The North Boat (Northlink ferries)

[Muppet]

I did hear it was the finance staff who are based in Lerwick who are under threat. I would imagine they still need check in staff at every port and they are the same ones who do bookings.

Not heard anything about them providing more beds. Dont suppose that could happen before the next dry docking anyhow.

[Sam]

I did hear it was the finance staff who are based in Lerwick who are under threat. I would imagine they still need check in staff at every port and they are the same ones who do bookings.

Not heard anything about them providing more beds. Dont suppose that could happen before the next dry docking anyhow.

 

i hope they keep the counter staff, i love getting served by the wee whalsay lass, she's lovely! and so good at her job too.

 

oh cal mac never said they would provide more beds - they said they would think about it - this was only after an interview on radio shetland rosted them live on the radio! the next day they put out a press relise that they would now think on providing more beds.

 

i would suspect as cal mac and the bank ordered this boats they will do anyting to safe face, whare if another shipping group got in im sure you would have seen the boats being ditched and fast! for one with more actual beds.

 

just watch the prices go up now

[Muppet]

I know the lass you mean!

 

Yes, your right it was never a promise to provide more beds, but heres hoping the pressure's kept up for them to do something. Homeless people would get a bed for the night and I dont think it's unreasonable for a fare paying passenger to expect to be able to get a bed for the night.

 

These ships are run by 'Hotel managers' not 'pursers'. If they're so proud to push the Hotel image, then I'd like to know what other Hotel company has their guests sleeping on the floor of their bars.

 

It will be interesting to see if their is any change in fares. Last time I went south, I was £10 cheaper flying than going by Northlink and that was before the 40% discount on flights. If they want my cash, they'll have to provide the service

[Badhairday]

I was on the boat last summer and had no cabin as there was none available.

We were told to move three times out of the restaurant as others needed the seats, but there was no seats anywhere to be had.

So we went to the cinema and sat at the very back in front of a screen that wasnt working and decided to read a book.

When asked for tickets I said we didnt have one but we didnt have any means of watching it anyway. I'm sorry was the answer you still need a ticket to sit here. So I said to the guy "To guarantee I get a seat on this ruddy boat I'd have to pay £15 for three tickets to watch 3 films of which 2 I'd already seen". Yes, he replied you can come back after the films and see if there is a spare seat.

As luck would have it we eventually got a seat.

Another friend was on the same boat coming back and again none of us had a cabin and so we had no choice than to bunk down in the restaurant. At around 05:30am a guy came and woke us up, he then went to wake up our friend. As he gently woke her, his radio went off and a voice clearly said.

"Have you woken those f***king reprobates in the dining room yet?"

 

Service with a smile I think not!

 

 

 

 

:grrr:

[Sam]

I was on the boat last summer and had no cabin as there was none available.

We were told to move three times out of the restaurant as others needed the seats, but there was no seats anywhere to be had.

So we went to the cinema and sat at the very back in front of a screen that wasnt working and decided to read a book.

When asked for tickets I said we didnt have one but we didnt have any means of watching it anyway. I'm sorry was the answer you still need a ticket to sit here. So I said to the guy "To guarantee I get a seat on this ruddy boat I'd have to pay £15 for three tickets to watch 3 films of which 2 I'd already seen". Yes, he replied you can come back after the films and see if there is a spare seat.

As luck would have it we eventually got a seat.

Another friend was on the same boat coming back and again none of us had a cabin and so we had no choice than to bunk down in the restaurant. At around 05:30am a guy came and woke us up, he then went to wake up our friend. As he gently woke her, his radio went off and a voice clearly said.

"Have you woken those f***king reprobates in the dining room yet?"

 

Service with a smile I think not!

 

 

 

 

:grrr:

 

thats disgusting i would have writen to the paper or to tavish at least

 

the way that the shetland people have been treated by north link beets me why on earth they ever dumped p and o

 

mind you its never too late, get that letter in!

[JustMe]

Going back to the original question I think that Aberdeen can only remain as the port for Northlink if they can overcome the problems they seem to have with the Northlink boats arriving when they have spring tides or the wrong wind direction. Or perhaps the tides problem could be solved by varying the timetable.

