Trbusiness. The travel retail Trbusiness. The magazine for global retail and duty free professionals.DFDS invests over seven million pounds in its Newhaven ship upgrades
By Benedict Evans |
Both ships on the Newhaven route can carry up to 600 passengers.
Newhaven-Dieppe ferry Seven Sisters has returned to sea on a Det Forenede Dampskibs- Selskab (DFDS) passenger and freight route following a major upgrade and refit. The second ship Cote d’Albatre will return to service on the route at the beginning of May.
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The pan-European ferry operator won the rights to operate the service for a further five years in 2023, and has invested £7.3m in refurbishing both ships on the Newhaven route.
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The upgrade and refit process, which started in December 2023 on Seven Sister, was commissioned to enhance the passenger experience onboard and transform the ships into modern, luxurious spaces.
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The newly redesigned spaces on board the ships include a full refit of all public spaces, including layouts, wall and floor coverings, lighting, furniture, and art.
The makeover includes: a larger duty-free shop for local produce, cosmetics, fragrances, confectionery, spirits and wines; a children’s play area, a lounge area; 43 private cabins; and new sleeping pods for drivers and cyclists.
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Jean-Claude Charlo, route director at DFDS Seaways, said: “This multi-million-pound investment responds to feedback from passengers on the route, modernising and refreshing onboard areas to provide a more spacious feel onboard to inspire relaxation, and enjoyment of the journey.
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It reflects our major commitment to developing and growing passenger volumes on the route over the new five-year term of our contract and our desire to continually innovate to meet our passengers’ shifting expectations.”
The interior of one of the 43 newly designed private cabins aboard the Seven Sister. The ship also has a family cabin and a luxury cabin with views of the sea.
DFDS says it anticipates growing the route by a further four per cent in 2024 after a record year for passenger and vehicle volumes on the Newhaven-Dieppe route in 2023.
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Work will shortly commence on Cote d’Albatre, which will return to service on the route at the beginning of May.
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