Pride of Kent

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Pride of Kent approaching Calais

The ship Pride of Kent is a cross-channel ferry operated by P&O Ferries, generally on the Dover to Calais service. It is the current 'flagship' of the P&O Dover-based fleet. She is the second ship to bear the name—the Spirit of Free Enterprise was renamed Pride of Kent in 1987 (later P&OSL Kent in 1998) and continued to sail the Dover-Calais route until 2003.

[edit] History

Colloquially known as the Kent, she was built as the European Highway in 1991, a sister ship to the Pride of Canterbury, Pride of Burgundy and European Seaway. Originally servicing Zeebrugge, like the Pride of Canterbury, she was converted in 2003 before re-entering service on the Dover–Calais route as the Pride of Kent.

[edit] On board

The Pride of Kent has six 'active' decks (one freight/coach deck, 2 car-only decks and 3 passenger decks). The ship is both divided vertically (as decks) and horizontally, into 5 stair zones which are assigned the colours red, yellow, orange, green and blue. There are three passenger lifts from the main and car decks to the passenger facilities. Her onboard facilities include (amongst others) several lounges, a self-service cafeteria "International Food Court" (the common company branding for this facility on all company vessels), 2 'Costa Coffee' cafés (one previously operated as Cafe Olivos until 2004), a Langan's Brasserie restaurant, a French duty-paid shop ("Offshore Shopping") and a "Silverstones" branded Sports Bar. There are also open decks on levels 8 and 9. Since June 2006, the interior passenger accommodation has become non-smoking throughout, with smoking permitted in designated parts of the outside deck 9 only.