Pride of Cherbourg
Encyclopedia
MV Kaitaki is a ROPAX ferry
built in 1995. She has previously operated under the names, Isle of Innisfree, then Pride of Cherbourg, Stena Challenger and Challenger.
As of 2008, MV Kaitaki is the largest ferry providing the Interislander
service between the North
and South
Islands of New Zealand
having taken her latest name in 2007.
shipyard in the Netherlands
, and was launched in 1995 as the Isle of Innisfree for the Irish Ferries route between Holyhead
and Dublin. She remained on that route for two years before being replaced by another vessel built by Van der Giessen de Noord
, the Isle of Inishmore, which offered greater passenger and vehicle capacity. She then moved to the Pembroke Dock
- Rosslare
route, replacing the 1981-built Isle of Inishturk
, where she remained for four years before again being replaced by the Isle of Inishmore, which herself had been replaced by the Ulysses
. Isle of Innisfree was initially sent to Dublin for lay up and then to Le Havre
, where she remained until July 2002.
In 2002 the Isle of Innisfree was chartered by P&O Portsmouth and was sent to Falmouth
in July of that year for refit. She emerged as the Pride of Cherbourg, the third ship to carry this name. A number of extra cabins were installed on deck 7 to make her more suitable for the longer Portsmouth
-Cherbourg crossing, but while in service with P&O she was often criticized for not having enough cabins compared with the vessels she replaced. Pride of Cherbourg entered service in September 2002, replacing the second Pride of Cherbourg, and operated alongside the Pride of Hampshire
until the end of the month when she was also withdrawn. P&O Portsmouth became part of P&O Ferries
at the end of that year, but the Pride of Cherbourg did not receive the new colours of the company until her refit in 2004, which also removed most traces of her Irish Ferries roots, moved the club lounge to aft on deck 7 and introduced the same brand names for the facilities as on the Dover
ships.
On 28 September 2004 P&O Ferries announced the withdrawal of all its Portsmouth services except to Bilbao. Pride of Cherbourgs last crossing for P&O was on 14 January, from Cherbourg to Portsmouth
. P&O subchartered her to Stena Roro as a short-term replacement for Stena Baltica
, which was undergoing rebuilding work. Pride of Cherbourg sailed for Gdańsk
, where all her exterior P&O branding was removed and she was renamed Stena Challenger. The Stena Challenger sailed on Stena Line's Karlskrona
—Gdynia
service from February until June 2005. After completing her service with Stena Line
she was sub-chartered again, to the Interislander. Before leaving for New Zealand her name was shortened to Challenger, with its Māori
translation, Kaitaki, also appearing on its bow, being used for marketing purposes (the other two Interislander ferries, Arahura
and Aratere have Māori names). In April 2007 the ship was officially renamed Kaitaki. She is the only Interislander ferry without a rail deck for the transport of railway wagons.
In 2009, it was announced that the initial five-year lease would be extended and that she would remain with the Interislander until 2013.
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
built in 1995. She has previously operated under the names, Isle of Innisfree, then Pride of Cherbourg, Stena Challenger and Challenger.
As of 2008, MV Kaitaki is the largest ferry providing the Interislander
Interislander
The Interislander is a road and rail ferry service across New Zealand's Cook Strait, owned and operated by state-owned rail operator KiwiRail.The Interislander travels between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island, forming a road and rail link between New Zealand's two main...
service between the North
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
and South
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
Islands of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
having taken her latest name in 2007.
History
The ship was built at Van der Giessen de NoordVan der Giessen de Noord
Van der Giessen de Noord was a shipyard that mainly built ferries, located in Krimpen aan den IJssel, a town in the western Netherlands. The yard was especially suited to the construction of large vessels due to its developed undercover facilities....
shipyard in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and was launched in 1995 as the Isle of Innisfree for the Irish Ferries route between Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
and Dublin. She remained on that route for two years before being replaced by another vessel built by Van der Giessen de Noord
Van der Giessen de Noord
Van der Giessen de Noord was a shipyard that mainly built ferries, located in Krimpen aan den IJssel, a town in the western Netherlands. The yard was especially suited to the construction of large vessels due to its developed undercover facilities....
