DFDS Updates

[Nick Hyde]

In the 1980s travelled on DFDS's routes from Harwich to Esbjerg, GotHenbury and Hamburg. Really really miss these routes. These DFDS ships definitely cemented my interest in the ferry industry.

[jonno]

3 hours ago, Nick Hyde said:

In the 1980s travelled on DFDS's routes from Harwich to Esbjerg, GotHenbury and Hamburg. Really really miss these routes. These DFDS ships definitely cemented my interest in the ferry industry.

Nick one of the obstacles of the DFDS service from Harwich to Esbjerg was cost.

We found it cheaper to travel to Holland and drive up through Schleswig-Holstein into Denmark then catch a ferry from Hirtshals. It's what many caravanners & motorhomers do, bods who by definition don't mind the drive.

Also, many of the Danish pork suppliers, an industry worth 10 billion just on UK export decided to switch to freight only vessels to Immingham, raising the pax cost even further. DFDS didn't care, they were still using their ships.

The Bergen route was never really used as a freight service as Norway's main export to the UK is fossil fuels which travel by pipeline. There's a lot of desire in Norway to see a passenger ferry link to the UK.

My feeling is that both Denmark & Norway would suit a British or European carrier more as the prices onboard wouldn't reflect the high cost of living in Scandinavia and would entice more UK travellers to visit. The Danes & Norwegians would be tripping over themselves to book a crossing.

The flights aren't that cheap, not to mention the obvious baggage restraints or being treated like you're entering your local nick's custody suite, not that I ever have... ( I don't know why we don't turn up at airports in a bathrobe and get dressed airside!)... 

If you want to travel flexi you're still looking at £200 with Ryanair, roughly £100 for every hour in the air not to mention the equivalent nights in a hotel. To go as a couple for two nights it's the best part of £600 at least all in.

You used to able to travel to Bergen in style for a quarter of the price and still manage a  walk around the Briggen, have a trip up the Funicular or venture even further for a trip up the cable car.

Edited December 7, 2017 by jonno

[Ryan_H]

I notice that DFDS are planning to change the buffet restaurants on the Amsterdam ships in the new year, renaming them 'Explorers Kitchen' instead of 'Seven Seas'. Not much detail on what this will entail exactly but it sounds very much as though any attempt to replicate the 'Smorgasbord' style experience will be abandoned for good in favour of something more mainstream, perhaps along similar lines to the P&O ships from Hull.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Ryan_H
missed info

[Danish Ferry Person]

On 08/12/2017 at 13:31, Ryan_H said:

I notice that DFDS are planning to change the buffet restaurants on the Amsterdam ships in the new year, renaming them 'Explorers Kitchen' instead of 'Seven Seas'. Not much detail on what this will entail exactly but it sounds very much as though any attempt to replicate the 'Smorgasbord' style experience will be abandoned for good in favour of something more mainstream, perhaps along similar lines to the P&O ships from Hull.

Shame... P+O always seems too mainstream

 

[Ryan_H]

Does anyone know what the refit schedule is for the Ijmuiden ships this year? I could be wrong, but I think I read on Twitter (in Dutch) that the Princess has gone for a 10 day dry docking in Amsterdam...?

[jonno]

2 hours ago, Ryan_H said:

Does anyone know what the refit schedule is for the Ijmuiden ships this year? I could be wrong, but I think I read on Twitter (in Dutch) that the Princess has gone for a 10 day dry docking in Amsterdam...?

Ryan Princess is deffo in an Amsterdam dock, she's the blue icon to the right in the image.

 

[Danish Ferry Person]

Crown Seaways in new colours according to pictures from Facebook group... That leaves a few freighters, and King/Princess, then they'd all be painted up in the new livery 

[Danish Ferry Person]

Princess being painted into new livery as we speak (per pictures on twitter) 

[Ryan_H]

Having seen the latest pictures on Twitter, she looks like she's being returned to her old Fjord Line livery. This ship has certainly worn a few different colour schemes over the years, the end result should look very smart though.

