By stewartb
The ticket price differences are crazy.
The single adult passenger fare for the 2 hour 45 minute journey from Penzance Harbour, Cornwall to St Mary’s Harbour, Isles of Scilly by the ferry Scillonian III on Wednesday March 26, 2025 is available for purchase online at £92.99. For the reverse journey on 27 March, the ticket price is £87.99.
The passenger only ferry, Scillonian was built in 1977, so now c.48 years old. It operates March to November.
(https://www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/scillonian-iii/ )
By contrast, for the c. 4 hour 45 minute journey from Oban to Castlebay, Barra on 26 March, CalMac is charging £17.30 for an adult single ticket. The return journey price is similar e.g. £19.05 on March 28.
The MV Isle of Lewis serves Barra all year round and (of course) also carries vehicles. It was built in 1995 by Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd, Port Glasgow, so 18 years younger than the Scillonian.
A single adult ticket from Mallaig to Canna on March 27 will cost £6.45 for the c. 3 hour journey, return ticket costs £12.90. The island is served by MV Lochnevis which was built in 2000 by Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Troon.
The above does not claim to be an in depth analysis of prices. But one has to wonder how many of those exposed to the constant negativity from BBC Scotland and others in the mainstream media about Calmac – and also from politicians opposed to the Scottish Government – have any notion of the scale of these differentials?
Footnote – year-round services to all Scottish destinations [50] but in Greece only the big islands – Crete, Rhodes and Corfu – get the same service, medium sized islands – Sifnos, Milos, Patmos, or Leros – three per week but the smaller islands, none.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
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