Stena Estelle ferry

Former names: AVIC Weihai WO270, Zhaoshang270

Stena Estelle ferry current position

Stena Estelle ferry current location is at Baltic Sea (coordinates 55.62074 N / 16.71151 E) cruising at speed of 14.7 kn (27 km/h | 17 mph) en route to PLGDY-SEKAA-PLGDY. The AIS position was reported 16 minutes ago.

Current Position

Specifications of Stena Estelle ferry

Year of build2022  /  Age: 2
Flag state Cyprus
BuilderAVIC CMI Jinling Weihai Shipyard (Weihai, China)
ClassSTENA E-FLEXER cruiseferry (Ro-Pax ship)
Ferry route / homeportsKarlskrona-Gdynia
Building costEUR 185 million (USD 205 million)
Engines (power)MAK-Caterpillar (28.8 MW / 38621 hp)
Speed22 kn / 41 km/h / 25 mph
Length (LOA)240 m / 787 ft
Beam (width)28 m / 92 ft
Gross Tonnage45000 gt
Passengers1200
Crew75
Cars200
Freight vehicles240
Decks10
Cabins263
Decks with cabins3
Sister-shipsE-FLEXER series
Former namesAVIC Weihai WO270, Zhaoshang270
Christened bytba
OwnerStena AB (via Stena RoRo AB)
OperatorSTENA LINE (via Stena Ropax Ltd)

Stena Estelle ferry Review

Review of Stena Estelle ferry

MS Stena Estelle ferry is a Ro-Pax passenger vessel operated by the Sweden-based company STENA LINE. The ship has a max capacity of 1200 passengers, 200 cars and 240 freight vehicles (lorries). The vessel was launched in 2021 (delivered in 2022) and currently operates on the Sweden-Poland ferry route Karlskrona-Gdynia (crossing time 10,5 hours/day and night crossings).

Cabins

As cruise ferry, Stena Estelle has 263 cabins. All staterooms are air-conditioned and with en-suite bathrooms. All passenger cabins (inside and outside) have a max capacity of 4 people. The ferry company provides bed linens, towels, and toiletries. Some staterooms are wheelchair-accessible (adapted for disabled passengers). The ship also offers "pet-friendly" cabins. All cabins are equipped with luxury DUX beds and mattresses, Hansgrohe bathroom faucets and showerheads, phones, TVs (satellite reception), desk (mirrored vanity table with chair), open wardrobe.

For reserved seating, passengers can upgrade to Stena Plus Lounge. Reserved seat deals are inclusive of airline-type seats (fully reclining leather armchairs), complimentary hot and cold beverages (coffee, specialty teas, soft drinks, wine by the glass), snacks, newspapers, magazines.

All passengers must vacate their staterooms 30 min prior to homeport arrival.

Stena Estelle ferry ship (STENA LINE)

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

As facilities, the Stena Estelle ship offers:

  • Metropolitan Restaurant (a la carte priced formal venue - gourmet food, Mediterranean cuisine, fine wines menu, drinks, children's menus)
  • Taste Restaurant (self-service buffet, hot and cold meals, kids menus)
  • Barista Coffee Bar (patisserie/specialty coffee bar selling sandwiches, cakes, pastries, fruit salads, yogurt, ice cream, hot/cold drinks)
  • Taste (wine bar), Riva Bar, Sundeck Bar (weather dependent)
  • C-View Bar Lounge (panoramic)
  • Truckers Lounge (bar lounge and restaurant exclusively for truck drivers)
  • Children's Room (indoor soft play playground for kids fitted with large TV for watching cartoons, toys, and games, supervised activities)
  • Teen Town (video games room with arcade machines)
  • Stena Shopping Center (gifts, souvenirs, spirits, wines, tobaccos, brand perfumes and cosmetics, skincare products, leather goods, toys, confectionery, fashion clothing and accessories, gadgets and electronics, designer watches, sunglasses and jewelry, convenience goods and travel essentials). Onboard retail shopping promotions are often held and provide up to 50% discounted pricing on big brand merchandise.
  • Internet Room, News Room (magazine lounge), Bureau de Change
  • Media Room (conference center/meeting room)
  • Casino (gambling tables, slot machines)
  • Cinema (tickets are available at the ship's Reception / Guest Services Desk)
  • Sun Deck (wooden-decked sunbathing and outdoor relaxation area served by its own Bar)
  • Smoking Area
  • Kennels
  • free Wi-Fi service, ATM/cash machine (next to Information Desk / Reception).
  • Midship on its top deck (Heli Deck) there is a helipad - helicopter landing platform used in cases of emergency.
  • All bars and lounges are fitted with large TVs and comfortable seating.

