Drivers on Ferries – Interview.

It’s not just about a comfortable bed, although even that, just a few decades ago, was not a standard – an interview with Marta Florin from Stena Line about ferry crossings and the conditions drivers encounter on cargo ferries.

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It’s early, the sun sluggishly peeks over the port cranes, and the wind, which is fierce that day, turns carefully styled hair into a chaotic tangle.

“If it weren’t for this wind, it would be quite warm, even for Gdynia.” This is how Marta greets me, who in just a few minutes will open the doors leading to the ferry traveling to Karlskrona.

I’m embarrassed to admit, but the last time I was on a ferry was many years ago, when instead of cappuccino, latte macchiato, or flat white, you could choose between instant or ground coffee, and the common sight was passengers trying to sleep in their seats because they weren’t lucky enough to get a cabin for the night.

And this is precisely what I ask Marta about first, when some time after the ferry visit, we meet at the studio where our podcast is recorded.

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Konrad Spuła:
What kind of coffee do you like?

Marta Florin:
Black coffee.

Konrad Spuła:
Black. Okay, you would probably be happy because I remember my first trip on the ferry. It was coffee, so-called Turkish style.

Marta Florin:
Yes, “zalewajka” (laughs).

Konrad Spuła:
This year marks 30 years since the Gdynia-Karlskrona route was launched. Surely, it has been a period of many dynamic changes. And I thought it would be interesting to compare. Here we have coffee. There was coffee, plujka (Turkish-style), now we have delicious cappuccino lattes. Life’s good. What else is interesting now on the ferries that wasn’t there before?

Marta Florin:
Well, starting with basic things, we now have Wi-Fi on the ferry. In the past, there were only newspapers. Now, we offer internet for drivers, a small cinema. It’s a small ferry cinema, but it has seats for several dozen people. We show three films during the journey.

Drivers certainly have it better – the ferry is the right place to relax. From behind the wheel, they can move into a comfortable cabin with a bed to sleep properly. After all, we want the passenger to regenerate and get off the ferry really rested. We try to make the cabins modern, comfortable, with comfortable mattresses. It’s a bit hard for me to refer to our ferries from thirty years ago, but I can say, because I was a child back then, the standard now is definitely much, much higher.

Konrad Spuła:
Marta, in your opinion, the most important thing in cabin number one is…

Marta Florin:
The most important? A comfortable bed and soundproofing so that you can sleep and rest.

Konrad Spuła:
I bring this up because when I talk to drivers, they often mention that ferries used to be noisy, and it was hard to sleep. People used earplugs. The inconvenience problem has disappeared, but not only in the cabins, but I think also at the bar and restaurant tables. What can a driver expect on their plate now?

Marta Florin:
When it comes to food for our drivers, we must remember that we have drivers who spend three or even four nights a week with us, so there must be a variety. The driver needs to have several meals to choose from so they don’t eat the same thing every day or a few times a week. With the ticket, we provide two meals for the driver, depending on the trip. If it’s a day trip, it’s lunch and breakfast; if it’s a night trip, it’s dinner and breakfast. There’s always a meat dish, some fish, a vegetarian option, and two soups, depending on preferences.

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We encourage you to take advantage of our ferry offer, where you will find both attractive ferry crossing prices and 24/7 service, advice, and support HERE.

The full version of the interview is available in audio and video formats on our YouTube and Spotify channels. Watch the podcast “Transport, Spedycja, Sukces” to meet more of our remarkable guests.