Steam Packet Warns Of Disruption To Sailings

[Happier diner]

1 hour ago, 0bserver said:

They can. 

 

It's just the demand doesn't exist.

You are letting facts get in the way of a good moan. You'll never be popular on here😁

There would be plenty of moans if they started sailing to Ireland all year round with just a couple of cars on and guess who subsidising it.

[John Wright]

23 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

You are letting facts get in the way of a good moan. You'll never be popular on here😁

There would be plenty of moans if they started sailing to Ireland all year round with just a couple of cars on and guess who subsidising it.

Any subsidy would be by other passengers. Like we subsidise very light sailings on the Ben and Mannanan now.

Theres got to be a large enough Irish community here that a boat, with freight capacity could justify a service to either or Belfast/Dublin at least once a week year round.

It’s a big gap, end first week September to middle May. And for lots of us now it’s easier and faster to access Europe via Dublin & Rosslare if they could negotiate land bridge fares for onward travel.

[The Phantom]

7 minutes ago, John Wright said:

Theres got to be a large enough Irish community here that a boat, with freight capacity could justify a service to either or Belfast/Dublin at least once a week year round.

I understand there was during the 80s.  Although the crew wore balaclavas and the freight had a tendency to go boom. 

[0bserver]

17 minutes ago, John Wright said:

Any subsidy would be by other passengers. Like we subsidise very light sailings on the Ben and Mannanan now.

Theres got to be a large enough Irish community here that a boat, with freight capacity could justify a service to either or Belfast/Dublin at least once a week year round.

It’s a big gap, end first week September to middle May. And for lots of us now it’s easier and faster to access Europe via Dublin & Rosslare if they could negotiate land bridge fares for onward travel.

They tried it before the demise of the Snaefell in the wake of the Mezeron fiasco. They added extra Dublin and Belfast sailings. The loads were naff.

[John Wright]

2 minutes ago, 0bserver said:

They tried it before the demise of the Snaefell in the wake of the Mezeron fiasco. They added extra Dublin and Belfast sailings. The loads were naff.

These are smaller, more fuel efficient ( Snaefell really drank the fuel ). The Irish service is naff.

As the EU is currently subsidising BF, Stena, B&I and Irish Ferries to sail passenger and freight to/from Ireland avoiding GB. I’ve just booked my trip in January. It’s cheaper, and a better connection, and less driving to go IoM Heysham, Holyhead Dublin and Rosslare to Bilbao than IoM Heysham and Portsmouth Santander.

Anything to avoid M6/M6 Toll/M42/M40/A34/M27.

 

[Happier diner]

1 hour ago, John Wright said:

Any subsidy would be by other passengers. Like we subsidise very light sailings on the Ben and Mannanan now.

Theres got to be a large enough Irish community here that a boat, with freight capacity could justify a service to either or Belfast/Dublin at least once a week year round.

It’s a big gap, end first week September to middle May. And for lots of us now it’s easier and faster to access Europe via Dublin & Rosslare if they could negotiate land bridge fares for onward travel.

Fair point

 

I thought that they had tried the Irish routes out of season before and got very few takers. Maybe its time to try again and give it another chance.

I have looked at Heysham/Dublin/Rosslare/Spain and never managed to make it work. Either you have to spend too many days in Ireland or get across Ireland overnight. I'll look again for next year. We normally go via Plymouth as its less fraught than Portsmouth

 

[John Wright]

9 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

Fair point

 

I thought that they had tried the Irish routes out of season before and got very few takers. Maybe its time to try again and give it another chance.

I have looked at Heysham/Dublin/Rosslare/Spain and never managed to make it work. Either you have to spend too many days in Ireland or get across Ireland overnight. I'll look again for next year. We normally go via Plymouth as its less fraught than Portsmouth

 

Plymouth is a much longer drive than Portsmouth.

There are now 2 return sailings a week from Rosslare to Bilbao and, between Dublin, Rosslare and Cork there are 10 sailings a week between Ireland and Brittany/Normandy.

In summer there are sailings to Belfast/Dublin twice a week. And the whole drive is motorway. I’ve only ever had to stay one night.

[0bserver]

2 hours ago, John Wright said:

These are smaller, more fuel efficient ( Snaefell really drank the fuel ). The Irish service is naff.

