Introduced in 2001, Ulysses is a large, powerful, modern looking vessel plying the Irish Sea between Dublin and Holyhead. She has a huge vehicle capacity and luxurious facilities for her passengers to enjoy during the four-hour voyage.
When she entered service in 2001 she was marketed as the largest ferry in the world having a gross registered tonnage of just shy of 51,000tons, almost three miles of vehicle space for over 1300 tourist cars or 240 articulated trucks and towering above other vessels at the time at 167 feet from keel to mast.
A little over twenty years later, today she ranks in 23rd place in terms of gross registered tonnage according to Wikipedia however, she is still a head turner!
Ulysses is a novel written by Irish writer James Joyce hence the title of this blog 'the best stories are written at sea' - a nod towards the namesake of this powerful looking ship. See what I did there?
Prior to embarkation I did wonder if the crossing time would be long enough to sample all of the facilities on offer as looking at the publicity material at check-in, I could see there is a lot to keep me occupied!
I am excited to show you around this ship so grab a cuppa, curl up, get comfy and allow me to take you aboard.
We start our journey in Dublin, Ireland.
Tucked away in a corner of the vast Port of Dublin is Terminal 1, the Irish Ferries terminal.
I was particularly impressed with the Irish Ferries terminal owing to its modern design, full height spaces and facilities which include information desks, WC facilities, check-in and hot beverage machine on the ground floor with a bus stop just across the road giving access for pedestrians to gain access to the city centre, and upstairs a waiting area, WC facilities and cafeteria.
Once called forward for embarkation foot passengers pass signage stating
'Ulysses Cruise ferry'; this certainly got me excited for what I was I was about to see.....
Walking along a glass sided gangway we were now up close and personal to Ulysses, her shire size was impressive!
Below: Terminal 1, Dublin. The Stena Line ferry Stena Adventurer in Terminal 2. She too operates to the Port of Holyhead.
Passing through the shell door and ascending a flight of stairs entitled
'Diamond Stairs,' we enter the main accommodation amid ships aboard Ulysses.
WOW, was I now in a top-class hotel?
Polished mirrored surfaces, metallic fixtures and tiled flooring create a modern contemporary interior with the warm ruby red coloured tub chairs and sofas positioned on sweeping curved localised cool grey coloured carpeting allowing for a 'homely' ambience.
The ships reception proudly occupies the majority of this area and being directly opposite the gangway entry point, passengers can obtain assistance or answers to any of their questions instantly.
Being a large vessel, my question would be where do I head for first?!
Let's head forward..
To facilitate navigation aboard all stairs are named after precious stones, gems and minerals; ruby, gold, silver, emerald, coral, diamond and sapphire.
Plus, all passenger facilities are located on Deck 9 with the exception of the Commercial Drivers Restaurant and Club Class Lounge which are on Deck 11 therefore, if you have walking difficulties this will help you - elevators giving access to the upper and lower decks if needed.
Did I say Deck 11? That's right, - this ship is huge! Of course, there are larger ships operating in Europe today however, I still find ferries of this scale highly impressive and awe-inspiring after all, there are actual cruise ships which are smaller!.
The same quality flooring found within the reception is mirrored throughout Ulysses creating a sense of unity and tying the facilities together whether they are at one end of this large ship or the other.
Walking forward we pass a hall where the Sapphire stairs and elevator are located which give access to the Club Class Lounge on Deck 11. Wood panelling and large attractive wall mounted mirrors immediately creates an air of class and luxurious surroundings.
At the forward end of Deck 9 is Leopold Blooms Bar. Decorated primarily in earthy greens and browns with patterned fixtures and fittings Irish Ferries have essentially created an Irish bar at sea.
It is comfortable, warm, inviting and a real pleasure to be able to relax in this facility. Views of the passing vistas are available on three sides and TV monitors and gaming machines provide added entertainment.
Bar stools and tub chairs are in abundance along with oversized crescents of curved seating which is absolutely ideal if you are travelling as part of a group or family.
Ulysses has two dining areas; Café Lafayette and Boylan's Brasserie both of which can be easily accessed from the ships' reception area however, if we walk through Leopold Blooms and down the port side corridor, we can also access the later from there.
Boylan's Brasserie is an informal affair serving freshly cooked meals which vary depending on the time of day; perhaps a hearty breakfast, lunch or a substantial dinner. All well presented and clearly laid out, one can see exactly what is on offer.
