Jump to content

The North Boat (Northlink ferries)


peeriebryan
 Share

Where should the North Boat dock?  

447 members have voted

  1. 1. Where should the North Boat dock?

    • Aberdeen
      223
    • Rosyth
      102
    • Peterhead
      11
    • Barbados
      125


Recommended Posts

Personally when travelling with a child even without an islander discount flying is by far cheaper than going by boat.

 

I know I have selected the quote, but as a frequent visitor, for a trip in June, these are the prices. Assuming I can get to Aberdeen for about 5am.

 

Flybe Economy Plus £247.17 return.

 

Lowest with Flybe, this would include an overnight stay in a hotel as the overnight train would arrive too late. £110.46 plus overnight hotel. But any how, to accommodate onward travel both ways, £142.54, in both cases add the additional bus/train costs from station to airport and airport to Lerwick.

 

The boat £63.40 and I can bring my cycle, no additional train fares or bus fares and in both travel modes, exactly the same sort of seat but much more leg room on the boat.

 

You can add to that to those who need the service like my self to visit sick relatives that if I came on the plane, then I would not get as much time in Lerwick as I may not be able to afford the additional nights b&b, that would be another cost.

 

The boat is best value for money, for me, and many other folk who do not earn the average Shetland wage or even the National average wage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess thath is the problem with boats is allways to small for high seasons, and to big for low seasons.

Have the ferry company looked in to maybe having s smaller ship in low season or travel on a more profitebal rute? Same when it comes to high seasone if the boat is to small the company don't get economy of scale, thath is one of the reasons why premier inn can offer low hotel rooms or why on dfds seaways between oslo and copenhagen you can get a roundtrip with a cabin for as low as 50£ if you book early, or color line the high speed ferry between kristiansand and denmark you can get from 20£ for day return.

 

So maybe the ship can be lessed away in low seasone in return for a ship thath fitts everyones needs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is there some EU law I've missed that says choosing to live on a remote island should no longer be an inconvience?

 

Any service that relies on a huge subsidy will always be under scrutiny and threat.

 

Its an interesting query and one that comes up again and again.

 

Strangely its usually applied quite selectively.

 

We could reasonably ask why Shetlanders taxes go to pay for mainland highway infrastructure we can't regularly use or why it pays for footpaths for Londoners. After all, if you choose to live in an overcrowded urban conglomerate - is there some law that says you shouldn't be inconvenienced by millions of pedestrians and cars? For that matter, why do you deserve a working sewage system maintained at public expense? If you haven't sensibly purchased space for a cesspit, that's your problem. A police force? You chose to live in a high crime area, buy yourself a shotgun. etc, etc.

 

It's faulty logic, I take your point that if you choose to live off the main drag, you choose to live with fewer of the conveniences of urban life. What's acceptable is a line in the sand however and in the 21st century, daily sailings and regular inter island ferries are not an unreasonable expectation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that if you took a look at the figures we as an island provide a considerable boost to the Westminster coffers !

 

Yes the service is subsidised but that doesnt mean we should be deprived of a daily ferry ! that weve probably paid for ten fold anyway with our oil tax contibutions etc , we have paid our way thats for damned sure !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that if you took a look at the figures we as an island provide a considerable boost to the Westminster coffers !

 

Yes the service is subsidised but that doesnt mean we should be deprived of a daily ferry ! that weve probably paid for ten fold anyway with our oil tax contibutions etc , we have paid our way thats for damned sure !

 

 

 

SIC Costs.

 

http://www.shetland.gov.uk/counciltax/documents/CouncilTaxInformationSheet2011-12.pdf

 

According to the figures, £92,000,000 comes from central.

 

Be interesting to work all of this out.

 

Keep in mind that it is not always about how much you believe you pay in. If there are surpluses, they will bolster another community that has been unlucky not to have the huge investments, both private and public spent on them.

 

For another thread, if you want to start it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Flybe Economy Plus £247.17 return.

???

 

You think I'm made of money? I can't afford to fly anything other than economy

flying 1 adult & 1 child = £197.24rtn

Taxi from/to southwest of aberdeen = £18 * 2 = £36

 

Return by boat with child, remembering that children are not allowed to share cabins and no one wants to sleep around drunks with a child in tow

 

rtn boat with 4 berth cabin = £ 315.80

bus from/to southwest of aberdeen = £6 * 2 = £12

food & entertainment on board approx = £60 (just as well i dunna drink and the bairn has no interest in the arcade machines)

 

As a shetlander who used to byde in Aberdeen, no Shetlander has to get a hotel in Aberdeen, so many of us had to put up folks who missed the boat because they didn't allow enough time for their coach/bus, remembering Northlink leave early as well.

 

I still argue I can afford taxis Sumburgh to/from Walls if I was going by the Northlink budget and flew instead.

 

both are priced out in July school holidays, I was normally met at airport/ferry terminal, no friends and family discount, but that would only be on fare and not cabin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well. It was not meant to be a competition but an example.

I also have no idea of you financial means.

 

I do not have anywhere in Aberdeen to stay except in a b&b.

Alas. If I were to come up with my children again, I would

Not get upset at the cost of either, as that is how much it costs.

I would have to save more, but to get to see my kin, price

Is not really a issue as I know in advance how much it will cost

And adjust my budget accordingly.

Folk on th islands complain. Those like myself do not really as is suits my needs . I believe the millions in grants make the travel more affordable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

.....

 

I saw a letter in the Shetland Times, 2 or 3 weeks back, where there was a suggestion of a 5.5 hours service between Lerwick & Scrabster. I think that would be a terrific alternative route if it were to get started. Any likliehood of it happening?

 

The problem with a Scrabster termination is that you are still 2 1/2 hours and 115 miles North of Inverness. So by the time you got to Snecky it would have taken you 8 hours to be the same distance from the Central Belt as Aberdeen. Handy if you live North of Inverness but I'd guess a bit out of the way for the majority of travellers.

 

Disgorging a ferry full of cars onto the A9 and watching them all head South on a section of road that is notorious for crashes and has limited opportunities for overtaking would be good entertainment to say the least...... :P And you don't want to be anywhere near the Ord when the snow comes - it gets closed quite quckly - or anywhere North of Golspie when the Haar rolls in :shock:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that if you took a look at the figures we as an island provide a considerable boost to the Westminster coffers !

 

Any idea where I'd find these figures? (serious question)

 

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/3067-economic-growth-without-interconnector.html

 

The council’s development department currently awaits the outcome of a so-called ‘input-output’ study, carried out by Aberdeen University every six years.

 

In 2006, the study found that the isles had generated a £60 million net surplus for government coffers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well folks that's the first day of the temporary drydock timetable done and dusted and adding in the Pentalina the score is Orkney 7 arrivals + 1 en route, Shetland 1.

 

Orkney: Hjaltland 3 arrivals in Stromness, (Although not NorthLink) Pentalina 3 arrivals in St Margarets Hope, Hildasay 1 arrival in Kirkwall. with Helliar due in Kirkwall also around midnight!.

 

Shetland: Hildasay! (5.40am)

 

Obviously Orkney is nearer the Mainland and we all know that old story, however does the two freight shps reallly have to pass through there on the same day?

 

Maybe im underestimating the volume of freight pouring through Orkney thesedays..... :shock:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...