Steam Packet Warns Of Disruption To Sailings

[P.K.]

26 minutes ago, Declan said:

Yeah I can't find it on the website. 

 

Just this https://www.steam-packet.com/timetables?__SPCoWinID=e15b823b-fe03-4135-8388-0c57e1df12b9

which serves a different purpose.

@Declan

Go to that site again and select the SAVE FULL TIMETABLE option button on the left of the middle panel.

It downloads a PDF of the full alleged schedule...

ETA it runs to mid-June 2024 with the Ben's last sailing on the 28th October....

Edited September 11, 2023 by P.K.

[John Wright]

9 minutes ago, philwebs said:

For aircraft delays I understand there is some compensation, especially if other arrangements need to be made.

Does this apply to the Steam Packet?

I am aware of people having to re-book and stay overnight as they are relying on an on time service.

I assume nothing.

 

No, you’re wrong; there was an EU compensation and expense refund regulation, now UK and identical ( applies to any vessel sailing to a UK port and the EU scheme still applies to Dublin sailings )

This is what ABTA say

My ferry has been delayed, what are my rights?

The following rights apply if you are travelling on a ferry departing from the UK, and on ferries which operate, to, from or within EU countries.

If your ferry operator expects your departure to be delayed, the operator should inform you as soon as possible. If this is on the day of travel, you should be informed no later than 30 minutes after your scheduled time of departure.

Meals and refreshments
If your ferry is expected to be delayed for more than 90 minutes beyond its scheduled departure time, you should be provided with free snacks, meals and refreshments in relation to the waiting time.

Refreshments should be provided even if the reason for the delay is bad weather. However, they need only be provided if they are available or can reasonably be supplied. This will be affected by a number of factors such as the facilities in the port terminal or on board the ferry, the time of day and the proximity of the terminal to local amenities.

ABTA tip
The Department for Transport suggests that reasonable refreshments for a delay of over four hours would be water or tea initially, with a snack or light meal.

If the delay goes over eight hours, a hot meal should be provided.

Re-routing or reimbursement
If you are at the ferry or port terminal and your ferry is delayed for more than 90 minutes, you should be offered the choice between: 

• An alternative sailing at the earliest opportunity and at no additional cost
• Reimbursement of the ticket price within seven days
• Accommodation.

Where a sailing is delayed and an overnight stay becomes necessary, your ferry operator should offer you accommodation free of charge, if possible.

This can be on board the ferry, or ashore. The ferry operator is also free to look at other options, such asking you to go home, or to make your own arrangements and offering to reimburse your expenses. The ferry operator may limit accommodation costs to €80 (approximately £66) per night per passenger for a maximum of three nights.

However, no overnight accommodation has to be offered, or costs reimbursed, where the delay is caused by weather conditions endangering the safe operation of the ferry.

Compensation
You are entitled to compensation of 25% of your ticket price, for that part of the affected journey, if your service is delayed in arrival by at least:

• One hour for a journey of duration four hours
• Two hours for a journey of duration between four and eight hours
• Three hours for a journey of duration between eight and 24 hours
• Six hours for a journey of duration of over 24 hours.

If the delay exceeds double the time set out, the compensation shall be 50% of the ticket price. The ferry operator must pay compensation within one month of the submission of a substantiated claim for compensation.

Important to note
This compensation isn’t payable where the delay was caused by weather conditions endangering the safe operation of the ferry or by extraordinary and unavoidable circumstances that hindered the sailing

[Banker]

29 minutes ago, philwebs said:

For aircraft delays I understand there is some compensation, especially if other arrangements need to be made.

Does this apply to the Steam Packet?

I am aware of people having to re-book and stay overnight as they are relying on an on time service.

I assume nothing.

 

Why would anyone stay overnight It’s only a c90 minute delay ? This would not gain any compensation or refund on an airline 

[Declan]

15 minutes ago, Banker said:

Why would anyone stay overnight It’s only a c90 minute delay ? This would not gain any compensation or refund on an airline 

I guess if you missed an onward connection.  

But personally, I wouldn't. There's an element of risk in transport arrangements and if the options were (a) booking a trip with a riskily tight connection time and (b) overnight stay in a town I don't want to be. I'd take (a) and if it became (b) due to delays then I'm not suing the transport firm. 

Do people who get a boat that's supposed to be in at 10:30pm but gets in at 11:00 causing them to miss the last bus sue the Steam Packet for taxi fare? I doubt it. 

[Declan]

54 minutes ago, P.K. said:

@Declan

Go to that site again and select the SAVE FULL TIMETABLE option button on the left of the middle panel.

It downloads a PDF of the full alleged schedule...

ETA it runs to mid-June 2024 with the Ben's last sailing on the 28th October....

Thank you. Even then it's a bit bizarre.

So they don't sail to Liverpool between the end of October and mid May?

[Roxanne]

2 hours ago, Declan said:

Do the Steam Packet actually have a timetable on-line? 

I mean one you can look at and see what their schedule is over the coming months?

Not one where you have to complete a form and receive a selection of times for some sailings, but one where I can see all the sailings to Liverpool till the end of the year and another with all the sailings to Heysham. You know a timetable. 

Steady on…

[newaccount]

5 hours ago, philwebs said:

For aircraft delays I understand there is some compensation, especially if other arrangements need to be made.

Does this apply to the Steam Packet?

I am aware of people having to re-book and stay overnight as they are relying on an on time service.

I assume nothing.

 

The relevant EU legislation is within this page

 

https://www.steam-packet.com/termsandconditions

[John Wright]

4 hours ago, Declan said:

So they don't sail to Liverpool between the end of October and mid May?

Yes, they do.

2024/5 sailings aren’t loaded yet, apart from TT 2024.

In mid October, every year ( except when they’re about to go bust ) they upload sailings for the next 12 months, running from the next February to the following January.

However they upload the next year TT provisionally towards end of TT every year.

[Declan]

So when do the Liverpool boats restart? Typically.

 

Edited September 11, 2023 by Declan

[John Wright]

22 minutes ago, Declan said:

So when do the Liverpool boats restart? Typically.

 

Late March. There’s normally a 5 month hiatus end first week November to start last week March.

In exceptional years it may be a week earlier, if Easter  is very early. Next year Easter Sunday is 31 March. I think earliest that Easter can ever be is 22 March ( last time that happened was 1818 and next 2085 )

[Passing Time]

1 hour ago, John Wright said:

Late March. There’s normally a 5 month hiatus end first week November to start last week March.

In exceptional years it may be a week earlier, if Easter  is very early. Next year Easter Sunday is 31 March. I think earliest that Easter can ever be is 22 March ( last time that happened was 1818 and next 2085 )

well worth the money spent on a shed that's only used for just over half the year...

[Banker]

8 minutes ago, Passing Time said:

well worth the money spent on a shed that's only used for just over half the year...

Hopefully the weekend sailings in winter will restart when new terminal completes so next November 

[John Wright]

10 minutes ago, Banker said:

Hopefully the weekend sailings in winter will restart when new terminal completes so next November 

So that’s 40 sailings over 20 weeks. 3 hours each Saturday & Sunday. 120 hours. Empty the rest of the time.

Good value?

[newaccount]

13 minutes ago, Banker said:

Hopefully the weekend sailings in winter will restart when new terminal completes so next November 

That's the plan

[Passing Time]

26 minutes ago, Banker said:

Hopefully the weekend sailings in winter will restart when new terminal completes so next November 

Still a complete waste of taxpayer money