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Spirit of Tasmania will open bookings for additional sailing capacity and accommodation inventory from 10am tomorrow across new vessels Spirit of Tasmania IV<\/em> and Spirit of Tasmania V<\/em>, ahead of the ships\u2019 inaugural passenger sailings on 31 October 2026.<\/strong><\/p>\n The expanded booking window \u2013 passengers can now book up to 12 months in advance \u2013 gives travellers their first real chance to lock in the new ships\u2019 significantly larger passenger and vehicle capacity, including pet-friendly cabins, family cabins and business recliners that were not available on the outgoing Spirit of Tasmania I<\/em> and II<\/em>.<\/p>\n The new vessels are designed to carry an additional 470 passengers per sailing and feature 301 cabins, including accessible cabins, along with more than three times the caravan capacity of the current fleet.<\/p>\n Tasmania Premier Jeremy Rockliff described the launch as the start of \u201ca new era for Bass Strait passenger travel and freight transport\u201d, pointing to expanded capacity, new accommodation options such as pet cabins, contemporary onboard spaces and a stronger showcase of Tasmanian food, wine and craftsmanship.<\/p>\n Spirit of Tasmania chief executive Chris Carbone said the opening of bookings marked an important milestone.<\/p>\n \u201cThese vessels represent a new era for Bass Strait travel, with greater capacity, more accommodation choice and a contemporary onboard experience that is distinctly Tasmanian,\u201d Carbone said. \u201cFrom the onboard dining experiences to the Tasmanian producers, makers and materials featured throughout the ships, every element has been designed to showcase the very best of our island state.\u201d<\/p>\n Tourism Tasmania chief executive Sarah Kingston Clark said the crossing was part of the Tasmanian holiday experience in its own right. \u201cThe journey across the Bass Strait is part of a Tasmanian holiday, and the new Spirits will give travellers a taste of the island from the moment they step onboard,\u201d she said, adding that Spirit visitors tend to stay longer, spend more and travel further across the state than other visitor cohorts.<\/p>\n From Wednesday, passengers will be able to choose from an extended range of accommodation, including:<\/p>\n The new ships introduce a suite of reimagined dining and lounge spaces celebrating the state\u2019s landscapes, produce, stories and makers, including:<\/p>\n The vessels also feature extensive Tasmanian artwork and locally sourced materials, including sustainably recovered celery top pine supplied by Hydrowood, alongside Huon Pine and Tasmanian Oak showcased throughout.<\/p>\n The vessels\u2019 entry into service caps an unusually long and costly build. Spirit IV<\/em> and Spirit V<\/em> \u00a0were originally due for delivery in late 2024, but construction of the new Devonport berth needed to service them did not begin until that year and is not expected to be finished until late 2026 \u2013 meaning the ships have spent extended periods idle, at cost to operator TT-Line, while shore infrastructure catches up.<\/p>\n Cost overruns have been substantial. The Devonport berth alone has blown out to roughly $493 million from an initial estimate of $90 million, and the broader shipbuilding project is running around $717 million over its original estimate. That prompted a $506 million equity injection from the Tasmanian government to state-owned TT-Line in the 2026\u201327 budget, on top of an earlier $75 million provided in November\u2019s interim budget.<\/p>\n The saga has also had political consequences, with former infrastructure minister Michael Ferguson resigning ahead of a no-confidence motion over his handling of the project, and opposition MPs continuing to press TT-Line on wharf modification costs, local content commitments and the operator\u2019s broader financial position.<\/p>\n Most recently, TT-Line drew criticism from caravan and grey-nomad travellers after confirming day sailings will be axed once the new ships enter service, with the company citing timetable changes based on demand and leaving open the possibility of reinstating them if the new ships\u2019 extra capacity is not enough to meet it.<\/p>\n Despite the turbulence, Tasmania\u2019s tourism numbers give the launch added weight: the state welcomed a record 1.4 million visitors in the year ending March 2026, and the new vessels are positioned as key infrastructure for sustaining that growth, both for passenger travel and freight \u2013 with increased vehicle and cargo capacity expected to give Tasmanian producers greater access to mainland markets and, through established supply chains, customers further afield.<\/p>\n TT-Line has blocked out a transition week from 23\u201330 October, during which bookings will be unavailable, ahead of the new ships taking over the Devonport\u2013Geelong route from 31 October. Spirit of Tasmania IV<\/em> will depart from Geelong and Spirit of Tasmania V<\/em> from Devonport on their respective inaugural sailings.<\/p>\nNew accommodation options<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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New accommodation and pricing<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A distinctly Tasmanian onboard experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Controversial history<\/h2>\n
Strategic rationale<\/h2>\n