Irish Ferries has cancelled all planned summer sailings between France and Ireland by its new €150 million ferry, the WB Yeats.
The company says it has made the decision due to 'extraordinary circumstances beyond its control', amid further delays in the delivery of the ferry from German shipbuilder Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft & Co.KG.
Around 6,000 bookings are said to be affected by the decision, and follows a previous delay that saw around 2,500 bookings cancelled.
In a statement, Irish Ferries said: "Irish Ferries is contacting affected customers this afternoon to inform them of the cancellations, offer them alternative travel options, and apologise for the disruption to their travel arrangements.
"If alternative travel arrangements do not suit, customers will, of course, be entitled to a full and immediate refund of all monies paid."
Those impacted will also be offered a €150 voucher for use on the company's Ireland-France routes next year.
The WB Yeats is now due to start sailing between Dublin and Holyhead in September.
When it begins operating, the boat will be the largest ferry ever to sail on the Irish Sea.
It will have space on-board for 1,885 passengers and crew and 1,200 cars.