, the Isle of Inishmore, which offered greater passenger and vehicle capacity. She then moved to the Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...
- Rosslare
Rosslare Europort
Rosslare Europort is a modern seaport located at Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland, near the southeastern-most point of Ireland's coastline, handling passenger and freight ferries to and from Wales and France....
route, replacing the 1981-built Isle of Inishturk
MS Madeleine
The MS Madeleine is a car/passenger ferry owned and operated by C.T.M.A. between Souris and Cap-aux-Meules. The ship previously sailed with Irish Ferries as Isle of Inishturk.-History:...
, where she remained for four years before again being replaced by the Isle of Inishmore, which herself had been replaced by the Ulysses
Ulysses (ship)
MS Ulysses is a RORO car ferry currently owned and operated by Irish Ferries. The ship was launched in March 2001 at Aker Finnyards shipyard in Rauma, Finland and services the Dublin - Holyhead route...
. Isle of Innisfree was initially sent to Dublin for lay up and then to Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, where she remained until July 2002.
In 2002 the Isle of Innisfree was chartered by P&O Portsmouth and was sent to Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
in July of that year for refit. She emerged as the Pride of Cherbourg, the third ship to carry this name. A number of extra cabins were installed on deck 7 to make her more suitable for the longer Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
-Cherbourg crossing, but while in service with P&O she was often criticized for not having enough cabins compared with the vessels she replaced. Pride of Cherbourg entered service in September 2002, replacing the second Pride of Cherbourg, and operated alongside the Pride of Hampshire
Pride of Hampshire
MS Oujda was a ferry built by Aalborg Værft AS in 1974 for Townsend Thoresen. She sailed under the name Viking Venturer from Southampton to Le Havre then latterly Portsmouth to Cherbourg . She was sold to P&O European Ferries and renamed Pride of Hampshire...
until the end of the month when she was also withdrawn. P&O Portsmouth became part of P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
at the end of that year, but the Pride of Cherbourg did not receive the new colours of the company until her refit in 2004, which also removed most traces of her Irish Ferries roots, moved the club lounge to aft on deck 7 and introduced the same brand names for the facilities as on the Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
ships.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. P&O subchartered her to Stena Roro as a short-term replacement for Stena Baltica
MS Stena Baltica
MS Stena Baltica is a ro-ro ferry owned by Stena Line and operated on their Karlskrona - Gdynia service. She was built in 1986 by Van der Giessen de Noord as MS Koningin Beatrix for SMZ...
, which was undergoing rebuilding work. Pride of Cherbourg sailed for Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, where all her exterior P&O branding was removed and she was renamed Stena Challenger. The Stena Challenger sailed on Stena Line's Karlskrona
Karlskrona
Karlskrona is a locality and the seat of Karlskrona Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 35,212 inhabitants in 2010. It is also the capital of Blekinge County. Karlskrona is known as Sweden's only baroque city and is host to Sweden's only remaining naval base and the headquarters of the...
—Gdynia
Gdynia
Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together...
service from February until June 2005. After completing her service with Stena Line
Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB,...
she was sub-chartered again, to the Interislander. Before leaving for New Zealand her name was shortened to Challenger, with its Māori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
translation, Kaitaki, also appearing on its bow, being used for marketing purposes (the other two Interislander ferries, Arahura
Arahura
This is about the Maori canoe. For the ferry operating on the Interisland Line, see Arahura .Arahura, in Māori mythology , is a divine canoe which was made of pounamu...
and Aratere have Māori names). In April 2007 the ship was officially renamed Kaitaki. She is the only Interislander ferry without a rail deck for the transport of railway wagons.
In 2009, it was announced that the initial five-year lease would be extended and that she would remain with the Interislander until 2013.
Layout
| Deck 10 | Sun deck |
| Deck 9 | Bridge |
| Deck 8 | Passenger deck |
| Deck 7 | Reception Passenger deck |
| Deck 6 | Crew accommodation |
| Deck 5 | Upper vehicle deck Commercial drivers accommodation Crew accommodation |
| Deck 4 | Crew accommodation |
| Deck 3 | Main vehicle deck |
| Deck 2 | Passenger deck |
| Deck 1 | Engines |