Wonkys Spring Adventure And The Stena Plus Lounge

[wonky]

well, after loads of hassle online

trying to book ferry tickets using a 12 euro off voucher i had to complain to corprate stena in denmark to achive any results..finaly got my booking sorted and they refunded my 12 euro..when i arrived at dublin port last week to check in i was rewarded with free upgrade to the plus lounge. to anyone who does not know what this means..its basicaly first class..

as much free tea and coffe as you can posibly injest, free papers,really posh napkins, free wine and buiscuits, fruit and juices.the chairs are realy uncomfortable and the noises from the dishwasher just ruins any chance of a peaceful journey.on the way over to wales we had so much fun watching all the posh people blatantly trying to get their money back for the extra fare they were just stuffing packets of buiscuits and fruit into their pockets and bags. it was obscene to say the least and as a matter of pure discust i would not give the poshies the satisfaction of saying the same about me so i did with out. out of pure spite, i did with out.why on earth someone would want to fill their bags with this crap is beyond me.

i can only say that i am glad i did not pay for the upgrade..you can only drink so much coffee before you need the bog and lets be honest here..why would you want all those bananas in your handbag madam ?

on our return journey from holyhead to dublin we were greeted at the checkin with another free upgrade to the plus lounge..it was a night time sailing departing at 02.30am..the ship was only loading by one ramp due to technical reasons and we were delayed by another hour..we had a cup of free coffee, read the free paper witch by that time was old news and had abolt upright sit down in a nasty chair. the boat was packed and there was loads of small children running amock in the lounge..forget about getting any sleep in here tonight.

the parents of these kids were sending them back and forth to the free buffet of chrisps and bickies and any nanas they brought back was placed in the handbags...there was an indian family in the plus lounge that i am sure were using the voyage as a means to stock an army of corner shops..the greed of some people never fail to amaze me..

on my next trip back to the uk i will not be availing of stenas plus lounge and will be bringing my own flask onboard and finding a quiet spot under the stairs for a lie down in peace..there is not much point in renting a cabin for a three hour journey as you get woken by a bing bong on the tannoy informing you of any delay and any offers in the shop should you want to buy some david beckham smelly for your armpits.

thanks to stena for the experiance but..next time..i dont think so..team wonky.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Basically the same on Brittany Ferries Wonky.

The only times I have been in 'Commodore Class' was because of upgrades.

[Keith Scantlebury]

I've never had an upgrade and to be honest, as wonky says, what's the point anyway. There was one former employer of mine, (no names but most of you will know them ) Found out that we drivers were getting our breakfast on the boat and it was included in the ticket price, he then tried to buy tickets without a breakfast included. When he found out that he couldn't as all "freight" tickets included a meal, he then tried to deduct the price of a breakfast from our night out money (overnight allowance). Then when drivers refused to do the job, he subbed the work out to another haulier. This was on the Stranraer to Larne route. He wasn't, and still isn't a bad man to work for, but the fella is that tight , he only breathes in.

[Symptoms]

The worst voyage I've had was on Norfolkline between Birkinhead & Belfast (8 hours overnight). Drove onto this rusting hulk and the car deck was up top on an open deck!!! (the car got covered with salt from the sea spray). I had an outside cabin (that's a cabin with a porthole; an inside cabin doesn't, it's a windowless box). Anyway, got the head down for a kip but was woken-up by this load, steady booming/banging noise reverberating throught the hull once we were out of the Mersey and into open water. I went to the Purser's Office to complain and was told it was a loose lifeboat in the davit banging against the ship's hull with every bit of sea swell; they also told me it had been like this for a month!!! Bxxxxxds!

[Symptoms]

Oh, and that voyage was only 4 years ago.

Back in 1972 I took the London Euston to JockoGlasgow train, changed at Carlisle for Stranraer to catch the Xmas Eve ferry to Larne in Northern Ireland. I think British Rail operated the ferry service. Anyway, eventually embarked on the ferry (it wasn't a car ferry, just passengers) and the thing was heaving with drunk Irishmen all going home for Chrissy. There was nowhere to sit inside, just about every bit of deckspace was taken with heaps of drunks. The bars were packed with groups of guys sitting around stacks, and I really do means stacks, of crates of beer ... they were basically drinking their way down the stacks. Vomit everywhere as it was a really rough crossing ... the North Channel is notoriously rough. I spent most of the crossing sitting on a slatted-wooden bench outside almost frozen to death. But it was fun.

[wonky]

aye..lol. ferry travel is certanly hit and miss.. i remember the days when duty free was available onboard irish sea crossings..blokes would get onboard with a sack barrow and book a day return and fill them with slabs and tabs..its all diferent now though as the average price of a pint onboard is about 7 yoyos and onboard shopping is very limited..we once went to france with irish ferries on a booze cruise with the van and hit storm force ten around lands end..4 hour delay into cherbourg..20 hrs at sea..it was horrific.the crew were puking up..all outside doors were locked and there was nowhere to escape the rolling of the ship..we had our pallet of wine ordered and decided to drive back from cherbourg via the euro tunnell,,into.england then ireland rather than get back on the return ferry..i drove through the night and the next day and we arrived back in roslare about an hour after our original ship docked..never again, sure it was about 800 mile in total..if your planning on buying loads of slabs ,get a landrover..lot less hassle..lol

[Keith Scantlebury]

In '93 I was working for cattle breeding company (AI company). We were in Northern Ireland to meet with some of our customers over there and to give a talk / presentation in Belfast. Getting into N.I. a chore as they just about stripped the car out searching it, this had something to do with this big long tube that was just about the length of the car, now WE knew it was the screen for the over head projector . Coming back to Stranraer they were packing us in tight and they were directing cars right up to the bumper of the car in front. (for some reason, waiting till the occupants had left the vehicle before bringing the next car in) A good crossing and good feed (on the company). We were one of the first to be leaving the boat and we were in the car ready, the gaffer was an inpatient git anyway, as we were leaving the boat the guy in the car behind us was blowing his horn, screaming out the window a waving like mad and was right up our backside, the gaffer stopped and got out cussing, think he was going to chin this guy. They stood at the back of our car pointing and arguing and he came back all embarrassed, the car behind, a Granada was parked right up to ours a Citroen BX 19 with a tow bar. When the car started the suspension lifted, the tow bar was under the front bumper of the Granada and we were dragging it off the boat !! We could see the funny side but not the driver of the Granada .