MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Are open for bookings.
I have just queued for 30 mins to get into the site.
If you have plans, I would consider booking well in advance. Thankfully we are booked now.
ohhhh - the pressure!
I does worry me slightly that far flung bits of Scotland are now in such demand that booking the ferry 8 months ahead is required. 10, no - even 5 years ago you could roll up on the day no bother.
Ta though.
Cheers! Booked mine, hope we don't have to cancel again this year!
I does worry me slightly that far flung bits of Scotland are now in such demand that booking the ferry 8 months ahead is required. 10, no – even 5 years ago you could roll up on the day no bother.
RET had a massive effect on bookings.
Bugger, was going to call today to postpone sundays Arran booking, looks like it won't be a 5 minute call...
Does this affect cyclists just rocking up as well? I could imagine so with Covid etc.
Had my own variant on the 'Five Ferries' planned but in no position to book in advance...
Does this affect cyclists just rocking up as well? I could imagine so with Covid etc.
It seems that foot/cycle passengers on smaller routes (e.g. Five Ferries) are less of an issue, but they are suggesting book ahead. We planned a multi-day five Ferries+ in October, I booked the Arran and Islay sailings as cycle passengers 'in case' and it was busy on the way to Arran for the day. Sadly we cancelled the rest due to CV19 restrictions. The smaller ferries are no bookings for foot passengers anyway.
It is more vehicles on specific sailings I can imagine will sell out - for example, we are going Uig-Tarbert on a Saturday in July and back Stornoway - Ullapool the next Saturday. I can imagine the two ferries a day will sell out on those dates, on those routes.
Arran has been bookings only for all, even foot passengers, since March.
For our Islay crossings in August, it was very much about passenger numbers rather than vehicles. Distancing in the seating areas meant that rows of seats were taped off out of use. If you don't have the seats, you can't let the bums on the boat.
Hmm... might almost be worth booking then and committing to a day out in May...
I think I would this year.
Arran ferry in may I'd always book, even as a foot passenger outside of current restrictions.
They've had so many issues with the wee ferry that folks are regularly not getting on, as all passengers booked on wee ferry then get priority for next one due.
I wouldn’t call the Arran ferry wee, unless you’re talking about the Lochranza one.
Would love to go back up that way sometime
There's a wee ferry and a big ferry that operate on the Ardrossan to Brodick route, the wee one is old and limping along until it's replaced in 2022 by the Glen Sannox.
My route needs Portavadie and Lochranza ferries but you can't book them, could be tricky if you're relying on catching specific ferries in order to make a train at the end of the day! Hmmm....
They'll generally always let you on a ferry back onto mainland if you've missed yours, that's not a problem, it's only really the outward ardrossan to Brodick route out of your 5 ferries that would be an issue. Definitely book that Ian.
Damn, I thought this was about caramel flavoured chocolate bars.
Am finishing at Brodick, would need to catck the 19:20 for the last train home. Arrochar to Brodick via Portavadie and Claonaig.
Actually a Thursday in April... probably worth the gamble, I can book the Brodick ferry and just pray I get on the others!
Cool, you'll be fine.
cheers -- thinking about doing my Caledonian Way trip (that got canned in May) - looks like accommodation and the ferries might be worth a booking.
Great PSA thanks. Arran trip at Easter so glad to be able to book onto that.
Need t o book a Mull trip and hopefully a Islay trip as well. I'll book tickets then I'll have to go.
Heads up folks - I saw a FB post this weekend on Facebook about the Mull ferry turning away cyclists as there were too many.
I have just spoken to CalMac as we have three different foot passenger with bike journeys booked with Calmac.
They don't and cannot take bike bookings - but chap on phone was aware they are running into some issues of bike capacity. They have added a note to the manifest that we have a bike with us.
He said he would pass on the feedback about being able to book a bike on - and that I wasn't the first to call about it...
You can still get to Mull on a bike without a booking - Corran Ferry and then Lochaline - Fishnish or Kilchoan - Tobermory.
Indeed - and our bookings are elswhere (Hebrides), but it has become and issue for some routes on some boats it seems.
a friend was on the arran ferry last week and he said the yare only accepting 14 bikes on each crossing
There are restricted passenger numbers on all non-open deck ferries due to reduced capacity and COVID restrictions. Oban-Craignure is pretty well fully booked for the month ahead - there was someone on a Mull FB page complaining as they’d booked accommodation last minute and couldn’t get a crossing...
There are restricted passenger numbers on all non-open deck ferries due to reduced capacity and COVID restrictions
My friends had booked three months ago as foot passengers - it was the bikes that were being denied crossing....
If this is an issue going forward, Calmac are going to have to create cycle tickets for each crossing.
They have zero price dog tickets so it can’t be too much of a stretch to take the same approach with a bike.
MV Loch Seaforth is back on duty tomorrow!!
If this is an issue going forward, Calmac are going to have to create cycle tickets for each crossing.
They used to, post RET it stopped on Arran route.
*sigh* I had optimistically hoped for a 5 ferries this year.
How in the name of **** can they only accept 14 bikes on a ferry running well below capacity. Its not like the car deck is going to be packed is it?
I've been over a few times in the last couple of months, it's definitely booked out vehicle wise, car deck full.
Still doesn't explain only 14 bikes though, they're at it.
Winter 21/22 bookings open now too!
We've managed to book groups of more than 14 on with bikes via the phone this year, at least for the bookable crossing (ie Oban to Craignure etc). When we did the Ardrossan to Broddick crossing a few weeks ago they had an additional bike rack that you hook your saddles on that they put on the car deck. Agreed that they should make it a more easily accessible situation though...
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they’re (he / she is) at it.
One of my favourite Scottish phrases 😀