🇦🇺Riding Australia's Most Luxurious Overnight Ferry to Tasmania Island | Spirit of Tasmania
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- Опубліковано 4 сер 2023
- ◆Spirit of Tasmania (Melbourne→Geelong→Devonport)
◆I'm a Japanese train enthusiast and stayed in Australia for two weeks.
✔︎Australia in 2023
• 🇦🇺Australia in 2023
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Welcome to lutruwita/Tasmania, I hope you enjoyed 🙂
Port Melbourne pier is now being converted to handle large cruise ships for the summer period. This ship will take up valuable docking space (esp the fees and money) it will bring into Melbourne.
That was such an informative video! Included the good and the bad. Yes, that Bass Strait is not to be underestimated, it can be a very rough crossing...but the ships are apparently built to do it safely. It's Australia after all, not a 3rd world country where life is cheaper, and safety standards can be much lower!
Kuga: "The birds are scary"
The birds: "Mine, Mine, Mine"
As a Tasmanian, and a 'Veteran' of numerous crossings of Bass Strait, over the years. Thank you for your honest appraisal. and indeed it is known as one of the roughest sea voyages at the best of times I have only one that has been 'smooth sailing' but I thoroughly enjoy Roller coasters.
Thank you again, and I hope you enjoyed my Home State of Tasmania, and its Hospitality
Good to see a travel You Tuber not only exploring this wonderful country, at least the east coast, but also taking the SoT. Other travel You Tubers think the world is just the US and Europe, good to see us not being ignored. As for moving the port, many reasons were cited, from costs, to the old dock and port area being run down, and complaint for residents. The new terminal is purpose built with better passenger facilities, it's also designed around the new ferries, which should be coming soon, currently being built in Tasmania. Edit: Generally speaking Bass Strait is a little rougher in winter than summer, I usually just get a normal cabin about midships, there's less rocking. The swell actually rocks me to sleep :)
I also am confused why they moved the pick up point from Port Melbourne to Geelong. That will make it much harder to get to for lots of people, and less people will go on the SoT. Especially as if you go by train, as you did, you still have a long walk. Very informative, thank you from a Melbournian.
Port fees (a significant expense) are cheaper. Also, when you're driving, as most SoT passengers do, it's easier (but further) to embark in Geelong rather than struggle through Melbourne traffic.
The stated reasons were cost and the age of the terminal (which, however, still seems to be good enough for cruise ships). It does mean the end of large freight vehicles in the Port Melbourne streets and the long queue of cars and RVs along Beaconsfield Pd., in what is now primarily a residential area. (For those not from Melbourne, Port Melbourne is no longer the main port and hasn’t been for many decades.)
The ferry is set up for cars etc. Geelong has easier access for them. Foot assengers are an afterthought, as the boarding and disembarcation experience for them shows.
I believe the cost of docking at Port Melbourne were too high. The Terminal was too old and not very classy at all. I found it quite discustting.
However I agree that Grelong is a long way to travel they should have a FREE BUS Service from Melbourne to Geelong if you have an early morning flight and have no car you have to arrive the day before and stay in a Motel. $$
An extra cost.
Very off putting indeed. 🤑
@@marirothbauer5407 Do you mean arriving in Geelong and flying out from Melbourne, or the other direction? There are buses from the airport to Southern Cross in central Melbourne every 15 minutes from 4am, and trains from Southern Cross to Geelong about every 20 minutes from around 7am. This is plenty of time to spend the day in Melbourne and board at 6pm, but too tight for the weekly daylight sailing. In the other direction, 6am docking in Port Melbourne would still have been too tight for a 7am flight out. I’m certainly not defending the 1.4km walk in Geelong, but you’re making the transport sound worse than it really is.
That is a very nice ship, we live in France now and one of Tasmania's earlier ferry boats 'The Spirit of Tasmania' is now located here called the Mega Express 4 which took us a few years ago between Nice and Corsica.
😂at least your bag had the courtesy to break once you were nearly in your cabin!
