"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated"

Jimmy Kwaka · Veteran Member

Tasmanian Ferry

Colin Penrose · Senior Member

Well done guys. You didnt say how much it cost ? Cheers. Col

Knight · Senior Member

Having travelled on the Ferry several times over the past decade and each time with 4WD only I prefer the overnight voyage and a cabin.

The most annoying part is arrival in Devonport just after dawn and being herded into several lanes before finally reaching the inspection shed and being asked more questions repeats of what the Port of Melbourne security team ask drivers of vehicles. And of course a quick inspection follows but not thorough. On one arrival I was compelled to reply to an inspector that the Ferry did not stop during the voyage.

It is a pity that the restaurant was closed a couple of years ago and replaced by a larger bistro, enjoying a relaxing evening meal with table service after a drink at the bar was a pleasant experience. The bistro food is ok but not as good as the restaurant served.

Tasmania is well worth visiting and I agree that a few weeks stay is not enough. I have driven the west coast route to Hobart, the inland main highway to Hobart and from Hobart along the east coast and north east to Launceston before returning to Devonport to board the Ferry. On the last visit in January 2017 I used Hobart as a base and did day trips to various areas as well as exploring Hobart and surrounding areas. There are still places I would like to spend time visiting.

Crinkle and Dobbie · Member

that was so informative. Like you, hubby and I would like to visit Tasmania again, only this time with our own caravan. My concern is the cost and we would be taking our beloved dog. After reading your post I somehow think we will put this in the too hard basket. Which is a pity as we loved our first time over there in a rental motorhome.

thank you for your very informative post.

Look forward to more.

Knight · Senior Member

Crinkle and Dobbie wrote:
that was so informative. Like you, hubby and I would like to visit Tasmania again, only this time with our own caravan. My concern is the cost and we would be taking our beloved dog. After reading your post I somehow think we will put this in the too hard basket. Which is a pity as we loved our first time over there in a rental motorhome.
thank you for your very informative post.
Look forward to more.

I would not take a Dog with me on the Ferry, they are placed in cages where the vehicles are parked and from reports deaths are not uncommon. Owners are not permitted to visit their pets during the voyage.

Whenarewethere · Guru

I just got back yesterday from overnight but was slumming it in first class so I didn't have to put up with the plebs! Went to Tassie during the day in a cattle class cabin with view. I didn't find the food onboard too bad, had curry, salad & pork cut off the bone by chef (for everyone). About $1300 all up for one person including insurance. It was nice to get away from the boss for 4 weeks. Did Cape Pillar (old track from the road), Cape Raoul, Wine Glass Bay & up the other side, Ben Lomond NP etc.

Geeco · Senior Member

Most of what Jimmy described was pretty much how we found our day crossing in the aft area comfy aircraft type seats. On our way over there we experienced a three/four mtr swell running so I chose to drink coffee rather than eat. If you read the information online prior to leaving you should not have any problems with the sensible restrictions in place on the ferry. Our motorhome thankfully did not sustain any damage in the rock & roll swell. In fact I did find it a relaxing & different experience. Our only other "big ferry" experiences have been in Europe and each time the seas have been very calm.

I had visited Tasmania in a work capacity on a couple of occasions mainly Hobart, Launceston & Bernie. Travelling for business tends to focus you on different aspects of a locality than pleasure trips so I was keen to sample the rest of Tasmania through the eyes of a holiday maker. After a month wandering around most of the island in our motorhome I was left with the feeling of "overpriced, over hyped and under delivers". I am sure some will disagree but that was how I felt when I returned to the mainland. If asked by friends I suggest that there are so many places on the "big island" that they can enjoy without a trip across the Bass Strait. Cheers,

-- Edited by Geeco on Thursday 21st of March 2019 01:09:05 PM

Whenarewethere · Guru

Sea was fairly good on the way over. Went on the catamaran 1992, it was very rough on the way over & like a billiard table on the return trip, one inch waves at most! $25 for this meal. Had my own food for the return trip. Arriving in Melbourne on the return with bow of ship & city lights.

