Why is it that the steam racket company still cant get their act right after a hundred years of sailings. The whole fiasco is nothing surprising, but it is ridiculous to think that 500 people are being inconvenienced yet again by them. To make the situation worse still, there doesn't seem to be any consideration for those who block booked (large froups of friends going together), the alterations are more like a name and number lottery. There are reports of groups being split up not only from being on the same sailings, but even different days and ports.
Tickets to the island for a bike and rider are extortionately priced, but it almost looks as though this is an overbooking issue left til the last minute. The TT has always been something that needs careful planning for those doing hotels and similar accomodation as pretty much everybody will be booked up ready for the throng of riders over there during this busy period., sailing a day earlier could mean park bench for the night. The comment on the BBC site from the SPC about customers benefitting from faster sailings by going on the 'fast craft' is also irksome. Many choose a port of preference rather than the ships model (while others avoid the Ben mcree for different reasons). It's all well and good being moved to one of the cats, but if it means going from a different port, the 3 quarters of an hour shaving off the sailing time is written off by the 90 minute increase to the ride time getting to the port (my mate just had his moved from liverpool to Heysham at the last minute). Even more time needed if you havent sailed from the new port before.
Regardless of the apologies from the steam racket company, it is a shoddy state of affairs and may ruin an awful lot of holidays. In some ways the ferry crossing is one of the most stressful parts of the holiday, especially watching your pride and joy being tied down in such close proximity to other bikes, then having people clambering over your bike to get to theirs, this whole situation just makes matters worse.
Posted: 27/05/2007 at 08:29