When the ferry left from Port Melbourne it was a nightmare to drive to. There was very limited parking and the terminal was very outdated with extremely limited facilities. I’m looking forward to trying the new port out of Geelong one of these days. Bass Straight can be very treacherous. Last time i went on the ferry, the swell was so bad i had to put the kid’s mattresses on the floor. They were so scared they were going to fall out of their bunk beds. The bathroom door was a sliding one and i spent hours just watching it roll open and closed 😂
The bass strait is a true test of any traveler's fortitude! This here's for your loss on the crane game too :)
love this 👏👏👏👏
Thank you!🤝
So many shipwrecks were created here -- and people kayak or even swim it 😨
@@ThatOneTravelOmg! Ok Karen🥱🙄🥴
@@ThatOneTravel except he did that? and typically japanese people do that anyway lmao
Thank you for the nostalgic memories. I travelled on the spirit of Tasmania 22 years ago (it left from Melbourne) and did the return trip on the Devil Cat ferry which is no longer operating.
Ahhh a Devil Cat survivor. I did it with two small children and a bilious green husband. I have never seen so many people throw up in unison.
The former devil cat now rests peacefully at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean!
I remember the Devil Cat which I travelled on once from Victoria. Loved it.
I remember going to Tassie on the Empress of Australia. My dad took his turn at skippering her, as at some point every ANL Master had to take his turn as the appointed Bass Strait Cowboy.
Time for the singing .. "Sunflower Sunflower !!!" Birds looking for fish, stirred up by the wake of the ferry.
Lololol....the song..the song😅
There's nothing better than to be on a trip with you! Thank you for your journeys! : )
Hello from California. I found your Overland video first, then watched this video. I will be doing both the train and ferry in October. Thank you for the information.
Tasmania is an island but it is not called Tasmania Island. ;)
It's quite amusing seeing you travel in Australia and describing the only overnight ferry in the country as 'luxurious'. Enjoy your trip. Tassie is a particularly scenic state. Try and see Strahan and environs and get the historic train to Queenstown.
Yeah. As someone who has been on it multiple times, I wouldn't exactly call in luxurious. But it's a ferry, so the main purpose is transport. Not luxury.
Yes. Far from luxurious. Very basic and very, very expensive for foot passengers
well, technically, if that’s the only over-night ferry, it is the “most luxurious” overnight ferry 😂
Saw the price, I was like "ouch!"
I get embarrassed when visitors come to Australia and see the prices we are used to. Small market, low competition and the tyranny of distance.
It is for a private cabin though when you can just get a one way ticket with no extras for about $100, but yeah still haha
Yeah, I find it even funnier that's he's gettin' nickeled-and-dimed for meals and wi-fi.
Yeah, Hopefully he gets it back through the UA-cam revenue.
Prices went up to cover cost of the New Terminal
In the UK you pay
£50 for boat trip to Malta fantastic.
Ausralian Travel is so expensive totally over priced.
Europe you can have bteakfast in Italy then drive to France for lunch.
or Vienna etc.
I will never be able to experience your travels Kuga.....but, you bring it to life for me in your terrific videos.....as if, i was right there! I thank you sooo much for that! (From the US) 👍👍😉😃
Make sure to visit "Mona" whilst in Hobart
Thank you so much Kuga for showing a part of Australia, my country😊
Also want to personally thank you for keeping me sane during covid lockdowns. Your videos took me out of covid prison. Thank you, travel safe sir.
It's so weird hearing my own accent in the background!
Congrats on surviving the bass straight and condolences on the loss of your $10!
The scary gulls as you pointed out are chasing flying insects that have been attracted by the ships lights. Its an easy feed for them.
Loved that video. I also loved Hobart. Was there just recently. Thanks for a very informative Video. 😊
Did you buy a new suitcase? I was surprised you never opened the shades covering the windows in your room, especially when you arrived in Tasmania. Thanks for taking us along! 👍
Seems like that crane machine's prizes haven't been updated in ages. I feel like since you paid top dollar for the Deluxe Room, you should have gotten the buffet dinner and a basic wifi service included though.
09:36 Awww, my heart. I love that just past babbling stage.
