The mv Norman Spirit was built in the early 1990's for the Belgian operated Regie Voor Maritiem Transport and was to set a new standard of service on the Dover to Ostend service. Entering service as the Prins Filip, she surpassed her older fleet mates in size, speed and comfort. RVMT moved their operations to Ramsgate following a breakup on the marketing alliance between them and P&O European Ferries. The mv Prins Filip however was simply too large to safely operate from Ramsgate and problems were often encountered.
In 1997 Regie Voor Maritiem Transport ceased operations and the fleet was put up for sale. The mv Prins Filip was purchased and laid up at Dunkerque by Stena Line, renamed mv Stena Royal she was made available on the charter market. However shortly after she was removed from layup, repainted and entered service as the mv P&OSL Aquitaine for the newly formed alliance between P&O and Stena Line between Dover and Calais. Following the withdrawl of Stena Line from the English Channel in 2003 she was renamed to the standard P&O naming convention of mv Pride of Aquitaine and was to see service on the Dover route until withdrawl in 2005 following the Business Review by P&O. The mv Pride of Aquitaine was withdrawn along with fellow ex.Stena Line fleet mate mv Pride of Provence, it was felt that these vessels were not suited to the route and the new corporate branding P&O were introducing across their fleet.
Prior to being handed back to her owners Stena Line the ship was sent to Falmouth for refitting and overhaul prior to entering layup in Dunkerque. The ship was withdrawn from service some 6 months prior to the charter agreement between P&O and Stena Line ending and the ship was earmarked for emergency cover. The ship was destined not to go back to Stena Line, as a newcomer to the English Channel ferry market was to purchase her outright and following refit re-open a route on the Western Channel which was closed by P&O only days before.
Entering service on the 2nd October 2005 with the evening sailing from Le Havre to Portsmouth under the name of mv Norman Spirit, she was to once again operate medium length crossings. Being designed for the four hour crossing between the Uk and Ostend, the ship should have fitted in well on the 5.5 hour crossing between Le Havre and Portsmouth. However on Deck 7 where cabins once stood, was simply a large coffee shop these cabins being gutted by P&O & Stena Line whilst in operation on the Dover to Calais route where passenger cabins are not required.
So despite entering service with minimal overnight accomodation and still having the public areas upgraded to meet the demands of the 5.5 hour crossing rather than the 90 minute shuttle between Dover and Calais, the mv Norman Spirit is still going strong with a very loyal following, especially amongst freight drivers and the expat community. During the mv Norman Spirits first refit one year after entering service, the ship was to be modified again first of all to incorporate 20 new passenger cabins and also to introduce a revolutionary new idea to cross channel ferries. Previously only seen on Airlines, reclining seats that lay completly flat, and support the feet off the ground. The seats are wider than normal and are very comfortable, only time will tell what the travelling public will think to them but by all accounts they are a hit.
In 1997 Regie Voor Maritiem Transport ceased operations and the fleet was put up for sale. The mv Prins Filip was purchased and laid up at Dunkerque by Stena Line, renamed mv Stena Royal she was made available on the charter market. However shortly after she was removed from layup, repainted and entered service as the mv P&OSL Aquitaine for the newly formed alliance between P&O and Stena Line between Dover and Calais. Following the withdrawl of Stena Line from the English Channel in 2003 she was renamed to the standard P&O naming convention of mv Pride of Aquitaine and was to see service on the Dover route until withdrawl in 2005 following the Business Review by P&O. The mv Pride of Aquitaine was withdrawn along with fellow ex.Stena Line fleet mate mv Pride of Provence, it was felt that these vessels were not suited to the route and the new corporate branding P&O were introducing across their fleet.
Prior to being handed back to her owners Stena Line the ship was sent to Falmouth for refitting and overhaul prior to entering layup in Dunkerque. The ship was withdrawn from service some 6 months prior to the charter agreement between P&O and Stena Line ending and the ship was earmarked for emergency cover. The ship was destined not to go back to Stena Line, as a newcomer to the English Channel ferry market was to purchase her outright and following refit re-open a route on the Western Channel which was closed by P&O only days before.
Entering service on the 2nd October 2005 with the evening sailing from Le Havre to Portsmouth under the name of mv Norman Spirit, she was to once again operate medium length crossings. Being designed for the four hour crossing between the Uk and Ostend, the ship should have fitted in well on the 5.5 hour crossing between Le Havre and Portsmouth. However on Deck 7 where cabins once stood, was simply a large coffee shop these cabins being gutted by P&O & Stena Line whilst in operation on the Dover to Calais route where passenger cabins are not required.
So despite entering service with minimal overnight accomodation and still having the public areas upgraded to meet the demands of the 5.5 hour crossing rather than the 90 minute shuttle between Dover and Calais, the mv Norman Spirit is still going strong with a very loyal following, especially amongst freight drivers and the expat community. During the mv Norman Spirits first refit one year after entering service, the ship was to be modified again first of all to incorporate 20 new passenger cabins and also to introduce a revolutionary new idea to cross channel ferries. Previously only seen on Airlines, reclining seats that lay completly flat, and support the feet off the ground. The seats are wider than normal and are very comfortable, only time will tell what the travelling public will think to them but by all accounts they are a hit.