A one of a kind ship with a massive following of loyal passengers, Isle of Innisfree can be found plying the southern Irish Sea between Pembroke Dock in Wales and Rosslare Europort, Ireland.
Seemingly highly sought after, since her introduction back in 1991 she has had no fewer than ten different names and operated on countless routes for around nine different ferry companies.
Specifically built in 1991 for the four hour voyage between Belgium & Dover for the now defunct Ostend Dover line, her present route offering a similar crossing time makes her an ideal fit, from a tourist perspective.
Starting in the Welsh port of Pembroke Dock, located at the end of the A477 with just a short drive through the picturesque town, the terminal is easy to find with ample (free) parking a few steps away but as always, your vehicle is left at your own risk.
Irish Ferries is the sole operator from the port and despite a very warm welcome from all personnel, the terminal however is a rather depressing and unforgiving place -especially at silly o'clock in the morning therefore, top tip, don't arrive too early like I did.
A cavernous, echoey, uncarpeted building with only a single TV monitor, a few chairs and a WC being available for passenger use, there aren't even any vending machines to get a coffee.
If travelling on the afternoon sailing from Pembroke Dock you'll find a supermarket and a fast food outlet on the outskirts of the town so stock up with any refreshments you may require.
If however you're travelling on the 'red eye' overnight sailing like me, well, bring a flask of coffee to last you until you get aboard; with the ship seemingly within touching distance that can't come too soon.
In Rosslare Europort you'll find vending machines for hot beverages & snacks and a more inviting environment to relax in.
Having checked in and passed through security, the personnel being very friendly and chatty, at both ports foot passengers are transferred to the ship by a courtesy bus which will actually drive onto the ships' vehicle deck.
Stairwells give access to the passenger decks however, if you have walking difficulties or are just taking it easy like me, there are lifts.
Still going strong after more than three decades you may notice little reminders of the ships' heritage which hadn't been removed during her numerous refits over the years such as these plaques found in one of the elevators giving access to the passenger decks.
Tracking down old signage became a personal mission for me during the voyage. For those of you who are interested in the history of Isle of Innisfree check out my blog at the end of this post which has hundreds of interior photographs from 1991 and depicts how her interior has changed over the decades - it has been read over 6000 times!
The vehicle deck stairs and elevators permit access to all decks however, I alighted on Deck 7.
First impressions count and the bright and airy décor which welcomed me immediately put me at ease as I was finally 'home' after my long drive from London to Pembroke Dock.
In desperate need of a coffee followed by a beer to treat myself, I headed around the corner to the conveniently located Café La Fayette at the forward end of deck 7.
A facility spanning the full width of the ship and accessible on both day and overnight voyages, it combines a family lounge with a snack bar therefore, you'll find this a popular rendezvous point for fellow passengers.
The array of seating styles of tub chairs, sofas and bar stools are decorated in spring yellow and cooling grey upholstery on localised carpeting creating a refreshing and relaxed vibe within.
Hard flooring circumnavigates Café La Fayette providing access to the rest of the ship.
The bar serves a selection of alcoholic, soft and hot beverages plus an array of snacks from sandwiches to pizzas.
QR codes affixed to the tables will enable you to view the menu from your personal device.
Children are well catered for offering a well equipped play area with a wall mounted TV within Café La Fayette.
Gaming machines for adults can be found within the nearby Boylan's Brasserie but, I'll come back to this later.
A dedicated bar aptly named O'Flaherty's can be found at the aft end of the deck above, Deck 8.
Confusingly it has a Scandinavian inspired décor with chalk white and natural pine featuring heavily rather than earthy tones of green and brown which can be found within the bars of some of her fleet mates; Isle of Inishmore & Ulysses.
Isle of Innisfree was previously part of the DFDS fleet and retains their décor as a
hand-me-down however, one will be assured of comfortable seating and a facility filled with natural light.
Spanning the full width of the deck, O'Flaherty's is cleverly zoned into smaller areas with a raised centralised area housing 'bays' of curved sofas allowing couples and groups to find a spot to call their own and marvel at the passing vistas over the heads of those sitting on the perimeter; an aisle of hard flooring weaves around the bar separating the two.
Open plan perimeter seating effectively flanks the centralised area and offers plenty of natural light.
Bar service within O'Flaherty's is only available during peak crossings however, during day time crossings the lounge may be available to relax in - a great spot to read a book whilst gazing out to sea.
Time for some food
Light bites together with more substantial meals are provided in Boylan's Brasserie which dominates a large area within Deck 7.
Conveniently placed digital menus adorn the walls adjacent to the dining room to promote the meal selection available with great emphasis on locally sourced products and ingredients.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are beautifully presented and served from the bright, spacious and spotlessly clean servery.
Sampling breakfast during my westbound 'red eye' voyage, tasty meals were available - even at 3am!
Cost wise the full English breakfast was on a par with other European ferries and was truly excellent; it certainly set me up for the day ahead which meant I didn't have to purchase lunch ashore essentially saving me money.
For those just looking for a lighter snack, perhaps a salad or sandwich, they can be found within the nearby chiller unit.
Although the dining room is large and actually spans the full width of the facility, it is subdivided from the neighbouring aisles by numerous Scandinavian inspired barriers to create more intimate zones.
Pops of colour in nautical tones injects some personality into this giant space which would otherwise be rather bland.
Sturdy children's high chairs are in abundance together with dedicated tables for those using wheelchairs.
Not applicable to us tourists but worth a mention none the less, commercial drivers are very well catered for having their very own lounge and dining room.