This was another great video! Thank you!
Thanks for making this video. It reminded me of the nightmares of using this ferry. I wouldn't use it if I were to spend less than 10 days on the island. It is much cheaper faster to fly and hire a car.
I usually BYO food as the options are quite bad and not cheap.
I think overall because there is no competition, they never really invested for improvement. You can still see the Greek language signs in the room being a second hand Greek ship from decades ago!
Thanks for the video trip. keep them coming.
Noway is it luxurious!!!! You obviously haven't been on many ships!!! It more like a floating Cafe!!!!
Thank you, Kuga San. A few years ago, there was a light rail(tram) near the ferry terminal right into Melbourne Central, a 15-minute scenic ride and very little walking.
thank you for a very detailed experience including the prices.enjoy your travels.
Really amazing video. Congratulations❤
Thanks a.lot for this very expansive travel
Another great video!
I also live in Tasmania and travelled dozens of times to Melbourne on the Spirit of Tasmania, and back. I was very disappointed when the ferry moved to Geelong and cannot see how it was a good move. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed some parts of your trip. Thank you for visiting Tasmania. I love your reviews and your sense of humour.
Another great video Kuga
As always, I enjoy your humorous commentary ;-)
Woohoo! A wild Kuga-san video has appeared! 🎉
Omg welcome to Melbourne! Hope you enjoyed your time there and in Tasmania
Kuga San! You are hilarious. Although you are showing us beautiful places, it’s your manga style comments that are so funny! Keep it going!
Very nice. Thank you.
Luxury...big stretch.
I would like to have seen the views from the windows in your cabin, please include in future travels. Always interesting to watch your reviews, thanks for posting!
Looks like they carry a lot of rail freight on the Spirit of Tasmania. That was very nice track work at the Geelong port. Thanks for this ride-along on a trip most will never take.
Everything on the boat goes via truck. The port had rail before the Spirit moved there but it's no longer active.
The closest siding are for logs and grain.
Like the ferries that we took to Sweden everything is an extra in terms of cost. They have you by the’Short and Curlys’. Expensive ticket price.
The birds reminded me of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie The Birds but you’re too young to remember that.
I used to live in Tasmania (Hobart) so I screamed internally in excitement when I saw this!
Bizarre to see stuff like Salamanca and kunanyi in a Kuga video
@@betula2137 oh hell yeah, way too "familiar" to me to be appearing in his video!
Will always be Mount Wellington to me……
It's so funny for me to watch this. I moved to Tasmania from Victoria a few years ago but I've never been on the Spirit because I get really bad motion sickness and I'm too scared to try. I even got my parents to bring my car across on it when I moved, while i took the plane haha. I feel justified in avoiding it now, if even you felt sick! I'm interested to know what you did while in Tassie.
Moved to Geelong due to traffic congestion in Port Melbourne. Port Melbourne is also a very popular area and it just got to the pot where the traffic was not able to move even for the locals to do anything when the boats were in.
Wow. the ship has really been upgraded since my last trip ~ 15y ago. Meals were free at the buffet? There were also two upmarket-payg restaurants. You had a smooth trip. I had 9 meter swells (return trip). I could not sleep. The pool emptied! Cars & trucks broke hitching & smashed into each other! The trip was 4hrs late due to the weather. The only place to go on deck was the stern because port/starboard may have seen you swimming - winds howling. That's Bass Straight. What a beautiful day you had in TAS - in June? Mate you got lucky. Great upload - thank-you.
I felt dizzy seeing the ticket 🎟 expense hooo !" Show mercy 🥺 we still luv your video God bless 🙌 💖
So surreal to see you int Hobart . Glad to know you have a good friend here. I watch all your videos less than a mile from Consitution Dock and Salamanca Place, where you were filming. I hope you enjoyed our cosy regional city.
Nice video!
Well, weren't you lucky to be in Australia on National Doughnut Day 🍩
I doubt I would eat a Krispy Kreme donut for free... ha ha. They are very bland from what I remember.
