Ghostrider Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 I did hear that durin "rush hour" the main road between Sumburgh and Lerwick should be avoided but as I was thinking today, Shetland has about 15000 inhabitants if I remember right, I see more cars than that on the way to work! [sarcasm] Yup, the "rush hour" is horrendous. A straggly convoy all travelling in the same direction at roughly the same speed, slight bottleneck coming in to town as everyone searches out their personal pigeon hole, which lasts all of......a few minutes.... [/sarcasm] Yup, compared to any mainland urban road its like.......ummm......like, the road is almost empty. I doubt you'll you'd even notice it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 the last time my oldest two were south they lost there escorts and end up on the ferry by themselves. they were well looked after. the two escorts were put on the cargo boat. again very good service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 So, you don't think constructive criticism is a good thing then? Constructive,,,,????And I'm not aiming this at your posts particularly, but constructive is the absolute last word that I'd use to describe most of the comments on this thread.If you want, I'll read the whole thing from start to finish, pick out all the negative crap posted, compile it in a file, and send it to Northlink's solicitors. It should keep them busy for a while with liable cases against Shetlink. Mmm, if they've got that amount of dosh 'floating' about to pay Solicitors, then perhaps they could better spend it elsewhere... Exactly.... Now you see my point perhaps. If all Shetlink does is criticise, which seems to be the case, then eventually there will come a point where these overpaid, underworked, useless solicitors, will have their day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Errr nope, I meant that Northlink could spend the money improving the service/vessels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Errr nope, I meant that Northlink could spend the money improving the service/vessels!Ah well, back to bitching and complaining again.There is simply sweet FA that could be improved about the vessels. They are more than fit for their purpose.Somebody in a recent post suggested a vessel like the Norona, but I hasten to add that it limped into Lerwick earlier this year in a very sorry state. Simple truth is that the boats are able, always have been. They are much better than the old P&O ones which I suffered on, and God forbid Shetland ever has to suffer anything less than the vessels currently being used. But, if the general opinion of certain Shetlinkers was taken into consideration, Northlink would quite sensibly say "Bu**er Shetland, they don't want, or need, a ferry" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unlinkedstudent Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Errr nope, I meant that Northlink could spend the money improving the service/vessels!Ah well, back to bitching and complaining again.There is simply sweet FA that could be improved about the vessels. They are more than fit for their purpose.Somebody in a recent post suggested a vessel like the Norona, but I hasten to add that it limped into Lerwick earlier this year in a very sorry state. Simple truth is that the boats are able, always have been. They are much better than the old P&O ones which I suffered on, and God forbid Shetland ever has to suffer anything less than the vessels currently being used. But, if the general opinion of certain Shetlinkers was taken into consideration, Northlink would quite sensibly say "Bu**er Shetland, they don't want, or need, a ferry" AR, me thinks you are missing the point. In order to improve service, one doesn't have to refer just to the vessels. There are several areas where Northlink could improve the service; for example, their booking service on the website. Any company that takes the attitude that there is nothing ever to improve is, quite frankly, extremely naive. Unless, of course, you run the tram and train service in Berlin cos that's brill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohanofNess Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 I agree with Auld Rasmie (if not the way he is saying it ) The Clair and St Sunniva in my opinion weren't better in heavy weather and I was on some fairly hairy crossings in December and January in my time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Somebody in a recent post suggested a vessel like the Norona, but I hasten to add that it limped into Lerwick earlier this year in a very sorry state. Not to mention the several times the Norrona got as far as the Knab before doing a 180 as the master decided it was far too gusty to even attempt berthing in Lerwick. I knew people who got an unexpected weekend break in Bergen and an unexpected week long break in Faroe as a result. She, on a regular basis, has to divert to other ports in Faroe because her massive windage makes it too dangerous to enter Torshávn. I can't see how they could make the Shetland ferries much bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Yer the online booking can get a wee bit of a pain. The ferry so far, both P&O and Northlink have been fine.P&O made up for smaller/older vessels by havin folk I knew workin on them, and some good jams in tha bar once the paid entertainment had finished. But they were smelly, noisy, but, I was always delivered to my destination, sometimes eventually. Nostalga will not always bring folks. But good transport links will. I have used the ferry several times this year, been delayed once in March and warned about the movement likley. Again, delivered to my destination. I had never been bothered by the security folk, if anything got on with them. The food is not the best but is most certainly not the worst, anyone remember the self service grill on the Clair?. The vessels are always clean, serviced well. A great improvement. We do have to remember where you are sailing. The tales told in the Shetland Bus book can show us what the weather could be like.The captain will not sail if there is too high a risk to passengers or cargo, the ship will survive. Although I miss the closeness of The Clair, I now enjoy the comfort of the Northling vessels, and built to the recent safety standards. And the cost, it was 50 pounds each way on the clair, the cheapest on Northlink I got was 13... Come to Shetland by ferry folks, tis the best way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 P&O weren't that great but the were a couple hundred more births, maybe once or twice i couldn't get a cabin.14year olds didn't need to find adults to accompany them.Kenny, no matter what was going on you knew the pursor would do his best for you.The reclining seats reclined.You didn't need to have a cabin to have a free shower. But the cabins are far nicer on Northlink.Less of the staff look like they've escaped from craiginchesThe smell as you get on the boat is no where as vile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodeyn Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Had my new car taken up on Sunday nights ferry unacompanied for a fee of £170 thankfully it was a smooth sailing so no bumps included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Well Sha, the traffic in the morning is nothing to worry about - there are about 10 cars = a rush hour in Shetland terms. As for the no cabin situation, I would still invest in the ear plugs and airline eye-shields and the minute you get on board find a settee you can call your own and make a dump of your stuff there to claim the space. Get supper and I would try and sleep rather than play cards all night because if you are driving off at the other end, sleep deprivation makes for dangerous driving. Phenergan is good. Ginger biscuits are good, ginger beer is good. Ginger ale has no ginger apparently. Ginger is what the Phoenecians on their sailing expeditions for sea-sickness. It does work very well. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shetlandpeat Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 MJ, Kenny always looked after us when I came up with me mam and later when I was on my own.It does help that your mam went to school with the chief purser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Symbister Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Did anyone else spot the bloomer on the travel news on bbc radio Scotland about 0830 this morning? The lady told us that Hrossey would leave Kirkwall at 0900hrs. and would arrive in Lerwick at 12 noon. That's going some! I've been on board when the Hrossey did cast off at Lerwick to tie up at Kirkwall in 4 hours 20 minutes, but perhaps that record is now broken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted October 30, 2009 Report Share Posted October 30, 2009 ever had the feeling maybe you don't want to be on the boat.Not very reassuring when the guy doing the announcement before you leave has a very nervous voice... It can't be two bad weekends in a row.Surely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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