The Oscar Wilde
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
On the ship there is not too much to excite the traveler, food is over priced and mediocre but no surprise there. The real disappointment is the lack of entertainment; there are only a couple of bars / lounges with no entertainment apart from some washed up twat on a piano that put me to sleep before I finished my 1st pint. What happened to the last ship that had a huge lounge at the back with bands, Irish dancers, and groups of vomiting school kids?
If you have to use this ferry I would strongly suggest springing the cash for a 3 star cabin as it has a TV, yes this ship is that boring. Also If you’re traveling with a partner and hoping to get your leg over then you need the 3 star, you have no hope in the 2 star coffins. Interestingly enough though a pack of smokes is 4.20 Euro i.e French prices but the drinks at the bar are definitely Dublin prices. But not to worry, you wont want to spend any money at the characterless snooze fest that’s advertised as a bar or the old folks home / piano lounge with stunning views of the empty grey Irish sea. Next time I’ll try the Brittany Ferries route from Cork!!!! The only thing that cheered me up was the fact that I don’t have to work there, my God, how do the staff do it and keep a smile on there faces…. 5 Stars for those guys, -15 stars for the owners/managers, shame on them. Probably another bunch of (w)banker investors.
By far the most annoying thing is their new Ryanair trick of Priority Boarding/ Disembarkation. For an extra 10 Euro you get to get on first / get off first. DON’T DO IT!!! It’s a con, after paying my extra 10 bucks I still got put up onto top car deck and no amount of arguing would get me up by the door, possibly because the car park attendant of East European decent did not speak English. And I was not the only one, I spoke with 2 other guys that also got shafted by Irish Ferries. The only thing that made the trip bearable was the nice 3 star cabin, I just wish someone would have unblocked the shower drain so I could have had a shower with the water on full blast without flooding the ship like God intended.
Not impressed lads and ladies…
Still, at least my bike wasn’t stolen… 
Will be back tomorrow..
Denis
Next: 2010 Euro Bike Tour. Cherbourg to Avalon