Subdivided from the adjacent corridor by a shoulder height wall allowing some natural light to illuminate the area which is in a centralised position, one can have a sneaky peak over the top - which is exactly what I did.
A separate dining room and lounge allows the hard working drivers to relax during the four hour voyage with meals served from a buffet counter and hot beverages from vending machines.
During the voyage if you have any questions or queries follow the hard flooring around to the reception located on Deck 7 where polite and friendly personnel will be able to assist you both day and night.
Giant information panels adorn the adjacent walls and are well worth spending a few moments to have a read.
If retail therapy is your thing you will not be disappointed aboard Isle of Innisfree!
Again, occupying (almost) the full width of the aft end of Deck 7 one will find a vast space accommodating wines, beers and spirits together with fragrances, confectionary, travel accessories and souvenirs.
Floor to ceiling shelving units adorn the walls of this large shop encompassing many free standing shelving units within - a wide aisle flows between the two enabling one to wonder around at their leisure.
Unlike the other facilities aboard there is no natural light owing to the windows having been previously plated over during her career with another operator to accommodate these large shelving units however, the mirrored backing and bright artificial lighting does go some way to resolve this.
Perhaps one day some of the windows will be reinstated?
Tobacco products can be purchased from a small kiosk next too the shop's exit.
Seating is plentiful aboard Isle of Innisfree however, why not treat yourself and upgrade to the Club Class Lounge.
Located on the highest most deck, access is via a dedicated stairwell giving a sense of grandeur as you ascend to this jewel in the ships' crown.
If you have walking difficulties and are unable to use the stairs an elevator is available providing direct access.
For a nominal charge you are given a door key code to gain access enabling you to freely come & go at your leisure and take advantage of the meats, cheeses, fruit, pastries and biscuits on offer plus juice, hot & cold beverages and even wine - simply help yourself!
Numerous breakout lounges flank a central zone ironically giving the Isle of Innisfree' Club Class Lounge some similarity to a shamrock - who would've guessed when the ship was designed thirty four years ago the shape of this facility would eventually benefit the Irish operator today!
Anyhow, each of these lounges benefit from comfortable sofas and individual arm chairs.
Having sampled this product I would highly recommend it as you can relax in a peaceful environment and with the complimentary drinks & snacks, the entrance fee easily pays for its self.
Private WC facilities can be found in the adjacent hall and [still] feature etched glass emblems from when Isle of Innisfree was known as Pride of Aquitaine and operated between Dover (UK) and Calais (France) for P&O Ferries back in 1999.
Although not mandatory during overnight voyages, private cabin accommodation is available aboard Isle of Innisfree.
Positioned within a quiet area of the ship at the forward end of Deck 8, a private cabin will enable you to relax, leave luggage and freshen up.
Some cabins benefit from having a window which is great if you are relaxing during a day voyage.
Those with a sharp eye may notice some unusual décor choices within the cabin corridors.
Well, the burgundy coloured ceiling panels and the buff coloured cabin number plates actually originate from when this ship first entered service way back in 1991 and have never been replaced instead, Irish Ferries signage has been introduced too providing an intriguing look at how interior design has changed over three decades.
The only 'new' addition, other than the Irish Ferries cabin number plates, is the carpeting which is of very good quality.
Pullman style reclining seats are a budget friendly option to get some rest-eye in fact, they are free!
Accessed via an elevator or stairwell, these seats can be found on Deck 8 in the Velvet lounge.
Offering plenty of legroom, chunky padding and wide arm rests you can relax in peace and quiet but top tip, bring a light weight blanket with you to snuggle up in.
Primarily offering airline style forward facing seats, an area of table & chair configurations will enable you to sit with friends & family.
It should be noted the Velvet Lounge offers no curtains or dimmed lighting so you may find an eye shield useful - bring that with you too.
The Velvet Lounge is just one of several lounges on Deck 8; the others having been mothballed as they are not required.
~ Our four legged fury friends are part of the family so why not take them on holiday too? ~
I would suggest converting one of these void lounges into pet friendly accommodation with an accompanying pet friendly lounge and direct access to a dedicated pet friendly exterior deck, which happens to be next door - perfect!
The nearby elevator could be utilised to transfer dogs from the vehicle deck to the pet friendly accommodation.
Having travelled around Europe for over thirty five years, in fact longer than this ship has been in existence, I know pet friendly travel is a growing market and having dedicated accommodation would benefit both passengers looking to travel with their dog & the ships company.
Time to marvel at the passing vistas
Other than great value for money travel and an array of facilities, part of the joy of travelling by ferry is to breathe in the fresh sea air and watch the vistas passing by.
Well, aboard Isle of Innisfree there is an abundance of exterior deck areas.
Exceptionally well maintained with seemingly freshly painted emerald green coloured deck and new furniture you can wander around at leisure; why would you want to be confined to a seat surrounded by strangers?
Ferry travel, why travel from A2B any other way?
Wandering around the vast expanses of exterior deck I came across another forgotten item of the ships' heritage - a sign dating from 2013 when Isle of Innisfree was known as Calais Seaways and operated for DFDS.
This sign can be found at the stern of Deck 7 behind the shopping centre.
For those of you who are interested in a detailed description of the interior changes to this fine ship check out my blog, hyperlink below.
Why not [virtually] come aboard Isle of Innisfree from the comfort of your own home - here's my journey vlog:
Why not follow my adventures on Instagram as I travel around Europe;
The Bearded Blogger - founder of A2B via Sea®