Have to agree with the traffic & waiting issues in Melbourne, a complete fail in this aspect.

Also note arriving in Tassie, if you have a dirty 4WD you will be ordered to clean it with high pressure water spray before you are allowed to leave, due to stopping pests being introduced. So get onboard with a clean car & or caravan!

Jimmy Kwaka · Veteran Member

Julie, apparently you can choose to leave your dog in your van or car for the trip. The cages would not be our choice, but neither is leaving our little dog couped up in the van all day. He has an iron cast bladder, so can hang on no sweat. But it would break our hearts to leave him for that long. He stayed with my sister whilst we were on this trip, and I am glad now that we did not have him with us. But he comes next trip, and from now on will do so every time we go off hooning about the countryside.

Whenarewethere · Guru

In 1992 it was my 4th trip. We were the only ones at all the National Parks & camped on the actual track to Cape Pillar as that was the only place we could find. Now there are too many tourists to the point that it is dangerous at the lookouts. Took me 45 minutes to get a clear photo of Russell Falls & speaking to a resident they said that day numbers of people were at a third of the usual amount & the government wants to increase numbers. An example of a Cape Pillar track in 1992 & 2019, it is a freeway now & a mass of people doing the Three Capes Walk, or rather, "pretending" to do it with all their needs helicoptered in!

-- Edited by Whenarewethere on Thursday 21st of March 2019 01:58:51 PM

erad · Guru

Not quite on topic, but relevant for those who are considering a visit to this lovely island. A friend of ours was there a few weeks back and in Hobart, went to the Salamanca Markets. They put their money in the parking meter, and were having such a good time they went back and put more money in the meter. They returned later to find that they had been booked! $75 please. They saw the parking inspector and he told them that the limit was 2 hours - they had to move their car. So they did move the car to another spot, and when they returned to their car, another $75 fine! They didn't leave and re-enter the area. Needless to say they were not amused. Apparently there is a numberplate recognition system. It is OK for the locals I guess, but not for visitors> Certainly check up before you leave your car anywhere near the area.

I have a disabled parking permit, and the last time we were there, I saw the parking inspector prowling, and I asked him where I could safely park. He directed me to an area almost in the centre of all the action, and there was no time limit. But knowing how our friend was treated, I would be very careful about where we park in the future. Certainly not the welcome you expect in such a beautiful and friendly place.

Crinkle and Dobbie · Member

thanks Jimmy for that information. There is no way we will go to Tasmania again now we are dog parents. There is many more places around this wonderful country that both my husband and I will visit and where our beloved dog can come to.

Happy travels.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I have done both day and night sails on the good ship 'Spirit' four times now and if ever I go over again and probably wont I would go night with cabin so I can sleep the time away. I think I would only fly over anyway and let my brother pick me up.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Hobart parking meters:

There are sensors in the road which signal the meter so the meter knows a car is occupying a space. The ranger has all the meters remaining time on a handset & will head off to the car with the lowest remaining time to give you a ticket the nanosecond the meter runs out.

It is not that difficult to park a few streets away from the market & avoid the revenue raising scheme, as long as you can walk a bit.

The locals hate the system.

Mariner30 · Senior Member

Not all the locals hate it, It is quick and easy when using coins, The problem seems to be when people want to use cards, The machine will tell you whether you even need to pay at all Easier and quicker to find another machine than wait, You are right about sensors in the road surface

The Belmont Bear · Guru

We have only just returned from our 4th visit to Tassie - twice we have used the ferry and taken our car over and twice we have flown into Hobart and hired a car. The ferry crossings have both been at night in an exterior cabin (porthole) , We prefer getting a good nights sleep in a bunk rather than sitting in a chair besides having the small bathroom to freshen up is great... Usually a couple of drinks in one of the upper deck lounges and a pizza ordered over the bar is enough for us before hitting the sack so that we are fresh when we arrive and are ready to hit the road. Personally I wouldn't take our 22' van over due to 1) having to get through Melbourne to the wharf, 2) the cost of the crossing and 3) the narrow windy roads once you do get over there. On this trip we stayed in cabins in CPs and used them as a base to explore different areas i.e Burnie, Strahan, Richmond and Launceston.

