Cancellation of sailings for nearly 19,000 passengers as ferry delivery delayed

Almost 19,000 Irish Ferries passengers have had their sailings to France cancelled because of a delay in the delivery of a new ferry, the company has said.

Holidaymakers who booked to travel on the new W.B. Yeats vessel this summer are now having to seek other means of transport after Irish Ferries cancelled the planned sailings.

In a statement, the company said the cancellation was because of further delays in building the ship by German company Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) & Co KG.

The ship was due to start sailing in July but all sailings will now commence between Ireland and France and the UK in September.

Customers will be contacted on Tuesday about the cancellations and offered alternative travel options by the company.

Irish Ferries was previously forced to cancel July sailings for the W.B. Yeats in April when they were told by FSG of the initial delay.

Some 2,500 bookings were impacted by the earlier cancellation, but the company said that 95% of those swtiched to Irish Ferries' Oscar Wilde.

Irish Ferries said that around 6,000 bookings will be impacted by the latest cancellation - or some 19,000 passengers.

The company said in a statement: "Irish Ferries very much regrets the inconvenience these cancellations cause our customers and hopes that as many as possible will choose to be accommodated via the company's alternative arrangements and continue with their holiday plans.

"As valued customers of Irish Ferries, we are offering each affected customer a 150 euro voucher which can be used on any of our Ireland-France routes next year."

Customers can contact Irish Ferries on +353 (0) 818 300 400 or email customersupport@irishferries.com.

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