Thanks lads. The Calais Seaways really looks the business now. It was, up until recently, the LD LInes' Norman Spirit. Interesting how the LD Lines brand has disappeared off the channel completely and in double fast time too..as it was launched only relatively recently in a blaze of glory with Kelly Brook ( I still have the pictures of the alluring Kelly !). Now DFDS have quietly become very big channel operators, almost a match in size for P&O..if now even more so. Cast a gentle eye down the harbour and you see a lot of DFDS stacks looking back at you.
Here she is yesterday with the harbour patrol boat slotting nicely into the foreground. Below you can see one of the last pictures taken of the ship in the LD Lines livery before she quietly slipped out of view for the last time....to re-emerge in time, reborn as the DFDS Calais Seaways.
Ive had a note about the Easter travelling figures. 75,000 people passed through the Port on Good Friday...and overall more than a 250,000 passed through over the holiday. I think these figures are down a tiny bit on 2011 which isnt surprising. They nevertheless are still very healthy all things considered..2011 are the last comparisons I have here..when 270,000 approx passed through the Port. The Good Friday figure this time was larger though.
Its not surprising people wanted to get away what with the abysmal weather and so on. I saw a report on TV last night about the chronic tourist situation locally. The Little Switzerland caravan park was featured... out of the 65 units they have on site, only 6 were taken up for Easter. The current weather is supremely bad for business and for the holiday spirit. People wanted to go elsewhere in the hope of something warmer.
AIDA Stella arriving as we speak. Aida Luna went out with a blaze of lights last night. AIDA Stella in again this morning in grey cold conditions..picture to follow...and here we are...