The amount of time that it took for us to drive from Newcastle to Melbourne and back again was basically a waste of 4 days which would have been better spent running around on the island. Getting through Melbourne and Sydney was a real pain in the butt (even without having a van on the back) and what they charged us to use the motorways was a rip off. So like you Jimmy now that we have experienced the ferry thing a couple of times in future we will be happy to leave both the car and van at home and fly/drive probably be cheaper anyhow.

Cheers
BB

Jimmy Kwaka · Veteran Member

The Belmont Bear wrote:
We have only just returned from our 4th visit to Tassie - twice we have used the ferry and taken our car over and twice we have flown into Hobart and hired a car. The ferry crossings have both been at night in an exterior cabin (porthole) , We prefer getting a good nights sleep in a bunk rather than sitting in a chair besides having the small bathroom to freshen up is great... Usually a couple of drinks in one of the upper deck lounges and a pizza ordered over the bar is enough for us before hitting the sack so that we are fresh when we arrive and are ready to hit the road. Personally I wouldn't take our 22' van over due to 1) having to get through Melbourne to the wharf, 2) the cost of the crossing and 3) the narrow windy roads once you do get over there. On this trip we stayed in cabins in CPs and used them as a base to explore different areas i.e Burnie, Strahan, Richmond and Launceston.

The amount of time that it took for us to drive from Newcastle to Melbourne and back again was basically a waste of 4 days which would have been better spent running around on the island. Getting through Melbourne and Sydney was a real pain in the butt (even without having a van on the back) and what they charged us to use the motorways was a rip off. So like you Jimmy now that we have experienced the ferry thing a couple of times in future we will be happy to leave both the car and van at home and fly/drive probably be cheaper anyhow.

Cheers
BB

BB, that nails it. We have done it once, and that was enough. We are lucky in that my sister in law lives not too far from the terminal. On our next van trip, we have the option of leaving the van or both car and van and doing the ferry as foot passengers, or the trip by air which is what, a couple of hours at most? Or we can fly from Hervey Bay to Brisbane or Sydney and then fly on to Hobart, leaving everything at home. It was a great experience, there is no denying that, and we are both glad we did it. But once is most certainly enough, for us anyway.

Cheers Jimmy.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Norwegian boat rescue. Glad it was not Bass Strait! https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-24/passengers-airlifted-from-cruise-ship-in-norway/10934052

I recognised the short beeps & long beep in the background audio to abandon ship.

2trout · Senior Member

I have just booked to take our 21ft van and 4WD together with our 2 dogs to Tasmania next September. The cost was $1700.00 return. We are sleeping in the recliners.

I took the dogs and 4WD over last year (not the van) and the dogs were left in the rear of the vehicle. They are used to riding there and there were no problems. They are far more comfortable in their normal environment in the vehicle than stuffed into a cage on the boat. I did not feed them the day of travel and gave them a toilet stop immediately before and after boarding. They are used to sleeping in our house and not going to the toilet during the night so there were no problems. I am going to do the same this year.

With regards to the recliners, I found them quite good. Having flown to the USA numerous times, I found the recliners far more comfortable than sitting in economy for 15 hours on a plane. They have good toilet facilities there and plenty of room. They were also very quiet and I had no trouble sleeping.

Jimmy, I liked your report and got a few ideas out of it, Well done.

Jimmy Kwaka · Veteran Member

2trout wrote:
I have just booked to take our 21ft van and 4WD together with our 2 dogs to Tasmania next September. The cost was $1700.00 return. We are sleeping in the recliners.

