At the time of writing this impressive vessel was operating between Pembroke Dock, Wales, and Rosslare Europort, Ireland, having replaced the chartered Blue Star 1 - a blog of this Greek ship can be found at www.a2bviasea.co.uk
However, from 2024 she will primarily be deployed on the long haul route between Dublin (Ireland) and Cherbourg (France) plus the short hop between Dublin and Holyhead (Wales, UK).
For my journey aboard James Joyce I start my journey in Pembroke Dock to head westwards to Ireland.
Pembroke Dock is a lovely little waterfront town on the Pembrokshire coast and benefits from having a range of small independent shops, pubs and hotel accommodation - a refreshing drink overlooking Milford Haven before retiring to your accommodation is a must!
The railway station in Pembroke is around a twenty minute walk from the port. For this trip however, I drove from London which would have taken around six hours, though those of you who know me know I tend to stop every 30min for a coffee as I love a good motorway service station so, the journey took considerably longer.
An easily accessible port from the London orbital via the M4 / A477 / A40 & A48, I left my vehicle in the short stay carpark of the ferry terminal which was free of charge and located directly outside the main entrance - ideal if you have luggage or a child's pushchair.
I've got to say, approaching the port seeing the whitewashed ferry, which was far larger than I was anticipating, towering over the terminal immediately filled me with excitement, not least because A2B via Sea® would be aboard her first ever commercial sailing from the Welsh port.
The terminal offers WC facilities and seating though no snack or beverage provisions.
It was a lengthy drive from London therefore, being checked-in for my journey by the extremely pleasant and friendly member of staff really made me feel welcomed - Sarah is a real credit to the company!
I would be embarking Oscar Wilde as a foot passenger and having passed through security which was very swift, I was directed to a port shuttle bus for the short journey down to the berth.
Grab a cuppa, curl up, get comfy and come aboard James Joyce for a good look around.
The foot passenger shuttle bus drives onto vehicle deck 3 and essentially circumnavigating the deck before ascending a ramp up too Deck 5 where again the bus drives right around to ensure it is facing the correct direction for disembarkation in Rosslare Europort.
The foot passenger shuttle bus actually remains aboard James Joyce for the journey enabling passengers to leave their luggage within the vehicle during the voyage however, although the bus is locked, items are still left at the owners own risk.
The cavernous vehicle decks provide vast spaces for tourist cars, motorhomes and caravans - particularly useful if you need to carry belongings up to the passenger accommodation for the 3.5hr voyage.
Below, internal ramp up too Deck 5
Below, the foot passenger bus remains aboard during the voyage.
For those of you riding a motorcycle you can rest assured these will be lashed to the deck to keep them secure during the Irish Sea crossing.
James Joyce is a large vessel; her passenger amenities located on Deck 7, 8 and 9 which offers her passengers a myriad of spaces to explore and find a spot to call their own during the voyage.
Ascending her forward stairwell from the vehicle deck, one arrives on Deck 7, the first of the three passenger decks.
Positioned in the main fore/aft thoroughfare is the ships’ reception where its dark wooden façade contrasts beautifully against the polished white floor tiles.
Localised seating in royal blue coloured upholstery compliments the backdrop of the reception where the Irish Ferries logo proudly adorns the bulkhead.
The ships' crew were observed effectively assisting passengers with queries in a polite and respectful manner.
Encompassing the reception is the truly vast shopping centre; separate shopping experiences create a giant open plan mall.
At the forward end of Deck 7 one will find the main shop where wines, beers, cigarettes and gifts can be obtained.
A facility the full width of the vessel, the aisles are wide and one can leisurely wander amongst the free standing units and floor to ceiling shelving units browsing at all of the products on offer.
Opposite the reception is the second outlet which is completely open plan to the adjacent fore/aft corridor.
During my voyage, the first crossing from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare Europort, this area was void of products.
In my humble opinion this void shop lends its self to being a gift shop selling traditional Irish, Welsh and French products (the primary routes Irish Ferries serve) with an adjoining tourist information bureau to promote local places of interest.
Last but not least one will find a third shop directly opposite the void area offering an extensive range of fragrances.
Combined, the floor space of the aforementioned shops totals around 17,000 square meters making it the largest shopping facility presently aboard any vessel operating on the Irish Sea.
At the after end of Deck 7 one will find the Sea Pub.
Complete with warm woods, decorative partitions, subtle lighting and patterned carpeting this facility reminds me of a cosy Scottish pub, several of which I frequented in the Highlands on previous blogging trips and just like those trips you are assured of a warm and friendly welcome.
One will find highly comfortable sofas within booths which are ideal for those travelling with friends or family, individual tub chairs and bar stools and owing to its size, you are able to find a cosy snug to call your own and while away the hours chatting to fellow passengers.
The Sea Pub forms a ‘U’ shape around the funnel casing with the bar counter at the after end facing forward towards a small dance floor opposite - the ideal venue for some live entertainment over a Guinness.
A gaming arcade can be found within the Sea Pub however again, being the maiden commercial voyage, this area was void of gaming machines at the time of writing.
