MV Caledonian Isles

Class overview
Name	MV Caledonian Isles

MV Caledonian Isles is one of the largest ships in the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet. Caledonian MacBrayne operates ferries in the Hebridean and Clyde Islands of Scotland. MV Caledonian Isles serves the Isle of Arran on the Ardrossan to Brodick route. As it one of Caledonian MacBrayne's busiest routes, MV Caledonian Isles has the largest passenger capacity in the fleet, and can carry up to 1000 passengers and 110 cars, with a crossing time of 55 minutes. She is used extensively by daytrippers to the Isle of Arran during the summer.

Layout

Modelled on the popular MV Isle of Mull of five years earlier, Caledonian Isles incorporates a fully enclosed car deck with watertight ramps at either end. When closed, the bow ramp seals the car deck and when open, forms the bridge between the ship and the linkspan. The car deck incorporates a set of mezzanine decks, one down each side of the central casing and each divided into three sections. These can be moved up and down to their deployed or stowed positions. When deployed, these allow additional cars to be loaded. If the mezzanine decks are fully deployed there is insufficient height to accommodate lorries etc other than at the bow and stern. The central casing means that she can only carry one lane of commercial vehicles down each side of the car deck.^[1]

The passenger accommodation is similar to that onboard the Mull ship. Forward of the main entrance square is the cafeteria, with stairways leading up to the observation lounge and the outside deck. Aft of the entrance there are lounges down either side with toilet blocks, the shop and a bar lounge further towards the stern. The next deck up has the forward observation lounge at the bow and crew accommodation. An open deck extends right around the vessel on this level, including forward of the observation lounge and overlooking the bow. The upper deck has the bridge and outside seating from the huge red funnel towards the stern. Also on this level are the four enclosed lifeboats – 2 larger and 2 smaller boats mounted on davits.^[1]

Service

She is usually berthed overnight at Ardrossan during the summer and at Brodick in the winter. She makes several crossings a day in both directions, leaving Ardrossan at: 0945, 1515 and 1800, and leaving Brodick at: 0820, 1105 and 1640, with additional sailings in the summer.^[2] Since 2005 the peak summer service has been supplemented by MV Saturn. In adverse weather MV Caledonian Isles can be delayed or diverted to Gourock.

Sailings are met at Ardrossan by the SPT train service to Glasgow Central from Ardrossan Harbour railway station.