Tag: tourism

11 Comments

Herald writer’s cringing ignorance of the best equipped ferry service in the world – ours

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson, Rough Guide Best International Ferry Correspondent 2022, 2023 and 2024 In the Herald yesterday: MUCH has been said about Scotland’s ongoing ferry fiasco which has left the network with a large number of passengers but hardly any ships. It should be the gold standard of marine disasters, an exemplar to show the world how not to do things. An exemplar, eh, Simpson? Have you looked at any other ferry services in other parts which might be exemplars of how to do things? You haven’t? Thought so. Too tired? Here, I’ll do it. First, Calmac has 33 vessels in … Continue reading Herald writer’s cringing ignorance of the best equipped ferry service in the world – ours

Leave a comment

Threat of complete tourism collapse as Channel Islands government dillies but one tender seems quite unsafe

johnrobertson834

Owned by King Charles III and run by centrist/rightist governments, the Channel Island been suffering a terrible ferry fiasco for years now with locals often unable to meet important medical appointments and businesses run businesses, especially in tourism. From BBC South-West, today: Ferry firms and business groups have called for an “immediate” decision on which company will run ferry operations in the Channel Islands from March. Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries, Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the Jersey Hospitality Association, said in a statement that the “prolonged impasse” on awarding the contract was “detrimental” to tourism. Christophe Mathieu, chief executive of … Continue reading Threat of complete tourism collapse as Channel Islands government dillies but one tender seems quite unsafe

3 Comments

CalMac ferry cancellations due to technical faults at only 2% to confirm status as best, 98% reliable, safest and cheapest for passengers, ferry service in the world

johnrobertson834

The Herald today is platforming a Conservatives freedom of information figure of 3 215 CalMac ferry crossings cancelled due to technical problems in the first nine months of 2023, under the headline – CalMac ferry cancellations a ‘shocking betrayal’ of islanders. WTF just the first nine months? CalMac makes around 400 to 500 crossings every day of the year. Let’s go with the lower figure. That’s around 150 000 per year. The 3 215 make up only 2.14%. Any other cancellations are due to dangerous weather. CalMac has never lost a passenger, never mind a ferry, due to mistakes of … Continue reading CalMac ferry cancellations due to technical faults at only 2% to confirm status as best, 98% reliable, safest and cheapest for passengers, ferry service in the world

6 Comments

A family from Greenock having a culture-break in Edinburgh is not on a ‘staycation’ at ‘home’

johnrobertson834

In the Herald today: A tourist tax is set to take tens of millions out of the pockets of the one in four Scots who decide to holiday at home, leading to calls for local authorities to boycott it. Analysis indicates that if set at 5%, the minister-approved visitor levy would raise £142m if brought in across the nation but there has been a warning that it also acts as what has been described as a “stealth tax” on Scots. If you can afford accommodation prices in Edinburgh or other Scottish hotspots, you can afford the wee bit extra tourism … Continue reading A family from Greenock having a culture-break in Edinburgh is not on a ‘staycation’ at ‘home’

8 Comments

As CalMac averages over 99% reliability last week Peel Port’s blame for Arran problems is confirmed, problems pile up for ferry services elsewhere

johnrobertson834

From the Scotsman, today: Claims by the owner of a harbour on CalMac’s busiest route that its poor condition is due to damage by the operator’s ferries have been rubbished by another ports firm which said the fleet had not harmed any of its own 26 harbours. Who owns Peel Ports? John Whittaker (born 14 March 1942) is a British billionaire. He is chairman of the Peel Group, a property business that mainly invests in North West England. According to The Sunday Times Rich List in 2019, Whittaker is worth £1.95 billion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Whittaker_(businessman) Meanwhile, in Nova Scotia (Canada): The ferry between Prince Edward Island and … Continue reading As CalMac averages over 99% reliability last week Peel Port’s blame for Arran problems is confirmed, problems pile up for ferry services elsewhere

9 Comments

That’s now 10 ferry services more troubled than CalMac

johnrobertson834

Regulars will know that Scotland’s state-run CalMac ferries were at 100% reliability across more than 300 sailings yesterday, after several days in the high 90s, despite endless media reports of delays in new ferries and planned maintenance for others. For some time, I’ve been looking at ferry services in Canada (2), the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Greece, the Channel Islands, the Scilly Isles and the Isle of Wight. Where data are published and many seem not to have to, I’ve found much higher prices everywhere, ageing vessels in the USA and Canada, delayed replacement vessels in Canada, USA (Washington State), … Continue reading That’s now 10 ferry services more troubled than CalMac

7 Comments

Exclusively repetitive on a ferry story from the Herald

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to my favourite, nearly 100 year-old, paper-based, to your door, Scots Independent newspaper, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ I’m saying nothing about knobs but from the Herald today: Nationalised Ferguson Marine have denied a breach of the ferry fiasco agreement after cutting the contracted size of the two lifeline ferries by 300 passengers. The Herald can confirm that a redesign of the two ferries, as a result of safety concerns, will cut its passenger carrying capacity below that specified when the contract was signed in October, 2015. The … Continue reading Exclusively repetitive on a ferry story from the Herald

5 Comments

Does their Ferries Community Board want to stick islanders with a more expensive and less reliable ferry service?

johnrobertson834

Perhaps they only read the Herald’s Second-class Ferry Correspondent (Scotland only) but the CalMAc Ferries Community Board apparently  “unanimously” do not support a direct award of the next contract. So they want to open up the bid to for-profit operators like Washington State Ferries in the USA, BC Ferries in Canada, Condor in the Channel Islands, Red Funnel in the Isle of Wight or KiwiRail in New Zealand? Regulars here will know that all operate less reliable, older vessels, at far greater cost to the passenger. For confirmation of this and to get a sharp cold water shock, read these: … Continue reading Does their Ferries Community Board want to stick islanders with a more expensive and less reliable ferry service?