The Sea Pub offers direct access to the ships' exterior deck.
Drinks can be taken outside so one can enjoy the passing vistas as James Joyce powers through the Irish Sea; capable of operating at around 27.5knots the wake is impressive!
Tables, chairs and thoughtfully designed windbreaks are ideal features to enable passengers to raise a glass and get the mandatory selfie whilst enjoying the sun.
This exterior deck is actually the lowest most deck of a series of terraces which seemingly cascade towards the emerald green sea.
Why would you want to fly when you can enjoy beautiful vistas such as this?!
Not really related to us tourists but worth an entry non the less, James Joyce boasts an excellent Commercial Drivers facility dominating the area on the ships' port side occupying the same footprint as the tax free shop and reception combined and consists of a buffet and lounge though for those ferry enthusiasts amongst you, there are a few reminders of this vessels heritage as a Scandinavian ferry.
Linking Decks 7, 8 and 9 are two wide and highly attractive stairwells with mirrored walls and polished chrome hand rails.
Conveniently positioned full height deck plans facilitate passengers' navigation around this large vessel.
Using the aft stairwell to access Deck 8 we arrive at Boylan's Brasserie
James Joyce's only dining room (at the time of writing), Boylan's Brasserie is an exceptionally bright and spacious facility.
The servery offers a selection of freshly prepared and well presented dishes with an array of overhead monitors depicting the meal offering.
I sampled the full English breakfast which was hot, tasty and certainly set me up for the day ahead.
The seating area has a contemporary décor with chocolate brown fixtures and fittings against cream coloured tiled flooring; its wide aisles enables unrestricted access for those in wheelchairs and actively leads ones eye encouraging passengers to explore this vast ship.
Localised carpeting effectively zone the dining room into smaller more intimate areas whilst full height partitions with potted plants allow natural light to illuminate the whole dining room.
For the best views of the Irish Sea why not position yourself on one of the bar stools adjacent to the windows?
Additional seating can be found on the port side in the unlikely event Boylan's Brasserie gets busy.
In my humble opinion after a refit to alter its décor this area would make an ideal location for an a la carte restaurant. One day perhaps?
At the forward end of Deck 8 is another (presently closed) buffet style restaurant.
With windows on three sides encompassing the dining room the views are outstanding!
Finally, on Deck 9 we arrive at the (presently closed) Café la Fayette with an adjacent children's playroom on the port side comprising of a selection of toys and games.
Seemingly unchanged from James Joyce's previous owners, should this area be refurbished by Irish Ferries to match the décor of her fleet mates to ensure brand continuity, this facility would lend its self to being a fantastic coffee shop with deep pile carpeting and oversized armchairs plus, in my humble opinion, I would suggest this area incorporates a cinema and quiet lounge with a wall mounted flatscreen TV showing international news bulletins.
Below, children's playroom
At the forward end of Deck 9 we enter the jewel in the crown of James Joyce, Club Class.
Its 'L' shaped configuration allows for differing zones for passengers to relax; a bar and lounge on the starboard side......
..... and a luxurious lounge at the forward end. The later offers passengers within THE best sea views aboard James Joyce.
Not too dissimilar to an executive lounge found at an airport, contemporary seating and subtle lighting create an oasis of calm.
The additional cost of around £20 per person to gain entry to the Club Class lounge permits 'guests' access to the beautifully presented buffet, WIFI, 10% off selected lines in the shopping centre and for those of you travelling by car, priority boarding.
Considering the length of the voyage Club Class represents excellent value for money and having sampled Club Class aboard other Irish Ferries vessels, Oscar Wilde offers the same levels of comfort and service and is highly recommended.
Although the voyage between Pembroke Dock and Rosslare Europort is around 3.5hrs, cabin accommodation is available at an additional charge.
Aboard James Joyce there are both two and four berth outside (with window) and inside (no window) air conditioned ensuite cabins.
The great thing about having a cabin is motorists are automatically granted priority boarding which permits more time aboard to relax before your onward journey - why waste time in a motorway service station hotel when you can sleep enroute? Also, having a private cabin gives you a private space to leave your personal belongings not required during the crossing.
Bedding is provided by Irish Ferries - this photograph was taken after it had been occupied. Regrettably A2B via Sea® could not get access to a cabin prior.
Irish Ferries also provide dedicated cabins for those passengers in a wheelchair; these are larger than other cabins aboard and have a specially adapted ensuite washroom. Wheelchair adapted cabins are positioned close to the ships' elevator permitting easy access to the public facilities.
In closing James Joyce is an exceptionally spacious vessel with wide aisles throughout, extensive shopping facilities, large bar and an exquisite Club Class Lounge.
A journey aboard James Joyce is a real pleasure! Checkout my journey vlog:
An interesting blog for sure, one piece of vital information that’s missing is the disembarkation process in Rosslare. Specifically how long does it take? For those of us with onward rail connections for example, it would be good to know if the arrival time will give enough time to make the train connection eg the 06:45 arrival, does it give enough time to get a train at 07:20?