 

Then again perhaps the boats or the port is not the problem.....could it just be a case of the wrong sort of passenger.

[Muppet]

Well, aberdeen must make a fair income from the Northlink boats, both the harbour and the city in general. I'm sure if they spent a bit of money deepening the entrance and widening if neccessary, there would be no problem.

Maybe the recent publicty about them possibly losing the service will spur them into action.

[Sam]

heard the big cal mac boss on radio shetland tonight, very worring to hear that he said that the customer will see no change. im looking to see changes to the better, not the same!

 

i was hoping for the:

 

retainment of the customer sales in holmsgarth, for off the street bookings

the increase of actual beds

more cabins with a Tv's in them - just a tv not more expencive cabins!

better food as they still do that old p and o food that they so easily slagged of before the took over - oh i liked the p and o food, but would be interested in what non p and o food is?

 

cheaper cabins would be nice too

 

hope radio shetland make a better job interviewing him next time hes up

[Tomblands]

heard the big cal mac boss on radio shetland tonight, very worring to here that he said that the customer will see no change.

 

i was hoping for the:

 

retainment of the customer sales in holmsgarth

the increase of actual beds

more cabins with a Tv's in them - just a tv not more expencive cabins!

better food as they still do that old p and o food that they so easily slagged of before the took over - oh i liked the p and o food, but would be interested in what non p and o food is?

 

cheaper cabins would be nice too

 

hope radio shetland make a better job interviewing him next time hes up

 

I think it's been fairly well covered that there isn't much room for extra beds on the boat. Perhaps preventing 1 person from booking a 4 berth cabin would help a bit.

 

I never properly read the article in the Times last week, but it seemed to suggest the Customer Sales WERE being kept in Holmsgarth. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

And I don't think the food is "bad" so to speak...it's expensive and cold by the time you sit down, but I wouldn't really call it bad.

[Sam]

its ok food, i thought p and o food was good to but north link slagged it of and said they would not be doing food like that - but the do!

[wavydavie]

whats wrong with the boat stopping at aberdeen then on to rosyth? give everyone the destination of their choice

[Muppet]

whats wrong with the boat stopping at aberdeen then on to rosyth? give everyone the destination of their choice

 

Nothing.

 

Only thing is though that if you get off in Aberdeen you can be in Rosyth 4 hours before the boat gets there. Might suit some, but considering you would pay extra for the extra trip, I dont see it being hugely popular.

[north]

It is much better to have a centralised centre for all travel to Shetland. At least right now, the boat is a back-up for flights that are fogged out, or to allow you to mix travel between both modes.

 

I remember the old days of travel to Leith on the Ninian, did it a fair few times even. Can't say that I would care to return to that again.

 

The concept of stopping in Aberdeen, then proceeding to Rosyth, would add so much time to the journey, due to the turn-round time in Aberdeen, that you would absolutely be there by car, train or push-bike faster than that, and the round trip from Aberdeen to Rosyth (including turn-rounds) would have to add another 12 hours before the boat could leave Aberdeen, and would require an entire relief crew - so I don't think that will contribute much to operating expenses and even less to operating profit.

 

Leave it all in Aberdeen. You can fly rapidly to Edinburgh if you want, and get there with reasonable connection times from Aberdeen if you want.

 

Or again, you can fly the Faroese way (and I ain't talking Norrona here) - and get straight to London! 8O Maybe the SIC should buy something more than Islanders and get into that business. It has to be a better opportunity than the money losing marine business they got suckered into! 8O

[fish]

having just scanned through this thread I am wondering would the harbour be deep enough for a bigger boat the Norrona just makes it. Anything bigger and we would have to start dregging the harbour.

Location. I would stick with Aberdeen, lots of us Shetlanders have family there, some of the folksgoing to the ARI for treatment who do not like to fly still can get there by boat. Northlink could do with shaking up their ideas thouhg and provide the service Shetlanders really need , i.e. more and cheaper sleeping accomodation. I empathize with the students on tight budgets. most don't mind roughing it but there's roughing it and roughing it!!!!!

[Sam]

i think a bigger boat would struggle to get to the present berth but there no reason why that berth has to stay there. it could go up the front, bit further to walk from the shops which is far better having to get to peterhead!