The maiden voyage of the Isle of Man’s new flagship, the Manxman took place last week.

The vessel arrived into Douglas harbour on June 30, but various sea trials and training meant its first commercial sailing only happened on Thursday (August 17).

We took to the street to ask the Manx public what they think of the new ship, its advantages for the island and what trips on it they have planned.

Sean Connick, who is from Douglas and was accompanied by his border collie Pressley, said: ‘It’s great to have the Manxman here and it’s a really good idea. The Manannan and the Ben my Chree would struggle to keep up with modern regulations regarding aspects such as passenger safety, and it’s a long overdue investment.

‘I’ve got a vested interest in shipping as I covered it quite a lot in my education, including writing my dissertation on shipping history.

‘It was great to see the reaction to the ship’s arrival after such a long journey from South Korea. It really showed the island’s community spirit.’

Sharon Roosen, from Ballasalla, said: ‘I think the Manxman is a great idea. I travelled regularly on the Ben my Chree and I don’t like the Manannan. I prefer a bigger ship, so to get a new, shiny version is quite exciting.

‘I’m going to be on it next week, and from what I’ve seen online it looks very nice inside.

‘I always had the same seat booked in the premium lounge on the Ben my Chree (or as I called it, the ‘trusty Ben’), so I’m looking forward to seeing what my new favourite seat is on the Manxman!

‘The Ben my Chree was getting a bit sad-looking, so I think a change is good.’

Ian Carrington, who is visiting from Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, said: ‘I was a bit disappointed when I arrived on the island, as I learnt that the Manxman’s maiden voyage was due to be the day after, so I just missed it.

‘I was woken up by plenty of tooting and so I decided to go to Douglas Head and see what the commotion was all about. There were several people watching it set off and I realised they were all there for the Manxman. I didn’t mind that it woke me up as I quite enjoyed it.’

Ian is visiting as a marshal for the Manx Grand Prix and has come to the island regularly since 1974. He said: ‘I remember the older boats such as the King Orry and the Manx Maid, which were great vessels.

‘The Manxman looks great, and it can take more vehicles too which is always useful. Unfortunately for me, I’m travelling back to the UK via Liverpool and so I’ll miss out on the Manxman again.’

Tina Conning, who lives in Onchan, said: ‘I went down to the quay when it was first here, and I thought it was huge. We definitely needed it and it’s really exciting.

‘I’ve seen pictures of the dog lounge online and it looks great, it’s ideal for me as I hate leaving my dog at home when I go on holiday. I’m looking to travel to the UK before the end of the year, and the dog lounge makes it more likely that I’ll use the Manxman and the Heysham route.

‘On the Ben my Chree I used to lie on the floor to go to sleep as the seats weren’t very comfortable, but the seats on the Manxman look a lot better.

‘There’s also a good amount of cabins, as they were always in high demand.’