MV Kaitaki

MV "Kaitaki" is a ROPAX ferry built in 1995. She has previously operated under the names, "Isle of Innisfree", then "Pride of Cherbourg", "Stena Challenger" and "Challenger".

As of 2008, MV "Kaitaki" is the largest ferry providing the Interislander service between the North and South Islands of New Zealand having taken her latest name in 2007.

History

The ship was built at Van der Giessen de Noord shipyard in the Netherlands, and was launched in 1995 as the "Isle of Innisfree" for the Irish Ferries route between Holyhead and Dublin. She remained on that route for two years before being replaced by a larger vessel, the "Isle of Inishmore". She moved to Irish Ferries' other route across the Irish Sea, between Pembroke Dock and Rosslare, where she remained for four years before again being replaced by the "Isle of Inishmore", which herself had been replaced by the Ulysses. "Isle of Innisfree" was initially sent to Dublin for lay up and then to Le Havre, where she remained until July 2002.

In 2002 she was chartered by P&O Portsmouth and was sent to Falmouth in July of that year for refit. She emerged as the "Pride of Cherbourg", the third ship to carry this name. A number of extra cabins were installed on deck 7 to make her more suitable for the longer Portsmouth-Cherbourg crossing, but while in service with P&O she was often criticized for not having enough cabins compared with the vessels she replaced. "Pride of Cherbourg" entered service in September 2002, replacing the second "Pride of Cherbourg", and operated alongside the "Pride of Hampshire" until the end of the month when she was also withdrawn. P&O Portsmouth became part of P&O Ferries at the end of that year, but the "Pride of Cherbourg" did not receive the new colours of the company until her refit in 2004, which also removed most traces of her Irish Ferries roots, moved the club lounge to aft on deck 7 and introduced the same brandnames for the facilities as on the Dover ships. On September 28 2004 P&O Ferries announced the withdrawal of all its Portsmouth services except to Bilbao. "Pride of Cherbourg"'s last crossing for P&O was on January 14, from Cherbourg to Portsmouth. P&O subchartered her to Stena Roro as a short-term replacement for "Stena Baltica", which was undergoing rebuilding work. "Pride of Cherbourg" sailed for Gdańsk, where all her exterior P&O branding was removed and she was renamed "Stena Challenger". After completing her service with Stena Line she was sub-chartered again, to the Interislander. Before leaving for New Zealand her name was shortened to "Challenger", with its Māori translation, "Kaitaki", also appearing on its bow, being used for marketing purposes (all other Interislander ferries have Māori names). In April 2007 the ship was officially renamed "Kaitaki". She is the only Interislander ferry without a rail deck for the transport of railway wagons.

Facilities

Isle of Innishfree

*Deck 8
**Lady Gregory Restaurant.
**Butlers Buttery self service restaurant.
**O'Reilly's Pub.

*Deck 7
**The Glencar Motorists Club.
**Shop and Kiosk.
**The Oisin Lounge.
**Kiddies Corner.

*Deck 2
**Family Entertainment Zone

Pride of Cherbourg / Stena Challenger

*Deck 8
**The Brasserie, later renamed Lagans Brasserie.
**All About Choice self service restaurant, later The International Food Court.
**Freight Drivers Restaurant.
**O'Reilly's Pub remained unchanged.

*Deck 7
**The Glencar Motorists Club had reclining seat lounges added to look over the bow and along both sides with Cafe Oliveto in the centre. The reclining seat lounge on the port side was initially the Club Lounge, this was later moved.
**Travel Traders shop; it was not renamed Offshore Shopping as other shops on P&O Ferries were.
**The former Oisin Lounge and kiddies' corner were removed; the port side of the area was converted to cabins, the starboard side was initially a reclining seat lounge but later became the Club Lounge as part of her final P&O refit.

*Deck 2
**Pepsi Playzone, later the Coca Cola megadrome.

Most facilities kept their P&O names when she became "Stena Challenger".

Challenger / Kaitaki

*Deck 8:
**Aft end: The Karori Rip bar and the Lookout (atrium).
**Forward: The fresh food court and a la carte restaurant (currently used only for additional seating).

*Deck 7:
**Midship starboard: Kaitaki Plus. A newly re-fitted lounge offering a premium service. Food and drinks are included in the price (includes alcohol) upgrades are now available onboard.
**Midship port: Nurseries and crew quarters (for strandings).
**Reception
**Family Area (formerly Travel Traders)
**Cafe Olivetto and recliner seating

*Deck 2:
**Playzone (fitted with a two-storey jungle gym for kids)-"soon to be renamed 'The Little Pirates Mess Room"'
**Cinema 2 (seats 30)
**Cinema 1 located on deck 1 (access through Playzone on deck 2) seats 30+

External links

* [http://www.interislander.co.nz/Our-Ships-And-Services/Kaitaki.aspx Kaitaki at the Interislander website]
* [http://www.stenaroro.com/Activities/Archive/Kaitaki.htm Stena Roro - Kaitaki]