Making itinerary, nervous about possible ferry cancellations

I was there in May of this year and took the ferry (with a rental car) from Skye to Harris and Lewis, and had no problems. And that was during a time of great turmoil with CalMac, when many of their ships were disabled due to repair issues. There were a few cancellations at the time, but CalMac managed to get me on other ferries. It was a little panicky for me, but everything worked out fine. And I took a lot of ferries. I went to four different islands and took ferries to and from all of them.

Just an FYI, the ferry to Harris and Lewis is a very nice one with a lot of amenities and quite large. And I think you will love Lewis. It was one of my favorite places. So much to see and do and it’s just gorgeous there.

I suppose a lot depends on time of year. In September 2019 we were on Barra when it experienced the tail end of an Atlantic hurricane. All the ferries were cancelled and people who had driven with their cars were beside themselves. We had flown from Glasgow and all of the Logan air flights were on schedule. So if you are really concerned you may want to fly into Stornaway .

I have not been to the islands on the western side of Scotland so what I am saying is general....

Loganair - I started following a FB page called Flight Delays and Cancellations Shetland/Orkney which of course is not your destination but it can give you a feel about Loganair service. Their flights are of course influenced by weather but my take on reading that page since July is there are a lot of "maintenance issues" that cause cancellations or delays or re-routes.

My "mental plan" when I next go to Orkney (fabulous for Neolithic sites!!) is to give myself at least 2 nights flex time on either end of my time on Orkney. What I'd say to you for either CalMac Ferries or Loganair is to do the part of your trip that is dependent on them in the middle or early part of your time frame. In other words, don't expect to get off the island and head directly for your international flight home. If your hotels have strict cancellation policies, have trip insurance that will cover if you are not able to get to your next destination due to transport cancellations.

I'm not trying to be alarmist...just letting you know how I plan. I did go to Orkney/Shetland in August and had 3 separate Loganair flights, all of which were relatively on time with no delays. I had gorgeous sunny weather for all flights!

Enjoy those Neolithic sites!

Loganair is run on a shoestring. I don't remember their last profit statement offhand, but it was miniscule. They won't fly if there's any issues with the aircraft or weather whatsoever, which is a good thing in terms of safety, if you want to put a positive spin on it. There's a good case to be argued for nationalisation (as with CalMac) to make sure people that depend on them get the service they need.

I wasn't implying that they should fly planes that have mechanical issues but from the admittedly slanted FB page it seems as if they use "mechanical issues" for not having enough crew, etc.

You are right, it IS a shoestring airline but it does get you to places that are otherwise difficult to get to. Shetland to Aberdeen? Yes, I'll risk a delay to take a 1.5 hour flight over a 12 hour overnight ferry ride!

Someone just needs to realize in their planning that they have to allow some flex in their schedule. I don't think any of us on the tour in August realized that. One couple was flying from Lerwick/Sumburgh home to Atlanta on connected flights. They were late off the ground in Lerwick so missed their Edinburgh to Boston flight. The trans-Atlantic flight they were put on made them miss their Atlanta bound flight so they had to overnight in Boston. Not a huge tragedy as they are both retired and had the funds for an extra hotel night. Just aggravating.

Pam said:

I wasn't implying that they should fly planes that have mechanical issues but from the admittedly slanted FB page it seems as if they use "mechanical issues" for not having enough crew, etc.

Yes, well I think the general feeling amongst people and commentators in the press I've read is that they've struggled with operational issues for a while now. I didn't think you were implying that they should fly unsafely. Flying small aircraft into remote island airports under visual flight rules is always going to be a bit of a hit or miss. I think your suggestion to build in some flexibility around Loganair and CalMac connections is wise.

I don't think the OP mentioned what time of year they will be travelling. That's quite a big factor.

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst!

Thanks everyone!

That’s encouraging Mardee! How many days do you recommend we spend there? Scenic beauty and historical sites that aren’t megalithic are also important to us.

Ah, Trotter, good to know Atlantic hurricanes can be a factor. We’re planing on approx October 1-16. So not prime hurricane season, but close to it.

