|
P&O’s 91-metre Incat (047) the EXPRESS is due back in
service on 15 March for her second season on the Larne – Troon and
Larne – Cairnryan routes.
Whilst 2005 was undoubtedly a good year for the craft
with her best technical performance to date and a 72% increase in
traffic on the Troon route – it is hoped 2006 can be even better.
Throughout the winter extensive technical work has taken place aboard
the craft as has a fairly substantial refit of the accommodation.
I had the opportunity of visiting the craft at Larne
whilst refit work was being completed and crew training taking place.
Throughout surfaces have been renewed and there is new
flooring – carpets in the lounge areas and new imitation wood flooring
in passage ways.
Starting aft on her lower passenger deck is possibly
the most significant change. The Harbour Coffee Company area has been
significantly enhanced. Some of the most aft reclining seats port
and starboard have been removed and new “club type” seating (in fours)
installed around tables – maybe around a dozen in total. The
remaining recliners in this area (which was once the Club Lounge when
the ship was on Portsmouth – Cherbourg) have been refitted and
recovered in blue and those replaced by the club seating placed
alongside the back servery of the Harbour Coffee Company which is not
used. With the huge double-level stern window this area and new
flooring/carpets is even more attractive than it was previously.
Poets Bar amidships on the lower passenger deck is
largely unchanged to last year though a new floor has been put down
around the bar area. In the entrance hall areas starboard and port
outside the bar a new floor has been put down. During my visit much
of it was still protected by cardboard but it is a mainly blue design
of the same sort as featured aboard the P&O Liverpool freighters.
Going up to the upper passenger deck Fables restaurant
has been quite subject to quite significant refurbishment. A new
floor has been put down to replace a previous white coloured floor
which was very difficult to keep free from dirt. The seating has also
been upgraded to provide more capacity – basically the previous
individual fixed seats have been replaced by short bench type seats
(in the Fables corporate colour of cerise). The whole style, combined
with the skylights creates a bit of an atmosphere of a trendy coffee
shop. The servery itself has been re-designed to make it less labour
intensive for staff and more customer friendly (hence shorter
queues). Amongst the other things added is a baked potato facility.
The two airline seat type lounges forward and astern on
the upper passenger deck were looking rather rundown last season. Due
to the need to maintain high capacity aboard a fast craft there is
little can be done but retain these areas despite the fact that more
stylish lounge areas would be nice. However, P&O have done a sterling
job with these areas during the winter. Every seat cover has been
dry-cleaned and looks like new – gone are all the stains inherited
from Portsmouth. There are also new carpets and shortly plasma screen
TVs are to be installed in the area.
Throughout there are a host of minor improvements which
are a credit to P&O for noting.
With the craft re-entering service just before
St.Patrick’s Day she can be expected to get off to a busy start. Her
refurbishment certainly helps put her amongst the nicest of fast
craft. |