As the EU is currently subsidising BF, Stena, B&I and Irish Ferries to sail passenger and freight to/from Ireland avoiding GB. I’ve just booked my trip in January. It’s cheaper, and a better connection, and less driving to go IoM Heysham, Holyhead Dublin and Rosslare to Bilbao than IoM Heysham and Portsmouth Santander.

Anything to avoid M6/M6 Toll/M42/M40/A34/M27.

 

IOMSPC could look at a weekly Warrenpoint sailing. Keeps both sides happy and concentrates loads on one route. 

I'm honestly not sure the deman exists. It would be nice if it could be made to work though.

[John Wright]

14 minutes ago, 0bserver said:

IOMSPC could look at a weekly Warrenpoint sailing. Keeps both sides happy and concentrates loads on one route. 

I'm honestly not sure the deman exists. It would be nice if it could be made to work though.

There are no longer any passenger facilities at Warrenpoint. It’s a bit like Fleetwood in that regard.

However there is a link span ( only one ) and it’s well used by SeaTruck from Heysham. They mainly carry unaccompanied freight trailers. But can carry up to 12 passengers. They won’t take cars but will take accompanied motorhomes, subject to the 12 passenger aggregate limit.

[Roger Mexico]

2 hours ago, John Wright said:

Theres got to be a large enough Irish community here that a boat, with freight capacity could justify a service to either or Belfast/Dublin at least once a week year round.

Not sure there is.  The Census only showed 1630 people born in Ireland.  UK figures weren't split this time, but the 2016 figure for NI was about the same (1660).  With regular Dublin air services, I can't see there being much of a market, unless there's some sort of regular freight to underwrite it.  I doubt even the current service would exist without the ghost of the user agreement.

[Andy Onchan]

Just now, Roger Mexico said:

Not sure there is.  The Census only showed 1630 people born in Ireland.  UK figures weren't split this time, but the 2016 figure for NI was about the same (1660).  With regular Dublin air services, I can't see there being much of a market, unless there's some sort of regular freight to underwrite it.  I doubt even the current service would exist without the ghost of the user agreement.

What we need is a race course. Build it and they will come!

[Happier diner]

2 hours ago, John Wright said:

Plymouth is a much longer drive than Portsmouth. - You might be surprised. Its further yes but a fast route. The port at Plymouth is massive and its much less stressful than Portsmouth. There is a nice restaurant right at the entrance. I can't stand Portsmouth port

There are now 2 return sailings a week from Rosslare to Bilbao and, between Dublin, Rosslare and Cork there are 10 sailings a week between Ireland and Brittany/Normandy.

In summer there are sailings to Belfast/Dublin twice a week. And the whole drive is motorway. I’ve only ever had to stay one night. I'm already looking into it

 

[Happier diner]

35 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

What we need is a race course. Build it and they will come!

They need to get into the starting gates on this good idea! They could soon whip it into action. An unbridled success is a certainty.

[John Wright]

28 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

 

You might be surprised. Its further yes but a fast route. The port at Plymouth is massive and its much less stressful than Portsmouth. There is a nice restaurant right at the entrance. I can't stand Portsmouth port

I’ve sailed from Plymouth several times. It used to be the only port with a pet friendly cabin service to Spain.

The service is now seasonal. Santander adds an 75 minutes to my drive in Spain. 

Honestly don’t think there’s any advantage to Plymouth. It’s 60km further. 

Portsmouth port and harbour is much larger than Plymouth and has much better facilities. And if we are looking to overnight it’s got a much better selection of pet friendly hotels.

And Portsmouth is now the port with the two new e-flexers, 4 crossings to Spain a week in summer, and two a week in winter. Plus there’s a high level link span so cars can drive straight onto/off car garage deck 5 while freight is loading on deck 3. Makes disembarkation and customs and immigration much faster, especially as BF are trialling an Exec Club type first on first off boarding.

But, horses for courses.

And it’s one of the reasons for Rosslare. 2 hours from Dublin port, empty motorway to Wexford, e-flexer, two level boarding and the sailings are to Bilbao, all year round. Mind you the harbour area is dire.

[manxchester]

Problem with the engine on Mannanan this morning, stuck in Douglas at moment.