As an American, I deeply apologize for inflicting foreign lands with Krispy Creme "Donuts". They are do-nots, as far as I'm concerned. Just the smell of them. Woof.
Love your sense of humour!
Welcome to Australia Kuga. Have a lovely time.
Everywhere is peaceful in Australia. The people are so nice and friendly because they are happy. They have health care, a living wage, and mandatory paid 4 weeks vacation. I've spent about 5 weeks in Australia and never saw Aussies yelling at each other in anger, like which is common here in the states.
Everyone here kinda walks while texting, not so few speak much or probably cough grunt at you when past by, sydney can be a bit unsociable, probably alone time but Melbourne seem better to recharge
I love Australis, but that's not my overall experience. There is huge poverty and hardship in many areas, including lots of Tasmania and I don't think in general folk are any happier than here in UK.
You haven't seen the Australians removed from cruise ships due to brawling?
? I always thought Rugby was considered the "Gentleman's Sport" down there. The rest free-for-all in the stands. 😆
So you moving there? 😳🇨🇦
“Good day mate” is more appropriate than “Howdy”
so PLEASED YOU CAME TO AUSTRALIA xox
I thought it looked pretty nice! If overpriced. In Sept I'll be in Greece taking a ferry to some islands so this is getting me excited! Quite interested to see what that'll be like.
I'm Australian and l thought the price was very high as well. Paying extra for dinner and even more for dessert. On top of that you even have to pay extra to see the movie and pay extra for wifi, it's a total rip off.
Warning ! we went to Crete from Athens 17 years ago, we could only book one way, ( we found out why ) on the return journey....70% dearer ...take it, or swim....
Many years ago I went on the ferry with my car. Similar fried gloop food, nice but sparse rooms, a costly crossing 😡. Now I fly in 1/2 the time for 1/2 the price. Good video 👍
Please don't come back with an attitude like that
Those crane machines are rigged - it'll always under or overshoot until its taken its quota of tokens/money before it will actually give you a chance at the prize. Travelled on that ferry numerous times, but not in its current incarnation. That room looked pretty comfy! :)
@00:37...wow what a crazy route, even Aussies couldn't get that wrong :D
This was actually Superfast Ferries from Greece in the past
Those birds are Silver Gulls! I think I'd only worry if I were a small fish or maybe a French Fry
Possibly some fish etc get stirred up in the ferry's wake and make for easy feeding.
@@TheGreatLordDufus Being dark it may also have been the light attracting fish
@@ManticorePinion I can't argue against that, very much a possibility.
Thank you, Kuga! I would love to see you make a video of your stay in Hobart .... but you've probably already left Hobart. Oh well.... thank you again!
If only we still had a railway network, then he'd have to stay and make some more videos! 😉
Just a tip, unless you need to bring a car, if you must go to Tasmania by sea since that means no rush, you're better off with one of the actual cruise ships from Sydney or Melbourne. At least food is included then and they'll take you all the way to Hobart itself without the road trip needed.
Like with most ferry services, you can see that it's not designed for foot passengers can't you. You have to take an hour's train ride to some out-of-the-way Station that doesn't even advertise itself as being for the ferry port, and then you have to find your own way to the ferry by trudging along a busy road. I suppose its good for road access, but yet again, they clearly believe that anyone without a car will fly 🛬 At least in Japan they'll usually provide a connecting bus 🚌
It didn’t used to be like that. It was a 15 minute tram ride from Southern Cross, where Kuga started.
So true. Geelong is dire for foot passengers.
I believe there is a connecting bus from Geelong station, but not from the nearer and less used North Shore.
One day rail & active transport will topple the plane and car duopoly in the highly-trafficked corridors of Australia
Hopefully. Same here in uk.
10:19 I played PAC-MAN at those table top style arcade games in a "Mom & Pop" pizzeria. The kind with those bumpy red plastic glasses and shakers of parm and crushed red pepper on every table. 25 cents a game.
