Two nights, not a bed in sight. I really like the Northlink ferry, but was this a bad idea?
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- Опубликовано: 15 июл 2022
- If you are considering a trip from Aberdeen to Shetland on the Northlink and think saving on the price of a cabin is a good idea, maybe watch this video first :)
I'm a big fan of Northlink but how many hours sleep will I get on this return journey? Join me as I compare the Sleeping Pod (£18 supplement) on the way out and the cheapest option of all (£3.50 reclining seat) on the way back (although as you'll see, I don't even actually use the reclining seat on the return, there are much comfier options available onboard).
Outbound: Monday 4th - Tuesday 5th July 2022
Return: Wednesday 6th - Thursday 7th July 2022
The base cost of the sailing is £36 each way + accommodation.
On the dates I sailed, the accommodation costs were as follows:
Inside Cabin: £120 each way
Pod seat: £18 each way
Reclining Seat: £3.50 each way
Even if you don't plan to use a reclining seat, you must pay one of the supplements, you cannot just pay the base fare without selecting a sleeping option.
Music courtesy of epidemicsound.com
('Oregon Skies' by Isobelle Walton)
Maps courtesy of Google Maps
Reviews courtesy of tripadvisor.com
#Northlink #Shetland #SteveMarsh
Too old to travel now, not enough money after spouse died, so watching these videos are a comfort as it show places I visited and many I never got to visit.
Im too old too.im 68.in my 7 th month of travelling south east asia
if you want to travel let me know, i'll sponsor yours.
As one who has travelled on this journey for over fifty years, this is as fair and accurate as it gets. Cabins are great - if you can get one. Many islanders have to travel at short notice, long after they're all booked. It's no fun sleeping on the floor in your late seventies. Steve's description of the pods is spot on.......although he forgot the spring loaded door which bangs shut every 10 minutes as the drinks from the bar are disposed of in the toilet. As he said, the pod designer obviously never tried sleeping in one. Top marks, Steve!
The designers should be required to sleep on one for two weeks, and then see how well designed they become.
@@theherrdark4834 Those pods look a lot like first class commercial airliner seats on US airlines. Being of such size that coach accommodation on commercial airliners just won't work (it is actually a safety hazard and even at my greatly reduced 375 pounds I am not legally allowed to fly coach, years ago I weighed a hefty 550 pounds) I pay about $1500 round trip from Grand Rapids, MI; Detroit, MI or Chicago, IL to San Francisco/Oakland, CA or Los Angeles, CA whereas if I were 150 pounds lighter and a foot shorter I could get away with only paying about $300. I usually recline for a nap in my expensive first class seat as the flight is about four to five hours. Unfortunately we don't have the option for fish and chips at a bar on airline flights and the food is universally shitty although I usually ask for and receive some Biscoff cookies as food (including a meal) is included on first class flights, IIRC I was told that Biscoff cookies are about 50 cents per pack of two or three in coach although I haven't flown coach since deregulation in the late 1970's, I had to make a shorter flight in a plane without first class so they sold me a business class seat (IIRC the flight was to Ottawa, ON -- about a 10-12 hour drive from my house) -- never the hell again, I will have my driver take me to wherever in my car before I do THAT again considering sometimes she has to drive me to Chicago (about six hours from my home, Detroit is about five hours and Grand Rapids about an hour and a half) anyway!
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I am 70 and plan on a cabin. Visiting Scotland for the first time next September ❤
Shetlander here. A cabin is a must for me on the boat - can't survive without it. The privacy, private bathroom and ability to switch on and off the lights at will are just added bonuses to having access to an actual bed.
Add a lot too the cost, too much for my pay.
20 years ago you could forget the privacy if you were travelling alone. As you had to share your cabin with another unknown passenger. Usually the kind of passenger who goes to bed at 8 pm and doesn't want to be disturbed by the light of my laptop.
@@flitsertheo You didn't have to share a cabin, they were just much cheaper! Northlink had shared cabins up until Covid but haven't reintroduced them yet, much to islanders disgust. I live on the mainland now but regularly travel back to home (Shetland), and I'm afraid despite having good sea legs, I can't do it without a private cabin.
I could sleep anywhere when I was younger. Probably not a safe option for a young woman, but I didn't think about it then. Thank you, Steve, for being so genuine. Please continue like this even as you get more and more followers. We get far too many sponsored videos. You might like Itchy Boots. She has not lost sight of her original idea even though she now has over a million subscribers.
Endorse the Itchy Boots recommendation, she is an inspiration.
