Stena Line Duty Free day trips

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120356472#Comment_120356472

Bangor is slightly less grim. But that's really not a recommendation either.

Bargain_Hound

We did this a couple of years back with the young lad who was around 4 at the time. Went with no expectations (Having been a vehicle passenger going through holyhead for many years), being on foot was a first for a day trip. While the town is pretty grim, we got lucky with the weather on a hot day and we managed to walk up close to North Stack lighthouse, Breakwater country park, Stop at a small playground on the way back for the young lad to play, Dinner and a pint in a pub in the town and back on the ferry. I wouldn't fancy going and getting stuck on a wet day, the weather saved us.

muloc

Any reason you couldn't buy 2 day returns and stay overnight in Wales and not use 2 legs?

Coming in at €34 where if I book a short overnight stay on their site it's €62 (2×42 and then some discounts applied)

muloc

'Bookings will auto-cancel if passengers do not check-in on the outward journey of the day trip ticket'

Means you are restricted to the 9.00 or 2.45pm sailing back from Holyhead the 2nd day!

scudzilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120435066#Comment_120435066

We're forever using 2 day trips for family visiting us or us visiting them

Like my daughter will come over from Wales on a day trip and pay 16, she just doesnt go back on return leg, will then book another day trip going home from Ireland

When i go over in car i will take kids in car wit me and wife will board as a day trip passenger, same on return leg, saves about 50quid a time

mondeoman72

Im going over Wednesday. Probably take the train to Bangor. 30 odd quid train tickets for the 3 of us, with the child free. Looking forward to it. Especially if I am not the designated driver down to the port and back. Will report back on Thursday.

AlanG

Has anyone ever tried to use their children duty free alowance for Alcohol. I have looked several places and while revenue state restrictions for under 15s for the monetary value of goods the alcohol allowance is listed per person. Strictly speaking I don't think its illegal for U18s to drink at home with their parnets so why would they not have an allowance.

Rock Steady Edy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120437333#Comment_120437333

Do you never get queried by the check-in staff as to why you're not buying a proper return? Do you get away with bringing luggage because I thought you were supposed to be limited to a small bag for day-trips? Do you make the consecutive bookings on line (one day trip departing Dublin and another 2 days later starting from Holyhead?) Do they really not follow up on these? Seems a bit odd given the huge difference in fare between a day return fare (from €16) and a single (from €42). They must know people are doing this and chosing to ignore it?

CH3OH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120439830#Comment_120439830

"If you are under 17, you are not entitled to tobacco or alcohol allowances."

https://www.revenue.ie/en/customs/individuals/info-travelling-duty-free/from-outside-eu/rules.aspx

Unknownability

Has anyone ever actually been stopped or seen a customs officer?

scudzilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120441457#Comment_120441457

Nope, not once and my family and I have been doing it for some time, when they coming here it's normally 2 or 3 days, when we go over there its normally 5.

Nothing in T&C, that I could see anyway, in saying that you HAD to use return journey

scudzilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120441887#Comment_120441887

Seen customs but never been stopped, easier to get through with a car.

I've seen some stopped as foot passengers but they've really been taking the piss, a huge bag of duty free, bulging and clunking with bottles.

mondeoman72

IMG_20230405_103420.jpg

IMG_20230405_103540.jpg

Hello from the middle of the Irish sea. Deals in duty free are super. Here are some examples

mondeoman72

Di saranno and Tia Maria, 1 litre bottles,. 15 sterling, buy 1, get 1 free.

Benson and hedges, 60 sterling or a twin pack of 400. 100 sterling.

Friend bought perfume at 47 sterling but girl at till advised of a travel offer including free stuff for same price. Friend delighted. Sitting here with my feet up just chilling

Yellow Dog

How much is a pint onboard?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120444108#Comment_120444108

https://www.stenaline.co.uk/-/media/Files/UK-North-Sea/Menus/drink-list/taste-drink-list.pdf?la=en-GB

The above is a .pdf

mondeoman72

I'm back on the boat for 830 so will have a look

mondeoman72

IMG_20230406_012337.jpg

Bar price list. Stena estrid

cuttingtimber22

Another option is to do sail and rail - head to somewhere in UK (London, Oxford, Stratford, Liverpool) for a few nights and do the duty free on the way back. Win win of a nice mini break and cheap duty free in the way homeZ

muloc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120444860#Comment_120444860

Is there a cinema on the boat?

mondeoman72

I think there is one on the 830 boat, the Stena adventurer. And 2 on the 2030 boat - Stena estrid. Estrid was showing top gun maverick on one screen and the other screen a movie abut pets.