I appreciate the heads up regarding Loganair Pam. I’m scratching that completely as an option.

Yes GerryM, there certainly is a good case to be argued for it.

Regarding Cal Mac- this year has been very hard for them. But one big ship which has been off service for a year is now (everyone hopes) back in service- the Hebridean Isles. There is one long delayed brand new ship which everyone hopes will come into service next spring; followed by two brand new ferries for Skye to the Outer Hebrides (replacing one- so splitting the North Uist and Harris services).

Remember if the Lewis route to Ullapool is cancelled there is a good chance the Harris route to Skye will be running, and vice versa.

So mechanically the fervent hope is that CalMac are about to turn the corner.

Weather wise, the weather will do what it will do. As others have said leave time in the schedule for weather delays and cancellations/diverts to other ports. Be flexible, put critical ferry sailings in the middle of the vacation, and have plans B and C.

There is an awful lot of hot air in the social media about Loganair. They have just this week been re-awarded the PSO routes to the outer Hebrides and Campbeltown- so those who really know what is happening (as opposed to social media) are satisfied with them. They operate a lot of very challenging routes.

Mardee had her fair share of issues with CalMac but with the flexibility and goodwill of CalMac and flexibility in her plans, and a soupcon of help from the forum got to where she had to be more or less when she had to be.

You're going to have to hope for the best with the weather in October too. Pack plenty to keep you warm and dry. It's really hard to guess October. The chances of it being windy and rainy are quite high, but don't let that stop you.

That’s encouraging Mardee! How many days do you recommend we spend there? Scenic beauty and historical sites that aren’t megalithic are also important to us.

Well, I stayed there for three nights and wish I would’ve stayed at least several nights more. I really loved the island. Both Harris and Lewis has such diverse scenery and such friendly people. I really want to go back there at some point. I would say stay as long as you can. 😊

Slight change of subject, but related!

The Orkneys are fabulous. The ferry crossing was quite rough for us. I stood outside and stared at the horizon and somehow managed to keep from getting ill. Even one of the crew told us some of his people were feeling it that day.

Next time, I’m traveling with my bonine which is my sea sick avoidance medicine of choice. I just thought I’d mention my experience in case you are susceptible.

Mardee had her fair share of issues with CalMac but with the flexibility and goodwill of CalMac and flexibility in her plans, and a soupcon of help from the forum got to where she had to be more or less when she had to be.

More than a soupcon, Stuart!!! I don't think I could have done it without you!

Our last trip included Loganair Edinburgh/Stornoway, then Stornoway/Inverness/Sumburgh then Sumburgh/Glasgow then a week later Edinburgh/Orkney return (Weird itinerary was due to having friends join us mid-trip). It was quite windy, and seas were rough, and the flights were perfect. My wife gets seasick easily, so the ferries are a no go. I don't know if the ferries ran or not. Maybe we've just been lucky with Loganair.

We’re changing our plan based on the recommendations here. 2 1/2 weeks in May (I had read that April and October were the months with the least rainfall, but apparently I had happened upon a website with erroneous info). We added the extra days to our itinerary to accommodate extra time on Harris/Lewis—5 nights, mid-trip, plus buffer. We’ll book the ferry, and hope for the best, and come equipped with bonine, just in case. (I’m delighted to have learned of a non-drowsy alternative to Dramamine.)

Thanks so much for the advice all!💕💕

@BJBears - That sounds like an excellent plan! I hope you will do a Trip Report so we will know how you fared.

@JJGurley - Your wife has probably tried the SeaBands (accupressure bands to wear on your wrists) and I also found some ginger chews by Dramamine which are just ginger, no medication. I did not have to use them for the 2 recent boat trips I took but I always wear the bands and have the ginger in my pocket.

BJBears, that sounds like a good idea. I know you will love Harris and Lewis. Aside from the megalithic sites, don't miss Lews Castle in Stornoway, which is gorgeous and in a beautiful location (with some lovely walks to and from there). And of course, Harris has some beautiful beaches and very interesting little towns you can drive through.