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Customer update

Customer update

Latest customer update

12:50 08/06/2018

Return of MV Clansman

We are pleased to announce the return of the MV Clansman into service ahead of schedule.

The vessel, which has been having essential repairs carried out to its propulsion system, was due back in service on June 13, but will now be back in service Saturday, June 9. 

We will now be operating a full scheduled timetable again from Saturday, June 9.


Previous Updates

15:45 21/05/2018

Resumption of Normal Service

After an extended disruption due to a temporary repair needed to the MV Clansman, the normal summer timetable will resume on Wednesday, May 23.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused our customers and thank them for their patience and understanding during this period. 

Bookings are now open for the postponed Ardrossan - Brodick - Campbeltown service on Thursday, May 24.

Customers should be aware that further amendments to the timetable will operate from June 2-12 when the Clansman will dock for a permanent repair. 


 

13:40 16/05/2018

MV Clansman essential maintenance

Due to a scheduled essential part replacement to the MV Clansman, from June 1 -12 an amended service will operate on the Mallaig - Armadale crossing and we regret that it will be necessary to suspend the Mallaig - Lochboisdale route. 

The vessel will be taken out of service to have a new propeller shaft fitted and these dates were seen as the best option, as work would be completed ahead of the main summer season.  

To help manage the temporary loss of the Clansman, extra sailings have been organised on the Barra to Eriskay route enabling passengers to travel to South Uist via Oban-Castlebay on the same day. The MV Loch Bhrusda will also be deployed on the Skye route to provide additional sailings for the duration of this maintenance period.

Our customer services team will be in touch with all affected customers once all amended timetables are confirmed. This process will take some time and our customer services team will be prioritising customers in order of day of travel. We would like to thank our customers in advance for their patience whilst we work through all the affected reservations. We will be in touch with all customers as soon as possible.

Please see amended timetables for Mallaig - Armadale and Barra - Eriskay.

We apologise for any inconvenience this essential period of vessel maintenance may cause. 

A full scheduled service will resume  on June 13. 


10:45 09/05/2018

Customers travelling Mallaig - Armadale

MV Loch Bhrusda's technical fault has been repaired and, following successful sea trials, returned to service on the Mallaig-Armadale route this morning, alongside the MV Loch Fyne.

Our technical department have been working hard to carry out repairs with the result that this has been achieved a day earlier than previously anticipated.

We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.


14:30 07/05/2018

Customers travelling Mallaig - Armadale

The MV Loch Bhrusda has developed a technical fault with her forward main engine and has therefore been withdrawn from the Mallaig-Armadale service while it is fully assessed for repairs.

In the meantime, the MV Loch Fyne will continue to provide six return sailings a day.  The Loch Bhrusda was providing three return sailings (11:00/13:30/15:20 out of Mallaig and 12:15/14:40/16:35 out of Armadale) which are now cancelled.

We will do everything we can to return her to service as soon as possible.  However, even with our best endeavours this is likely to take until Thursday 10 May 2018.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.


16:00 02/05/2018

MV Clansman returns to service

CalMac ferry MV Clansman is returning to service after extensive repairs to her propulsion system.

Her absence required the company to move to an alternative timetable causing widespread disruption across its West Coast routes. 

The vessel will pick up services from Uig to Tarbert and Lochmaddy allowing the MV Hebrides to enter dry dock overhaul.

'Everyone in the company is working hard to getting a full fleet back in service by May 23 and having the Clansman back is an important milestone towards achieving this,' said CalMac managing director, Robbie Drummond.

'In the summer our fleet is fully deployed to meet the specified timetable, which means that there are no spare vessels to provide resilience in the event of a technical breakdown. The impact this loss has had on our communities is of deep regret to us.'

The first service the Clansman will sail will be the 1930 Uig to Lochmaddy today. 

The vessel will again return to dry dock for a short period in June for the replacement of its tailshaft, a key part of the vessel's propulsion system. The company is working to minimise the impact on customers and will issue an update once dates are confirmed. 


13:00  29/04/2018

Customers travelling to South Uist: Additional sailings Barra - Eriskay

We continue to operate an amended timetable due to vessel repair overrun. We regret that this has impacted our Saturday sailings from Mallaig to Lochboisdale due to the MV Lord of the Isles being re-deployed on the network. Customers who intend to travel to Lochboisdale from Mallaig can do so via Oban - Castlebay and then Barra - Eriskay.

To accommodate the extra demand on sailings between Barra - Eriskay we can confirm additional sailings on Saturday 5, 12, 19 and 26 May (full details below). These sailings provide additional capacity to help accommodate the transfer of customers originally booked on the Mallaig -  Lochboisdale sailings, but who are now diverted via Oban. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

The details of the additional sailings are below and are now open for bookings.

