A few days ago Stena Mersey made her final voyage for the route she has served for many years. Bound for Turkey to be cut in two and have a new mid-section inserted, when she emerges her interior will be unrecognisable.
This allows me the perfect opportunity to write a blog on a recent voyage from Belfast-Liverpool. I aim to give you a full pictorial account of her interior, hopefully to serve as a lasting tribute to all those crew and passengers who have been aboard her over the years.
So, grab a cuppa, sit back and enjoy as I take you aboard Stena Mersey.
Embarking as a foot passenger, I am taken by bus from the terminal building to the ferry where I ascend from the vehicle deck up to the main passenger deck via a flight of stairs at the stern. An escalator was right next to the stairs so, of course, I used that; why make things hard on myself lol.
The decor within this vast stair/escalator shaft was bright and vibrant. What an entrance!
Guests are greeted at the top of the escalator by the main ships' reception (facing aft towards the stairs) and the shop. Comfortable chairs with individual lights and localised tables are positioned adjacent to the starboard side windows and serves as a good place to people watch, but is mostly utilised when passengers take the stairs from the vehicle deck and need to get their breath back!
The shop was very small and compact and sold a very limited selection of goods. But, it was worth spending some time to have a browse. Who doesn't like an excuse to shop?
Lets get our barings. All facilities were located on one deck; ideal if you are prone to getting lost or if you have walking disabilities and have issues going up stairs. The main ship reception was at the stern so lets walk forward and have an explore.
Immediately behind the information desk is a cinema showing an up to date array of (free) movies. A gaming zone and computers allowing passengers internet usage were nearby.
Following the corridor forward along the ships' starboard side there are great sea views and access to an exterior deck. On the bulkhead there was a large plan of the ship showing the facilities aboard plus points of interest whilst on passage across the Irish Sea such as details on the wind farms and what wildlife can be seen.
A block of cabins is located on the port side between the cinema and the aforementioned corridor and if you are sneaky like me, you could take a shortcut through the cabin corridors to save meandering around the main route (see picture below)..
We now arrive at the Barrister Coffee Bar, News Room and children's playroom. The Barrister has an array of seating such as sofas, bar stools and individual chairs positioned around TV's and the playroom, which is on the port side of the lounge at the aft end.. The actual bar is at the forward end of the lounge and faces aft.
A very small though perfectly acceptable News Room is at the aft end of the coffee lounge. Partially divided by the adjacent corridor we have just walked along and the above mentioned lounge, the seats face to port towards a TV screen which shows live news reports.
Access to the portside exterior deck can be obtained from these areas; you can see the children's playroom through the window in this view.......
Lets continue walking forward.....
.....we come to a large spacious hall.
We now arrive at the Metropolitan Bar and Grill. The later is a counter service facility serving a good range of meals at prime times during the journey.
The seating for both the bar and grill is located on the port side adjacent to the windows.
They are divided from the bustling corridor thoroughfare by a half height wall topped with green plastic 'grass' in pots which sounds unusual but it is actually an incredibly attractive display against the rich brown coloured surround, royal blue carpeting and radiant red of the upholstered chairs.
The seating in the above areas was very comfortable and with the numerous TV's within, the Met Bar was a good place to relax.
Continuing forward along the same corridor we come to The Stena Plus Lounge (port side) and Commercial Drivers Restaurant (starboard side). The later is seen here, the photos taken from its entrance.
The premium Stena Plus Lounge occupies the forward/port quarter of this main deck; a prime location as views of the passing vistas can be obtained from the windows which are on two sides.
A TV monitor is mounted high in one corner with complimentary magazines and daily papers located in a rack in the other.
Complimentary refreshments including wine, hot beverages and soft drinks along with snacks are available from the counter which is located near to the entrance of the lounge.
Actual meals can be selected from a menu and ordered from the lounge host. Your meal is then brought to your seat within the lounge. The meals are the same cost as those served in the Metropolitan Grill next door.
The seating within the Stena Plus Lounge is comfortable and for those who have not pre-booked a cabin may sleep in here; a little blanket is provided for you. Sleeping in here is a good cost saving compared to having a cabin and with hot and cold beverages being on tap throughout the night, the cost of the entrance fee pays for its self.
I was not able to view a cabin interior however, the communal areas are far superior than I was expecting with fully carpeted corridors, subtle lighting & quiet and relaxing ambience.
Cabins are located at the aft end of the main passenger deck near the shop/cinema and also on the decks above. Access is via a series of stairs.
Stena Mersey has a limited amount of exterior deck space which is primarily confined to her port and starboard sides on the main deck. No access was permitted to her helicopter deck high on top of the ship, unlike her near sister Stena Horizon.
I had a highly enjoyable voyage across the Irish Sea aboard Stena Mersey. She had an excellent décor which was far superior than I was expecting. It was a huge shame additional exterior decks were not available to passengers however, all in all she was a brilliant ship.
So there you have it, a whistle stop tour of Stena Mersey.
She has now left the Irish Sea bound for Turkey where she will be cut in two, have a new mid section inserted, her interior will be transformed beyond all recognition and she will operate on another route.
This blog is aimed as a lasting tribute to the ship, as a lasting memory to all the crew who have worked aboard and the passengers who have travelled aboard her.