Mezeron & Steam Packet Master Thread

[gazza]

 

 

Has anyone noticed a reduction in the prices on the shelves in Tesco, have they passed on the saving that they are making by shipping with Mezeron, shoprite have said that they will be passing on any saving by improving the shops, has anyone seen any improvements yet. I would say that it will be no on both cases, once again it will be the average man in the street who will lose out whilst the likes of Tesco and Graylaw profits get bigger. It will be us the people of the Isle of Man who lose the benefits of a good reguler reliable service.

 

Why should they pass this on to you. i cant see why they should, they have no right to pass it on or need,

 

So quastion to you is, why should they pass it on to you!!!!!!!!!!

[ManxTaxPayer]

Has anyone noticed a reduction in the prices on the shelves in Tesco

I have. A 340g pack of smoked salmon reduced from £12 to just £5. I purchased two packs, saving myself £14.

 

shoprite have said that they will be passing on any saving by improving the shops, has anyone seen any improvements yet.

I have. The shiny new fish counter at the Victoria Road store.

 

I would say that it will be no on both cases,

I wouldn't.

[manxman8180]

But you're missing the point, if they charged £200 I would have booked with SP, because they want £300 they're getting nothing.

They would have had my money since September, I've just checked today, there are still places available now.

They're sailing anyway so they'd be better off with my £200 than with nothing. Can you really argue with this.

I'm one person that would sail more often if the prices were reasonable. I can't believe I'm the only one.

Essentially, you are suggesting the SPCO operate some kind of barter system. they tell you need they need £300 to caryr you at Christmas, you offer £200, you settle on £250 cos the SPCO knew in September that not all the places will have sold by mid-December, and the multi-million operation would be safer with the extra 250 quid in the bank already?

I'm going to try that at Tesco.

What! I'm not suggesting any kind of bartering system. I'm obviously not suggesting £200 is hugely important to the SP. It's how many lots of £200 that's important.

I'm saying I'd travel over more often if the prices weren't so high and I think others may do also. The cumulative extra money that reasonable pricing might pull in could be significant.

Is me posting my views upsetting you for some reason?

Grant

 

I understand where you are coming from. It's not quite that simple though, if you expand it out a bit. Ticket pricing for anything tends to work on a yield calculation, so they will be expecting a certain return from each sailing. They know that there will be a certain demand from those looking for early bookings, planned well in advance as well as those who need to travel with little notice and many at various degrees in between.

 

On the face of it, it is easy to think that they would be better off selling all space, even if it is sold off 'cheap', but it is often of greater financial benefit to the company to charge a higher fare, even if there are seats unsold, as in effect you are 'gambling' that your price structure will yield the greatest return.

 

There may be some people who would take an impromptu trip if the prices were rock bottom on a last minute booking, but do these outweigh the number of people who 'must' travel last minute and therefore have to pay a premium? I also wonder if they don't sell off empty places last minute as this would encourage a lot of people to wait until the last minute to book and create a cashflow headache. In effect, they offer cheaper fares to get your cash nice and early, also most people want to plan ahead rather than taking a risk of not getting a booking etc.

[ThankU]

BA have just announced that fuel surcharges are to go up by £10

[P.K.]

Dear me, what a pissing contest on fares!

 

Some say it's expensive, others say it's reasonable. So they start to make meaningless comparisons with other routes. And they are meaningless because so many other factors should be taken into account! With the major one being volumes where economies of scale kick in.

 

However, probably in every other route you care to mention, there isn't a monopoly on pax. There is in this case and the SP has it. Does anyone on here seriously think they don't use it to their advantage?

 

Grow up, get real, move on...

[Chris Bowen]

Has anyone noticed a reduction in the prices on the shelves in Tesco

I have. A 340g pack of smoked salmon reduced from £12 to just £5. I purchased two packs, saving myself £14.

 

shoprite have said that they will be passing on any saving by improving the shops, has anyone seen any improvements yet.

I have. The shiny new fish counter at the Victoria Road store.

 

I would say that it will be no on both cases,

I wouldn't.

 

Oh how small the world is. I think you will find that the reduction of your smoked salmon is not exclusive to the Isle of Man and every other Tesco store has the reduction.

 

 

A nice shiny new fish counter to keep you happy, is the fish any cheaper, I think not.

[EORH]

I got a loaf at Tesco's yesterday for 60p WHOWWWWWWWWW

[johnquayleiom]

Wait til Tesco can bring meat in in mezerons chilled containers. You'll see a difference then.

[Manxman2000]

 

Has anyone noticed a reduction in the prices on the shelves in Tesco, have they passed on the saving that they are making by shipping with Mezeron, shoprite have said that they will be passing on any saving by improving the shops, has anyone seen any improvements yet. I would say that it will be no on both cases, once again it will be the average man in the street who will lose out whilst the likes of Tesco and Graylaw profits get bigger. It will be us the people of the Isle of Man who lose the benefits of a good reguler reliable service.

