Having been withdrawn when P&O Irish Sea sold the 24,206gt/2000 built European Ambassador in 2004 (she became the Stena Nordica) the Dublin-Cherbourg service is being reintroduced by Irish Ferries. To be operated by the newly chartered 26,375gt/2011 built Epsilon (above), the first sailing will depart from Dublin on 18th January 2014.

The once-weekly, year round service will leave every Saturday at 1530 and return there at 1100 on a Monday morning. With the introduction of the Epsilon and their new route from Dublin to Cherbourg, the intention on the part of Irish Ferries is to provide an economy-style service distinctly different from that operated by their 31,914gt/1987 built cruise ferry Oscar Wilde which will continue to serve routes from Rosslare to Cherbourg and Rosslare to Roscoff as before. Because of the more limited range of cabins and passenger attractions on board the Epsilon when compared to the Oscar Wilde, Irish Ferries is seizing the opportunity to offer customers lower fares and an even broader choice of route options.

Built in 2011, the Epsilon has capacity for 500 passengers. Economy style facilities on board include a bar, cafeteria, self-service restaurant, two and four berth cabins, free wi-fi service and 2,860 lane metres of vehicle deck space. The Epsilon (full name Cartour Epsilon) sailed from Messina on 3rd December bound for her new career with Irish Ferries and was expected to reach Ireland on 10th December. Having been delayed the ship will now enter service between Dublin and Holyhead on 12th December so the Oscar Wilde remained on that service until 11th September.

The previous Visentini ship to serve the route was Stena Line’s 24,418gt/2001 built Stena Forwarder, now the California Star.