My sister tells me the secret to traveling alone as a woman is to be a 350 pound woman and be able to bench press a large car engine. No one ever gave her trouble while traveling alone and she used to go to New York City and Los Angeles regularly. She went to places where even I as a similarly sized man wouldn't dare go in large cities and everyone I ran around with thought I was the brave one (she even walked around in Skid Row, Los Angeles at close to midnight, she definitely doesn't look like she belongs there but she didn't get hassled about it -- I make sure to have whomever is driving me avoid that area of town)!!!!!
The country wasn’t overrun with mystery meat back then.
I made this journey regulalry in the late 80s and early 90s on the previous ships - P&O Ferries St Clair and St Sunniva - the days before I could afford the luxury of a cabin. I have never used the Northlink ships yet to compare, so this video was really useful. I remember a few trips being really pleasant, but one or two were experiences I would rather forget. One night it got so rough, it was deemed unsafe to put into port at Aberdeen harbour in the morning. We had to remain out at sea for five more hours until the sea state settled. I've never been back to Shetland since!
You are a glutton for punishment. Misery on no sleep! However, WE learn so much from you. I love traveling on the cheap - and WOW, you have so much in your videos!
There is no way I could do that without a cabin and a proper bed, too old and grumpy to go without sleep, I take my hat off to you for doing it and surviving, cheers and stay safe.
I totally agree (now!) I only did this for the video, never again :D
Spent most of my Adult life in Aberdeen, now retired in Malta, and you made me a little homesick. I ended up in the Merchant Marine and sailed the World. I was never good with seasickness, and though my body adapted and I stopped becoming physically sick, I still got headaches. C'est La Vie, thank you so much for that. PS I did a few trips as a Marine Radio Officer back in the late 70s on the Shetland ferry back in the day. My cabin was at the rear of the Bridge, so not far to walk to work hi. The Radio Room and battery room were next door.
Homesick for furry boot city ? Get yourself some professional therapy before it's to late ! 😂 Malta warm , Aberdeen Baltic
Interesting video, thanks! I've never done the Northlink trip to Shetland, but in July, 2015 I was a passenger (the only one) on a Polish cargo ship heading from Lithuania to the US. We passed between Shetland and Orkney at about 11 p.m. in a murky twilight. I was on the bridge with the watch officer and an A/B (the helm was on autopilot). On the AIS, we noticed that Hrossey was heading south on potential collision course. We altered course to starboard to avoid T-boning or being T-boned, and after a while Hrossey emerged from the murk and crossed our bow. I shot a few photos. Too bad I can't attach one here. Anyway, I've always been curious what the Northlink experience would have been like. Thanks again!
That is Wowww story!
Times have changed. I wouldn’t have been able to recommend the sleeping accommodation on any Scottish ferry in the past as they used to be a cross between low-end backpacker hostel dormitory and WW2 mini -sub. 😬😡, cramped, hot, nasty…..and with an overwhelming feeling that if there was an issue in the night nobody would make it out alive. Times have changed, thank god for that!!!
Discovered your channel yesterday, saw about 8-10 of your videos so far and they've been an absolute joy. Warm, personable presentation that's very relate-able. More importantly interesting content (because we all need to know about bars and food), seriously the travel stuff is informative too. Thank you, an absolute pleasure to watch!
...Welcome to one of the most Scottish videos ever. Delightful accents, wind, weather, parsimony, modest lodgings, and the sea...
And I get a bit of my own local pride seeing your Filson hat!
As a recent traveler to Shetland and Orkney we really enjoyed the cabins on the overnight crossings. Expensive, yes, but reasonable when you factor in not needing hotel accomodation on them nights, and most of the travelling happens in your sleep which is an extra bonus.
Wonderful video Steve; I especially appreciate the extra effort you went to so we could have the seasick experience.
I visited the Shetlands & Orkneys in June & caught a glimpse of these beautiful ferries: I had no idea they’re so spacious! But the Viking pointing at the lifeboat is really pretty funny. 😂
I hope we get to see your trip to the Fair Isle!
Great video Steve, as always. I think they need to remove a row of seats to allow the extra leg room, this would make the pod a good half way option. They could add a tenner onto the current pod cost and probably get some better reviews.
Dave, you are absolutely spot on!
Just what I tought!
Good idea. Better design all round could make it great.
They'll never do it unless they change the seats altogether. Think of all the work it would require.
