david Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 Whats everyones views on the SDT investing another £1.5m into Smyril Line? Especially with the fact that Smyril may end up going to a port on the mainland if SDT don't give them the money. Personally I reckon its worth it. If the economy of Shetland can make between £4-7 million a year from a £1.5m investement every year then surely thats good? Would be a shame if the Norrona stopped calling into Shetland in favour of Peterhead or Aberdeen. It may be coincidence but since the new boat, the number of Danish/Faroese/Norwegians seems to have increased. Would be a shame to loose all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeriebryan Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 Smyril paid to keep sailing to Lerwick - Story from the Shetland Today website Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeemsie Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 reeks to me, quit throwing money away. besides, should we not be in a position to demand regular visits from 'the white whale'? i'm all in favour of expanding to mainland Scotland but would like to see proof this would help, by-passing Shetland shouldn't be an option. i've been on the boat and couldn't really find much to recommend a cruise (although it was probably off season) most folk stayed in their rooms, the duty-free was closed all of the next days steaming, leaving the cafe or bars as the only options to spend time, general clutter was everywhere (including spew fae the night afore) with not much attempt to clean. doubt if anyone getting off at Shetland would have been too impressed either, back of midnight in a gale, nothing doing. reshuffling sailing schedules with more emphasis on 'cruise' would be the way to go for increasing passengers, rather than effectively saying sod them wir making money from freight, there just seemed to be too much of a budget/package feel to the experience to enjoy it, even though i was only travelling A-B P.S. it would be a shame to lose an increased Scandinavian presence, but are we shareholders or mugs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted April 16, 2006 Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted April 16, 2006 Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 I would hate to see the Norrona stop using Shetland. Although I dont like the 'gun to the head' feeling of having to keep paying more to keep her coming here. I'm not sure the gun is even loaded! To take the Norrona to the Scottish mainland would mean extra time on her already very tight schedule. They only have a short Port turnaround time as it is without extra steaming time. How many ports could handle her anyhow? I'm pretty sure nether Ullapool or Scrabster could take a ship that size at their roro berths. (remember she has a 20M wide stern door), Peterhead as far as I know does not have a roro berth, Aberdeen cant take a ship that size, Rosyth (can she fit under the forth bridges?) and stranraer are both well out of her route assuming she could fit the berths there. Only other place I can think of is Invergordon, but are any of these ports likely to build a 20M wide ramp for a ship which might or might not come back another year? The ship does carry a lot of passengers through the easter to autumn time. Even when there are not many getting on and off at lerwick, there can be 1000 plus onboard. Shame more could not be persuaded to stop off in Lerwick! If they could find a solution to the quiet winter months when it just is not profitable to run a ship that size nearly empty, there is no reason the company cant operate at a profit. Just to answer frankie's last point, I agree that it is annoying to get thrown out of your cabin, but the boat does only have a short time in port, and the cabins have to be serviced ready for boarding passengers. That apart, i've always found the boat to very clean, comfortable and the food alone is worth the trip. No tinned carrots served up there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david Posted April 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 I've been in Norway every summer for the last 9 years, travelling on the Norrona every time. (the old ship too). Travelling to Norway by plane in my opinion wouldn't be the same, the ship adds atmosphere to the holiday. Stop calling in Lerwick full stop during the winter would be the best idea. Better to have her not calling in during the winter than to have her not calling in at all. I read somewhere that they cant charter her out during the winter to other companies because she is useless to other companies (including Fjord Line). Useless because she was built specifically with the North Atlantic route in mind. One thing which is quite annoying is, during the summer, wanting to go on holiday to Denmark. You can easily get there, but on the way back you have to go through Faroe. Why the ship cant call in Lerwick on the return route to Faroe? She's passing by Sumburgh Head anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heimdal Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Why the ship cant call in Lerwick on the return route to Faroe? She's passing by Sumburgh Head anyway. Cost. The Lerwick Port Authority charges several thousand pounds each time she berths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Njugle Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Precisely. She should of course berth in Scalloway, the original Smyril Line vessels to come here all used Scalloway. Ah them were the days.It all started to go awry when they went to the dark (east) side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Why the ship cant call in Lerwick on the return route to Faroe? She's passing by Sumburgh Head anyway. Cost. The Lerwick Port Authority charges several thousand pounds each time she berths. A quick look at lerwick Port Authority charges http://www.lerwick-harbour.co.uk/harbourcharges.pdf page 4 will show you that they have a reduced rate which looks suspiciously like it's just for the Norrona. Do they charge any more than any other port would? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heimdal Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Why the ship cant call in Lerwick on the return route to Faroe? She's passing by Sumburgh Head anyway. Cost. The Lerwick Port Authority charges several thousand pounds each time she berths. A quick look at lerwick Port Authority charges http://www.lerwick-harbour.co.uk/harbourcharges.pdf page 4 will show you that they have a reduced rate which looks suspiciously like it's just for the Norrona. Do they charge any more than any other port would? The LPA site appears to show that Norrona pays 36000 GT X .064p for a stay not exceeding three hours, comes to £2300. That must eat up quite a lot of fares to cover that, and no wonder they turn the ship around so quickly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 The LPA site appears to show that Norrona pays 36000 GT X .064p for a stay not exceeding three hours, comes to £2300. That must eat up quite a lot of fares to cover that, and no wonder they turn the ship around so quickly They've always turned the ship around well within that time. Thats why It seems like that is a reduced rate especially for the Norrona. you can hardly expect any business to spend money to provide facilities for a customer and not bother to recoup their costs. That would be commercial suicide would it not? Surely Smyril line knew fine well what these costs would be before they wrote their business plan and built their boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 I got a huge kick out of being able to go swimming in a pool on a boat in the ocean whilst on the Norrona. I went for a quick ten minute or so swim just on principle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trumptonriots Posted May 2, 2006 Report Share Posted May 2, 2006 I am against throwing money at Smyril Line just for the sake of maintaining a link with Scandinavia. That is not to say that I am against having these links, would just rather the money was spent a bit more strategically. Consider that there are 2 ferry related issues that often crop up in the local news: 1. The Norrona being unprofitable during the winter due to being too big2. Northlink boats lacking capacity in the summer The solution therefore seems rather simple to me.... The SDT should fund the construction of a vessel similar in size to the existing Northlink boats. Run this in the summer from Rosyth to Shetland via Aberdeen (hopefully to link in with the Norrona). Then in the winter move this smaller vessel to the Norrona route, leaving Smyril Line to punt the Norrona out on cruise duty over the winter. Then again, maybe I need to get a job as a rocket scientist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 According to SIBC this afternoon, the Development Trust are in the process of taking out an interdict against Smyril Line after they put papers out to their directors seeking approval for next years schedule which does not include Shetland.Pretty worrying really since one of the conditions of the original investment was that they would include Shetland until 2008. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 well i was all in favor of the money in smirl line, but if the blinking boat is not comming to shetland, then I for 1 want our money back and they can get lost! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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