Harwich Esbjerg ferry

[Brains]

The good news in the maritime press today is it looks like Regina Line have the funding, and will be taking over the route next spring.
More to follow

 

[steveindenmark]

Brains. Do you have a link about this funding?

I would like to believe it as it is nice to have a ferry from Denmark to the UK. Its just that we have heard this before about Regina Lines.

Steve

 

[JPLL]

More details now up on the Regina Line site, incl timetable, prices (from £50 per crossing) and bicycles are free:

http://www.reginaline.dk/timetable-uk.html

 

[steveindenmark]

I really would not believe what they say on their site. I will believe it when the boat reaches Harwich.

 

[Brains]

Brains. Do you have a link about this funding?

I would like to believe it as it is nice to have a ferry from Denmark to the UK. Its just that we have heard this before about Regina Lines.

Steve

Regina fills a gap
A Danish ferry operator is to launch a new ro-ro service to England after DFDS dropped the route.

Regina Line said it would start a passenger and freight run with a vessel called Regina next spring.
DFDS dropped the loss-making service between Harwich and Ebsjerg on Sunday.
The start-up said it was not a "large company with many unnecessary employees" and could offer low ticket prices.
Passenger numbers on the route fell from 300,000 a year at their peak to 80,000.
On its website, Regina said: "Our goal is to transfer each year 200,000 passengers, 32,000 vehicles and 12,000 trailers/trucks."
Liner
Gary Dixon in London
02 October 2014, 06:24 GMT

 

[Brains]

I really would not believe what they say on their site. I will believe it when the boat reaches Harwich.

I'll believe it when they charter a RoRo ferry. They are sniffing suitable ships out at the moment.

They must have some sort of agreement with someone on a particular ship, as they have a generic description of a ship but not enough to actually pinpoint which one it is

 

[Dogtrousers]

I really hope that your pessimism is misplaced, @steveindenmark , cos I mentioned this to my wife, and suggested a short cycling hol in Denmark next year by ferry and she said yes!

 

[steveindenmark]

The reasons that I am so doubtful is that Regina Lines were pedalling exactly the same storyblast year and nothing happened. I live in the local news area and nothing has been reported and I have seen nothing in the papers about Jobs for this shipping Line. Jannies nephew works for Maersk shipping on the docks and they dont know anything about this ferry Company. It just doesnt add up to me.

But I hope I am wrong.

 

[br5968]

I spoke to someone who claimed to be 'in the know' on Twitter, who said the ship Regina intend to use is the MS Regina Baltica - certainly the facilities on board that ship seem to match what Regina are planning to offer, and the name fits, but it's an old ship that's been around the block a few times.

Like steveindenmark, I'm slightly cautious as we heard a very similar story last year about Norwegian Seaways relaunching the Newcastle to Norway services, and nothing came of it.

I used one of the last Esbjerg - Harwich sailings and it was very good. I just don't see how Regina's plan of lowering prices and offering more on-board facilities (swimming pool etc) makes an unviable route pay its way. You'd have to increase loads massively. Still, hope they manage it, even if only for a season or two, as I'd definitely use it again.

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

The Regina Baltica appears to be docked in Gdansk right now. Not a bad place for a refit...

 

[snorri]

Possibly getting a refurb. after recent departure from Lerwick harbour where it was one of six vessels functioning as accommodation vessels for staff employed on construction of a gas plant.

 

[Yorksman]

Dont believe all you read until it happens.
..........

Ryanair flys to Bremen and Easyjet to Hamburg.

Yes, I am still waiting for the relaunch of the Newcastle to Bergen ferry which was expected in 2013. I haven't heard any mention of it, not even a statement of why it hasn't happened.

Ryanair used to fly to Lübeck but I'm not sure if they still do or if they do bikes. Easyjet do if you use a bike box and take the handlebars and pedals off but its all a bit of a nuisance. Apparantly, the best and easiest to deal with are Lufthansa. You simply wheel your bike to check in, they make a call and someone comes and takes it off your hands. At the destination, someone simply turns up at baggage reclaim wheeling your bike in for you. A couple I know, in their 60s, fly every year and are doing all the major river routes in germany, They flew off to Munich a couple of weeks ago. Lufthansa's Economy basic fares are quite cheap, eg Manchester to Hamburg around £85 return inclusive of taxes and fees if departing at an ungodly hour of 6.30 am.

If you arrive at Hamburg Airport, you can buy a Schleswig Holstein Rail Ticket for around 30 euros which allows you to use the Hamburg underground and one days travel on regional trains in Schleswig Holstein. You could be in Travemünde by lunch time and catch the Trelleborg ferry to Sweden. It's a nice long cycle ride back via the major danish islands and of course masses to see in Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

But, if you can't be bothered with rail and ferrys, you could do the oxen trail from Hamburg to Viborg

 

[br5968]

Yes, I am still waiting for the relaunch of the Newcastle to Bergen ferry which was expected in 2013. I haven't heard any mention of it, not even a statement of why it hasn't happened.

Me too. This is the last I heard, back in May: http://driveeuropenews.com/2014/05/01/jaguar-mille/ - it'd be great to have it back, not just for the tourism opportunities from the UK, but also the boost it'd give to the North East economy - we used to get lots of Norwegians on shopping trips and short breaks.

 

[Yorksman]

Thanks for that update. The new emission rules are likely to be the cause of P&O dropping one of its Hull Zeebrugge ferries too. It's too expensive to upgrade the older ships. To blame the EU though is a bit rich, it is international and the UK were pushing for it to be implemented speedily, basically so the politicians could present their 'green credentials' to the voting public. Pity they don't push for continental style cycle lanes.

"The EU’s sulphur directive is derived from an International Maritime Organisation decision in 2008. The IMO sought a 2020 deadline to cut sulphur to 0.5 per cent but some countries, including the UK, pushed for tighter rules in the most polluted areas. These Sulphur Emission Control Areas (Seca) cover the North Sea, Channel, Baltic and the coasts of Canada and the US."

I remember all the Norwegians doing their Christmas shopping at Fenwicks in Newcastle in the 1970s. We had a lot of students from Norway at the uni and there were many from Sunderland too. I recall that they used to take advantage of the very much cheaper alcohol prices in the UK.

Many of these routes closed initially because of traffic lost to cheap airlines. Ironically, many of those cheap airline routes have also closed.

 

[br5968]

Regina Line's Facebook page now saying they can't get the Regina Baltica until 20th July 2015 (contract having been extended with current users) which would delay operations until mid August 2015.

They are keen to start at Easter 2015 so are trying to identify an alternative ship.

I dont know how easy these things are to come by, but it doesn't inspire confidence...