Our group enjoyed the day out. No agenda or schedule, got off the boat about 1230, jumped a taxi up to the retail park and it cost 3 quid. Dawdled about, went to the pub there and had dinner, and then it was half six. 3 quid back to the boat and that's it

Customs in Dublin port was one lassie looking at us walking through.

Unknownability

Did this recently, kids enjoyed it.

There were 3 cinemas on the boat, no issue with customs, there was no one there except a gardai checking passports.

We did the short turn around so just walked into the village and went to a play centre for an hour.

Only thing that stood out was I'd imagine the crowd can be quite rough and also the bar seemed expensive €6.45 for a Guinness.

lord lucan

Can you stay on the boat and come back on the next crossing or do you have to leave and check in again?

mondeoman72

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120487128#Comment_120487128

You have to get off and get on again. Not a big deal. 3 pounds in a taxi to the retail park or take a little walk.

skibum

Stena day trip to Holyhead / Conwy

Arrived at T2 at 7am, loads of parking available. €9 for 24 hours. Ticket machine takes both coins and card.

Checked in, was only asked for my name, didn't have to show my ticket or ID.

Boarded bus from terminal at 7.50.

Ferry left on time. It wasn't busy; there were plenty of seats available.

There are a plenty of 3 pin sockets dotted around the seating areas.

Great selection of duty free on the Adventurer on way out. Much better that what was offered on Irish Ferries Ulysses last month.

Any of the staff I had dealings with were all very pleasant.

Some on line comments are going on about how the Adventurer is showing its age, I couldn't fault it, it was spacious, clean and comfortable. I can't comment on the cabins.

The free wifi is more than good enough for browsing, but not for YouTube etc. You can pay think it’s £4 for the crossing.

Docked at holyhead around 11.45, there were about 50 foot passengers, and we cleared security by 12.15.

When we arrived they were checking everybody ahead in the Q for ID, there was a couple ahead of us that were stopped and brought into a side room, we were then just waved on, no checks for the rest of us....

I got the 1.30 train to Conwy (£17.30 for return ticket). There are power and USB sockets at seats with tables and USB sockets at the regular seats.

Conwy is a "request" station, when the conductor checks your ticket from Holyhead make sure you tell him that you want to get off there. On the way back from Conwy you have to signal to the approaching train, like you would for a bus, otherwise it won't stop.

Had a nice relaxing afternoon there, fish and chips, did the walls walk and visited the castle, finished it off with a pint in the George and Dragon pub before getting the train back. All the locals I met were genuinely sound.

Checked in at Holyhead, they didn't ask for ID, just my surname... Again the ferry left on time.

The Estrid also has a great duty free, much better choice of food than the adventurer. Like the Adventurer they only opened for 1 hour 15 min.

On a quiet crossing I don't think you need to pay extra for the lounges, the public areas are spacious and comfortable.

When we got back to Dublin, there was a drug sniffer dog checking everybody, and Garda checking all ID's, didn't see any customs officers.

skibum

Stena Estrid menu

muloc

@skibum thanks for the info. What time train did you get back to Holyhead?

skibum

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120520771#Comment_120520771

Around 6.30 pm from Conwy, takes about 50 minutes.

I enjoyed the trip, some thing different, and didn't cost a whole lot.

Cape Clear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120521199#Comment_120521199

How was the duty free shopping experience?

skibum

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120521926#Comment_120521926

My primary reason for the trip was to get away for a day, do something different, clear the head 😀

The duty free was a bonus.

The duty free opens about 30 min after departure and stays open for about 1.5 hours. The staff were very nice and friendly.

I bought 2 x 1 litre bottles of Finnish vodka for £19, and a bottle of Hermes after shave (marked price in shelf was £42, got it for £21). The vodka is way better than I was expecting.

Don't smoke, but was talking to a couple who were getting cigarettes and rolling tobacco, they were happy with the prices.

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