Website crashes due to demand for Spirit of Tasmania bookings
Additional capacity for the long-awaited new Spirit of Tasmania ferries was released this morning, with high demand crashing the website.
The Spirit of Tasmania booking system crashed following the release of tickets for the new ferries IV and V. Highly anticipated, the tickets went live at 10am but users were placed in a queue due to high demand. By 11am, bookings could be viewed but not completed, resulting in an error message. This issue occurred despite the fact that previously, ticket sales were limited to the capacity of the older Spirit ships and only up to June 6, 2027.
The newfound release featured increased capacity on previously sold-out sailings, cheaper fares, and the first tickets for pet-friendly cabins. The Spirit IV and V are scheduled to commence sailing in the Bass Strait from October 31, marking a new era after years of delays and cost overruns. The new ships will accommodate 301 cabins, 470 additional passengers, and triple the capacity for caravans.
TT-Line's CEO, Chris Carbone, described the development as a new chapter. The government minister, Jo Palmer, expressed delight at the high demand for tickets, calling it wonderful to see the significant interest in the new Spirit of Tasmania ferries. While the system's stability remains a concern, the excitement surrounding the launch is evident.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