All onboard emergency instructions are displayed in staterooms, on the TV screens and at the ship's assembly stations (aka muster stations). Life jackets are issued at the assembly stations. In case of emergency, the use of elevators/passenger lifts is forbidden.

STENA ferry deals

Follows a list of discounts and special offers provided by Stena Line (direct bookings only).

  • On the routes Holland-UK (Hook of Holland-Harwich, day voyages only), Denmark-Norway (Frederikshavn-Oslo, Monday to Friday only), Denmark-Sweden (Grenaa-Varberg) and Germany-Sweden (Rugen Island / Sassnitz-Trelleborg and Rostock-Trelleborg), passengers can ferry caravans free of charge. This discount applies to the car plus caravan fares and can't be combined with other offers.
  • Motorhomes can be ferried between UK and Holland priced as cars (day voyages only).
  • STENA's train and ferry deals offer discounted pricing on train travel to London (fares subject to availability). STENA issues e-tickets (not separate train tickets) and the passenger's self-printed e-ticket serves as a train ticket. Dutch Railways tickets (to and from the port) can't be included in the ferry booking. These e-tickets are not valid on private UK rail carriers. Intercity Direct and ICE trains are with extra charge.
  • Special meals (vegan, vegetarian, kosher, halal food, gluten- or lactose-free foods) can be pre-ordered on the UK-Holland route Harwich-Hook of Holland. All the ingredients used for these special meals are verified by their manufacturers. Vegetarian meals contain dairy products, eggs, vegetables. Muslim meals don't contain pork (or by-products) as well as food containing alcohol. Special food orders must be made 48 hours prior departure (via email upon booking or by calling +31 (0)174 - 315 811).
  • In 2013, the ships Britannica and Hollandica were equipped each with 2 electric car charging points (3,7 kW 16A, Euro standard Type 2). However, these charging points can't be pre-booked. Charging an electric car on the ship is free of charge and takes 4-6 hours. Only on the ships Britannica and Hollandica change machines are available (ATM by GWK Travelex) located in the lobby area (Deck 9, opposite the Reception Desk).
  • Only on the ships serving the Denmark-Norway route (Frederikshavn-Oslo), there are power connections (at a fee) for caravan fridges and freezers.
  • Hand luggage restrictions per person (carried in the ship's public areas) include max dimensions 60x50x40 cm and up to 12 kg. Foot passengers are allowed to bring only 2 pieces of extra luggage (up to 20 kg), checked-in on day voyages (unless there is a booked cabin). Car passengers must leave their luggage in the vehicle. Remember that car decks are closed during the voyage. Any extra baggage will be surcharged.
  • All STENA ships allow boarding with LPG-fueled vehicles ("liquefied petroleum gas").
  • The company doesn't allow 36-weeks pregnant women to travel, as well as 34 weeks pregnant when expecting more than one baby.
  • Passengers with restricted mobility will be assisted prior departure and also onboard. Such passengers must contact the company's staff at least 48 hours prior to departure (via email or by calling +31 (0)174-315811). Wheelchair passengers must arrive at the port at least 2 hours prior to departure and go to the company's check-in desk.
  • Bicycles can be ferried (at a fee) on all STENA ships and on all routes.
  • Tickets with blank return date are not offered. However, it is possible to book "open ticket" with a temporary date, that can be changed later to the actual return date.

STENA LINE's deals are categorized as "Economy", "Flexi" and "Premium". ECONOMY fares are always the cheapest, but with an amendment fee and without refund for changes and cancellations. FLEXI fares allow changes to be made to your booking at no cost. Passengers only pay the difference in fare, with the option of a full refund for canceling. PREMIUM fares (depending on routes) offer different bonus perks, such as express boarding and disembarkation, Stena Plus Lounge seats, included Breakfast. PREMIUM deals are not available on the routes Sassnitz / Rostock-Trelleborg, Grenaa-Varberg, Nynashamn-Ventspils (Latvia), and Travemunde-Liepaja (Latvia). PREMIUM fares on the route Hook of Holland-Harwich are inclusive of Stena Plus Lounge seat and Breakfast (on night voyages only).

Stena Estelle ferry ship (STENA LINE)

Pets on the ship

Pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets) can be ferried on all STENA ships, but some requirements depend on the itinerary (destination).

  • Pets are not allowed in passenger cabins unless the stateroom is "pet-friendly" (usually 2-bed dog's cabin).
  • All ships have a dog toilet.
  • At all times during the voyage, dogs must be leashed and muzzled, and never left alone.
  • Guide dogs travel for free and are allowed on all passenger decks and in the owners' cabin (but must wear a harness or jacket).

