ourselves ireland and the uk as they are saying it is the peoples ship so keep it with the people that did it together
Ummm. I can speak with considerable experience of working with and employing people from Poland. I’ve found them, without exception, to be good people to work with.
It would be illegal to discriminate against anyone from Poland in selecting staff for the Ferry. If the company did that they would be putting the longterm viability of the business at risk.
I can’t believe you’d want to do that – unless you were deliberately trying to stir up trouble.
Paul, Please change your point of view.
PAUL
I AGREE WITH YOU THEY ARE OUTSTANDING WORKERS
BUT I THINK THE JOBS SHOULD BE STILL GIVING TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE , I WORK WITH POLISH PEOPLE AT PRESENT AT SEA BUT ITS THE LIKES OF PEOPLE BACK
ONSHORE AS IN FRIENDS AND THE OVER 40,000 PEOPLE ON SOCIAL WELFARE . COME ON PAUL YOU HAVE TO AGREE ON THIS. AND THEIR IS NO WAY I WOULD TRY TO STIR TROUBLE AS I WOULD LOVE A JOB ON IT MYSELF INSTEAD OF BEEN AWAY FOR MONTHS FROM HOME. IM SORRY PAUL BUT THE WORDS SAY IT ALL AGAIN ITS THE PEOPLES SHIP ….
Must say i’m getting used to the name Julia – seems to have a more ‘personal’ touch and she’s starting to get known by that name.
As far as the crew is concerned it would be nice to hear some Irish accents on board, but isn’t it also the case that Greece has the best engine room technicians, and Poland has a leading nautical school that provides well trained people both in terms of safety and service.
One for Fastnet Line to try and find the best balance on i guess.
Either way it’s great news, the day is getting closer, and it’ll be a proud day when she sets sail on her first trip. BTW, will that be from Swansea to Cork, or vice versa?
All the best,
Mick.
Pat,I agree with your comments, we are all in the EU!
I assme it`ll be Irish or UK rates of pay though, the last operators of this service fell foul of the ITF with in- humain wages, they desrved to fail.
Long live the Peoples Ship!
When and whom will be recruiting?
Good luck
Felicity
Hi Mick,
Having spent the last 2 weeks onboard I have to say I am also getting fond of the name Julia.
Pat
Motorcycling Tourism
I have left a comment with a reply message on an e mail; in which a positive response around security @ sea on the deck needs to be re inforced. I travelled LD lines from Portsmouth-Le Havre to find my new bike on it’s side.
SW Ireland awaits a vastly expanding motorcycle touring industry; early re assurances around this and promotions through mainstream magazines, may bring extra revenue.
Fellow Biker’s what to you say.
Going to Harley davidson Festival @ Gleneagle Hotel Killarney this June with colleagues, cant wait to try you out.
Innisfallen has been associated with the great
maritime tradition of Cork and the Celtic Sea since 1896.
Five(5)vessles have proudly carried this great name. The name plied the southern corridor in both WW1 & WW2, with pride, spirit and great bravery.
This pride lives on, the name will be of enormous benefit in selling the route.
Tohether “LETS TRAVEL THE INNISFALLEN WAY”.
Great to read John Kelly flying the flag for bikers. There is a big move forward with outdoor pursuits. Open air stuff.
I’d love Julia to be associated with linking people across the sea so that they can get more healthy.
It would to great to build links with those keen on opening up access to countryside in Ireland, in the way that S Wales has such wonderfully open countryside.
“Ferry Your Way to Healthy Living”
By the way, I’m simply a bog-standard Ferry customer who wants it to be the best…
INNISFALLEN is a pround and historic name.Please dont change your minds,I have sailed hundreds of times across to Cork since 1953.Please make me and a lot of my Cork and Kerry friends happy who still talk about there crossings to and from Ireland
My opinion is worth one vote. So here’s my take on the name today…
Innisfallen is historic, maybe even iconic.
Julia has no history, she’s the lady of the future.
Innisfallen the grandfather
Julia the new kid on the block…
Will Julia fly a flag of convience or shall she be registered in Ireland or the uk?
JULIA IS THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
INNISFALLEN IS THE SHIP AT THE DOCK
SO COME 1st MARCH LETS ROCK
and ROLL? !!
just kiddin!
Hi
I would just like to say nothing wrong with employing a percntage of polish people crewing the ship. On the old service I found them to be extremly polite helpful and also hard working people. If they have the required skills they should be considered. However given the current climate I do feel Irish and uk applicants should have first bite of the cherry always assuming of coarse that they to have the required skills. Also I think if polish people are to be employed, for safety reasons they must be able to speak English to an acceptable standard, this was not always the case on the old service and sign language and gestures often had to be used .
Stephen,
The company does not have the option of doing what you advocate.
Irish & UK people may not have “first bite of the cherry”. That would be illegal. If the company did that it would be stupid and irresponsible, and would not deserve to succeed, in my opinion
The company does have an option on this subject Paul. Were the Julia to fly the irish or uk flag she would be required to carry a percentage of sefarers of that nationality. Given her current flag of convienence, white listed by the international transport workers federation, any nationality may be employed and in many cases exploited. Also revenue, so badly needed given our current economic climate, will be destened to her current Burmudan registery and will therefore not benifit the people who fought so hard to revive the service.