The fixtures of how the seats attach to the floor would have to be redone, lighting redone, other electrics etc.
as someone not able to travel very far due to health issues i wanted to thank you for showing me Scotland, a place i always wanted to see. you are a good man,Steve...God bless....Kev
I recall back in the early 1980's, I travelled from Cherbourg to Southampton on the overnight ferry (about 9.5 hours) with the option of a cabin, a sleeper chair or standard lounge. I slept on the floor underneath the stairs, not a bad night's kip to be honest. That ferry looked a nice ship, the breakfast looked yummy!
Absolutely agree! I used the pod lounge on the seven hour journey from Kirkwall to Lerwick and it convinced me to get a cabin for the return journey to Aberdeen. A huge difference in comfort and worth the extra for a good night's sleep.
If I had to spend the coin for a cabin, I would do so on the return leg so I could drive home safely after a lengthy period without sleep. Stay safe Steve. I'm looking forward to the next trip, as always.
I wish he had shown what a cabin looks like but if it is like Amtrak (America's passenger train service) in the US 150 pounds for a cabin would be well worth it. Trust me, it would cost much more for a cabin on Amtrak on even a shorter trip. They don't have the equivalent of business or first class on trains here but even coach class (a lot like the coach class seating shown here) would cost that much or more! The only time I ride Amtrak anymore is if I need to go from San Francisco (Oakland) to Sacramento, that is about a three or four hour train ride and since seat belts aren't required on trains here they will let me ride that class (and I spend half of it in the restaurant car anyway). From what I have seen it is about equivalent to business class on an airline flight in the US.
As my Shetland friend told me "get a cabin if you want to sleep". So I did, and I LOVED it: slept like a baby til morning. Well, except for the seasick bit when it gets rough an hour of so south of Lerwick. Food great; beer service slow as molasses in January, internet spotty, but hey...
Another cracking video thanks for sharing more of your travels with us Steve!
Thanks Steve for the wonderful Shetland videos. Brings back great memories from 2019 when my wife booked a surprise trip. It’s a magical place, very hospitable people and some of the best wildlife photography opportunities. Would recommend this trip to anyone, but do get a cabin, it’s so worth the extra! Keep up the good work, looking forward to the next video.
Hi Steve, great video as always, thank goodness for you always taking one for the team, you have helped me decide the best way to travel on Northlink thank you.
You're very welcome Brian! I couldn't do it this way again! :)
Just did this trip in early Dec. had a cabin thank god because it was a terribly rough crossing and I was beyond sea sick! After too long being closely acquainted with the toilet, I made it back to my bunk for a miserable night wondering if we would be flung onto the floor! Then I had to stay on motion sickness pills for 2 days because my balance was so out of whack! Can’t imagine having to be that sick in a pod! But Shetland was so beautiful, I’m glad I went!
At my age I would need a cabin. Really nothing like a bed to crawl into at night on any form of transportation. No need for luxury at all, just a clean place to sleep.
Great video thanks Steve. You've confirmed what I thought. For me, a cabin is a necessity! As you get older, sleep becomes an ever higher priority. Once in a 'recliner' from Dover to Zeebrugge directly after a night shift in the early 90s was enough to teach me that lesson. I ended up riding my motorbike 8 hours to Hamburg on no sleep for 36 hours. Never again. Cheers!
Wow that sounds fascinating.
Hello Andrew! I think I agree. My sleep is important.
Oof there's a challenge! Aye, I totally agree with you now mate!
Sleep and a cabin is very important
Thank you Steve. Our weather here makes us feel like we’re in the boat with you. As usual we follow your decision about choice. It is wonderful watching you very early in the morning. Thanks again.
Thanks so much guys! Haha enjoying some pleasant weather eh?! :)
I have done too many long distance flights during my life, so absolutely loved my tiny cabin- to myself. Loved the ship too, especially the option of having small (senior)portions for dinner. The last trip to Shetland was lovely, and although long was a better option than trying to fly from London (via Aberdeen) to Sumburgh in present circumstances.
Another great Steve-venture! I’m fascinated by theses ferry journeys and really want be aboard someday.
A very fair and accurate video.👍 My first trip out of Shetland was 63 years ago and I was 4 years old at the time, I do not recall how many round trips I have made since then, but I preferred the older styles of ferries, they were not so fancy but in my opinion, they were better designed for the North Sea.
@knobjockey76 Cost is always a factor, but those vessels may not be suitable because the voyage from Aberdeen to Shetland takes at least 12 hours in good weather and longer if the ferry also has to dock in Orkney, so it's much further than the route which you mentioned, the North Sea is a relatively shallow sea so the wind soon makes it very active and dangerous and there are areas where the Atlantic ocean meets the North sea and the currents there can be treacherous.