On STENA ferries serving Scandinavian routes (to Sweden, Norway, Latvia) are required valid EU pet passports with standard information about the animal's identity, vaccinations (other treatments). Pets also must have an approved microchip (or tattoo) and rabies vaccination by an authorized veterinarian. Pets traveling to Norway must be treated for tapeworm. Passengers with pets must arrive at the port at least 1-hour prior to departure.

On STENA ferries to England and Ireland, passengers with pets must arrive at the port at least 2 hours prior departure. For all other routes, this time is 1 - 1,5 hours. All animals are subject to the UK Pet Travel scheme rules and must be at least 15 weeks old. EU pet passports and microchips are required. Car passengers can ferry up to 5 animals (per vehicle). These cars receive a colored hanger (placed on the windscreen rear-view mirror until customs are cleared in each port). Pets in vehicles must remain inside at all times. Foot passengers are allowed up to 5 pets, but pre-booking an onboard kennel is required. Children traveling with an animal must be 16 years old. When traveling with 6 or more animals, they must be at least 6 months old.

All STENA ships have onboard kennels, of which 7x big (100x97x94 cm), 2x medium-sized (100x64x108 cm) and 16x small (100x65x50 cm). All cabins provide TV monitoring of the kennels. Visits of the pet during the voyage are recommended.

Car decks

Follows a list of car deck-related safety procedures:

  • Disabled passengers or those requiring specific assistance should visit the ship's Information Desk (open 24-hours).
  • Apply handbrake and place the vehicle in park or 1st gear position. Switch off the ignition, alarm, electrical equipment, headlights. Gas cylinders, if any, must be switched off. Lock the vehicle.
  • From your vehicle take only valuables and essential hand baggage.
  • Make a note of your vehicle's location and garage deck number/stairway before leaving the car deck.
  • Access to the ship's vehicle (cargo) decks during the voyage is prohibited.
  • Smoking on vehicle decks, as well as in cabins and passenger lounges is forbidden.
  • Wait for the onboard announcement before returning to your vehicle.
  • In order to avoid air pollution, don't start the engine until instructed.

ferry company STENA LINE logo - CruiseMapper

The shipowner Stena Line (fleet, 1962-founded, headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden) is one of the world's largest ferry companies, providing freight and travel services on Northern Europe's routes that connect UK, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Holland, Norway, Sweden, Poland.

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Stena Estelle ferry Wiki

"Stena E-Flexer" is a new RO-PAX vessel class introduced by STENA LINE, with all units being constructed in China. After nearly 2 years design period, in April 2016, STENA ordered the first four E-Flexer ships from the Chinese shipbuilding company AVIC Weihai, with optional 4 more units of the same class. The first E-Flexer ship's (Estrid) construction started in February 2018. In July 2018, STENA ordered 2x more sisterships (Estelle and Ebba), accounting for all the 8 options in the original shipbuilding order. Later, Stena RoRo announced taking new options for 4x more E-Flexer units (up to a total of 12).

Some E-Flexers are long-term chartered to Brittany Ferries and DFDS Seaways, and the rest are operated by Stena RoRo (subsidiary of Stena Group/shipowner). Stena ships Estelle and Ebba represent a modified "E-Flexer MkII" design, being an extended version/E-Flexer's largest, with LOA length 240 m (788 ft), DWT-deadweight tonnage 8500 tons, draught 6,4 m. These ferries are the largest E-Flexers, with increased passenger capacity (30% more, also 40% more cabins, 50% more beds) and cargo capacity (15% more) over the other E-Flexers.

The Stena Estelle vessel is Cyprus-flagged (MMSI 210326000) and registered in Limassol. The 7th E-FLEXER - Stena Estelle (hull/yard number WO270) had its construction start on October 14, 2020 (keel-laying ceremony). Block assembly started in February 2021 and the ship was launched/floated out on May 24, 2021 (left the building-dock on May 25th). Estelle's sistership (Ebba) was scheduled for delivery in November 2022.

Stena Estelle's relocation voyage from China started in June 2022, leaving from Weihai via Singapore, India, Middle East, Suez Canal, Gibraltar UK (Aug 3-4), Vlissingen Netherlands (Aug 8-10), Karlskrona Sweden (Aug 13) and ending in Gdansk Poland (arriving on Aug 14, at 3:20 UTC). The boat docked at Port Gdansk's Remontowa shipyard for final outfitting. The regular Poland-Sweden service was inaugurated on September 4th (Maiden Voyage out of Gdynia to Karlskrona).

Estelle and Ebba are the last of the all 5x E-FLEXERs ordered by STENA LINE via Stena RoRo. Both cruise ships are longer (240 vs 215 m), with bigger passenger capacity (1200 vs 1000), more staterooms (263 vs 175) and bigger cargo capacity (3600 lanemeters vs 3100/or 15% increase). As a result, "E-Flexer MkII" ferries are also fitted with shore power connectivity systems.

