Thanks very much for that.
Can’t understand relying on standby, even in a car. I never just turn up in my car at Ardrossan for Arran - I’ve had to cancel planned day trips because I could get over but the ferry was fully booked coming back. It just takes one or two freight vehicles & they can’t use the mezzanine deck & there’s much less capacity.
Although the Calmac site clearly explains the change, and why, and how it will operate, I feel sorry for the staff at ports who are going to get abuse from those who do not know about the new policy.
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Our ferries are already booked. In 2019 we did a Hebrideian Hopscotch, (Tiree, Barra, North & South Uist, and Lewis and Harris) due to the weather we had to make various changes to our bookings and I state that the staff at CalMac were extremely helpful.
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 13/8/2021
Thanks very much for that.
Can’t understand relying on standby, even in a car. I never just turn up in my car at Ardrossan for Arran - I’ve had to cancel planned day trips because I could get over but the ferry was fully booked coming back. It just takes one or two freight vehicles & they can’t use the mezzanine deck & there’s much less capacity.
Fiona, can only speak for Mull but even pre-covid it was getting well nigh impossible to book a ferry to/from Oban unless months in advance. So emergencies or last minute hospital appts. are a nightmare if you're island based. Been worse with limited capacity due to covid with even medics not able to get a booking to go and see patients. The island communities are totally fed up and it's taken a lot of hard work to get Transport Scotland to come round. At the end of the day, these are lifelines for islanders. Yes, they're invaluable in bringing tourists but it's swung too far towards them over the years as centralisation of services such as hospitals means getting over with a vehicle for a Glasgow appt. for a MRI scan will only mean one overnight stay - use public transport and it'll mean two nights away.
------------- " When I die I don`t want my life to flash before me in an instant, I want it to be a 3 hour epic !"
I can't say I'm not surprised by that article nor many of the responses. I refuse to enter into the political elements of this but the simple thing is to book your ferry crossing in advance - something I imagine most people touring would do. I certainly would and have whether it be the Isle of Man or across the Channel or Norway. What is being stopped is the overnight parking in Standby queues - a problem for some routes/ports - and large vehicles joining the standby queues for the next ferry. If you only have cars in the standby queue for the next sailing, they can maximise available space which can create more space on the next sailing. I do admit that you have to trust the loaders instructions when they do this as they pack them in tight!
Yes, I feel for the port staff as they're inevitably going to get some aggro from a few. And I'll be honest and say that there's been times I've been given preference on the Lochaline ferry as a local when there's been a very tiny space left.
------------- " When I die I don`t want my life to flash before me in an instant, I want it to be a 3 hour epic !"
A member of crew on the Ardrossan-Brodick ferry has had a positive Covid test result today. Sailings cancelled as a result. Luckily there’s another wee ferry on the route during the summer, plus the Lochranza-Clonaig crossing, so people should be able to get off the island.
Re their faq - The vehicles V5 log book will have the vehicle registered as a Motor Caravan. As many campervan conversions don't get dvla designation as motor caravans these days I can see the poor staff getting hit with that loophole by a large element of the entitled & so-called vanlifers.
Quote: Originally posted by spiritburner on 15/8/2021
Re their faq - The vehicles V5 log book will have the vehicle registered as a Motor Caravan. As many campervan conversions don't get dvla designation as motor caravans these days I can see the poor staff getting hit with that loophole by a large element of the entitled & so-called vanlifers.
My reading of the new rules is that it’s effectively stopping overnight parking in the standby lane, which at Ardrossan you could only do when the ticket booth is closed for the day (in the evening after the last ferry), as you have to stop there when it’s open (from 0630, for the 0700 sailing). Sleeping in your vehicle would apply to MHs or DIY conversions. I don’t know who’ll enforce that - harbour security staff or police.
At Ardrossan, if you turn up for the Arran ferry without a booking, you have to buy your ticket at the booth (which opens before the 0700 sailing). If there’s no room on the boat, you’re booked onto the next ferry that does have room - you can go away & come back later or go into the standby queue and cross your fingers that you’ll get on the earlier ferry. I think MHs will still be able to do this, as by that time they’d have a ticket, just not for that ferry. Sometimes all the standby vehicles get on, if not they get moved to the booked lanes once the boat has left.
A different question is this: if you have a ticket & booking for the first ferry & turn up for the last one the night before, feeling optimistic, can you sleep in the booked lane if you don’t get on…. I think so but I’m not sure I’d risk it.
Quote: Originally posted by spiritburner on 15/8/2021
Re their faq - The vehicles V5 log book will have the vehicle registered as a Motor Caravan. As many campervan conversions don't get dvla designation as motor caravans these days I can see the poor staff getting hit with that loophole by a large element of the entitled & so-called vanlifers.
My reading of the new rules is that it’s effectively stopping overnight parking in the standby lane, which at Ardrossan you could only do when the ticket booth is closed for the day (in the evening after the last ferry), as you have to stop there when it’s open (from 0630, for the 0700 sailing). Sleeping in your vehicle would apply to MHs or DIY conversions. I don’t know who’ll enforce that - harbour security staff or police.
At Ardrossan, if you turn up for the Arran ferry without a booking, you have to buy your ticket at the booth (which opens before the 0700 sailing). If there’s no room on the boat, you’re booked onto the next ferry that does have room - you can go away & come back later or go into the standby queue and cross your fingers that you’ll get on the earlier ferry. I think MHs will still be able to do this, as by that time they’d have a ticket, just not for that ferry. Sometimes all the standby vehicles get on, if not they get moved to the booked lanes once the boat has left.
A different question is this: if you have a ticket & booking for the first ferry & turn up for the last one the night before, feeling optimistic, can you sleep in the booked lane if you don’t get on…. I think so but I’m not sure I’d risk it.
I think you're wise Fiona regarding your last point - preCovid Oban weren't allowing this and Council had a list of car parks where overnight allowed. Can't find out at the moment either without yet more hours on the phone. One plus point on the Oban run - Coruisk is properly back in action.
------------- " When I die I don`t want my life to flash before me in an instant, I want it to be a 3 hour epic !"
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: IMPORTANT RE CALMAC FERRIES
via mobile 12/8/2021 at 10:28pm
