Scottish ferries, some good news!

[Brandane]

The social distancing rules are being relaxed as of Monday 9th August in Scotland. One useful aspect to this is that ferries will be back to their normal passenger capacity, having been quite severely restricted for the last year or more. I haven't been able to visit one of my favourite cycling destinations since summer 2019, despite being able to see it from my back window. The Isle of Arran.
This summer the weather has been for the most part, very good (and not often will you hear that from me as some will know!) and I have been frustrated by the CalMac ferry booking system telling me that sailings to Arran are fully booked. In the hope that things were going to improve from Monday, I had a look at the booking page today. No more "fully booked", but this:

Same for the return sailings. I have booked for Monday, at a bargain price of £8.20 . Remains to be seen if I have the legs to get me round the 55 hilly miles, but I'm certainly going to try!

 

[PeteXXX]

View: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2577936285773337&id=1432770883623222


I do hope it's not like the docking a while back! 😂

 

[Baldy]

Hang on to your breakfast!

 

[oldwheels]

The social distancing rules are being relaxed as of Monday 9th August in Scotland. One useful aspect to this is that ferries will be back to their normal passenger capacity, having been quite severely restricted for the last year or more. I haven't been able to visit one of my favourite cycling destinations since summer 2019, despite being able to see it from my back window. The Isle of Arran.
This summer the weather has been for the most part, very good (and not often will you hear that from me as some will know!) and I have been frustrated by the CalMac ferry booking system telling me that sailings to Arran are fully booked. In the hope that things were going to improve from Monday, I had a look at the booking page today. No more "fully booked", but this:

View attachment 602649

Same for the return sailings. I have booked for Monday, at a bargain price of £8.20 . Remains to be seen if I have the legs to get me round the 55 hilly miles, but I'm certainly going to try!

That only applies to foot passengers of course and eg vehicle Saturday bookings from Mull are full until 25th September. I have had struggles today to get any vehicle return booking in the next couple of weeks.
There is widespread discontent among islanders and for hospital appointments Calmac are apparently now providing taxis where you cannot get a vehicle on board.

 

[Slick]

The social distancing rules are being relaxed as of Monday 9th August in Scotland. One useful aspect to this is that ferries will be back to their normal passenger capacity, having been quite severely restricted for the last year or more. I haven't been able to visit one of my favourite cycling destinations since summer 2019, despite being able to see it from my back window. The Isle of Arran.
This summer the weather has been for the most part, very good (and not often will you hear that from me as some will know!) and I have been frustrated by the CalMac ferry booking system telling me that sailings to Arran are fully booked. In the hope that things were going to improve from Monday, I had a look at the booking page today. No more "fully booked", but this:

View attachment 602649

Same for the return sailings. I have booked for Monday, at a bargain price of £8.20 . Remains to be seen if I have the legs to get me round the 55 hilly miles, but I'm certainly going to try!

Nice, I'm heading over with my brother on the 16th to give it another go.

 

[Slick]

That only applies to foot passengers of course and eg vehicle Saturday bookings from Mull are full until 25th September. I have had struggles today to get any vehicle return booking in the next couple of weeks.
There is widespread discontent among islanders and for hospital appointments Calmac are apparently now providing taxis where you cannot get a vehicle on board.

Ffs.

 

[Slick]

View: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2577936285773337&id=1432770883623222


I do hope it's not like the docking a while back! 😂

I was stuck on Tiree for 4 extra days once whilst the boat looked very much like that whilst trying to dock. I think it always looked worse because they obviously had to retract the stabilisers to dock but they did eventually manage it by getting a rope ashore and winching themselves quay side. Spent a cracking 4 days doing not very much which was a bit more interesting on a small island as you would imagine.

 

[Brandane]

That only applies to foot passengers of course and eg vehicle Saturday bookings from Mull are full until 25th September. I have had struggles today to get any vehicle return booking in the next couple of weeks.
There is widespread discontent among islanders and for hospital appointments Calmac are apparently now providing taxis where you cannot get a vehicle on board.

