Route Hull-Zeebrugge Length 179 m Draft 6.1 m | Builder NKK, Japan Launched August 1986 | |
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Name Norsun (1987-2003)
Pride of Bruges (2003 – present) Owner Nedlloyd (1987-1996)
P&O Ferries (1996-present) Operator North Sea Ferries (1987-1996)
P&O North Sea Ferries (1996-2002)
P&O Ferries (2002 – present) Port of registry Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
MS Pride of Bruges, originally in service as Norsun, is a P&O Ferries ship crossing the North Sea between Zeebrugge and Hull.
Contents
History
The ship was built by Nippon Kokan K.K. Tsurumi Yard in Yokohama, Japan. The keel was laid in 1985 and was launched in 1986. Upon completion, the ship entered service in 1987 for Noordzee Veerdiensten or North Sea Ferries, then a joint-venture between Dutch Nedlloyd and British P&O. The first years it sailed on the Rotterdam-Hull route with sister ship Norsea, replacing Norstar and Norland. The Norsun sailed under the Dutch flag and was owned by the Dutch half of the joint-venture, while the Norsea was British.
In 1996 ownership transferred to P&O Ferries as Nedlloyd sold its 50% stake to P&O. The ships sailed the Rotterdam route until 2001 when they were replaced by the Pride of Rotterdam and the Pride of Hull.
In 2002 the ships were transferred to the Zeebrugge-Hull route, again replacing Norstar and Norland. Both ships were internally modernized before entering service on this new route.
In October 2016 it was announced that Pride of Bruges and Pride of York would be going for a refit. This is supposed to extend their working lives by five years. In Ships Monthly, December 2016 issue this is described;
P&O Ferries are set to invest in passenger area upgrades for Hull-Zeebrugge route vessels Pride of York and Pride of Bruges during spring 2017 refits designed to extend their working lives by at least a further five years. Pride of York is due to return on 20 February, with Pride of Bruges resuming service on 23 March.
There was no mention of withdrawing the pair, but after the refit's life extension, new ships will be needed.
Layout
Pride of Bruges has several decks including;
Green Deck
Green Deck is the fourth deck from the waterline. Forward are Cabins 3000-3090. These cabins are either Premier or Club cabins and most of them were added in the 2002 refit. Further aft are the children's playroom and the quiet room. Around this area is the main elevators and stairway, which has golden handrails, mirrors and marble flooring. At the stern of this deck is the Kitchen restaurant and the Brasserie restaurant that is decorated with many P&O Pictures of old ships such as Canberra and Arcadia. The aftermost part of this deck is a small promenade section for people eating in the kitchen.
Red Deck
Red Deck is the main deck of the ship. Forward, Standard, and Premier rooms are located. The location of the cabins on each deck minimises felt vibration and noise from the engines. Further aft is the reception and bureau de change for foreign currency. In this room is a giant model of Pride of Bruges which is very impressive. Behind this is the liquor and tobacco shop which is beside the beauty and gift shop that is placed in the middle of the ship. Also adjacent is the coffee shop and cafe. Also on the Red Deck are the boulevard bar, casino, video arcade and the sunset show lounge which has a bar, dance floor and a wall covering picture of the town centre of Bruges. The most aft section is a promenade deck like on green deck which is accessible to everyone.
Blue Deck
Blue deck is similar to red deck. Forward are four club cabins that show a view over the ships bow. The rest of the cabins are Standard inside and outside cabins. In the centre of this deck is the stairway lobby which has access to the large promenade deck outside. This promenade deck is on port and starboard sides and extends for half of the ship's length. The section aft of this room is the Moonlight Lounge, which features a pianist singing jazz at select times. A cinema is located adjacent to the lounge. The aftermost part of this deck is the promenade deck.
Hull
Pride of Bruges docks at terminal 2, king George dock, hull. Just a few hundred yards away is the terminal for the Hull-Rotterdam ferries. To leave Hull the ship has to squeeze through 'the lock' bow first which only has a few centimetres of clearance on each side. To come back to dock in Hull she has to reverse through the lock, turn and dock.
Zeebrugge
Zeebrugge is more simple than Hull. To dock the ship sails through the harbour gates turns, reverses and docks.
Sister Ships
The Pride of Bruges has one sister ship:
In The Media
The 'MS Pride of Bruges' featured in Episode Three of the BBC Documentary 'Engineering Giants': Ferry Strip-Down, first Broadcast on BBC Two on Sunday 29 July 2012. Its Sister ship, The Pride of York, was also shown.