MS Spirit of Tasmania I ferry is a Ro-Pax passenger vessel operated by the German company TT-LINE Tasmania. The ship has a max capacity of 1400 passengers and 500 cars plus 110 trucks (trailers). The vessel was launched in 1998 and currently operates on the Victoria (Australia)-Tasmania ferry route Melbourne-Devonport (the Bass Strait crossing time 9-11 hours).
As cruise ferry, Spirit of Tasmania 1 has a total of 222 cabins with 750 beds. Of all staterooms, 59 are twin-bed porthole, 72 are four-bed porthole, 81 twin-four-bed Inside, 8 Deluxe, 2 wheelchair-accessible. All staterooms are air-conditioned, non-smoking, with en-suite bathrooms (washbasin, under-sink shelf, WC, shower, hairdryer). The ferry company provides bed linens, towels, and toiletries. Cabin amenities include bedside table, mirrored writing desk with chair, wall-mounted reading lamps, lower twin beds (fixed, size 2 x 0,8 m), upper bunk beds (wall-mounted), clothes storage (hangers / no wardrobes).
The vessel was operated under the names "Superfast IV" (1998-2002, by SUPERFAST FERRIES) and "Spirit of Tasmania I" (since 2002 by TT-LINE Tasmania). The ship entered service on April 1, 1998, and was deployed on the Greece-Italy route Patras-Ancona (via Igoumenitsa). In March 2002, Superfast Ferries (a subsidiary of Attica Holdings) sold the vessel to TT-LINE. Drydock refurbished (at Neorion shipyard on Syros Island) and renamed "Spirit of Tasmania I", the cruise ferry started the Melbourne-Devonport service for TT-LINE on September 1 (inaugural cruise).
The cruise ship is the second in a 2-unit series built for Superfast Ferries built in Turku Finland (at Kvaerner Masa-Yards), with sistership Superfast III (Spirit of Tasmania 2). In 1995, for the Patras-Ancona service, Superfast Ferries launched the sisterships Superfast I (now Skania) and Superfast II (now Mega Express 4).
Ship's extensive drydock refurbishment in 2015 was in Sydney NSW (at Captain Cook Graving Dock, Garden Island) and cost TT-LINE Tasmania USD 10 million (GBP 7,5 million). The project was conducted by Trimline (UK company) via local contractors and sub-contractors. During the overhaul were completely remodeled and upgraded the four passenger decks (all cabins and public areas) and were added two cinemas, self-service restaurant (TMK), 3 new bars, family play area, retail shop.