#ManXmas – It’s that time of year as Isle of Man Steam Packet sailings are lined up for before and after Christmas Day on the seasonal Douglas-Dublin route which is to reopen this weekend, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Ro-pax Ben-My-Chree is to make an overnight round trip departing Douglas on Saturday, 19th December at 19.30. An arrival in Dublin Port (terminal 1) is scheduled just after midnight on the next day, Sunday 20th December at 00.15.

Those intending to travel on the return leg, sees Ben-My-Chree depart Dublin Port on Sunday, 20th December at 01.00 and with an arrival back in the Manx capital, Douglas at 05.45.

Following the festivities, the Steam Packet is to repeat the overnight round-trip service as Ben-My-Chree is to depart on Boxing /St. Stephen’s Day from Douglas on Saturday, 26th December at 19.30. An arrival to Dublin is timed for the early hours of Sunday, 27th December at 00.15.

This is to be followed by a tight turnaround as Ben-My-Chree bids Dublin Port farewell on her final Irish sailing of 2015. The ferry is to depart the capital on Sunday, 27th December at 01.00 and with a return sailing scheduled in Douglas at 05.45.

The ‘Ben’ in addition to operating on the main Manx-UK route between Douglas-Heysham, also serves a winter Douglas-Birkenhead (Liverpool) at the Twelve Quays Terminal on the Wirral Peninsula.

She has also carried out crossings on the seasonal Douglas-Belfast route down through the years, though the majority of sailings are the preserve of fast-craft, Manannan.

In order to maintain services during the Christmas periods, the Steam Packet have both Manannan and freight-only ferry Arrow available on standby at this important time of year. Arrow yesterday berthed in Liverpool docks following freight cover for Channel Islands operator, Condor Ferries.

The fast-craft Manannan as previously reported on Afloat.ie is ‘wintering’ in Douglas.Normally she would lay-up for winter on Merseyside. 

Outside of Christmas time, the Dublin-Isle of Man route is a seasonal service running between March and August and during these months sailings are also served by Manannan.

The InCAT built 96m car-carrying catamaran is to undergo routine maintenance early in the new year. On completion of these works, Manannan is to begin the 2016 season. The craft is kept busy as the schedule includes running on her mainstay Douglas-Liverpool route which gets under way around mid-March.