Spirit Of Tasmania

Bottomline: it was worth it if you had to take your vehicle to Tasmania.
I had to, as I was backpacking back then and had nowhere to park my car in Melbourne for 2 weeks. Flying to Hobart and rent a car would usually be an easier and cheaper option. Plus most of the usual sightseeing spots are on the southern side of the island, so landing at the port on the northern side of the island doesn’t quite help. I wasn’t in just for the usual sightseeing spots, so it was okay for me.
The whole process of getting everyone onboard was amazing. One of a kind experience and to be fair, very efficient even from the eyes of a Hong Konger. As soon as parked, I went straight to the bar for a drink and some cricket game on TV.
The ferry departed just before the sunset, and the view was astonishing. The dinner onboard was just good enough for filling your stomach, nothing particular. I was by myself so I was getting a incliner instead of a proper cabin. It was cozier than an economy seat on a flight, and I had had slept at much worse places during my trip, so there wasn’t much complain.
Getting off the ferry was a breeze too, and as joints like Maccas and KFC do expect the ferry land early every morning, the open as early too so that you could catch a breakfast.

The other reviewers have comprehensively told you what the SOT is about but I just wanted to throw my 2c in to say that the ride is such a fun experience! I love that you can bring your own car and if you travel at night there’s enough things to keep you entertained until bedtime.
I do recommend getting a cabin. I’m sure the recliners are comfortable enough during the day but they suck at night. You get in trouble for lying across them or sleeping on the floor (I did not do this) — and rightly so. This isn’t the Titanic and you’re not Jack, so the whole drunken poverty thing just isn’t cute on the SOT. Truly. Pay the extra cash for a proper bed if you can’t sleep sitting up. The boat gets in quite early so if you’ve got a drive ahead of you in Tassie, then you’ll want to be well rested.
I think this is a great alternative to flying and when you get back to Melb you can think of all the fun you and your car had in Tassie when you’re driving to work ;)
Don’t forget to declare your fruit and veggies and gorge yourself silly on the wines and cheese in Tas.

Bored of flying? Want to take your car, a few hundred litres of alcohol, or all your pets and personal possessions? Then the ferry is for you!
Yes, sea travel does have it’s down sides. It takes longer, rough seas can be far more unsettling than air turbulence and getting your car on/​off the boat can take a little while. All that said, there’s plenty of cool features you get on the ship you couldn’t get on a plane.
There’s 3 bars onboard. That alone would be enough for me. There’s also a gift shop which also sells snacks, a coffee shop (which actually makes really nice coffee and hot chocolate), and two restaurants.
For food while crossing Bass Strait, there’s no shortage of options. Of the two restaurants I’d recommend The Captain’s Table, an almost reasonably priced buffet style operation. The Leatherwood, the second restaurant is quite expensive but I’d imagine a 3 course meal would be a great way to kill time. There are also a variety of light snacks available at the bars and café, but they’re a bit pricey. You can bring your own food onboard, but be aware that due to quarantine strictly no fresh fruit or vegetables can be taken to Tas from the mainland.
If you’re travelling on the cheap (without a cabin) either with no assigned seat on a day trip, or in an «ocean recliner» overnight, my number 1 tip would be to get a good spot in the onboard cinema. It’s comfy, dark, and even if the film’s no good, it’s a great place for a snooze!

The Spirit of Tasmania is a bit of an adventure, being the «ferry» that runs daily between Melbourne and Devonport, Tasmania. It’s good for the afeared of flying (because flights are generally cheaper these days), or those just looking for something different. If you want to take your car with you on holiday to Tasmania, the Spirit’s your best bet — cars are only $ 90 each way (more if you’re towing a campervan or something, which is a common accessory for Tasmanian trips). YOUR seat will probably be at least double that price. You can also take along your pet for a mere $ 22 each way, but the poor thing has to stay in a kennel on the same deck as the cars while the boat is moving. Considering it’s an 11-​hour trip (only 9-​hour when running two daily shifts in peak/​summer times) and there’s a fair bit of banging around from the lower decks, I’m surprised the poor things aren’t permanently scarred from the experience.
It’s a little better for the humans. One of the two passenger level is just for accommodation, while the other level has a small amount of accommodation and the rest is dedicated to keeping you entertained and/​or busy on the longest ferry ride ever. A reception desk, a gift shop, a fancy restaurant (I had dinner there and wasn’t overly impressed, so don’t bother), a more casual restaurant, a café, a pokies room, plenty of tables and chairs and couches for reading and having chats and drinking wine and watching ocean, ocean and more ocean.
The all-​year overnight trip leaves at 7:30pm — one ship from Devonport, one ship from Port Melbourne. If you’re awake around 1am you can stand on the right side of the boat and play «spot the other one» but to be honest, most of the year it’s too bloody cold to do that and also why are you awake at 1am? The trip isn’t really THAT interesting. A loud announcement is made early in the morning to rouse you from your slumber and wait for the signal to be allowed back to your vehicles, ready to unload at the other end.
Speaking of slumber though, the cheapest form of journeying you can purchase is an Ocean Recliner. Only go with this option if you are a cheapskate, OR if you can easily sleep half-​sitting up through others’ snoring and rocky seas, because that’s your worst-​case scenario. The other three options involve being horizontal, and rise steadily in price from a shared single-​sex 4-​berth cabin (two bunks) to a twin cabin (two single beds) to a deluxe cabin (room to move, maybe?). I have to admit I was surprised how quickly and easily I got to sleep while the boat rocked and clanked fairly heavily (but then again, I HAD just driven twenty hours in two days, so maybe I was exhausted). During the summer season the Spirit of Tasmania increases to two daily shifts that run every twelve hours at 9am and 9pm, and it is possible to get a cheaper day fare because you don’t need to book somewhere to sleep. (You’re not allowed to just sit up all night in cheap seats during the overnight run. Well… I guess you CAN do that, but you have to purchase some form of accommodation.)
My trip on the Spirit of Tasmania was certainly a memorable experience (I had my worldly belongings packed in my car as I was moving to Hobart) but unless I’m moving back to the mainland I probably won’t be looking to do it again in a hurry — I’ll just catch a plane.

if you are a resident of Port Melbourne one of the most common noises you’ll here on a nightly basis just around dinner time is the fog horn of the Spirit of Tasmania. SOT travels nightly from Melbourne and Devonport (Tasmania) and some days during peak periods and docks at the pier on Station street Port Melbourne. A great idea for a day trip or perhaps a weekend getaway. Accommodation options range from Deluxe cabins for those who want to travel in style or «Ocean Recliners» for those who want the cheaper option. A single adult fair with basic recliners comes in at just under $ 200. You are also able to transport your car on the ship or caravan for an additional cost.