Saturday 5 May

Departing Barra at 19:20

Arriving Eriskay at 20:00

Departing Eriskay at 20:10

Arriving Barra at 20:50

 

Saturday 12 May

Departing Barra at 19:20

Arriving Eriskay at 20:00

Departing Eriskay at 20:10

Arriving Barra at 20:50

 

Saturday 19 May

Departing Barra at 19:20

Arriving Eriskay at 20:00

Departing Eriskay at 20:10

Arriving Barra at 20:50

 

Saturday 26 May

Departing Barra at 19:20

Arriving Eriskay at 20:00

Departing Eriskay at 20:10

Arriving Barra at 20:50

 


19:05 27/04/2018

Additional Sailings for Islay

To support the WW100 events taking place in Islay over the first weekend in May we have added additional sailings on Wednesday 2, Thursday 3, Friday 4 and Saturday 5 May.

The details of the additional sailings are below and they are now open for bookings.

Wednesday 2 May

Depart Kennacraig      22:30

Arrive Port Askaig       00:25


Thursday 3 May

Depart Port Askaig     00:45

Arrive Kennacraig       02:40

Depart Kennacraig     22:30

Arrive Port Ellen         00:40

 

Friday 4 May

Depart Port Ellen        01:00

Arrive Kennacraig       03:10

Depart Kennacraig      23:00

Arrive Port Askaig       00:55

 

Saturday 5 May

Depart Port Askaig      01:15

Arrive Kennacraig        03:10

CalMac understands the importance of community events and our staff have worked hard to support this through additional sailings. 


19:45 26/04/2018

Amended timetable update 26 April 2018

We are pleased to confirm that all routes where we are operating an amended timetable will be open for new bookings from 9pm 26 April.

The temporary timetable on affected routes will be in place until Wednesday 23 May when our normal service on all routes will resume.

Our priority during this period of disruption has been to ensure every island has a service operating and is very much open for business.

We are grateful for customers' patience while we work this through and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. 


20:45 25/04/2018

Amended timetable update 25 April 2018

Over the last 24 hours our staff efforts have been focussed on re-assigning bookings and responding to enquiries from customers booked to travel on routes we are operating an amended timetable. We have allocated additional resource to help manage the unprecedented demand in calls and email enquiries received during the past six days.

All customers can book online from 9pm Wednesday 25 April on the following routes:

  • Kennacraig - Port Ellen/Port Askaig

  • Ardrossan - Brodick

  • Oban - Craignure

We are continuing to work hard to transfer, within the next 24 hours, all remaining bookings on the following routes:

  • Port Askaig - Colonsay

  • Mallaig - Armadale

  • Lochboisdale - Oban

  • Oban - Colonsay

  • Oban - Islay (Wednesday and Saturday sailings)

  • Oban - Coll - Tiree

Customers looking to book on these routes can go online from 5pm Thursday 26 April. 

We are grateful for customers' patience while we work this through and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
 

Winter Timetable

Due to the high volume of calls we are managing we are postponing by one week the opening of bookings for our Winter 2018/19 timetable.

This will enable us to dedicate our resources to helping customers who require assistance for bookings over the coming weeks.

You will be able to book for the Winter 2018/19 season from Monday 7 May 2018.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.


17:00 24/04/2018

Customer Update

We'd like to reassure all our customers during this period of disruption that our priority is to ensure every island has a service operating and is very much open for business.

We have additional staff and resources in place to reassign bookings and respond to customer enquiries. Our amended timetable will allow CalMac to maintain as many scheduled crossings as possible, plus meet peak periods of demand.

All customers booked to travel up until 23 May will have their travel arrangements confirmed by April 25. We are making every effort to return to our normal timetable and scheduled service by 23 May.

Customers can find continuously updated information on our Service status & info page. Meantime to ease the impact on our customers we will be putting in place the following additional measures:

  • Deployment of an additional vessel on Claonaig Lochranza on the weekends of 4 May, 11 May, 18 May to provide additional capacity on Arran over peak weekends

  • We are looking at additional sailings on Islay leading up to the weekend of Friday 4 May

  • The MV Loch Bhrusda has deployed to Mallaig Armadale to provide additional cover from 24 April.

The MV Clansman will have to return to dock for further technical repairs for a short duration in June. We will minimise the impact on our customers. As soon as we have confirmed dates we will update our website

If you are planning to travel with us please keep checking the website for the latest updates or look at our social media feeds on both Twitter and Facebook.

Amended Timetables

Islay: Kennacraig - Port Ellen - Port Askaig revised timetable 26 April - 22 May

Colonsay: Oban - Colonsay - Port Askaig - Kennacraig revised timetable 26 May

Arran: Ardrossan - Brodick revised timetable 26 April - 22 May

Press Releases

CalMac working round the clock to ease disruption

Repair complications require CalMac fleet reshuffle

Useful website links

Service status & sailing information

Additional sailings & service changes

Twitter - @calmac_updates

Facebook - calmacferries

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