Even though you had a bit of a rough journey, I’m still so jealous.
You sure get to visit some amazing places.
Cheers Monica! Thankfully the pain of these trips fades and leaves only the good bits to remember :)
Steve, if you get the chance you should try the Scillonian ferry from Penzance to St. Mary's. It's a short crossing, but is affectionally known by us locals as the Vomit Comet. The meeting of the Atlantic and the Celtic sea particularly in winter is rough! But you're greeted with one of the most beautiful archipelagos in the world.
Oh it's SO high on the list!
I was ok on that boat when a group of us took our sea kayaks over for two weeks a few years ago. Several people were sick...it does roll quite a bit. It is shallow draft to get in to St Marys.
A friend of mine did that crossing a few years ago. He was so seasick that he was hospitalised and came back to the mainland on a helicopter.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us, always enjoyable.
I've got to admit that I wouldn't do this trip without a cabin.I might have done 30 years ago but not now.
On the plus side, the restaurant on this boat is one of my favourites and the beer is cheap as well.
Hi Steve. Another great video! You’re a glutton for punishment! Looking forward to your next “adventure “. Was a bit surprised that the ferry wasn’t too busy, especially going up north to Lerwick and it being summer. Kind regards asa always. Blair
Aye good point Blair - VERY quiet on the outbound leg!
Fantastic video Steve.Great information about cost and comfort.I have never been to Shetland or Orkney but this gives me some ideas.Keep them coming.
Lovely video and hope they bring back the shared cabins!.
Only done one return journey, but I found being the first on I could get the recliner seat on the right hand side right up at the bow.
It has enough space to even put my sleep mat and sleeping bag in front of it, never had an issue with leaving my bags there, mainly because the partition wall gives some privacy.
The crew were very friendly, even asking about everyone's welfare on quite a rough crossing but I found lying down really helped and it only lasted a few hours. The banging of the waves could be quite disconcerting though.
Also had the fish 'n' chips which were delicious and a shower in the morning, no better way to finish a ferry journey and all for £23.60 each way :)
Hey Michelle I had my eye on that VERY spot, but unfortunately I was too late! I always love the crew on the Northlink - super friendly and professional :)
Well done Steve, another epic.
Lovely tour as usual covering various areas 'without sleep as well'.
Kudos to you.
More expensive options are not always rewarding.
As you experienced, comfort is paramount.
Again, thanks for the interesting coverage.
I agree with you, 'fish and chips ' can't be beat 😛👍
Cheers Stasek! Aye very true - I remember having a cabin once and STILL didn't get much sleep :D
Shetland via Northlink ferry has been on my bucket list ever since watching "It's Nice Up North" (!) and this video only increased my desire to tick that one off the list. Really informative and compelling, this; I literally watched every second. Lots of detail but not too much. Thanks for going to so much effort.
On the cabin vs pod vs seat question, I think it's a question of age as much as anything. I could probably have tolerated the pod 20 years ago but I think I'd suffer for it now, although if I was doing the trip on my own, I'd probably rough it one way, just for the experience.
On a side note, I love the whole other-worldly atmosphere of a ferry, particularly late at night. That section where you did a tour of the ship around midnight was just awesome.
Thanks Steve, great video as always, love the commentary and helpful insight too.
I remember doing an overnight Plymouth-Roscoff on recliners with the children once - everyone bedded down on the floor. No sleep for me but the kids loved the adventure!!
Leaving Lerwick spotted Insp Perez house from the tv show Shetland too (geek moment)🎥 😃
Your passion and enthusiasm for these videos Steve really is very inspiring fella, another upload I thoroughly enjoyed along with another education, not been on a ferry in a good while so you sharing such trips is a nice treat.
Just getting a catch up with your last 2 or 3 wids but I like taking my time with them so I have something decent to watch.
Massive Thanks again.
Cheers Gary! :)
Thank you for all the extra detail in the video description 👍🏻
Cheers Paul, I'm getting better these days at adding the extra info! :)
Long gone are the days of P&O and going to reception to see if there’s a spare bed for a £10. But damn it, not only is it impossible to get a cabin since they got rid of shared rooms, they actively try and make it impossible to find a quiet spot to lie down! Btw Serco runs Nortlink and Caledonian Sleeper… yeah 😢
Excellent video, always fancied doing this exact trip, great to see your take on it. Thank you
...that was a lovely watch... very soothing... almost as if I were on the boat... just without the swaying of the ground and lack of bed... :)
I remember sailing Portsmouth - LeHarve in a pod type thing, absolutely awful. Not the pod but the two Gents who snored from the start to finish. I ended up on the deck to get away from them but the other half endured it. She said when one woke up he stretched and exclaimed he’d had the best sleep in ages. Surprised he wasn’t lynched…!