The so called “peoples ferry”!
Joe,
The point I did my best to make is that it is illegal to discriminate in favour of Irish & UK people when employing staff in Ireland or UK.
You can discriminate on grounds of competence, but not on grounds of nationality. To do so would put the company’s reputation and future at risk.
I appreciate that you are lobbying on the question of where the Ferry is registered. I have no interest in that question.
Since I’ve returned to Ireland after living in UK for 30 years, I’ve formed the impression that many native Irish are experts at knocking things down. Many find it difficult to support each other. I find the tone of your last phrase unpleasant, but you’re welcome to carry on in that manner – it won’t do you or anyone any good in my opinion.
I agree with your last comment, Paul. On thee other hand I think it is also a question of money for a new company that is not even in buisiness yet where to flag its ship!
Sorry Paul I am no expert on employment law but I believe the company does have the right and would be sensible to choose the right people and can employ who it wishes providing it does not discriminate totaly on the grounds of race religon etc in favour of a crew comprised entirley of ONLY UK and Irish crew. But as I also said if polish crew are employed there must not be any language barriers which could have an affect on safety instructions being conveyed to the passengers as has happened on some cruise ships. I did not mean to be offensive in any way it is just that there should be a fair and equal mix.
Stephen,
I am an expert on employment law. I’ve employed huge numbers of people in my time. I know for sure that if the Ferry discriminates on grounds of nationality, country of origin or any grounds other than competence, it will be taking a reprehensible risk.
I suppose we’d all like it if the crew was entirely made up of our mates, our extended family. Wouldn’t it be lovely if this was a Ferry for the Irish diaspora.
But we are talking about employment not a Xmas party. Everyone has the legal right to be considered for jobs on the Ferry.
The Ferry better not have a secret specification it daren’t make public. The people selecting the staff better not have an unconscious bias in favour of Irish & UK (thereby anti all others.
Perhaps, because the Ferry will be from Wales, only crew bilingual in English & Welsh should apply.)
The absolute most you can do is say that it’s desirable that all applying to become customer facing staff should be able to conduct customer service conversation in Welsh. You’d never find a crew that way.
As regards being offensive, I find the spirit of this debate about who should work on the Ferry a bit offensive. It serves to create a less-than-welcoming atmosphere for someone from non Irish/UK
individuals who might well be reading this and wondering whether they’ll apply for a job on the Ferry.
The only thing that matters is whether you can do a good job for the Ferry, its suppliers, stakeholders, shareholders and above all its customers – IMHO
Paul,
Both subjects are relevant to each other.An Irish flagged ship, being considered Irish soil, has a legal requirment to carry a certain percentage or Irish citizens. This is not discrimination, just a legal requirment.
To say you have no interest in the question of Julia’s registration is to ignore an option of ensuring employment of Irish citizens without raising the topic of discrimination.
Joe,
When I said I had no interest in the question of Julia’s registration, I was being precise and honest.
I can’t be interested in everything.
Others can concern themselves with the employment of Irish citizens. I’m primarily interested in the long term viability of the Ferry because
(1)I live in Cork and want to use it to go over to Swansea
(2) I have a business interest in the link it provides business to business & tourism into the south of ROI
Paul,
You have made it very clear you are only concerned with the benifit to you and your buisness counterparts but no one else.
We are an Island nation with 95% of or imports and exports traversing the sea. The lack of support for Irish seafarers and in most cases mere knowledge of our existance never ceses to astound myself and my collegues.
We are responsible for delivering all the goods and services taken for granted by everybody in Ireland.Is the option of working on our own doorstep too much to ask for?
I also have a vested interest in the long term viability of the service and i believe that can be achieved by catering to all sections of Irish society not just certain sections that i am concerned with.
By the people for the people, the peoples ferry.
Not, by some for some, the some peoples ferry.
As a future customer I can say I am not concerned what nationality of crew are on board so long as the crews are well trained, helpful and efficient.
From reading the backgrounds of the new management I can be satisfied that strong procedures would be put in place whether the staff be employed from Midleton or Gdansk.
I am looking for to receiving the prices and timetables for my 2010 trip to France via the UK.
The overnight sailing will work for me as the 7am arrival is perfect. So, it will all depend on the pricing. The cost of cabins will be one of the other deciding factors for me. I am baffled the pricing competing companies charge for cabins whereby a box with no windows and a thin mattress could fetch so much, possibly inflating margins over the reduced fares.
Please bear the low occupancy levels in the hospitality industry, the lesser amount of people travelling abroad in mind when putting together your introductory 2010 prices.
Regards,
Alan Quirke
Expectant Customer
Hi,
I wanted to give everyone a chance to have their say. We do not sail until March 2010. No decision has been made on staffing as of now. Think I have been fair on letting all have their opinion so will let it at that for now on these comments.
Pat