Steam Packet responds to Which? survey

Poll undertaken in December 2023

The Steam Packet has responded to a Which? survey which suggested it was the worst-rated domestic ferry service of 2024.

The UK consumer champion Which? scored the company's satisfaction levels at 56 percent, highlighting poor facilities, the number of cancellations and fare prices.

A Steam Packet spokesperson says the poll of just under 2000 people was undertaken in December 2023, in the middle of the worst weather there's been for a number of years, and when the live aboard discussions were ongoing.

They also point out Steam Packet journeys are classed as short international voyages between the Isle of Man and the UK/Ireland, rather than domestic services as outlined in the Which? Survey which has an effect on the regulation and operation of the Company’s services.

This is the full statement from the Steam Packet to Manx Radio:

"The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is committed to providing a sustainable, reliable, and high quality service for Island residents and tourists. 

We take our responsibility of providing a vital lifeline ferry service for the Isle of Man very seriously.

We always take on board customer feedback, with an example being with the design of the flagship Manxman, where we asked the Manx public via a major survey (c.8,500 responses) for their input on what is most important to them in a ferry service.

Manxman is rightly considered the most modern ferry currently operating in the British Isles and offers increased capacity, and high level of facilities and comfort, for Island residents and visitors in the largest, and most well-equipped vessel we’ve ever had.

The impact of the Manxman can also be seen in our Q1 figures which show a 21% increase in passengers travelling with the Steam Packet Company compared to 2023. 

Almost 70,000 passengers travelled with the Steam Packet Company in Q1 of this year, in comparison to almost 57,000 passengers that travelled over the same time period last year.

The transportation of essential freight also saw a 7% increase. 

And with TT coming up, we are looking forward to another strong year, with more passengers booked to travel over this year’s TT period compared to last year. 

The uplift in passengers and freight is notable, despite more disruptions due to the increased adverse weather conditions, silting and storms we have experienced recently.

We offer a variety of fares starting from just £26 for a foot passenger, as well as discounted fares on all sailings, except during TT, to accommodate all passenger price points. 

We would remind passengers that the best fares are available for earliest booking. 

Our flexible pricing model offers the best value for passengers compared to other forms of transport, as it allows passengers booking in advance or on quieter sailings to take advantage of our special discounted offers.

Other Irish Sea ferry operators use a similar pricing model, and in comparison to other ferry operators and airlines, the Steam Packet offers very competitive pricing.  

As agreed with the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) in the Sea Services Agreement (SSA), we offer a minimum of 350,000 seats at 25% discount, and 100,000 at 50% discount annually. 

In 2023, over 70% of bookings were made using discounted offers. 

These provisions are a minimum requirement of the SSA which we are proud to regularly exceed. 

In accordance with the SSA, increases in standard fares are capped at a maximum of the annual Manx Consumer Prices Index.

In March this year, we were pleased to reach a fair and positive agreement with the Nautilus union which represents our Officers, resolving the key issues regarding working practices that require Officers to live aboard the company’s fleet at times.

Beyond complying with the safety management system, living aboard allows for more flexibility and resilience, and a reduction in the number of cancellations, providing a stronger lifeline ferry service for the Isle of Man.

Our commitment to providing a high quality, reliable, and sustainable service can be shown in the Company's 2024 Business Plan, which was published in April and is available for everyone to view on our website.

The Business Plan outlines the Company's goals of putting the customer first, operational excellence, reliability of service, and an environmentally sustainable service, as well as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) around schedules and capacities, reliability, punctuality, and fares to ensure the Company is operated as effectively and efficiently as possible whilst meeting the needs of island residents and visitors, in accordance with the SSA.

In addition, last year, we delivered a fleet strategy proposal to the DOI that we believe will ensure the Company’s success in delivering what our customers and shareholders expect of us."
 

You can find the Which? survey here.