GEELONG, Australia â Spirit of Tasmania’s booking website struggled under a surge of demand on Wednesday after additional tickets for the new Spirit of Tasmania IV and V ferries went on sale, leaving customers in online queues and some unable to complete bookings.
The September 16 release opened more passenger and vehicle capacity ahead of the new ships entering service between Geelong and Devonport. It was particularly important for travellers with cars, caravans and motorhomes after popular sailing dates had become difficult to book.
Website hit by demand minutes after tickets opened
Tickets were scheduled to go live at 10am, but customers were quickly shown a notice saying the booking system was experiencing high demand and users were being placed in a queue.
By about 11am, customers could view available sailings, but some attempts to complete bookings resulted in a 502 Bad Gateway error.
The release included additional capacity on dates that had previously appeared sold out. Earlier bookings had effectively been limited to capacity comparable with the older Spirit of Tasmania I and II vessels, despite their replacements being significantly larger.
That distinction matters during Tasmania’s peak travel periods because passengers may find accommodation while vehicle space â particularly for caravans and motorhomes â is unavailable.
How much bigger are Spirit IV and V?
Spirit of Tasmania IV and V are 212 metres long and can carry up to 1,800 passengers, compared with about 1,400 aboard the existing ships.
Vehicle capacity increases from 2,565 lane metres to 4,098 lane metres, while each new vessel has 301 cabins compared with 222 on Spirits I and II.
The additional vehicle space is a major upgrade for drive tourism, giving the ships considerably more capacity for cars, caravans and motorhomes travelling across Bass Strait.
Spirit of Tasmania’s official information on the new ships provides current details on bookings, accommodation, vehicles and the transition to the new fleet.
Pet-friendly accommodation among major changes
The new ships introduce facilities beyond the extra capacity, including pet-friendly accommodation and climate-controlled kennel areas. Passengers travelling with pets should check exactly which cabin options are available for their chosen sailing because new accommodation features are being introduced in stages.
Other facilities include restaurants and bars, cinemas, shops, children’s areas and gaming facilities.
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No passenger sailings for eight days
Travellers should also be aware of an eight-day break in passenger services during the fleet changeover.
Spirits I and II are available through October 22, followed by a transition period from October 23 to October 30. Bookings on the new fleet are available from October 31.
The shutdown gives TT-Line time for crew transitions, commissioning, systems verification and operational preparation before commercial services with the new ships.
Passengers arranging flights around their ferry journey may want extra flexibility. Recent Sydney Airport delays linked to air traffic control staffing shortages showed how disruption elsewhere in Australia’s transport network can complicate tightly timed connections.
New ships initially move to night sailings
The initial timetable for Spirits IV and V will focus on night sailings. TT-Line has said the increased capacity reduces the immediate need for regular daytime crossings, although additional services could be considered if demand requires them.
The website rush does not necessarily mean every future sailing will sell out, but it highlights the pent-up interest as travellers gain access to capacity that had previously been held back.
Long-awaited ferries follow costly delays
Spirit IV and V will replace Spirits I and II, which have operated between Victoria and Tasmania since 2002.
The new ships were built in Finland by Rauma Marine Constructions, but their introduction has been overshadowed by delays and escalating costs, including problems surrounding the infrastructure required for the larger vessels in Devonport.
A Tasmanian parliamentary inquiry heard that the ferry replacement program was costing $717 million more than forecast in the original business case. The project also involved an $81 million support package linked to the Finnish shipbuilder.
The transition comes as Australian transport networks face heavy demand around major travel periods. Large crowds were also evident during Melbourne’s major NFL weekend, illustrating the pressure big events and concentrated travel demand can place on local infrastructure.
For Spirit of Tasmania passengers, the immediate priority is to confirm both passenger and vehicle availability, check accommodation options and monitor bookings as the October fleet changeover approaches.
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