I did that journey as a kid and didn't get one hour of sleep. The seat reclined only about 45 degrees, the lights didn't fully turn off and that combined with being surrounded by a bunch of strangers completely out in the open just made the whole thing feel very on edge. Don't think I would ever do any sort of overnight journey again without a cabin, bar flights of course.
I did look at going on the ferry to Kirkwall but once I added up the cost for a return in a cabin I thought I’d be better off flying. A higher cost but 40 minutes instead of 6hrs on the ferry. Another great video and loved the wee bus stop. A bus stop fit for a king!
Cheers Christopher! I think you make a good call. I do prefer a wee flight, especially if the weather is decent, views can be incredible :)
The best travel reviews on U-Tube and give a real sense of being there with you. Your comments are constructive and well balanced keep it up.
That's amazing to see, thank you for your due dilligence.
Agreed, £120 for a standard cabin is frankly taking the pee... That is a price you could still get for a decent London hotel room off-peak, so I can't see as an additional charge over the ferry ticket price that is justified. But I guess they know some people are not prepared to rough it, and with no competition they have to pay it. Although I did a 23hr London to Turin trip on a bus and I nearly lost my legs, nevermind my mind such was the discomfort - so I do understand the desire for comfort. I was young and brave and cheap, but never ever again!
'Never again' is what I'm saying too! Problem is, even WITH the cabin, I wouldn't say I get a great sleep, you're still knackered when you leave the ferry - so much creaking throughout the night, difficult to get to sleep, although maybe that's just me!
Although it sounds insanely cheap I thought I heard him say the base fare was three pound fifty pence, not hundreds of pounds. For an 18 hour ride I would gladly pay the 120 pounds for a cabin. In my younger years where I would have spent half of the trip in the bar I might not have done so but at 76 years old it would be well worth the price of admission.
I can't believe how dark it got ,so far north , I was camping in Sandwood bay(north west Scotland) 3 weeks ago and the sun finally set at 1.45 and was rising again at 2.45 . What a difference in 3 weeks !
Yes, because we have such an extreme difference between mid-summer and mid-winter the difference is noticed every 2-3 weeks. Sadly, we've had a dreadful summer with little clear sky so we haven't been able to enjoy the 24hr light.
Try Alaska or Nunavut in the middle of June or July sometime. The sun never sets. However, the sun also never rises in the middle of January!
Enjoyed that video. It has given me ideas for next summer.
Love how you're so keen on your food! It looked pretty good for captive audience prices!
Great video, as always Steve! I’m afraid I’d be one of those splurging for the cabin. I value the ability to truly stretch out AND have a darkened place to sleep. Plus, these old bones need to lie flat is I’m expected to move the next day!
ATB, Erin
Yeah, I will NOT be doing it this way again Erin, I'm with you 100% on that one! Cheers for everything by the way :)
That was really interesting Steve. I've never done a ferry journey that long so thanks for showing us around. The food looked decent and they didn't take your eyes out price wise. It didn't look like that with the pod seats though!
Steve - I see less face mask wearing. What is Europe's current concern on the COVID B4 and B5 variants? Seems very transmittable and reports are saying the current vaccines aren't blocking it. I'm planning an early December trip to Munich and remain vigilant.
Cheers Davey! A pleasure to show you the trip, although 'pleasure' might not be the right word :)
I barely see a mask anywhere now, to me it looks like it's being treated more like a flu now. Certainly though unless 99% of people are wearing masks, it won't make much difference anyway. Interested to see how it develops
@@mstrdiver they are not vx cines at all; theyre something farr worse
Great video as ways. Cheeky wee bit Mentour Pilot on to watch! I watch that too. Love your trips. Keep them coming 😁
Hey Steve, just stumbled across your videos and your channel. Loving them, gives me some ideas for my future travel. Looking forward to seeing more. Take care.
Oh Steve, the things that you do for us.
Great information. Like you, I don't sleep well when I travel and sitting upright just doesn't do it.
I think I'd better save up a bit and splurge on a cabin when I finally/hopefully get to head to Shetland to check out Jimmy Perez's digs😉
Another brilliant video.
Thanks from V in MD.
