The Spirit of Tasmania will carry no passengers across Bass Strait for eight days next month as TT-Line swaps its two decades-old ferries for a pair of larger vessels.
The state-owned ferry operator has closed bookings from October 23 to 30, with no crossings available between Geelong and Spirit Quay in Devonport during that time.
The pause comes between the final sailing of Spirit of Tasmania I and II on the night of October 22 and the first trips by Spirit of Tasmania IV and V on October 31.
TT-Line said the eight-day break would be used to change crews, test systems and prepare the new ships for service.
“This transition period is an important part of the Spirit Operational Readiness program and provides the time needed to safely complete the changeover from the existing vessels to the new fleet,” the company said in its ticketing information.
The switch also ends day sailings. In its online FAQ, TT-Line said the new timetable would run overnight crossings only.
“When the new ships start operating, our schedule will only include night sailings. Our timetable can change based on demand,” the website states.
“The new ships have much more space, especially for caravans, motorhomes and other large vehicles.”
“If demand is higher than this extra capacity, we will look at adding day sailings in the future.”
Each of the new ships is 212 metres long, compared with about 194 metres for the current vessels.
They can carry up to 1,800 passengers, up from roughly 1,400.
Tickets are being released in stages, with sailings from October 31 already on sale.
TT-Line said cabin and recliner options would initially match those on the current ships, with more accommodation and vehicle spaces to be added over the following months as the full inventory came online.
