Ben My Chree, translated in Manx as 'woman of my heart' (I have been reliably informed), certainly holds a soft spot to both the population of Douglas Isle of Man and for those who work aboard this workhorse of the Irish Sea.
Operating the route between Heysham and Douglas, there are sufficient facilities aboard Ben My Chree to occupy passengers during the +/- 4hr voyage.
Let's take a look.....
Firstly getting to Heysham....
Located on England's north west coast I (personally) found the most convenient way to get from London was to catch a train from London Euston railway station to Lancaster which takes between 2.5hrs and 3hrs depending on the service, then catch a local bus from Lancaster Greyhound Bridge to Heysham - a journey of around 30min costing approximately £4 for an adult single journey.
The bus will drop you off on the outskirts of Heysham town which from there is around a fifteen to twenty minute walk to Heysham Port along a busy main road with pedestrian path alongside.
You will pass a small convenience shop on a corner which proudly describes its self as the last shop before the port; a handy place to grab a bag of travel sweets.
On the approach to the port follow the signs for 'cars' and Power Station.
Then, continue following signage for 'cars' which is the 'left fork' at the main junction of the Port of Heysham.
Follow the signs to the EDF power station. The port entrance is on your right.
Although Heysham Port has its own railway station literally sixty seconds from the terminal, services are (at the time of writing) very infrequent, which is why I undertook the above journey.
From the exterior the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company terminal is essentially just a warehouse - to the extent that on the approach I wasn't even sure if I was in the right place! If it wasn't for the small signage on the side of the 'building' I could have missed it, particularly during the hours of darkness.
However, upon entering I was truly staggered by the luxurious, comfortable and homely surroundings from the 'welcome' mat by the dual doors to the planters, highly comfortable lounge seating consisting of sofas and stools nestled upon localised deep pile carpeting with large flat screen wall mounted TV's with decorative hard flooring directing passengers to the vending machines (one of which serves extremely good coffee - payment by card), WC facilities and terminal reception.
The terminal reception has very polite, friendly and courteous personnel who ask for your booking reference, reason for travel and confirm you have completed necessary Covid-19 paperwork.
Below: a quick tour of the Heysham ferry terminal from my YouTube channel:
A2B via Sea on TV
Having passed through security/bag search, foot passengers then proceed along a covered walkway to the ship - those persons who have walking difficulties however may use the minibus.
Let's go to the Isle of Man.....
Ben My Chree berths port side to quay in Heysham meaning passengers use the stairs on the ships port/forward side to ascend from the terminal gangway to the passenger decks.
Below: boarding Ben My Chree as a foot passenger. From my YouTube Channel:
A2B via Sea on TV
Upon boarding via the ships' shell door at the top of the terminal foot passenger gangway, I was greeted by an extremely large and cavernous stair shaft.
Referred to as the 'red stairs' on directional signage and over the public address system, hard flooring and steel walls creates an industrial, 'echoey' environment not too dissimilar to an emergency exit staircase found in a city office building or a cargo ship.
Ben My Chree has a fairly easy to navigate interior as all facilities, other than the passenger cabins, exterior decks and Manannan Executive Lounge which is a members only facility, are on one level.
Shall we take a look around?
Okay, so the main passenger deck is Deck 7.
At the forward end is the Manannan Premium Lounge which is accessed from the port side just off the Red Stairs where we entered the vessel.
For the cost of just under £20 per person you can take advantage of complimentary
non alcoholic beverages, daily papers, magazines, charging points and marvel at the outstanding views of the Irish Sea through the large forward facing windows.
I tried to get some good pictures for you but this regrettably this was the best I could do. Sorry! The views of the passing vistas are excellent from here although not all seats within offer sea views so my suggestion is go on the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company website and view the floor plan so you can choose a specific seat. Link below for your reference:
Leaving the Manannan Premium Lounge via the same way we entered we pass the 'red stairs' to our right and enter the ships' main accommodation which consists of an open plan shop/information desk at the forward end, a counter service café opposite at the aft end and between the two are seats on localised carpeting which are used as a lounge / dining area.
The later offers comfortable seating and for those positioned near the large windows on the port and starboard sides, excellent views of the passing vistas are available. TV's are positioned on the walls to give some entertainment for the passengers within, unless 'people watching' is your thing as at some point everyone passes through here.
This amid ships section is very open plan although there are some (half height) divides to give some privacy.
The on board shop is small though a range of travel items and souvenirs are available for purchase and for the crew person sitting at the till, they also act as the ships' information point for passengers.
The meals served in the café were reasonably priced, tasty and hot.
If we walk aft along the ships port side we pass a small window lined open plan lounge with red coloured forward facing upholstered seats on hard flooring.
A 'family lounge' which is accessed via a pair of half height swing doors similar to those you may see at the entrance to a 'wild west' saloon in a movie, is adjacent to the window lined seating area.
When Ben My Chree entered service back in 1998 the areas we have just looked at was in fact the only passenger accommodation aboard however, in 2004 the accommodation was extended aft towards the funnel and two new lounges were constructed.