 

Not yet in the shops but I have on the shipping costs with the Steam Packet, It will not last but it is a reduction so don’t tell us that Mezeron has had no effect.

[tonythetash]

Apparently (which means not confirmed) IOMSP are increasing thier fright charges by 20% to counteract the loss they are enduring from the Tesco switch.

I had some windows replaced, the firm that done it not only matched the cheapest quote but knocked of £100 too, as the guy said "we appreciate your bussiness".

How does that philosophy work in the world of SP?

[Nom de plume]

I'd (IOM Govt.) compulsory purchase the other linkspan.

 

I'd be happy for goods such as LPG, Oil, etc to remain unaffected by tendered procedures. I'm talking purely about PAX & Freight in this instance. I apologise for not making myself clear earlier on.

 

I still believe a tendering process on each linkspan (one PAX, one Freight) would be good for the Island. I'm sure the likes of P&O would take a look, possibly others.

 

Tender documents would include:

 

Minimum acceptable operating services.

A fare ceiling.

Proportion of discounted fares per sailing.

Etc

 

EXCLUSIVE use of Douglas harbour to each winning tender (exceptions being Oil, Gas etc).

 

I referred earlier to a tendered lead time of 6 months OR SIMILAR. That could be as far out as 2 years? That would be up to the Govt I guess.

 

I'm trying to offer suggestions ...

 

It seems from scrolling through this thread, that the general view is either for or against the SP (bash or praise where appropriate). I'm not seeing much in the way of offering up viable solutions?

 

 

 

Hear you ... but I'd have those bases covered in the tendered agreements.

Why on earth would you want to? It's only Ro-Ro services that have been restricted up until now, why extend that to other areas that are operating quite happily in a free environment? By the way, one of the linkspans is owned by the Packet, the other by the government.

Edited December 15, 2010 by Nom de plume

[Barrie Stevens]

I'd (IOM Govt.) compulsory purchase the other linkspan.

 

I'd be happy for goods such as LPG, Oil, etc to remain unaffected by tendered procedures. I'm talking purely about PAX & Freight in this instance. I apologise for not making myself clear earlier on.

 

I still believe a tendering process on each linkspan (one PAX, one Freight) would be good for the Island. I'm sure the likes of P&O would take a look, possibly others.

 

Tender documents would include:

 

Minimum acceptable operating services.

A fare ceiling.

Proportion of discounted fares per sailing.

 

 

Etc

 

EXCLUSIVE use of Douglas harbour to each winning tender (exceptions being Oil, Gas etc).

 

I referred earlier to a tendered lead time of 6 months OR SIMILAR. That could be as far out as 2 years? That would be up to the Govt I guess.

 

I'm trying to offer suggestions ...

 

It seems from scrolling through this thread, that the general view is either for or against the SP (bash or praise where appropriate). I'm not seeing much in the way of offering up viable solutions?

 

 

 

Hear you ... but I'd have those bases covered in the tendered agreements.

Why on earth would you want to? It's only Ro-Ro services that have been restricted up until now, why extend that to other areas that are operating quite happily in a free environment? By the way, one of the linkspans is owned by the Packet, the other by the government.

 

I can assure you from personal experience of operating ships around the world that it is a very slippery slope indeed when a country starts making its harbours "exclusive".

 

Also, I stand to be corrected but I am not certain that the EU etc might not put some pressure on under the Island's free trading arrangement. ie in for trade out for everything else.

 

The sheer essence and spirit of maritime trade is The Freedom of the Seas and Free Trade. This is why sea-freight is the cheapest form of carriage for most goods and commodities.

 

It is the open nature of the Isle of Man that endows its rise from poverty to relative comfort.

 

The odd Linkspan under control is OK but when you slap an exclusive label on your harbours it is the maritime equivalent of an occluded coronary artery. (You can live with it up to a point but in the end it chokes off and kills you)

 

Excluding anything in shipping tends to put people off. Reputatioin is all and easily lost. They will think. "Isle of Man. British territory but get this, they close their harbours to free trade!"

 

This is how the shipping market thinks believe me!

 

You would be seen as being in company with North Korea and similar regimes.

 

It is just not done these days as globalisation (which has come to the Island) requires open access and flexibility.

 

Also, how do you know that P&O and others would be interested? Things are very bad just now and the Island makes more of itself than it really is. This whole Mezeron/Steampacket thing seen in the great scheme of the shipping world is like two bald men fighting over a comb! In shipping terms the Island's market is not that attractive to an entity operating in a greater world.

 

You really are very, very small and insignificant and frankly, the Steampacket is the best solid long-term stable deal you will ever get for the forseeable future the way things are - although maybe their beneficial owners have been milking it too hard! (A common fault of shipowners by the way!)

