It’s cool to travel by ferry… just ask the celebrities!

Check out the rich and famous who’ve sailed the Irish Sea with Stena Line

WHAT do global superstars Cameron Diaz, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Rory McIlroy and bands like Coldplay, The Killers and Black Eyed Peas have in common with Roy Keane, Mrs Brown and Graham Norton?

The answer is that they are just a few of the growing number of world-famous celebrities who have chosen to cross the Irish Sea with ferry company Stena Line in recent years.

Yes enjoying the many perks and comforts of a chilled out Stena Line sailing is now the cool way to travel between Ireland and Britain, and as part of its current National Ferry Fortnight (March 5-19)campaign, the ferry operator is encouraging ‘ferry first-timers’, and people who haven’t sailed in years, to forget about flying and book a comfortable relaxing ferry trip instead.

As an incentive, customers can book a car trip on any of Stena Line’s Irish Sea routes during National Ferry Fortnight from only £79* single and bring two friends or family along for free, saving up to £100 on a return trip (valid for travel up until June 30, 2016).

Passengers who do will definitely be in good company as in recent years, more and more household names from the worlds of film, TV, music and sport have been popping up increasingly regularly on Stena Line ferries.

So who else has been sampling the delights of travelling with Stena Line?

Well if you’re into music, there is a long list of solo stars that you may have spotted on-board including Nicki Minaj, Shakira, Shane MacGowan, Debbie Harry, Ellie Goulding, Jason Derulo, Olly Murs, Will Young, David Gray, Jake Bugg, Professor Green and Jamiroquai.

Bands obviously enjoy the spacious surroundings of Stena Line’s ferries also with the likes of the Manic Street Preachers, Back Street Boys, Journey, Good Charlotte, The Vamps, Super Furry Animals, Slipknot and the Eagles of Death Metal all sampling the company’s highly-regarded customer service.

Sports fans have also been rubbing shoulders with their heroes in a major way with former Open golf champion and European Ryder Cup 2016 Captain Darren Clarke getting into the swing of things on board.

World champions Carl Frampton, Tyson Fury and Glenn McCrory are also boxing clever when it comes to choosing how they travel, while fellow world-beaters Stephen Hendry (snooker), Phil ‘The Power’ Taylorand Eric ‘the Crafty Cockney’ Bristow (darts) have also caught the Stena Line ferry bug.

Swapping the ‘field of play’ for Stena’s on-board comforts, a long list of international football, rugby and cricket stars have also had a ball on the ferry, including England cricketer Freddie Flintoff, Northern Ireland football manager Michael O’Neill, Scotland football manager Gordon Strachan, former Liverpool captain and Irish football international Ronnie Whelan, and former England rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio… to mention but a few.

And how they choose to travel is certainly no joke for comedians like Frankie Boyle and Johnny Vegaswho have travelled with Stena Line, while celebrity chefs Kevin Woodford and Heston Blumenthal were so impressed that the former helped create the company’s on-board menus and the latter conducted a masterclass for Stena Line’s on-board chefs and cooking staff.

The list of known celebrities that have travelled with Stena Line over the years seems endless and continues to grow steadily, just like the company’s passenger volumes. During 2015, Stena Line experienced a significant increase in passenger numbers, carrying more than 2.5 million on its Irish Sea routes – more than its rival ferry operators combined.

Stena Line is the biggest ferry operator on the Irish Sea, offering the biggest fleet and the widest choice of routes from Ireland to Britain, including Belfast to Cairnryan, Belfast to Liverpool, Dublin to Holyhead and Rosslare to Fishguard routes.

To check out Stena Line’s National Ferry Fortnight offer or to make a booking, log onto www.stenaline.co.uk, call 08447 70 70 70 or visit your local travel office or agent.

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NOTE TO EDITOR: See below a fuller list of famous Stena Line passengers. For further information, please contact Bronagh Cobain of Duffy Rafferty Communications on +44 (0) 28 9073 0880

* Terms & conditions: Two additional passengers travel free on new car and motorhome bookings for travel until 30 June 2016. Subject to availability. Book by 23:00hrs on 19 March and at least two days in advance of travel. Price quoted is based on an Economy single fare when booked in advance on selected Irish Sea sailings. The saving quoted applies to two adult Economy or Flexi return fares inclusive of all fees and dues. This offer is not valid in conjunction with any other discount or promotion including Tesco Clubcard Boost tokens. Non web & credit card booking fees apply. Conditions apply.

CELEBRITIES WHO HAVE TRAVELLED WITH STENA LINE ON THE IRISH SEA

Cameron Diaz Nicole Ritchie Whitney Houston

Dannii Minogue Will Young Jason Derulo

David Gray Debbie Harry Coldplay

Derek Ryan Nicki Minaj Back street boys

Slipknot Shane MacGowan Olly Murs

Jamiroquai Journey Newton Faulkner

Ellie Goulding Black Eyed Peas Rihanna

The Vamps Professor Green Jake Bugg

The Eagles of Death Metal The Killers Super Furry Animals

Manic Street Preachers Lady Gaga B A Robertson

Jack Garratt Good Charlotte Shakira

Todd Carty Adam Woodyatt Rory McIlroy

Darren Clarke Freddie Flintoff Michael O’Neill

Eve Muirhead Brendan O’Carroll (Mrs Brown) Vicky Adams

Stephen Hendry John Higgins Stephen Bunting

Kilmarnock FC Stranraer FC Ballymena United FC

Crusaders FC Coleraine FC Neil Lennon

Tommy Wright Tyson Fury Glenn McCrory

Carl Frampton Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Team Belfast Giants

Billy McNeill Tommy Gemmill Kyle Lafferty

John O’Shea Johnny and Corey Evans Steven Davis

Kris Boyd Andy Goram Jack Charlton

Glenn Ross Phil “The Power” Taylor Ronnie Whelan

Eric Bristow Roy Keane Jonah Lomu

Lawrence Dallaglio Gordon Strachan Stephen Hunt

Heston Blumenthal Timmy Mallett Jimmy Cricket

Frankie Boyle Johnny Vegas Graham Norton