As with so many Mediterranean ports, Genoa is still gloriously un-ISPSd. You can still walk right up to the ships without even thinking about showing a ticket or ID and can happily take pictures unchallenged. Boarding over the Janas’ stern ramp was scheduled to begin at 5pm for a departure at 6. That scheduled departure time was the same as for the Nomentana which we had taken on this route in 2004 but didn’t seem to quite tally with the fact that the new ships offered increased speed over the veteran which was no longer programmed on this route. Once on board it became clear that the real departure time would be 7.15pm and this seemed to be the standard time the ship leaves each day. Indeed during peak season, the advertised departure is at 9.30pm: although doubtless there is an element off quiet season fuel economy involved here, one wonders how many passengers Tirrenia lose to their rivals who more accurately advertise their later departures for similar arrival times on Sardinia.
The Janas is one of five modern Tirrenia ships built by Fincantieri between 2001 and 2005. There are in fact two slightly different variants with the Bithia, Janas and Athara having one less freight deck than the later pair, Nuraghes and Sharden. All are however in many respects adapted (read as “simplified” and presumably cheaper as they are certainly less opulent) versions of the Minoan ‘Palaces’ which the same yard produced between 2000 and 2002. Their simple layout features passenger lounges stretched along one main deck: a large show lounge aft followed by an impressive lobby space with reception desk precedes a further bar/lounge area amidships split decisively by the central bar counter into port (bar area) and starboard (general seating). Forward again can be found a cluster of smaller rooms around a central walkway: the cinema, card room, children’s’ play area and (both out of use) a small shop and video games area. Finally right forward are the two restaurants, a compact but pleasant formal restaurant to port with a larger self-service to starboard, separated by a ‘queuing’ alleyway for the latter. The overnight accommodation is found on the upper decks with a deck full of (fairly spacious) cabins and at the top a series of reclining seat lounges marked as “Second Class” (astern with slightly narrower seats) and two “First Class” forward with broader seats which recline nearly flat (although in this position anyone sitting behind you would find circulation to their legs cut off and your head in their laps). These First and Second class lounges are separated by a lobby area off which can be found public toilets complete with showers for passenger use. In the gents, there are two separate showers, but accessed from only one (locking) door with one to the left and one to the right after you enter. For the sake of the cost of an additional door the designers could have doubled the throughput of people using the shower on the assumption that even Italians aren’t that keen to share their morning cleaning experience with their fellow passengers, separated only by a shower curtain each. [continued...] |