 

The Chief Minister is right to adopt a laissez faire attitude but at the same time keeping a watching brief.

 

In the meantime, Mezeron are doing very well what any market speculator and operator would do with chartered tonnage - bearing in mind that if using tonnage on "three months at a time" charters they always hold the "get out of jail free" card or more the more apt, "Get out of the brig free" card?

[Nom de plume]

Barrie,

 

Thank you for your in depth reply, however ... you can't have it both ways.

 

In one breath we are "very, very small and insignificant", but in another you could see us as being some kind of "North Korea or similar regime", if we pursued a policy that 'may' just suit our market and needs.

 

 

 

I'd (IOM Govt.) compulsory purchase the other linkspan.

 

I'd be happy for goods such as LPG, Oil, etc to remain unaffected by tendered procedures. I'm talking purely about PAX & Freight in this instance. I apologise for not making myself clear earlier on.

 

I still believe a tendering process on each linkspan (one PAX, one Freight) would be good for the Island. I'm sure the likes of P&O would take a look, possibly others.

 

Tender documents would include:

 

Minimum acceptable operating services.

A fare ceiling.

Proportion of discounted fares per sailing.

 

 

Etc

 

EXCLUSIVE use of Douglas harbour to each winning tender (exceptions being Oil, Gas etc).

 

I referred earlier to a tendered lead time of 6 months OR SIMILAR. That could be as far out as 2 years? That would be up to the Govt I guess.

 

I'm trying to offer suggestions ...

 

It seems from scrolling through this thread, that the general view is either for or against the SP (bash or praise where appropriate). I'm not seeing much in the way of offering up viable solutions?

 

 

 

Hear you ... but I'd have those bases covered in the tendered agreements.

Why on earth would you want to? It's only Ro-Ro services that have been restricted up until now, why extend that to other areas that are operating quite happily in a free environment? By the way, one of the linkspans is owned by the Packet, the other by the government.

 

I can assure you from personal experience of operating ships around the world that it is a very slippery slope indeed when a country starts making its harbours "exclusive".

 

Also, I stand to be corrected but I am not certain that the EU etc might not put some pressure on under the Island's free trading arrangement. ie in for trade out for everything else.

 

The sheer essence and spirit of maritime trade is The Freedom of the Seas and Free Trade. This is why sea-freight is the cheapest form of carriage for most goods and commodities.

 

It is the open nature of the Isle of Man that endows its rise from poverty to relative comfort.

 

The odd Linkspan under control is OK but when you slap an exclusive label on your harbours it is the maritime equivalent of an occluded coronary artery. (You can live with it up to a point but in the end it chokes off and kills you)

 

Excluding anything in shipping tends to put people off. Reputatioin is all and easily lost. They will think. "Isle of Man. British territory but get this, they close their harbours to free trade!"

 

This is how the shipping market thinks believe me!

 

You would be seen as being in company with North Korea and similar regimes.

 

It is just not done these days as globalisation (which has come to the Island) requires open access and flexibility.

 

Also, how do you know that P&O and others would be interested? Things are very bad just now and the Island makes more of itself than it really is. This whole Mezeron/Steampacket thing seen in the great scheme of the shipping world is like two bald men fighting over a comb! In shipping terms the Island's market is not that attractive to an entity operating in a greater world.

 

You really are very, very small and insignificant and frankly, the Steampacket is the best solid long-term stable deal you will ever get for the forseeable future the way things are - although maybe their beneficial owners have been milking it too hard! (A common fault of shipowners by the way!)

 

The Chief Minister is right to adopt a laissez faire attitude but at the same time keeping a watching brief.

 

In the meantime, Mezeron are doing very well what any market speculator and operator would do with chartered tonnage - bearing in mind that if using tonnage on "three months at a time" charters they always hold the "get out of jail free" card or more the more apt, "Get out of the brig free" card?

[manshimajin]

This whole Mezeron/Steampacket thing seen in the great scheme of the shipping world is like two bald men fighting over a comb!

That has to be one of the quotes (and mental images) of the year! Well done Barrie!

[jimbms]

 

Has anyone noticed a reduction in the prices on the shelves in Tesco, have they passed on the saving that they are making by shipping with Mezeron, shoprite have said that they will be passing on any saving by improving the shops, has anyone seen any improvements yet. I would say that it will be no on both cases, once again it will be the average man in the street who will lose out whilst the likes of Tesco and Graylaw profits get bigger. It will be us the people of the Isle of Man who lose the benefits of a good reguler reliable service.

 

Not yet in the shops but I have on the shipping costs with the Steam Packet, It will not last but it is a reduction so don't tell us that Mezeron has had no effect.

In fact there are a few items that have gone down by a few pence in Tesco and mainly lead items so it may be having a good effect.