Solo solo San Line ( Howdy ) 😊😊 Amazing Content
I did the same trip a week after you - it is a great 'adventure' on the Spirit! But that's not rough at all, that was soothing and gentle ;) There was nothing flying around the room, nor is anything strapped down ;)
If anyone is ever scared about travelling on the Spirit see your Doctor beforehand and get some Phenergan. Take it when you get on, before the boat leaves, have dinner, and then go to your cabin (get a cabin, it's worth the extra $$ instead of sitting in a crappy recliner all night) and go to sleep. You'll be in Tassie before you know it ;) Everyone should do a Tassie road trip at least once - this place is AWESOME!
great adventure
Hope you have a great time in Tasmania.
We're curious as to what you did in Devonport while waiting for your friend to arrive.
Yes I live in Tasmania, been on Spirit II a couple of times as well as the original Spirit in 1995 and Abel twice in 1988.
yep 1995, the worse ferry crossing ever, what a sh1t old boat that was.
We did this trip over 30 years ago. The boat name was the same but they have obviously done big upgrades. Great memories of our time in Tasmania.
That must have been just after they changed as the Spirit started in November 1993, and prior to that, it was the Abel Tasman. Personally I liked the Able Tasman as you could go literally on top of the boat and the observation deck faced forward a d you could relax in comfy banana lounges. Travelled many times on the Abel Tasman and the new Spirit's...always enjoyed, especially when it's rough seas 😅
I remember going on the Abel Tasman for a scout trip to Tasmania. I remember hanging out all the way up on the top of the ship. Was a lot of fun and a rough trip@@paultiffin330
It was moved from Port Melbourne due to crowded roads. Bay Street and surrounding streets were blocked by huge trucks for food. Cars waiting to board it was a mess. I get so sea sick I have never been on the ship. Geelong is a way from Melbourne though. I live near Werribee but travel through Port Melbourne where I worked to my mum's place in the south east. Miss seeing the Spirit in port. Cheers.
I always use the Spirit when over from UK to visit my son in Tassie. Its a fun experience, for sure. That having been said, it's very expensive and compared with European ferries the food and drink offerings and the cabins are not great.
Thank you Kuga.
Melbourne is the biggest port in Australia. The terminal was moved to Geelong to free up Station Pier.
Very nice. This Canadian has been to Australia.
We are an island but we are also a separate State. Just called Tasmania or lutruwita in palawa kani the First Nations peoples language.
How do you know what the aboriginal Tasmanians called it? They were all dead years ago. The only aborigines there now are imports from the Mainland.
Kuga, I'm not even an Aussie but I could have told you about Bass Strait! It's a pretty rugged patch of water! I was surprised you hadn't taken seasickness pills before hand. A couple of other ferry journeys I have been on that I can recommend for your channel. One, much shorter, but on a fine day, very scenic, is the Cook Strait ferries between Wellington at the bottom of the North Island, NZ, and Picton at the top of the South Island.
Also another memorable one which is longer than this is the Norrona Ferry between Hirtshals at the top of Denmark, via Faroe Islands (particularly in Summer you can do a stopover of some hours or days in Torshavn and explore a bit the Faroe Islands) as I did, to one of the Eastern fjords in Iceland. You definitely need seasickness pills for that one! Even in Summer we came up against a North Atlantic storm with chairs and tables sliding everywhere and large swells. So many people were sick! But still a stunning arrival on a beautiful day into Syedisfjordur in Iceland. next time to you go to Europe, I'm hoping for a ferry video featuring Norrona, Faroe Is and Iceland 😀
I was disappointed that he didn't mention his wallet crying at the ticket price.
The crane machine broke his wallet so sad😢
I still can’t get past the idea of an elevator on a boat! 😂
Thanks for your great video.
It is a shame that when they remodeled the ship, they removed the a la carte restaurant (Leatherwood) and only left the buffet. They used to make a great meal and it was nice to leave port and dine quite well.
Unfortunately for you, those "Deluxe" cabins are right at the bow (front of the ship) and you do feel the movement of the ship more than other berths. I now choose inside 4 berths because the beds are parallel with the ship which I find makes it more comfortable with the ship movement.
