Passengers give their verdicts on new Spirit of Tasmania

The sky was clear and the sea calm when Spirit of Tasmania V arrived in Devonport at 6:19am on Sunday morning. 

For a channel known for baring its teeth, Bass Strait had been kind to the passengers and crew. 

About 12 hours earlier, guests took selfies and drank wine on the pristine deck as the new ship left Geelong for its maiden passenger voyage. 

As a guitarist wove through the crowd, dignitaries were singing the vessel's praises. 

"We've stayed the course, and we've got it done," Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff told ABC reporters, who were invited on the inaugural crossing. 

Standing beside the premier was an emotional Devonport mayor Alison Jarman, who likened the Spirit of Tasmania brand to the Sydney Opera House. 

"She's iconic … and so are these two ships to our state," she said. 

The new Spirits, which were beset by delays and cost blowouts, were built by Finnish company Rauma Marine Constructions.

"It's a historic moment for us … a beautiful collaboration," said the Finnish ambassador to Australia, Arto Haapea.

"It's a beautiful story."

Ship enthusiasts were not going to miss the historic occasion.

Mitchell Bruce, creator of the Ferries in Tasmania website, said he had been passionate about the Spirits for decades.

"Growing up in Tassie, going across on the original Spirit … it sparked an interest inside me," he said.

"It's great that we have these things from another part of the world that are servicing the island of Tasmania."

For many on board, the historic crossing was a journey home.

Celeste Ackerly, accompanied by her child and two pet dogs, was returning to Tasmania and had initially been unaware that she had booked on Spirit V's maiden crossing.

"It's pretty cool to know this is the first time," she said.

Brian Munday was capping off a mainland road trip with a memorable night at sea.

"We've been all up Queensland, three and a half months on the road and now we're heading home," he told the ABC. 

"It's a nice ship, the finished product is good."

Sweety Neik, from Melbourne, was embarking on her first Tasmanian adventure, with Cradle Mountain and Hobart's Salamanca Market high on her to-do list.

"It's very exciting, I was looking forward to [October] 31," she said.

"I want to go and see how good Tasmania is."

As the Sun slowly rose above Bass Strait this morning, with the north-west Tasmanian coast coming into view, Mr Rockliff and Transport Minister Kerry Vincent addressed the media.

"This is a pretty iconic moment, and I think everybody on board felt that last night," Mr Vincent said.

There is hope that November 1, 2026, will mark a "new dawn" for a brand that has spent years in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

"This project certainly had its challenges," the premier said.

"But some very capable people picked up the mantle and got it done."