CRUISE IN STYLE TO THE CONTINENT

A team from the Sussex Express newspaper was invited to take a look around the Cote d'Albatre.

The roll-on, roll-off ship is 142 metres long and can carry 600 passengers and 62 lorries. It crosses the Channel in three-and-a-half hours - a saving of around an hour on previous sailing times.

Inside the 142-metre long ferry is beautifully finished throughout in dark and blond wood, and is clean, comfortable and well-designed for families and day-trippers alike.

The most striking feature of the new ship is the impressive circular bar, offering panoramic views out to sea, which is reached via large, cruise ship style staircases.

There is a canteen serving drinks, snacks and some hot food as well as a sit-down restaurant which will only be open for three months over the summer period.

Families are well catered for on the new vessel. For children there is a play area with toys, a ball pit and video games. Dotted around the ship are five areas with comfortable seating - which are also equipped with large screens for showing films.

For shoppers, there is a large duty-free store selling gifts, perfumes, tobacco and a number of French products from the Brittany region.

The ship was built on the north-western coast of Spain at the Galician docks of Vigo. She has been in the water since July 2005 and passed extensive sea safety trials impressively.

The Cote d'Albatre will be joined by a sister ship, The Seven Sisters, later this year.