Thanks mate! I think you'd make the best decision, I'd be in the cabin too next time - especially for the outbound journey, otherwise you're just walking around Shetland like a zombie! :)
A cabin of your own what luxury ! That brought back memories Steve of my trip from Lerwick in 1962 on the St.Clair had to share a large cabin with 12 Norwegian Whalers who had a dozen cases of Tennants (lager) I did not manage to get any sleep!
In 1962 I would have bought a couple more cases of lager for the guys, a couple of quarts of whiskey or vodka for me and had one hell of a good time! Back then I would have slept at my destination but I was only 16 years old at the time (at least in the States most areas didn't have a drinking age back then, if you could climb up onto the bar stool or see over the liquor store counter you could have your alcoholic beverage) and just starting university so I wouldn't have cared if I slept or not.
I loved this trip with my private cabin . I take my own food & drink & relax enjoying the view. Sadly my darling husband died January 2022 so I travel on my own now
We were re-watching your videos on Shetland as we're heading there in early autumn for the first time. Thanks to a tip you shared with us in a previous comment, we took your advice and when the bookings opened today, we booked our journey and our berth. You are right. They do sell out fast!! Looking forward to that part of our holiday...a new adventure on a return trip to Scotland...and hope we have calm (or calm-ish) sailings. :) Sandi & Greg H.
Excellent video Steve - I made the mistake of taking the high speed ferry between Guernsey and Weymouth in winter - nearest thing to hell on earth I have endured. So the idea of being in that pod in bad weather will give me nightmares !
Oof! That would have been a great video though! :D
Last May, flew into Aberdeen and then onto the ferry with my son. We had pre booked an inside cabin. I had not anticipated three factors: 1: snoring, 2: farts and poor air circulation, and 3: the confined cabin space excerbates the effects of a rough sea. I had to leave the cabin and walk the deserted lounges for part of the night. When we went from Lerwick to Orkney, we just had recliners, and I much preferred it to be honest. So in my opinion, you may not need a cabin as badly sa you think given that you can still get a nice shower with just a token. Heck, get 2 tokens and have a nice long shower.
Great video throughly enjoyed it, way better than anything on TV ! Thank you
I absolutely love your travel vlogs... This has given me inspiration to maybe try this ferry link across to the Shetland Islands.
As a new subscriber I’m really enjoying your vlogs Steve, Ireland and Scottish Isles are places I really want to visit a lot more very interesting to see you cover these places.
Thanks so much, welcome aboard! :)
Brilliant vlog as always Steve!! The food looked great, think I'd choose a cabin over the pods though. Think I've learned that after the amount of ferry crossings across the Irish sea from Fishguard and Pembroke to Rosslare
Totally agree Peter, never again will I put myself through this, not for both directions anyway :D
@@steve-marsh totally, know it is different with a 3-4 hour crossing going to Ireland against 12 hours going to Shetland, have tried to sleep in Stena plus lounge but always someone talking or bright lights on. Also can never sleep on aircraft even in business class
@@peterdnreynolds777 If you want some sleep or at least rest try the Stena Hygge seats, they are fixed recliners with acres of space unlike those rubbish "pods", no food and drink like the + lounges though.
Obviously a cabin is better but I find it hard to justify the price on the short crossings for little more than 3 hours rest.
I’m surprised how nicely fitted out this ship is might be tempted to try a trip , thank you for the video !
Thank you, enjoyed watching.
Hey Steve. I love your travels, good or bad. Hope to bump into you one day, and hope you're well.
Much love, Rossco x
Cheers mate! Likewise! :)
I’ve used ferries since childhood and I’ve laid outside on the deck, between seats, inside, cabins, suites, even thought about sneaking under the tarpaulin on the lifeboat, I’ve laid down on bench seats, pushed 2 seats together, recliners, quiet rooms, the only sleep I’ve managed is a few hours in a cabin, never been seasick but what using ferries has taught me is to avoid going on a cruise, ps I always book a cabin now even on a 2 and a half hour journey, quietness and a place to stretch out are my priorities now
John I bow to your superior knowledge and will also be booking a cabin from now on! I wouldn't do it on the shorter crossings though as I need to be outside filming. Hey, great idea about getting some kip out on deck! Cheers :)
Iv done the overnight English Channel and a cruise of the Dalmatian coast and slept like a baby in the cabin.
Iv done lots of trains two/three days in my youth when money was tight no cabins and it’s tough so I’d never do a boat without a cabin.
I loved this reviews Steve. Very atmospheric.
Thanks so much! :)
Another fantastic video, great editing - really feel I’m on the ferry with yourself, love to head to Shetland and the other islands, greetings from Dublin and many thanks for the great videos.
