After a drawn-out wait, Spirit of Tasmania's two new ships are finally doing what they were built for. Spirit of Tasmania IV left Geelong and Spirit of Tasmania V departed Devonport over the weekend, each carrying its first paying passengers across Bass Strait. Together they mark the biggest upgrade the Tasmanian Government-owned ferry operator has ever made.
The numbers are the real story. Each vessel adds 470 extra passenger seats per sailing and comes with 301 cabins, making them the largest and most advanced ships the line has run. They also carry significantly more vehicles and freight, which matters if your trip idea involves your own car. Both ships leave at 6.45pm and dock at roughly 6am the next morning, so you board at night and wake up on the other side of the strait.
Onboard, the tone is deliberately Tasmanian. The dining and lounge spaces lean on local produce and craftsmanship, and cabin categories span family rooms, deluxe options, accessible rooms and pet-friendly cabins — handy for anyone road-tripping with a dog in the back seat. The operator and Tourism Tasmania are both framing the crossing as part of the holiday itself rather than a tedious transfer: board in the evening, eat well, sleep, and roll off the ship ready to explore.
For travellers, the practical upside is simple: more availability. Extra seats and vehicle space on every crossing should make it easier to book the boat during peak summer windows, and the increased car capacity suits self-drive itineraries that link up regional Tasmania — think Tamar Valley wineries, the east coast, Cradle Mountain and beyond — without relying on hire cars or internal flights. If you've previously been priced out or waitlisted on the old ships, the new capacity changes the calculus.
The ships had a troubled and lengthy path into service, so their maiden voyages close an awkward chapter for the operator and give Bass Strait crossings a genuinely contemporary option for the first time in years.
