Rip-off ferry prices

dzug1

absoluteutopia wrote: »

Only way it will ever be cheaper is if someone puts another boat on the same route, that's not happening

And it's unlikely to happen because there is insufficient traffic for someone to run a second service at a profit.

Douzeper

Reply from two MLA's now. Both going to bring it up in Stormont next week.

Have a look here - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Rip-off-Ferry-prices-to-and-from-Northern-Ireland-and-Ireland/144053689015370

energy80s

Interesting times ahead ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14755140 ... services being pulled because its no longer viable.

eamon

A late joiner to this thread. For decades it has been recognised that the Irish Sea is one of worlds most expensive ferry journeys. I can't see government getting involved at all. Though it is interesting that Calmac and Northlink are both owned by the Scottish Government. Their argument is more related to ensuring that the isolated island communities are not left to rot for want of a private company being unable to make profits, I think they refer to the subsidy in terms of a "an equivalent road pricing structure".
I used to travel home (Co Tyrone) regularly (late 80's & 90's) and would usually drive/ferry. This is before the crash in airline prices and the ferry always for me was cheaper.

I've just priced up Stranraer - Belfast, 1st week Oct (5 days Mon-Fri) and its £179. Flying from Leeds/Bradford to Aldergrove for the same period = £60. But I'd still need a car and an equivalent car to mine is another £100 (but imagine that there is charges to add). We are not that far away from equal prices here and I know its a lot of driving to and from Stranraer and fuel costs a fortune. But I dislike airports, why can't we go and look at the planes take off & land? You can at Schipol!

BigAl94

energy80s wrote: »

Interesting times ahead ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14755140 ... services being pulled because its no longer viable.

I understood all the present ships would be gone by November when the new port at Cairnryan opens but Stena booking system still shows them all there late December! http://www.stenaline.co.uk/pib/efp.aspx?SalesOwner=14&lang=en&routeOut=BFST&depDateOut=2011-12-16&depTimeOut=00%3a00&routeHome=STBF&depDateHome=2011-12-20&depTimeHome=00%3a00&cmsUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.stenaline.co.uk%2fferry%2froutes%2fstranraer-belfast%2f

Douzeper

Another MLA has shown their support...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Rip-off-Ferry-prices-to-and-from-Northern-Ireland-and-Ireland/144053689015370

butterflymum

A bit about the new ships:

http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/belfast-cairnryan/


dear only knows how much they will add to their fares to cover them! The 'book now' box still doesn't offer the option for the new route yet.

Like you BigAl, I noticed some anomalies too. Eg Rail and Sail....there is no railway at Cairnryan....yet the system is still offering rail and sail bookings beyond 21 Nov, and based on the Stranraer route.

Cannot understand why any major new investment in travel facilities for a country shouldn't have to endeavour to link with other types of travel methods (in this case, train network) instead of moving further away from them.

Also, all the hoo-ha over improving crossing times and what do they do, take off the HSS and replace it with ferries that will do the new route crossing in 2hrs 15 mins......so in effect, no faster than it currently takes to get to the port at Stranraer by HSS!! I still remember when HSS first started on the route and they promised the 90 mins crossing, which never became a reality due to it having to slow down to avoid wash on shoreline into/out of Belfast Lough (assume same in Loch Ryan).

Mind you, at least the old days of the journey regularly taking well over 3 hours, and often much more, due to 'heavy commercial traffic' seems to have gone (you could almost hear the recorded message coming over the tannoy before it did, such was the regularity of it).

butterflymum

Stena site has been updated and now includes the new route on the Book Now drop-down menu........mind you, the rail and sail pages still haven't been updated. And, on first run through the booking system to quote stage....price for a December journey returning early January is....wait for it.........cheaper.....than was quoted for same dates earlier this week (when they were still calculating it on original route). Wonder if they have reduced prices initially as a sweetener.