Lets take a look.
Unlike the open plan space we have just visited, from here on I initially got a bit lost as there is a maze of mini halls, corridors and stairs, all covered with beige coloured flooring and pine coloured clad walls.
Let's have an explore.
From the Family Lounge we enter a hall where access to the vehicle decks, upper exterior decks, lounge, bar and WC facilities are located.
On the starboard side of the hall is the Niarbyl Lounge which offers many seats facing the windows on the starboard/aft sides, wall mounted TV's and hidden around a corner at the far end of the lounge is a steep staircase giving direct access to the exterior deck above.
Ideal for those travelling as a family or group, at the cost of around £5 per person you can reserve a seat(s) to ensure you are all sitting together - particularly handy if you are travelling at a peak time.
Again, on the Isle of Man Steam Packet website there is a seating plan for the Narbyl Lounge so you can book the seats you wish. NOTE, the best views are by seats 54, 55 & 56 as those sitting here have 'corner views' out of the windows on the starboard and aft sides.
Seating plan link below:
On the port side of the hall is the bar/lounge entitled Legends.
The later seems to be the worlds best kept secret as although the ship was quite busy with all other seats occupied, very few passengers seemed to find their way here therefore, I was able to enjoy some peace, space and quiet. The actual bar is positioned at the forward end of the facility facing aft with the seating located around the sides.
Tucked away at the rear of this facility behind the gaming machines is a steep flight of stairs which gives access to the exterior deck on Deck 8 above.
Below, this picture shows the two stairwells giving access to Narbyl Lounge (left) and Legends Bar (right) viewed from the exterior deck with the funnel in between.
Ben My Chree has an impressive amount of exterior deck space - far more than I had expected! Perfect to watch the passing vistas of the Irish Sea; you are on holiday after all!
Below: the LOVE of ferry travel!
I saw this photo opportunity and simply had to capture it!
They obviously love ferry travel too. Why travel from A2B any other way?
Exterior seating is plentiful and if you ascend the exterior staircase behind the main accommodation all the way to the top you can actually go to an area above the bridge where stunning 360 degree views of the Irish Sea and coastline are available.
Although glass windbreaks are available up here be careful! During my voyage it was extremely windy and I found myself being battered from all directions so hold onto the handrails at all times.
Going back into the main accommodation, on Deck 8 there is the
Manannan Executive Lounge right at the front of the ship which regrettably I could not get access too, not least due to the fact this is a 'members only' area which costs in the region of £370 for a single person or £585 for a joint membership, per annum.
The same deck also benefits from having cabin accommodation consisting of 4 berth
en-suite cabins with TV and complimentary tea and coffee making facilities costing from under £60 for a daytime cabin or under £80 for night time.
Premium cabins overlook the bow and offer a DVD player, selection of DVDs, a fridge with a selection of cold drinks, snacks, newspapers and magazines at a cost of under £70 / £80 for day time / night crossing respectively.
According to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company website: QUOTE There are two cabins which enable Wheelchair Access. Due to the layout, the bathroom facilities are shared in these cabins with dual locking functionality for privacy. Please note that the lift will not be operational while at sea so access between the cabins and other lounges will not be possible.
We also offer a limited number of Pet Friendly Cabins, allowing your pet into the cabin for the duration of your crossing (pets must be booked and there is a charge of £10/€12 per pet each way).
UNQUOTE
A video of the cabins can be found at the end of this blog.
Upon arrival in Douglas, Isle of Man, Ben My Chree makes an impressive 360 degree turn in the small confines of this picturesque harbour and moves astern to her berth.
Foot passengers are asked to assemble in the open plan lounge by the shop/café on
Deck 7 until called town to the vehicle decks to disembark via the ships' 'green stairs' which is on the starboard side of the vessel.
Once off the vessel foot passengers transit along a very long covered walkway which wraps around the vessel and over to the terminal.
For those persons with walking disabilities there are elevators at either end of the elevated section on the landward side of the gangway to prevent the necessity of walking up/down the stairs, although one could always be taken to the terminal/ship by minibus which can be arranged via the ships' company.
Below: foot passenger disembarkation in Douglas via one of three shell doors in the ships' side
Below: the elevated section of the foot passenger gangway with a lift shaft at either end.
I found Ben My Chree to be a good vessel for the voyage which takes around 4hrs.
Known as a 'RO-PAX' she is essentially a commercial (freight) vessel which also carries passenger traffic.
Being able to operate in all but the most extreme weather conditions to ensure a constant flow of goods to the Isle of Man, she is a good transport alternative to Manannan - the fast craft catamaran which also operates to the Isle of Man via Liverpool - blog coming soon.
Upon entry of the new vessel Manxman in 2023, Ben My Chree will be placed in standby mode therefore why not treat yourself to a mini break to the Isle of Man travelling aboard 'Ben' while you still have the chance.
You won't be disappointed!
A full look-around tour of Ben My Chree from YouTube Channel: A2B via Sea on TV
There are many more videos for your perusal on my YouTube Channel: A2B via Sea on TV
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