Aye, it is nuts this summer. I went to Rothesay yesterday to visit family, and took a bike. The pier at Wemyss Bay had every lane filled with cars, meaning that some were not going to get on the ferry. Two HGV's as well. Then one of my second cousin's (John MacKirdy) artics arrived and of course couldn't get turned onto the pier parking area so was stuck out blocking half the main road for 10 minutes until they loaded some of the cars onto the ferry. The ferry I was on sailed and left enough vehicles behind to fill half the next ferry, an hour later. And this was for the 11.00 on a Tuesday, normally a quiet time! Of course, no booking facility for the Rothesay ferry, so it's complete chaos. Local residents and businesses are raging. The same applies on the Largs to Cumbrae service. Traffic queuing for the ferry spills out into adjoining streets causing more traffic problems.

 

[Slick]

Nice, I'm heading over with my brother on the 16th to give it another go.

Ffs, maybe not.

https://www.calmac.co.uk/service-status?route=05

 

[Brandane]

Ffs, maybe not.

https://www.calmac.co.uk/service-status?route=05

I went over last Monday (9th) for my first cycle round the island for 2 years.
Went over on the 9.45 from Brodick, operated by the "Caledonian Isles".
I had pre-booked to return on the 6pm sailing (yes I know, but I like a long lunch 😄). Got a text about 5pm telling me not to be late for the ferry as it was going to be the last one of the day. Strange, I thought, as there is a later one on the timetable. The 6pm was indeed the last sailing and was operated by the "Isle of Arran". Two members of crew on the Caledonian Isles had tested positive for covid at some point during the day, and the ferry was taken off the run.
There have been a few more similar occurrences in the last week causing problems for locals and visitors. Sometimes I think CalMac grab any chance they can to cancel sailings, whether it be the weather, mechanicals, or covid. Just waiting for the "can't get staff due to brexit" excuse!
CalMac are of course owned by the Scottish Govt. and we know who that means, dont we @oldwheels

P.S.. @Slick , did you manage to get over and back today as planned?

 

[Slick]

I went over last Monday (9th) for my first cycle round the island for 2 years.
Went over on the 9.45 from Brodick, operated by the "Caledonian Isles".
I had pre-booked to return on the 6pm sailing (yes I know, but I like a long lunch 😄). Got a text about 5pm telling me not to be late for the ferry as it was going to be the last one of the day. Strange, I thought, as there is a later one on the timetable. The 6pm was indeed the last sailing and was operated by the "Isle of Arran". Two members of crew on the Caledonian Isles had tested positive for covid at some point during the day, and the ferry was taken off the run.
There have been a few more similar occurrences in the last week causing problems for locals and visitors. Sometimes I think CalMac grab any chance they can to cancel sailings, whether it be the weather, mechanicals, or covid. Just waiting for the "can't get staff due to brexit" excuse!
CalMac are of course owned by the Scottish Govt. and we know who that means, dont we @oldwheels

P.S.. @Slick , did you manage to get over and back today as planned?

Total chaos coming off this afternoon but we went for the first boat this morning and there were no problems. We were waiting 3 hours on our boat and it was standing room only. Typical

 

[Brandane]

I see on the service status page of the CalMac website that the Caledonian Isles is out of service for at least another 2 days, and they are asking people to travel on the Ardrossan/Brodick service only if it is essential. The reduced timetable service is being operated by the smaller, older, knackered, mv Isle of Arran. Ach well, it was good while it lasted - one morning I think it was, we were restriction free!

 

[Brandane]

I see on the service status page of the CalMac website that the Caledonian Isles is out of service for at least another 2 days, and they are asking people to travel on the Ardrossan/Brodick service only if it is essential. The reduced timetable service is being operated by the smaller, older, knackered, mv Isle of Arran. Ach well, it was good while it lasted - one morning I think it was, we were restriction free!

Now the "Isle of Arran" has developed a problem with the bow seal, so they might be down to zero ferries this afternoon. A return to island living is rapidly losing it's attraction for me!

 

[bruce1530]

yeah, tomorrow it's 3 sailings each way (on the small boat) rather than the timetabled 10

 

[Slick]

No wonder the islanders don't rate the service.