Summer demand for premium cabins boosts Stena Line North Sea operations

Stena Line, one of Europe’s largest ferry operators, has reported a marked summer upsurge in premium travel on its North Sea route. 

Year-on-year growth in premium bookings between Harwich and the Hook of Holland outstripped the increase in overall passenger bookings for the three-month period to the end of August 2013. Premium segment growth was also recorded compared to the prior year period for the entire year between January and August. 

Stena Line’s premium cabins are classed as “captain class cabins” and “captains suites”. These two-person cabin categories are up to 17.8 and 31.8 square metres respectively and the “captains suites” come with separate living areas. 

June-August 2013
In the June-August summer period, Stena Line achieved a particularly marked 27.4 per cent year-on-year increase in captains class cabin bookings and 13.6 per cent for captains suites. By comparison, overall Harwich-Hook of Holland booking numbers for this period grew by 13.3 per cent. 

January-August 2013
For the January-August 2013 period, the route reported a 14.8 per cent increase in captains class cabin bookings and 11.8 per cent in captains suite bookings compared to the prior year period. 

Lars Olsson, Stena Line’s general manager for travel on the North Sea, said, “Stena Line has reported very solid 2013 growth in bookings on its UK to Holland route but sales of our premium cabins have been outstandingly successful". 

“This summer has seen prodigious growth in bookings of our captains class cabins and suites, which we’re attributing to returning guests upgrading. Stena Line leisure customers increasingly treat the sailing over to Holland as part of their holiday and more business travellers are taking advantage of the facilities and space to work and rest. 

“There’s a feeling that our captains class cabins and captains suites are very affordable compared to the cost of an overnight stay in a four or five star hotel which would offer similar levels of comfort. This helps our customers get the best value for money on their travels.  

“We invested significant time and resource into the design and development of our new North Sea superferries and this is clearly a success with passengers and is paying dividends across all our cabin types.” 

Stena Line’s premium cabins on the North Sea services also include complimentary fresh fruit and tea coffee-making facilities and a free-of-charge mini bar, which contains snacks and both alcoholic and soft drinks, similarly to the business class-style “comfort class” cabins. 

Every cabin category on the Harwich-Hook of Holland service also includes flat-screen televisions, Swedish-made beds by Dux and bathroom facilities by German-based shower specialists Hansgrohe. 

“Captain class cabins” start from £98 one-way (overnight crossings) and “captains suites” form £123 one-way (overnight crossings). On day crossings cabin fares are 50 per cent lower. 

Stena Line offers nine categories of cabin on its Harwich-Hook of Holland Superferries. The range of cabins includes five-person family cabins and two-person disabled cabins. Cabins are compulsory on overnight crossings and optional during day crossings. 

Stena Line operates twice-daily six-hour return crossings between Harwich and the Hook of Holland, with fares starting from £59 one-way for an adult and car.

Tags: