|
Getting
to the Isle of Man for the
TT centenary 2007
Having
decided that club members would visit the Isle of Man to help
celebrate the centenary of the Tourist Trophy (TT), it was then
a matter of trying to book the travel.
The
only way I know if getting the bikes to the island is via the
Steam
Packet Co. Love 'em or loath 'em, you have to deal with them.
We had to pay £248 return per couple with a motorbike from Heysham
to Douglas and £173 for a single adult and a motorbike. About
a month later (June 2007) I note that the cost for a couple and
a motorbike on the same crossing at the same time of day is £137.00.
Some
people would say that this is profiteering, some would say that
it is just a case of supply and demand. It is clear that the demand
was far more than the ferry company could cater for or for that
matter, the island's tourist industry. Whatever your views on
the pricing, there can be no denying that the extra demand from
people wishing to take part in the centenary celebrations caused
a major headache to those responsible for making it all work.
People
must judge from their own experiences, whether the efforts worked.
Our group found that, apart from minor issues, the whole thing
worked well overall. From ferry booking to loading of the bikes,
tying up, events on the island etc. we had good memories of the
time there.
There
were some issues that we had and I am sure that these will be
touched upon later.
The outgoing
vessel was boarded at Heysham, that's way up North, for a 3.30hrs
leave. Yup, that's the middle of the night. On top of that, due
to the problems of securing so many motorbikes, all motorcyclists
are asked by the Steam Packet company to book in a full 2 hours
before sailing.
|
