Delivering Consistency at Sea for Irish Ferries
Project Summary
Challenges
Creating a consistent refreshment experience across two busy passenger ferries operating on international routes.
Improving equipment reliability and engineering support within the unique operational demands of ferry services.
Simplifying maintenance, fault reporting and consumable management across multiple onboard environments.
Solutions
Installed a range of equipment across two vessels, tailored to the operational needs of each location.
Developed a bespoke maintenance programme with dedicated engineering support designed around ferry timetables.
Delivered the project through Liquidline’s partnership with Bidfood, providing coordinated equipment, consumable and service solutions.
Results
Improved reliability and consistent refreshment experiences for both passengers and crew.
Faster engineering response times and simplified service management through a dedicated support package.
A successful partnership that supports a coordinated approach to equipment, service and consumables management.
Designed for Life Onboard
When travelling between the UK and France, passengers expect a comfortable and enjoyable experience from the moment they step aboard. Refreshments play an important role in that journey, with cafés, lounges and hospitality spaces providing places to relax throughout every crossing. Behind the scenes, crew members also rely on dependable refreshment facilities to support them throughout long shifts at sea.
When Irish Ferries reviewed its existing refreshment estate, across both Oscar Wilde and Inishmore, they identified an opportunity to further improve reliability, consistency and service support.
Delivered through Liquidline’s partnership with Bidfood, the project brought together equipment, consumables and ongoing support within one coordinated solution. While Bidfood supplies the majority of the client’s consumables, Liquidline provides milk products, chocolate ingredients and long-term servicing, creating a streamlined partnership that simplifies regular management.
Hospitality Across Every Deck
No two areas of a passenger ferry operate in quite the same way. Premium lounges, busy cafés, bars, crew facilities and operational areas each place different demands on refreshment equipment, requiring a solution that balances quality, reliability and ease of use.
Across both vessels, Schaerer Coffee Soul 10 fresh milk machines were installed throughout key passenger-facing environments, including Café Lafayette, Club Class lounges, Food Market, Boylan’s and O’Flaherty’s Bar. Capable of producing premium bean to cup coffee instantly, they provide a consistent drinks experience while remaining straightforward for Irish Ferries teams to clean and maintain throughout busy sailings.
Liquidline Q3 powdered milk coffee machines were introduced across a variety of passenger and operational spaces, including Sky Bar, drivers’ lounges, crew and operational areas, hospitality areas and convenient self-service locations. By providing easily accessible refreshment points throughout the vessels, they help support everyone onboard, from passengers enjoying their journey to crew members working behind the scenes.
Ecoboiler T10 boiling water units complement the wider refreshment offering in cafés, bars, Club Class lounges and crew mess facilities, providing a dependable source of boiling water for tea and other hot beverages during peak service periods. Water coolers positioned within crew recreation areas, officers’ lounges, crew messes and engineering spaces ensure fresh drinking water remains readily available throughout each vessel.
This selection of refreshment solutions creates a consistent experience across both ferries while supporting the differing operational needs of each environment.
Planned Around Ferry Operations
Delivering the installation across operational passenger ferries required careful planning and close collaboration. Every aspect of the project was coordinated around sailing schedules to minimise disruption while ensuring each location was commissioned efficiently.
Recognising that servicing a vessel differs significantly from supporting a land-based hospitality venue, Liquidline developed a bespoke maintenance package specifically for Irish Ferries. Preventative maintenance schedules were aligned with vessel operations and agreed access arrangements, along with more frequent water filter changes to suit the operating environment.
To further strengthen support, a dedicated engineer based in Dover provides responsive assistance, while the online customer portal enables onboard teams to log service requests quickly and easily. This tailored approach helps minimise downtime and keeps refreshment facilities operating reliably throughout every journey.
Supporting Every Crossing
Passengers and crew across both the Oscar Wilde and Inishmore benefit from a refreshment solution designed specifically for the demands of maritime hospitality. Premium coffee, accessible hydration and dependable hot beverage facilities are available across a wide range of environments, helping create a consistent experience wherever people are on the vessel.
For Irish Ferries, the project has delivered more than new equipment. Faster engineering response times, simplified fault reporting and a maintenance programme designed around ferry operations help support reliable day-to-day operations of their refreshment offering.
A Partnership That Goes Further
The Irish Ferries installation demonstrates how successful refreshment solutions are built on collaboration as much as equipment. By combining Liquidline’s expertise in refreshment systems and nationwide service support with Bidfood’s trusted consumables partnership, the project delivers a joint solution that continues to support both operational efficiency and passenger experience.
From installation and preventative maintenance through to consumable supply and responsive engineering support, the partnership has created a dependable refreshment strategy designed to perform across every journey on the Oscar Wilde and Inishmore Ferries.