Very important information for ferry travellers to Islay. Due to the one ferry timetable things have changed with the online booking system on the Calmac website. That's why Calmac sent out the information below which is extremely important for people who are travelling to Islay in the next few weeks and haven't booked their ferry yet. Make sure to carefully read the instructions below to avoid any disappointments.

Calmac: It appears that our online booking system has caused some confusion and subsequent concern to some of you. This e-mail is hopefully to explain the situation, and to assure you that the changes we have made have been done to make the best of the current difficulties and not add to them. To enable us locally to manage the bookings more efficiently during this period of disruption all the Islay sailings were taken out of the online booking system. This meant that whenever someone went in to make a booking online, it was showing NA (not available). It appears that a number of people on seeing this, assumed that this meant that all sailings to Islay were fully booked, and naturally it gave cause for concern as people assumed that there was no availability to or from the Island whatsoever.

By taking the Islay sailings out of the online booking system the staff in the local port offices took better control of the situation and were able to maximise the traffic booked on each sailing. The aim ultimately is to ensure that deck space on every sailing is utilised as fully as possible, and that anyone wishing to travel is able to do so, albeit not necessarily always on their first preferred choice. I would also use this e-mail as a means to ask you all to contact the local offices at this time of disruption if you or anyone that you know is having difficulty in making a booking. We will do our absolute utmost to help every one out, so as to avoid disappointment. The contact telephone numbers are Kennacraig - 01880 730253 (select option 2) and Port Ellen - 01496 302209 (select option 2). Calmac apologises for any confusion that this may have caused.

Tag: travel calmac ferry