To make matters worse, Bass Strait is one of the worst stretches of water to cross, so it can be unpleasant. My advice was to get an early booking at Leatherwood have a nice dinner ( but not overeating) a glass or two of wine, then get to bed and be asleep before you leave Port Phillip. If you are lucky you will sleep through most of the trip, but that is never a guarantee.
I've heard the Spirit of Tasmania is worth the trip. The Bass strait is temperamental
I would like to know why the ship does not dock in Hobart. Devonport Pier leaves a lot to be desired 🤨 the ship docked at the port but bus services finished at 16:00h so only taxi's available.
To buy food you had to cross ywo busy intersections
And the service eas pathetic. No trains to Hobart the Bus Service
pathetic slow and tedious never again. Hobart has thr worlds deepest
Harbour why not dock there.??????
@@marirothbauer5407Infrastructure is not available in Hobart. Devonport and Burnie are the main freight ports, and this is after all a Ferry, not a cruise ship.
Bass Strait is notoriously bad for travel .. even worse to sail a boat across it. But you conquered it .. congratulations. Tassie as we call it is a bit isolated but has very beautiful scenery fantastic fruit and great lobsters. Glad you got to see the Apple Isle. ATVB for the rest of your journies. Bushyboy Oz.
Tassie is awesome
I get seasick, so I think I'll fly lol.
@@feiryfella If you want to take your own car over, the ferry is the way to go. But yeah, it can be rough if you easily get sick when it moves about in rough waters outside. I think first time I went over was actually the Abel Tasman in the 90s. I remember in bed at night at times I started to feel I did not know what was up and down it seemed to sway so much. I think I head an ear ache and was with a girlfriend so she was hoping to check out all the lounges and entertainment on board but I was too sick so was mostly in bed all trip. I went over a decade ago on this ferry with my car as wanted to drive around Tasmania. That was a lot more fun and do not remember being so sick so maybe this more modern ferry handles the rough water a bit better. Having your own car over there was awesome but I think the prices are a lot more expensive than when I did it. I also only had to drive to Port Melbourne so Geelong is a lot further to traverse unless you live down towards Geelong.
One of the most dangerous crossings in the World. Always check the weather before booking.
Bass Straight is so very dangerous the sea on a bad day is frightening.
Even planrs flying over are highly dangerous we were thrown out of our seats. Scary.
@@marirothbauer5407 except if you are taking a vehicle you have to book weeks and months in advance, so checking for weather isn't actually an option.
Tassie really needs to reinvest in trains
Hey, when the boat is rocking like that? That's the best part of the journey, best time to get out on the bow and take the waves used to doing a lot in Alaska.
I've always wondered what it is like travelling on the Spirit of Tasmania, although I've heard Bass Straight is a rough voyage. Thanks for sharing your experience. The room was better than I expected but I'm surprised the meal wasn't included in the price.
Its the only overnight ferry in Australia. The cost is government subsidised but still quite expensive and often familes fly to tasmania and one person takes the car on the ferry. Still if you are going for a couple of weeks having your own car is cheaper than car hire in Tasmania. For a shorter trip though plane is cheaper. Kangaroo island also has a car ferry and Port Phillip bay. None are cheap to use.
Kuga that was a long wait 😂
Wait wait... Kuga-san I hope that wasn't the last episode of the "Australia Arc"?! 😢
👀 It can't end... no, we need to build more public transportation here quickly before that happens
@@betula2137 quickly! We need that Very Fast Train funding ASAP Kuga-san must stay! 😆
Thank you Mr Kuga
Hi @kugastravel5180,
Thank you for choosing to sail with Spirit of Tasmania during your time in Australia. We hope that when you return in the future, you will pay us another visit to experince our new vessels arriving in 2024.
There's still a port in Melbourne, it's Port Melbourne but the SoT port was moved to Geelong.
When WWIII happens, Tasmania looks like a good place to be! Imho, every waterway with the word "strait" in it means "take your seasickness medicine!"
but WW3 is not happening, and it ain't going to.
welcome to Tasmania
Must have been terrifying for you out on the deck with all that water and those birds !
Another great adventure! How do you stay so thin with all the food you eat? :)