Isle of Man Sea Terminal
The Isle of Man Sea Terminal (Manx: Boayl Troailtee Varrey Vannin) is the arrival and departure point for all passenger and car ferries operating to and from the Isle of Man and is located in Douglas, the island's capital. It is one of the two main gateways to the Isle of Man, the other one being the Isle of Man Airport. It is operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, which operates year-round sailings to Heysham, and seasonal sailings to Liverpool , Belfast and Dublin in the summer and Birkenhead at weekends in the winter.[1]
The Sea Terminal is located on the near side of Douglas Harbour, closer to the promenade. It is the main hub for Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. It also houses the Isle of Man Welcome Centre, which is the main visitor centre for the island, a theatre box office, and the Department of Infrastructure's Licensing Office. The Douglas Harbour Control Unit is also located on the upper level of the Sea Terminal.
History
Prior to the mid-60s, passengers using ferries to and from the Isle of Man would just simply get on and off. No major security procedures were in place, and passengers would not need any specific identification, all they would need was a valid ticket.
The Isle of Man Sea Terminal was built in 1965, to accommodate rising passenger numbers, and also for security reasons. At that time, the Isle of Man was a major holiday destination, with thousands of holiday-makers flocking from Britain and Ireland during the summer months.
Facilities
Only the ground floor space in the terminal building is used for passengers. Upstairs there are offices and the Douglas Harbour Control Unit.
In the main departure lounge, there is a Costa Coffee café, WHSmith store, a Steam Packet ferry travel shop, a play area for children, toilet facilities, foot passenger check in area and a model of the Laxey Wheel
Outside the main departure lounge, there is the arrivals hall with baggage belt, restaurant and the Isle of Man Welcome Centre.
At one point, there was a restaurant on the top floor called the Crow's Nest. This is now used as the harbour control unit. The restaurant was quite popular, as it boasted views over the main harbour.
Outside the terminal, is the vehicle check in and marshalling area, where all vehicles must wait until the ship is ready for boarding.
The Sea Terminal is sometimes used as a waiting point for passengers travelling on the Laxey Towing Company's Karina pleasure cruiser. It operates daily trips to Port Soderick, Laxey and other destinations from the cruise ship landing stage in the harbour next to the Victoria Pier.
Connecting island transport
The island's government-owned bus operator, Bus Vannin has a nearby bus station which serves most routes on the island, as well as Douglas town routes.
The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, operates in the summer time from the Sea Terminal, along Douglas Promenade to Derby Castle, which is the Manx Electric Railway's southern terminus, enabling passengers to travel from the Sea Terminal to Ramsey.
The Isle of Man Steam Railway operates from the nearby Douglas Station to Port Erin. The station is about a ten-minute walk from the Sea Terminal.
Photo gallery
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Manannan on the Victoria Pier with the Laxey Towing Company's Karina on the cruise ship landing stage in the foreground.
See also
- Isle of Man Steam Packet Company
- Isle of Man Government
- Isle of Man Department of Transport
- Isle of Man Department of Tourism and Leisure
References
External links
- Isle of Man Steam Packet website
- Isle of Man Department of Transport
- Isle of Man Department of Tourism and Leisure
Coordinates: 54°08′53″N 4°28′26″W / 54.148°N 4.474°W