I took the dogs and 4WD over last year (not the van) and the dogs were left in the rear of the vehicle. They are used to riding there and there were no problems. They are far more comfortable in their normal environment in the vehicle than stuffed into a cage on the boat. I did not feed them the day of travel and gave them a toilet stop immediately before and after boarding. They are used to sleeping in our house and not going to the toilet during the night so there were no problems. I am going to do the same this year.

With regards to the recliners, I found them quite good. Having flown to the USA numerous times, I found the recliners far more comfortable than sitting in economy for 15 hours on a plane. They have good toilet facilities there and plenty of room. They were also very quiet and I had no trouble sleeping.

Jimmy, I liked your report and got a few ideas out of it, Well done.

Trevor, we were originally going to take our small dog with us this trip. but decided against it. We had no idea you could leave your dogs or cats in the van or vehicle. Unlike yours, our little bloke would carry on like we were killing him if we left him that long, either in a cage or the van, so we are glad we left him at home. I do not think I would be as brave as you and sleep in the recliners on an overnight voyage. I am too old, too selfish and too spoilt for that! But as you say, they are still much much better than cattle class on an airliner. Enjoy your next trip mate.

Cheers

Jimmy.

Whenarewethere · Guru

If one can stretch the funds to a 2 berth cabin it's worth being able to be horizontal, & you have a shower & toilet to yourself.

Make the boat trip part of your holiday, not only a means of getting there!

That's why I thought I would try a nice cabin on the way back overnight, but quite frankly a standard cabin has all that you need. Being able to be horizonal whether day or night, shower & toilet makes the trip more enjoyable.

PeterD · Guru

Fares vary considerably. It is no good asking others how much it costs. It is easy to work out how much it will cost for you. First of all read through Fares Explained. Make sure you understand the difference between Spirit and Flexi Fares.

When you have have the fare info measure your van from the coupling to the back of the spare tyre. You specify your tow vehicle when using the link below and the programme adds the length of it to the vans length to get the overall length. When you have measured your van go to Find a Fare. and have a play. you can alter your sailing dates a little when you are doing your trial booking, see how low you can get your fare. There is no need to commit yourself, just crash out of the booking when you are asked for the passenger fares.

When you have done the exercise you may like to report back. Along with the total cost, let us know the dates, details of the tow vehicle, the length of the van and whether pensioner fares apply or not. This will give others some idea.

-- Edited by PeterD on Sunday 24th of March 2019 11:28:24 PM

Whenarewethere · Guru

If you are on a tight budget, fairs variety quite often from different days of the week, & from day to night. Shifting your holiday a few weeks, a different day of the week in either direction & day or night can save a substantial amount.

blaze · Guru

I take a sleeping bag and after about 11pm just quietly lay down on the bench seats on deck 9, I even do it when we book a cabin as I sleep better with a bit of fresh air. Nevr been told to move and some years I have done 4 trips and over a number of years. Even cut a trailer in bits once to take it over inside the van to bring a boat back, just welded a few welds before loading the boat
cheers
blaze
ps
the restraint food is great but there is nothing wrong with the standard buffet food (100% on airline food)

Chris61 · Senior Member

Whenarewethere wrote:
If one can stretch the funds to a 2 berth cabin it's worth being able to be horizontal, & you have a shower & toilet to yourself.
Make the boat trip part of your holiday, not only a means of getting there!
That's why I thought I would try a nice cabin on the way back overnight, but quite frankly a standard cabin has all that you need. Being able to be horizonal whether day or night, shower & toilet makes the trip more enjoyable.

Get an internal 4 berth cabin, they have 4 bunks, just fold the top two up and get a good nights sleep, have a shower before you depart. Deck 9 has entertainment until about 10.30pm. If you want to save money take some food and drink with you. Planning your trip in and out of Melbourne is a very good idea.

Check out my blog page and check out some Google Maps. (I find it smoother with Microsoft Edge and less prone to freezing)

https://chrisanddiannesultimaadventure.wordpress.com/trips-to-the-mainland/