Arriving at the Douglas, Isle of Man, ferry terminal I was filled with great excitement as I had not travelled aboard a fast craft in many years.
Operting the 'fast service' to the isle, Manannan is a very sleek modern looking craft which looks almost futuristic compared to the rather conservative, though beautiful, looking beach front hotels which adorn the waterfront of Douglas Bay.
The ferry terminal is more like a small regional airport with its vast open spaces, lounges, gift shops and coffee outlets along with its numerous tourist information bureaus which shows the locals are obviously very proud of their small island - and quite rightly so!
Having checked-in in good time for my departure to Liverpool (by an extremely polite, friendly and courteous member of staff) I rested in one of the many seating areas before embarkation commenced through the doors at the far end of the terminal.
Passing through security all foot passengers wait in a long tunnel like corridor before the dual doors at the far end open and we can proceed to the craft via another security booth where our embarkation cards are checked.
Boarding via the exposed quayside gangway onto the crafts port side we ascend the aft exterior staircase into the accommodation. NOTE, if travelling in the other direction from Liverpool TO Douglas the opposite stairwell on the crafts starboard side is used - their is no covered 'air bridge' into the main accommodation at either port.
We enter the accommodation towards the stern of the craft on the lower of its two passenger decks.
Before we have a look around let's go out to the exterior deck to watch our departure.....
.....however, just as I arrive a public address announcement broadcast over the speakers asks all passengers to return to the main cabin to watch a safety video.
Owing to the copious amount of glass windows aboard Manannan passengers can view [in my case film] the crafts manoeuver off the berth, though the noise of the [extremely loud] coffee machine in the adjacent bar drowns out the engine noise and some of the safety video announcement.
Fortunately the safety video is short enough to enable passengers to go back outside just as we pass Douglas pier heads to watch us jet away from the Isle of Man.
Here is the footage I took of our departure which is on YouTube Channel: A2B via Sea on TV.......
Powering away from Douglas, Isle of Man
Now we are on our way powering across the Irish Sea, let's go for an explore.....
Manannan has two decks.
Starting at the stern of the lower deck (as that is where the exterior deck is) the first facility is the bar/lounge; the bar its self is a large dark brown cladded forward facing counter with marble top positioned on the aft wall in-between the two doors which give access to the narrow exterior deck.
A selection of both soft and alcoholic drinks and confectionary is available from here which can be consumed in any of the crafts lounges, although most passengers tend to stay within this facility which benefits from large windows on the port and starboard sides with smaller windows at the stern by the exterior deck doors.
Comfortable sofas, individual airline style seats and tub chairs to relax in are all positioned around tables which are fixed to localised dark coloured, good quality carpeting which contrasts beautifully to the white washed walls, which have flat screen TV's mounted to them.
A wide aisle of beige coloured laminate flooring directs passengers along the corridors towards the front of the craft and the other facilities. Let's take a look.....
Continuing along the port side aisle we pass some gaming machines along with more seating adjacent to the windows to our left with a TV room to our right with forward facing seats. It should be noted that the opposite area on the crafts starboard side opposite is cordoned off.
As we enter the amid ships section of Manannan a large amount of airline style seating can be found along with an aft facing counter service café and a small shop opposite. The later, accessed from the starboard side, offers a range of reading material, confectionary and souvenirs - it is a good place to have a brows.
The counter service café is a very compact area as the adjoining bulkhead seems to 'squeeze' the queuing passengers into a confined area.
On my journey I sampled the full English breakfast. I have to say was very tasty and came complete with a hot drink.
Due to limited dining seating being available (tables and chairs) I had to eat my meal in one of the airline style chairs with my oversized tray resting on the undersized fold-down table, which was on the back of the seat in front of me. Trying to eat a meal on a paper plate in such a confined area on a fast craft with flimsy light weight plastic cutlery was interesting, but personally found this fun! It's all part of making memories of the journey.
Looking around as I ate I saw the catering crew in the café having great banter with each other and the queuing passengers, which I found very refreshing - informal, casual, fun - I liked it!
I also noted one passenger coming up with an ingenious method of charging her mobile phone; the socket (for some reason) being at the top of the windows near the ceiling, she put her phone in a carrier bag and literally hung it from the socket as obviously her charging cable was not three meters long.
This got me thinking - I hadn't seen any power sockets around the craft so, after my breakfast I had a good look around and discovered the only (working) sockets were in the aft bar/lounge on the wall adjacent to the large tables which accommodate 6/8 people.
Not wishing to join the seated passengers I looked around the craft for somewhere else to charge my phone and thought I had struck gold when I found one in an adjacent corridor, alas it wasn't working.
Venturing into the forward lounge alas no sockets were available here however, I was awe struck by this facility; a full width lounge with forward facing airline style seats towards a vast wrap around wall of glass which allows magnificent views of the horizon and the Irish Sea.
Access to the vehicle deck at the bow can be obtained from here via a small exterior deck but for obvious reasons this is closed when the craft is at sea as the high wind of the fast craft in motion would pin passengers to the windows!
The vehicle deck at the bow appears to be 'split level' with several passenger ramps allowing access to the main accommodation - I witnessed a passenger in a wheelchair boarding via one of these ramps and not having any issues.
On the starboard side of the forward lounge is a Pursers Office which is open throughout the crossing with a friendly and courteous member of staff within.
Manannan is a large craft with plenty of space to walk around but the good thing about this craft is the fact she has an upper level.
Let's go up and have an explore...
The access stairwell is behind the shop
Accessed by a very narrow and steep stairwell we come to the Niarbyl Lounge - a dedicated reserved seating area which for the cost of £5 per passenger per journey guarantees a specific seat. The benefit of this is if you are travelling as a family or group you can ensure you are all sitting together AND there are many three pin power sockets up here to charge your mobile phones/laptops, etc.
On the Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. website there is a seating plan of this lounge so you can choose the best seat for your needs. Here is the link for your perusal:
On the opposite side of the craft (walking through Niarbyl Lounge) is the Manannan Premium Lounge.
A more formal facility where complimentary hot, cold and non alcoholic beverages are available along with daily newspapers, magazines and charging points for electronic devices. The cost to gain entry is just under £20 per person and as the Niarbyl Lounge next door, a seating plan can be found on the ships' company website - link below:
Manannan Premium Lounge also has its own (large) exterior deck - much larger than the 'public' exterior deck downstairs.
The Manannan Executive Club Lounge can be found at the forward end of this deck however, I was unable to gain entry (sorry). It appears that entry is only permitted to those who pay a membership which, according to the company website, is between £370 and £585 per annum.
My crossing from Douglas to Liverpool aboard Manannan took around three hours.
She is a large (much larger than I had anticipated), spacious, comfortable craft which when travelling aboard really makes your journey feel like an adventure - powering across the Irish Sea in a large high speed catamaran; the wake being 'blasted' into the air and disappearing into the horizon - it was awe inspiring for both the adults and especially the children standing on the exterior deck.
On our approach to Liverpool our speed decreased considerably as we entered the River Mersey - gliding majestically past the docks, New Brighton beach and the riverside apartments.
Once off the berth (a floating pontoon), Manannan moved seamlessly into position, stern first.
Foot passengers congregate in the aft bar on the crafts lower deck then proceed down the starboard stairs onto the vehicle deck where we disembark via a dedicated path onto the pontoon then around to the bridge which gives access to the quayside.
PLEASE NOTE at low water the vehicle and pedestrian bridge giving access from the berth pontoon can be EXTREMELY steep.
I hope you enjoyed my travel blog.
Here is a 'walk about' tour of the interior on Manannan