Factcheck – CalMac has the youngest ferries and is the best in the world

First, age:

On average, CalMac ferries are the youngest of six comparable (several islands) fleets in the developed world.

What’s wrong with them?

Truth be told (difficult I know), probably best archipelago service in the world. See:

Factcheck – CalMac is probably best comparable ferry service in world

Disruption to service?

As Lib Dems and BBC Scotland reveal compensation to delayed passengers of only 0.1% of budget, they forget that their previous FoI revealed that CalMac is more than 97% reliable

Finally, the truth about customer (real ones) satisfaction:

Shocking contrast between customer satisfaction with CalMac and British Columbia Ferries with latter often screamed at, spat on or threatened due to poor performance
As Reporting Scotland go looking for a ferry fiasco on Arran, nearly 80% are satisfied, dangerous weather is to blame for 96% of cancellations and the car deck was less than half full, to once again expose the media stories as whopping fibs

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One thought on “Factcheck – CalMac has the youngest ferries and is the best in the world”

  1. Even intra-UK comparisons seem better than our media would have us believe:

    Here is how CalMac compares to other UK ferry services:

    Compared to Isle of Wight Ferries (Wightlink/Red Funnel):
    Service Model: Isle of Wight ferries are short, high-frequency, commercial, and private. CalMac covers a much larger, dispersed area (200 miles of coast, 50+ destinations).
    Cost/Reliability: Wightlink/Red Funnel have faced criticism for being expensive and having reliability issues similar to CalMac, but CalMac operates as a subsidised “lifeline” service (roughly £29.80 subsidy per journey) rather than a purely commercial one.
    Rating: In 2024, CalMac scored roughly similar to Wightlink, around 70-71% in customer satisfaction, placing them in similar categories of service quality.

    Compared to Channel Islands Ferries (Condor):
    Service & Comfort: Condor offers more modern, fast-ferry options but has had customer service and reliability criticisms. CalMac’s reputation is better, with customers often praising its staff and service efficiency despite aging vessels.
    Operation: CalMac is a public-service, government-owned entity, whereas Condor is private.

    Compared to Scilly Isles Ferries (Scillonian/Skybus):
    Vessel Type: Like CalMac, the Scilly Isles often rely on older, smaller ships (“creaking at times”) for essential travel, particularly the Scillonian III.
    Dependence: Both are heavily dependent on reliable, weather-dependent service for fragile island economies.

    Compared to Isle of Man Steam Packet:
    Performance: A 2024 survey rated the Isle of Man Steam Packet (56%) lower in customer satisfaction than CalMac (70%).
    Fleet: The Steam Packet has modernised its fleet more recently, while CalMac currently relies on an aging fleet, with new vessels having faced significant delays.

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