Thanks so much Frank! Really appreciate the lovely comment :)
I went on the Hrossey in 2019, had a cabin all to myself (both ways). (id recommend that if you have expensive electronics being carried with you as you can lock them away safely. However borrow a tray from the restaurant to put your laptop on so the duvet doesnt choke off the vents )
My mother had a tray with a little USB powered fan that she used for her laptop on trips. They date back to when the old Pentium 4 laptops needed the fan but they folded flat for placement in her laptop case and they kept the computer from choking on the comforter even though by that time the fan was no longer necessary. I bought one for one of my nephews about five or six years ago (ironically identical to the one my mother had), my mother got about 6-7 years out of hers before the legs broke, the fan was quite noisy by that time as well. For traveling they were well worth the $20 I paid.
I done Aberdeen to Kirkwall and back in April in a sleeping pod, going up was perfectly calm. Coming back was horrendous. 6 hours of the roughest seas I’ve ever encountered. I do love NorthLink ferries though, there ferries are alway immaculate and never had an issue. Thanks again Steve.
Totally agree - the Northlink is awesome, I just think they could design the space available in the pod lounges SOOOO much better!
@@steve-marsh yeah definitely! I’m 6ft 3 and it’s wasn’t all that comfortable. I attempt to get comfy in the forward “observation lounge”, lasted for all of 5minutes, for the same reason as you 🤢😂. Ended up in a recliner..Never realise you paid for it though.. 😬
On another note I can confirm, I walked from the ferry to Kirkwall at midnight after missing the bus, it takes nearly an hour and isn’t the best road!
Great video travel blog Steve - Love the Sick Bag Heckler at 16:39 had me in stiches on the floor - every time I play your clip around this time mark.
Haha cheers mate :D
enjoyed this journey hope to watch many more.
When I think of pods, I think of the kind you find on Japanese ferries and in Japanese pod hotels. This was just a more expensive seat.
Yes, Steve, we did enjoy the video and found it interesting!
4:50 - Deliberate mistake?!
7:05 - How slim is she???!
7:17 - Mentor Pilot! 😁
Excellent video! Thanks for being a trooper to show us the difference! It will be a cabin for me!
Same for me next time! :)Thanks David!
Really enjoyed the video. Greetings from Tamworth, Staffordshire! The channel you was watching, was the one and only Mentour Pilot. Another great channel like your own.
I've slept on the free seats on the same ferry, maybe long haul economy flights (London - Mumbai) and overnight bus journeys in India have conditioned me, I actually found the ferry to be much better!
Just being able to stretch the legs and walk about freely makes it better for sure
Great video Steve. I am usually pretty frugal with the cash, but I think I would pay for a cabin when travelling up to Lerwick. The weather is so changeable and unpredictable. I think the cheaper options would be suitable for the youngsters.
I'd tend to agree Terry, it's a wise investment and have found the cabins very comfortable in the past. I just need to go for longer - it's expensive for a quick return trip, but would love to go up for a couple of weeks and make the most of it
Thanks Steve just enjoy your videos the north link ferries look like cruise ships to our old rundown ones
Safe travels Steve
Fantastic video as always , thank you for sharing
I found that very interesting. I'm from London but I've been to the North of Scotland a number of times and I'd of gone further if I knew more about this affordable sea link. It would be interesting to know what's there to explore on the islands (I'd of gone to the Neolithic remains) and how easy it is to get from the port etc.
Brave man, Steve! I would consider a cabin a necessity. Have always had a cabin on three generations of north boats: the North Company's old St Clair (lift on lift off); P & O Ferries St Clair (RoRo); and one of the Northlink boats (don't remember which one). The old St Clair had cabin stewards and offered a very greasy and unappetising canteen breakfast. The P & O Ferries boat (transferred from the Plymouth-Santander run, I think, and had a sun deck with deck chairs on its early runs from Aberdeen!) was the favourite and one we used more than any of the others. Only used the Northlink boat on a return visit to Shetland in 2003.
Barney, I would have loved to see the old St Clair, the lift on lift off one! Wow!
Boats??? WTF
@@steve-marshI was on the old St Clair a few times. There were green plastic couchette style bunks in sort of open cabins, & the steward gave you a tartan rug. Was fine, far far far better than stupid Serco money grubbing pods. Mind you, smaller boat & no stabilisers ! Then when they hoisted your car out & put it on the quay a docker drove it clear. They did in my mum's accelorator pedal.