[Andy]

On 22/01/2018 at 20:14, Danish Ferry Person said:

Princess being painted into new livery as we speak (per pictures on twitter) 

 

[Ryan_H]

I've seen quite a few pictures now and she does look very smart indeed, not that she looked bad before. You'd never guess this was a 32 year old ship!

I saw on Twitter earlier that she was over an hour late in to Newcastle this morning due to "operational reasons", anyone know what these were?

[RickOShea]

I think the DFDS fleet is looking incredibly smart in the new livery.  

[Danish Ferry Person]

Certainly looking better than before, especially when you compare the 2 liverys... One thing that I do find disappointing is the retention of the 'seaways' names on all other ships except the Cote class. Seaways just seems dull and corporate... Anyway

[Andy]

DFDS have announced 'Project Starlight' which aims to develop the Amsterdam - Newcastle and Copenhagen - Oslo routes and prepare them for future growth.

https://www.dfds-news.com/featured/amsterdam-newcastle-and-copenhagen-oslo-project-starlight-to-prepare-cruise-routes-for-growth/

[Ryan_H]

Reading much of that article is like being at work; talk of "work streams" and project managers isn't exactly inspiring, but I suppose it is at least a sign they are thinking about the future for their longer passenger routes.

Interesting to note the comments below the article too....

[Gareth]

7 minutes ago, Ryan_H said:

Interesting to note the comments below the article too....

Interesting is one way of putting it.  Off the planet is another, with regard to some of them.  Particularly the Yarmouth - Cuxhaven suggestion.

[RickOShea]

1 hour ago, Gareth said:

Interesting is one way of putting it.  Off the planet is another, with regard to some of them.  Particularly the Yarmouth - Cuxhaven suggestion.

I hope they meant Great Yarmouth!

 

[Ryan_H]

DFDS are certainly taking a bit of a hammering in the comments, I've never seen anything quite like it before - even Gert Jakobsen himself has been moved to respond. I bet they regret allowing the public to comment on their press releases!  

[Cabin-boy]

4 minutes ago, Ryan_H said:

DFDS are certainly taking a bit of a hammering in the comments, I've never seen anything quite like it before - even Gert Jakobsen himself has been moved to respond. I bet they regret allowing the public to comment on their press releases!  

Go on, give us the link so we can all enjoy the fun! Ed. 

[Ryan_H]

3 minutes ago, Cabin-boy said:

Go on, give us the link so we can all enjoy the fun! Ed. 

Same link as posted above by Andy, the comments are below the article.

[Gareth]

4 minutes ago, Cabin-boy said:

Go on, give us the link so we can all enjoy the fun! Ed. 

It’s the link that Andy posted a few posts back Ed.

[Cabin-boy]

Cheers. I like the accusations about chemicals weapons! Ed. 

[jonno]

I see that Eurostar are to start a direct route from London to Amsterdam in April taking 3 hrs 41 minutes. It's via Brussels on the return until the UK have negotiated passport checks in the Netherlands.

I wonder what effect this will have on sailings, particularly DFDS especially as Centraal Station is where their coaches drop passengers from the port.

[neilcvx]

20 minutes ago, jonno said:

I see that Eurostar are to start a direct route from London to Amsterdam in April taking 3 hrs 41 minutes. It's via Brussels on the return until the UK have negotiated passport checks in the Netherlands.

I wonder what effect this will have on sailings, particularly DFDS especially as Centraal Station is where their coaches drop passengers from the port.

I looked at getting the Eurostar from up here in Scotland it was just so time consuming and expensive when you factor in the train from Edinburgh/Newcastle/Berwick and the connecting London train to st Pancreas so I suppose it depends how many people don’t want to travel to London first and have driving/cycling holidays etc.

[Danish Ferry Person]

A lot of those comments are from RHEG members I believe. I disagree with hammering the social media guys, given they are just doing their job, but one of the new admins, and members decided to direct people to it. 

**SIGH**