JAStewart Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Living on an island has it's plus points and it's bad points - this just happens to be one of the downsides - if you don't like it you have options. Its not that easy for people to leave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infiltrator Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Living on an island has it's plus points and it's bad points - this just happens to be one of the downsides - if you don't like it you have options. Its not that easy for people to leave. Specially when they keep cancelling the ferry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medziotojas Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Name me another ferry service in the country/world that'll provide free accomodation as it's cancelled it's departure due to bad weather? Northlink could be the first. They could offer free (or reduced) accomodation and even turn over a little profit between the restaurants and bars in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 It would cost them extremly little to let you live onboard until sailing time with or without providing any food . the vessel is fully crewed regardless and they would still only have to clean your cabin once upon disembarkation at the other side., An yes I do and will continue to have fonder memories of the p&o days , maybe im just a hopeless romantic . And what near disaster crap are you speakin aboot ?? Personally i wid rather make the journey in a 87" campbleton or miller's built trawler , ok a bit mair wiggly but a far mair seaworthy craft . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infiltrator Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 And what near disaster crap are you speakin aboot ?? About 1978 or 1979, first Ro-ro Clair, before they fitted proper stabilisers. They set off one night in pretty poor conditions on one engine, got somewhere out past the Ness of Sound and found they couldn't make any progress into the weather. The turning manoeuvre given the conditions and condition of the vessel was risky but the only option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 My old man was a member of crew onboard at this time , apart from one other member of crew freaking out and perhaps other passengers becoming alarmed by the large angles of heel during turning which is normal in large swells then all was well , near disaster is way off the mark . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMe Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Infiltrator wroteThe captain of the ferry is qualified and experienced to make decisions about when to sail and when not to sail - you have to respect that decision. Yes of course the Captain should be free to make the decision not to sail and listening to the weather outside right now I suspect it may well have been a sound decision. Where both P & O and Northlink arouse suspicions is with second night cancellations that sometimes seem to have as much to do with getting the right ship serving Orkney as they have with passenger safety and comfort. It seems crazy that Northlink do not offer the use of their floating hotel to passengers whose trip is cancelled. Perhaps that is something that could be written into a future contract alongside something requiring more efforts to get passengers travelling from Orkney to Shetland or vv to their destinations when an Orkney call is cancelled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infiltrator Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 My old man was a passenger that night and there was quite a lot of 'concerned' passengers that night. Pretty sure she turned back on at least one other occassion. Personally I prefer the Northlink policy of 'not sailing for passenger comfort' than the old 'we'll give it a go' policy. Should they have sailed at all that night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ of Hildisvik Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 The inshore forecast for Shetland, and the marine forecast for sea area Fair isle, for tonight is up to Severe Storm 11, that means wave heights of around 12 to 16 metres in height, hence no Ferries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiiMan Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Personally I prefer the Northlink policy of 'not sailing for passenger comfort' than the old 'we'll give it a go' policy. Totally agree with you on that point infiltrator. In my experience the 'give it a go' approach usually resulted in half a day spent rolling around in the swell waiting for Aberdeen Harbour to open! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marooned in Maywick Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 Personally i wid rather make the journey in a 87" campbleton or miller's built trawler , ok a bit mair wiggly but a far mair seaworthy craft . Redder dee as me, droilker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dB Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 Personally i wid rather make the journey in a 87" campbleton or miller's built trawler , ok a bit mair wiggly but a far mair seaworthy craft . Redder dee as me, droilker Good spot MiM. Reminds me o da golf in Whalsay when sumeen put doon 8" for his 8 foot fae da pin second shot. Subsequent players wha wir less dan 8' but mair as 8" didna budder noting their efforts. Caused a laugh at da prize-giving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest willz320 Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 And don't keep harking back to the old P&O days, they were very lucky once or twice not to have a disaster on their hands sailing when they should have known better. And dont forget that P&O were more expensive - and didnt have nearly so many sailings. So yes maybe NorthLink seem like they cancel a lot but they have on average something like 656 sailings a year between Lerwick and Aberdeen. That is just the passenger ships - let alone the freighters. Edit- 656 is the number of sailings (on average) which actually travel out of the maximum which is about 724-726. For the sailings which didnt travel - these days include drydock, weather issues, and technical problems. How many did P&O have per year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy parks Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 To suggest that the boat should have sailed in a storm force gale is just plain stupid. Captain makes the decision and he kens best. End of story.There is absolutely no doubt that Nortlink offers a much superior overall service to P&O. But there is definately things they could improve on, for instance making folk go on the boat at tea time when the blighter is only sailing at midnight. That is just outragious IMO. Also they could give folks without a bunk roll down mattresses to kip on, even rent them out for a couple of quid, on so folks dont have to take them onboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted December 20, 2008 Report Share Posted December 20, 2008 . Also they could give folks without a bunk roll down mattresses to kip on, even rent them out for a couple of quid, on so folks dont have to take them onboard. That is a very good idea. Also rent-a-blanket too. And as for the Captain's decision being final - absolutely no one should think different. What he says goes, in my book, or not goes, as the case may be. I would not argue or deem to have the knowledge he has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now