I book these journeys regularly for my Teams and will always try to get them cabins because like you the pods are not good for sleeping and they need to be fresh and ready to work in the morning. Great to see the journey 😊
Cheers Wendy! Aye, there wouldn't be much productive work done after a night in the pods, a good investment!
Yes, has to be a cabin! Excellent video, I've never been that far North and now you've seriously tempted me!
Go for it! :)
Only issue is when you throw in the cabin factor it simply makes no sense and better getting a flight instead (as most do these days to/from shetland) they need to try and get the prices down to £50-60 each way inc some form of horizontal bedding badly! Absolutely no doubt it would net pay them to do so long term possibly even near enough immediate!
Totally agree with you mate!
I did this journey a few years back. I found the pods pretty easy to sleep in, to be fair, although they would have been better sited amidships, where motion is minimised, rather than in the bow, where you're going to feel it the most. My advice is to invest in sea-sickness tablets, if you suspect the crossing will rough.
Glad to hear you fared better than me Tom!
@@steve-marsh I've been told that I could sleep on a chicken's lip!
As for the sea sickness tablets, in the States, meclizine tablets are sold as generics and they are usually quite cheap. Your doctor can prescribe patches worn behind each ear but my mother found that the cheap meclizine tablets worked well enough for her and her sea sickness was legendary (she even got "sea sick" riding in the back seat of a car). My parents and I had the same doctor at one time and the doctor messed up on prescribing the patches for sea sickness, prescribing them to me instead of her (even though we lived at different addresses and had different medical insurers) once. When I had to switch doctors at one point my then new doctor had one hell of a time figuring out why I had the sea sickness patches prescribed to me. We finally figured out what happened but it took a few minutes.
that was a great fun watch thanks Steve
Cheers from Minnesota, USA. Glad I found your channel
Steve, a position about 2/3rds of the distance from the bow to the stern and on a mid deck is often the point of minimum movement. In a seaway, there is less up and down and side to side movement. Maybe like being on the fulcrum of a see-saw 😀
Sounds good. I remember one daytime ferry crossing in a gale - at one point I heard a big crash from the deck above and realised it was probably a vending machine or something similar tipping over. I was very glad to see the harbour wall of our destination gliding past.
Cheers for the info! I'll be there next time (even if in a cabin!) and I'll stay away from flying vending machines :)
As an Aberdeenshire resident for 16 years, I’ve always wanted to go to Shetland. It’s just so easy to get there with a choice of ferry or flight. But I never have. Why? Because I always end up asking: “where else can I fly to for the same price?”, and the alternative answers are always more compelling.
That said, this is 2022, prices are now crazy elsewhere and the way you did it was very interesting. I’ve always assumed that I’d want to take my car, or rent a car on Shetland. Both very expensive options. I certainly agree with your sentiments about the cabin supplement. I certainly think that reclining seat + bus on Shetland is the way to go, and it might just rekindle my student adventures days where I took overnight busses up to Scotland from Manchester.
Totally know what you mean Anthony - it costs a fortune to get up there, and even more if you intend to stay! Really like Bolts car hire in Shetland though - they are a great option, well used to be anyway, not used them for a few years.
I really enjoyed this. Thanks Steve.
An absolute pleasure Nathan! (although 'pleasure' maybe not the right word after those 2 crossings!)
Wonderful video. Looking forward to seeing many more now. Safe travels to you from a first time viewer.
Thanks so much Richard!
I love these ferry excursions (sorry they are so hard on you :( As a retired Merchant Mariner and Ferry employee they are sorta like a bus man's holiday for me. The worst sleeps I ever had at sea was on the Icebreakers I worked. Lots of rattling shuddering vibration tilting Port and Starboard fairly abrupt stops while breaking ice. For an overnighter Ferry trip I think I would choose an inflatable camp mat and sleeping bag on the deck. Oh and Steve a sailor 3 sheets to the wind always walks in a straight line on a heaving deck ...so I've been told.
😉🍻Cheers🇨🇦
Cheers Ian! :) Oof the icebreakers must be a tough ride - I watched a documentary on how they break the ice, so I can't imagine that bringing much comfort aboard! :)
Definitely challenging. Wanted to try rigging a hammock up in my cabin but never did...it probably would've worked too.
Mentor Pilot is a great channel.
One of the very best!
Another great video! I could sleep standing up almost so a cabin wouldnt matter for me, but a shower and a resturant would be a must!
A brilliant video, thank you so much for doing it, really useful, it told me everything I needed to know about getting to Shetland by ferry. And as many other comments say, as I am getting on a bit and have bad knees, it will be a cabin for me or not at all!