Its dining areas are decorated in a cool grey and white colour scheme with 'pops' of colour namely from the rich burgundy coloured seating which spans the entire length of the facility along the window line together with an enlarged area at the forward end.
Café Lafayette occupies the area next door and looks like a trendy pizzeria or urban coffee shop with its elegant raised wooden flooring and exposed brick backdrop to the main counter.
Regrettably closed at the time of my voyage, I assume light snacks would be available from here to compliment the more substantial meals available next door.
Since Brexit duty free shopping spend has become increasingly lucrative for ferry companies operating to the Republic of Ireland and much is done to entice passenger expenditure. Aboard Ulysses passengers are welcomed with nothing less than a miniature shopping mall with a good array of duty and tax free products, gifts and souvenirs.
Upon entry ones gaze is drawn upwards past the glass balustrade of the mezzanine level above which houses a reclining seat lounge encircling the void to the wonderful glass pyramid located two decks above which fills the shop with natural sunlight creating a great shopping experience.
The aforementioned reclining seat lounge entitled James Joyce Balcony Lounge, is located on Deck 10 and is accessed via a wraparound curved staircase next to the shop and also from a small hall towards the aft end of this main deck.
Those within can relax in a highly comfortable seat and being located within the deck containing passenger cabins one is assured of a peaceful environment to relax.
Back down on Deck 9 clusters of tub chairs and sweeping sofas adorn the window line and the adjacent corridor which widens to encompass the aft hall and the gold, ruby, silver and coral stairs.
The stern of Deck 9 is primarily the entertainment area aboard as to port we have the Volta Picture Theatre, a two-screen cinema complex with adjacent shop selling popcorn, ice-cream and soft drinks.......
.....and to starboard we have the Cyclops Family Entertainment Zone; a children's playroom, gaming arcade and family lounge.
What a wonderful vessel - spacious, modern and luxurious, but there's more!
Let's head up to Deck 11.
Accessing Deck 11 via the 'Sapphire Stairs' between the reception and Leopold Blooms we arrive at a hall which gives access to the Commercial Drivers Lounge - a combined lounge/dining room specifically for hauliers, the Marino Casino - available for all passengers and finally The Club Class Lounge - the ultimate in luxury.
A charge of around £18 per person allows passengers entry - payment can be made at the time of booking or as I, on the day although this is subject to availability.
Passengers are assured of the best views aboard via the completely unobstructed floor to ceiling windows which are located on two sides.
Copious amounts of seating of differing types, hot and cold beverages, light snacks and daily newspapers are all available for passengers to enjoy during the four hour voyage
Being located above the bridge, this elevated position offers truly spectacular vistas second only to actually being outside on the Sandycove Promenade Deck at the other end of the deck.
Substantial meals can be purchased from the dedicated Martello Menu and consumed within Club Class to save the inconvenience of heading down to Deck 9. A full Irish breakfast will cost around 16Euro, Angus beef burger around 18Euro and Beer battered Wright's of Howth Cod around 18Euro.
Vegetarian, gluten free and vegan options are available.
Ulysses offers a good amount of exterior deck space which can be found at the aft end of Deck 11.
The exterior deck offers seating, smoking areas and windbreaks to protect passengers from cross winds - we are after all eleven decks up on the Irish Sea!
Regrettably there is no direct route from the Club Class Lounge (forward) to the exterior deck (aft) meaning one must descend two flights of stairs to Deck 9, walk aft towards the cinema and family lounge, then ascend back up to deck 11 - a long walk, but worth it.
In closing Ulysees is a truly magnificent and impressive vessel with a bright and spacious interior.
If you are looking for a cruise style experience to start or end your holiday perhaps this ferry is for you. You will settle into the comfortable, luxurious surroundings immediately and essentially start your vacation even before the ship leaves the berth.
Don't forget there are no luggage restrictions so why have the hassle of flying to the Republic of Ireland; having to contend with airport queues, checking-in your luggage, being confined to a seat in cramped conditions and waiting for your luggage at the arrival airport trying to identify it from hundreds of other bags as they trundle past on a conveyor belt.
I hope you have enjoyed my blog.
Here is a walk-about tour filmed for YouTube channel 'A2B via Sea on TV' - curl up and virtually come aboard.
Links to my other Irish Ferries blogs can be found at the bottom of this page.
Find out more about the author of A2B via Sea here:
She looks like quite a boring ship and a bit rundown, 25 year old design.
I'd like to travel on something more modern with star buck's coffee shop's and weather spoon's pubs.
Do any ferry's have weather spoon's onboard?