NorthLink Ferries opens booking system for 2024
22nd December 2023
Serco NorthLink Ferries has officially opened its booking system for the full calendar year ahead - giving customers the opportunity to book forward travel up to the end of December 2024.
Billy Robb, Customer Service Director for NorthLink Ferries, said, "We are pleased to be able to open our booking system up to December 2024, allowing people to book travel in spring, summer and beyond, both to and from Shetland and Orkney.
"Last year's passenger numbers show how popular the Northern Isles are with visitors, and we look forward to continuing to support the tourism sector while providing the lifeline service for islanders."
After freezing ferry fares in 2023 and early 2024, Transport Scotland has confirmed fares on the Northern Isles ferry networks will increase by 8.7% for all travel from 1 April to 31 December 2024.
Serco has operated the Northern Isles service since July 2012, providing scheduled lifeline passenger and freight services to the Northern Isles.
Bookings can be made at www.northlinkferries.co.uk
Serco has operated the Northern Isles service since July 2012 providing scheduled lifeline passenger and freight services to the Northern Isles.
NorthLink Ferries operates throughout the year with the MV Hamnavoe operating to Orkney on the Pentland Firth and MV Hjaltland and MV Hrossey sailing to Orkney and Shetland from Aberdeen. MV Hildasay and MV Helliar provide regular timetabled freight services to both Shetland and Orkney. NorthLink Ferries has offices in Aberdeen, Kirkwall, Lerwick, Stromness and Scrabster.
The Hjaltland and Hrossey ferries sail every evening from Aberdeen and Lerwick in Shetland and have 117 en-suite cabins along with eateries, bars and retail shops showcasing the very best of island produce. The MV Hamnavoe, which has an excellent array of services on-board, provides a swift and reliable 90-minute crossing on the Pentland Firth, and offers a unique opportunity to sail past the Old Man of Hoy as it travels between Stromness in Orkney and the Caithness town of Scrabster.
More than just a business, we view ourselves as a member of the local community, serving key sectors within the Northern Isles economies. These include the agriculture, aquaculture and tourism markets, carrying the equivalent of over 43,000 freight trailers and over 400,000 passengers per year. This demonstrates the integral part played by the ferry provider working daily with stakeholders in all aspects of the operation.
This community integration, as well as support of the local economy, is important to us and we are therefore proud to purchase over 84% of products for our passengers to enjoy on-board from suppliers based within 50 miles of our operating ports. This has the added benefit of reducing the distances our deliveries have to travel, thereby reducing our environmental impact.
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Current forecasts indicate the possibility of disruption to our services from Saturday 27th January through to the evening of Monday 29th January. Information will follow as forecasts update.
Early disruption warning to customers Current forecasts indicate the possibility of disruption to our services from the evening of Sunday 21st January through to the evening of Tuesday 23rd January. More information will follow as forecasts update.
Serco NorthLink Ferries staff have raised over £4,800 in support of Clan, a charity supporting those affected by cancer across north-east Scotland. Staff on board and ashore - led by Kathryn Fullerton, Retail Supervisor on the MV Hjaltland - carried out fundraising activities over the course of last year to gather funds for the charity.
The lifeline ferry service between Stromness and Scrabster will cease operation completely for a fortnight this winter, NorthLink Ferries has confirmed. The route is to be shutdown from January 31 until February 13 while mv Hamnavoe goes into dry dock for maintenance.
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has again written to the Transport Minister Graeme Dey demanding Scottish Government address the urgent issues facing Scotland's Ferry Fleet. Following CalMac's announcement that it had been forced to amend timetables as the MV Hebrides was from the rotation for urgent repairs, it became clear that some communities were facing loss of their ferry service for days.
Serco NorthLink Ferries recorded more than 8,000 journeys during the start of 2021 as it continues to support essential travel. The service remains aligned to the Scottish Government's Strategic Framework, with NorthLink Ferries providing key worker, essential islander and freight connectivity between the Northern Isles and mainland Scotland.
Serco NorthLink Ferries is continuing to maintain vital transport links over the autumn and winter period - following the opening of its 2021 booking system at the start of October. The service remains aligned to the Scottish Government's Strategic Framework, and while passenger and car volumes are down significantly year-on-year they have shown further signs of strengthening over the last few months.
Four-legged friends can now travel with their owners between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland - thanks to new pet-friendly cabins on NorthLink Ferries passenger vessels MV Hamnavoe, MV Hjaltland and MV Hrossey. Each ship has two pet-friendly cabins available which have en-suite facilities, side-by-side lower twin bunks and tea and coffee making facilities.
Serco NorthLink Ferries has been operating a revised service during Phase 1 and 2 of lockdown, which has provided travel for key workers as well as essential islander and freight connectivity between the Northern Isles and mainland Scotland. During the period 22 March to 30 June, passenger numbers across all routes were 6,010 in comparison to 112,416 over the same period in 2019, representing a reduction of 95 per cent.
Serco NorthLink Ferries continues to request that travellers stay at home and help to save lives as the company was forced to refuse travel to 23 passengers since 22 March. As part of the national effort to deal with the current public health crisis, NorthLink Ferries has been monitoring passengers' reasons for travelling, which are captured during the booking process, and denying travel to or from the Northern Isles to those who disclose non-essential reasons.
