CR 1 and CR 2 are the two founding vessels of the Inter Island Ferry fleet - the high-speed catamarans that replaced the old wooden schooner service and established the fast, reliable Praslin to La Digue crossing that travellers rely on today. Together, they laid the groundwork for everything that followed, and both remain active members of the daily schedule.
CR 1 is a 24-metre aluminium catamaran carrying around 130 passengers. CR 2, introduced shortly after, is the most compact vessel in the fleet at 19 metres, carrying up to 102 passengers - but when it arrived, it nearly doubled the operation's daily capacity and made multiple crossings per day possible for the first time.
Ferry Info
CR 1 & 2
Check-in
30 minutes
before departure
Luggage Info
1 small bag
1 checked bag
- Economy 30kg max.
Seating
Main Cabin A/C
Upper Outside Deck
Capacity
CR 1 - 154 seats
CR 2 - 102 seats
CR 1 & 2 depart Praslin from the ERO Passenger Terminal in Baie Sainte Anne and use the Inter-Island Ferry Jetty in La Passe on La Digue..
Check in at the Cat Rose office at least 30 minutes before your sailing.
Boarding opens 15 minutes before departure, and the gate closes 5 minutes prior, so don't cut it too fine.
The vessels that built the schedule. Before CR 1, the Praslin-La Digue crossing depended on schooners that were slower, less predictable and subject to the wind. Before CR 2, frequency was limited. Together, these two catamarans created the foundation of the daily timetable that CR 3 would later expand further.
Two decks on both vessels. Each ferry offers the same basic choice - the cooler, sheltered air-conditioned cabin on the main deck, or the open upper deck with a canopy for shade.
A calm, protected crossing. The channel between Praslin and La Digue is well-sheltered compared to the open-ocean Mahe to Praslin ferry route. Rough crossings are rare, and seasickness is not a significant concern for the vast majority of passengers on either vessel.
Connecting onwards to Mahe. If you're travelling from La Digue to Mahe, CR 1 or 2 will get you to Praslin in 15 minutes, where you can connect directly to a Cat Cocos service at the same terminal. Both operators share the ERO Passenger Terminal at Baie Sainte Anne for exactly this reason.
The original catamaran and the vessel that set the template for everything that followed. Built to a 24-metre aluminium twin-hull design, it carries around 154 passengers across two decks - an air-conditioned main cabin below and an open upper deck with a protective canopy above. When it replaced the old schooner service, it transformed the crossing from a leisurely sail into a reliable, timetabled 15-minute journey.
Slightly smaller than CR 1 at 19 metres, CR 2 is the most compact vessel in the Inter Island Ferry fleet. It carries up to 102 passengers - 56 in the air-conditioned main cabin and 46 on the open upper deck - and is powered by two Caterpillar C9 engines producing 500 bhp each, achieving a cruising speed of around 20 knots. Its introduction was a turning point for the operation: by adding a second vessel, Inter Island Ferry could for the first time run multiple daily crossings in each direction, giving travellers genuine flexibility in how they planned their day.
Inter Island Ferry, also known as Cat Rose - is the Seychelles' specialist on the short but essential link between Praslin and La Digue. A family business at heart, it has evolved from wooden schooners to a modern fleet of three catamarans without losing the personal, locally-rooted character that sets it apart. With up to six daily departures and an impeccable safety record, it is the trusted choice for the Praslin to La Digue crossing.