All E-Flexer cruiseferries are with LNG-powered propulsion (running on LNG / liquefied natural gas).

On September 27, 2021, Niclas Martensson (Stena Line's CEO) announced his company's plans to deploy its newest ferries (Estelle and Ebba) on the Sweden-Latvia route Nynashamn-Ventspils (replacing the older and smaller Stena Baltica and Stena Scandica) for a 25% increase in freight shipping capacity on this line. The announcement also mentioned that STENA is contemplating an investment for battery packs to be fitted to both ships, which would allow them to partially run on battery power while at sea, for further reduction of CO emissions. Also was mentioned that the Karlskrona Sweden-Gdynia Poland will be expanded with Baltica and Scandica (both drydock-lengthened to 222 m), but that this is also "a possible route" for the longer E-Flexers.

However, in April 2022, STENA announced that due to increased freight ferry demand in the South Baltic Sea region, the two larger E-Flexers will be deployed on the Karlskrona-Gdynia route, starting in July with Estelle. The announcement included that Scandia and Baltica will continue the Nynashamn-Ventspils service.

In April 2021, AVIC CMI Jinling contracted Deltamarin (1990-founded, Turku Finland-based company specializing in ship design, marine construction support and offshore engineering) for the complete design packages of the last three STENA E-FLEXERs (units 10th, 11th, 12th) for two different long-term charter clients. According to the currently available information, TBN10 was for Marine Atlantic (scheduled delivery in 2024), TBN11 for Brittany Ferries (delivery in 2024) and TBN 12 also for Brittany Ferries (delivery in 2025).

Each of these three cruise ships has LOA length 195 m, width/beam 28 m, max draught 6,5 m, crew+passenger capacity 1400, dual-fuel engines (running on LNG-biogas-ammonia), battery hybrid propulsion system (10 MWh for in-port maneuvering, 8 MWh for shore-power connection/batteries charging). TBN11 has cargo capacity: 2377 lanemeters (including 176 for passenger cars), while TBN12 has cargo capacity: 2517 lanemeters (including 1388 for passenger cars).

Stena E-FLEXER ship technology

E-FLEXER-class ferries were designed by Deltamarin (a subsidiary of AVIC International) specializing in ship design and offshore engineering and construction.

The first six E-FLEXERs have LOA length 215 m (704 ft), width 28 m (91 ft), max draft 6,4 m (21 ft), cargo deck capacity 3100 lanemeters (plus additional space for 120 cars).

The 7th and 8th FLEXERs are larger - 45000 GT-tons, LOA 240 m (790 ft), freight capacity 3600 lanemeters, 263 cabins, passenger capacity 1200. Interior layouts are according to the chartering company's requirements. For their interior were contracted the companies Figura Arkitekter AB (Sweden) and Rheinhold & Mahla GmbH (Germany).

Next are listed all China-built STENA E-FLEXER ships constructed by CMI Jinling (Weihai).

E-FLEXER numberSHIPOPERATORROUTEDELIVERYmisc.
1Stena EstridStena LineHolyhead-Dublin2019 Nov-
2Stena EddaStena LineBelfast-Liverpool2020 Jan-
4Stena EmblaStena LineBelfast-Liverpool2020 Nov-
 GaliciaBrittany Ferries

Portsmouth-Cherbourg-Santander

Rosslare-Cherbourg-Bilbao

2020 Aug-
5Cote d'OpaleDFDS FerriesDover-Calais2021 May-
6SalamancaBrittany Ferries-2021 NovLNG-powered
7Stena EstelleStena LineKarlskrona-Gdynia2022 Mayextended version
8Stena EbbaStena LineKarlskrona-Gdynia2022 Septextended version
9SantonaBrittany Ferries

Portsmouth-Cherbourg-Santander/Bilbao

Rosslare-Cherbourg-Bilbao

2022 DecLNG-powered
10AlasuinuMarine Atlantic (Canada)Newfoundland-Nova Scotia (Channel-Port aux Basques - North Sydney)2024LNG+battery
11Saint-MaloBrittany Ferries

Portsmouth-Caen/Ouistreham

Portsmouth-St Malo

2024 JulLNG+battery
12Guillaume de NormandieBrittany Ferries

Portsmouth-Caen/Ouistreham

Portsmouth-St Malo

2025 MayLNG+battery

The first five E-FLEXERs are powered by two MaK marine diesel engines (model M43C) with total power output 25,2 MW (33,800 hp). The propulsion system is by Caterpillar. Ships. The engines are "LNG-ready" (designed to be compatible with LNG fuel after some modifications) Four E-FLEXERs (ships 6th, 10th, 11th, 12th) are LNG-fueled by the original design.

Stena E-FLEXERs are among the world's most energy-efficient passenger ships ever constructed.