Great video again! When the Alfred runs its normal route it has a great cafe! Good morning rolls, chips (later in the day) and your sponsor will be happy, Costa Coffee 😂
0:01 I went on the MV Isle of Arran ferry earlier this month and it was very very crowded 😮 Had food though and after spent most of the time outside enjoying the views. Saw Dolphins Had my timings changed so lost time over in beautiful Arran
You were lucky it was sailing living in Troon they are not that reliable.Thanks to the useless SNP govt the new ferries are 6 years late,millions over budget and are a joke
An interesting fact is that when the Isle of Arran entered service, it had more lounges many years ago. The lounges where converted to crew accommodation. Front lowered deck area. I have always thought the vessel is lacking in passenger accommodation lounges . Alfred can hold more cars and lorries about the same length as Isle of Arran . But being a catermaran Alfred has slightly more deck space. As well as more seats .for passengers.
The Alfred doesn't carry HGVs as they would be slow to load. They would have to be reversed on, into the hollow in the U which the cars drive round. The ship can have an unusual motion if it is rough as it is a catermaran, quite different from a traditional ferry. Was on the Pentalina on a rough crossing, very loud creaks the whole time.
Loved this video mate. Looking forward to you doing a video when Glen Sannox enters service. She’s just done trials this weekend with the LNG fuel which follow on from successful trials earlier this year on conventional marine diesel so hopefully all looking good for a handover to Calmac shortly so they can do trials and training before finally entering into service
Not a big fan of MV Alfred, but the crossing looks nice 😊 The classic is after my taste 😊 Anyway, I see I must visit these parts of Scotland sometime, looks amazing 😊
@craig.bryant last Seacat ferry on the route was called Rapide. Seacat Scotland originally ran the route, but the owners never spent any money on it and it was a mess. So they took her out of service, gave her a £2 million upgrade then sent her to Dover. Rapide was similar. Came from Dover and was a mess. Always breaking down, even went on fire then they closed the route. P&O Express ran to Larne from the current ferry terminal, also got closed around 2016.
ARRAN FERRIES MV Glen Sannox MV Glen Rosa ISLAY FERRIES MV Loch Indaal MV Isle of Islay WESTERN ISLES MV Claymore MV Lochmor Pioneer was one of the options in the vote but lost the vote because people preferred other names that fit in with the local area with the Lochs and Glens. People are not too keen on random names that have no relevance to the local area The new Islay ferries will compliment MV Finlaggan but replace MV Hebridean Isles The new western isles ferries will compliment MV Loch Seaforth but replace MV Lord of the Isles
The two Western ferries are both for the Uig triangle route replacing the MV Hebrides. But will not be replacing MV Lord of the Isles on the Lochboisdale to Mallaig/Oban route.
@@Scottish_Transport_Explorer yep that’s what I thought. There’s a LOTI replacement that’s bespoke in the works. Not sure where the MV Hebrides will move to, perhaps as a second vessel on Ullapool-Stornoway?!
@@craig.bryant Maybe yeah. They could replace the MV Isle of Mull with MV Hebrides on the Mull route as she is a younger vessel compared to the Isle of Mull by around 10 or 11 years. That or have her as a second vessel on the Arran route if the new ferries somehow ain't in service yet
Great video again! When the Alfred runs its normal route it has a great cafe! Good morning rolls, chips (later in the day) and your sponsor will be happy, Costa Coffee 😂
Thanks for the comment! Great to know that hatch is used for Pentland Ferries service 😃 Other coffee brands are available 😜
Love Costa tbh @@craig.bryant
0:01 I went on the MV Isle of Arran ferry earlier this month and it was very very crowded 😮 Had food though and after spent most of the time outside enjoying the views. Saw Dolphins
Had my timings changed so lost time over in beautiful Arran
It’s a lovely old ferry but too small for 2024 in every respect!
Definitely! People where sat on the floor.
You were lucky it was sailing living in Troon they are not that reliable.Thanks to the useless SNP govt the new ferries are 6 years late,millions over budget and are a joke
An interesting fact is that when the Isle of Arran entered service, it had more lounges many years ago. The lounges where converted to crew accommodation. Front lowered deck area. I have always thought the vessel is lacking in passenger accommodation lounges . Alfred can hold more cars and lorries about the same length as Isle of Arran . But being a catermaran Alfred has slightly more deck space. As well as more seats .for passengers.
The Alfred doesn't carry HGVs as they would be slow to load. They would have to be reversed on, into the hollow in the U which the cars drive round. The ship can have an unusual motion if it is rough as it is a catermaran, quite different from a traditional ferry. Was on the Pentalina on a rough crossing, very loud creaks the whole time.
Aye I was never sold on catamarans but think the Alfred does do well in rougher weather! Do think they are a good option for some routes
I was on Alfred yesterday. A Co-op artic, a council wagon with a trailer, and a rigid tanker were all reversed on.
Loved this video mate. Looking forward to you doing a video when Glen Sannox enters service. She’s just done trials this weekend with the LNG fuel which follow on from successful trials earlier this year on conventional marine diesel so hopefully all looking good for a handover to Calmac shortly so they can do trials and training before finally entering into service
Thanks for the great comment mate! Hopefully by the end of the month, can’t come quickly enough with the Cally Isles broken yet again!!
Baffled how they couldnt have put a coffee machine on the Alfred at least! Even the small Loch Frisa ferry to Mull has one.
Yep me too, and a full vending machine - easy money!
The Alfred has the facilities, contract states not allowed to earn extra money. Company politics, I'm afraid.
@@ambasteir8316 thanks for this! That makes sense now, even though it’s a poor reason!
Not a big fan of MV Alfred, but the crossing looks nice 😊 The classic is after my taste 😊 Anyway, I see I must visit these parts of Scotland sometime, looks amazing 😊
Hi check out Alans Homemade Vlogs he did the crossing and a series of vlogs driving round the Island
Great video lad!
Glad you enjoyed it Ciaran! Thanks
Although CalMac didn’t run out of Troon regularly prior to chartering the MV Alfred the SeaCat used to run from Troon to Belfast.
SeaCat Scotland was the name of the ferry?
@craig.bryant last Seacat ferry on the route was called Rapide. Seacat Scotland originally ran the route, but the owners never spent any money on it and it was a mess. So they took her out of service, gave her a £2 million upgrade then sent her to Dover. Rapide was similar. Came from Dover and was a mess. Always breaking down, even went on fire then they closed the route. P&O Express ran to Larne from the current ferry terminal, also got closed around 2016.
@@FrankMcCrum thanks for all of the info Frank, very helpful!
You're welcome. Keep up the good work😊@@craig.bryant
ARRAN FERRIES
MV Glen Sannox
MV Glen Rosa
ISLAY FERRIES
MV Loch Indaal
MV Isle of Islay
WESTERN ISLES
MV Claymore
MV Lochmor
Pioneer was one of the options in the vote but lost the vote because people preferred other names that fit in with the local area with the Lochs and Glens. People are not too keen on random names that have no relevance to the local area
The new Islay ferries will compliment MV Finlaggan but replace MV Hebridean Isles
The new western isles ferries will compliment MV Loch Seaforth but replace MV Lord of the Isles
I’d voted for Pioneer just for the old days! Thanks for the info!!
The two Western ferries are both for the Uig triangle route replacing the MV Hebrides. But will not be replacing MV Lord of the Isles on the Lochboisdale to Mallaig/Oban route.
@@Scottish_Transport_Explorer yep that’s what I thought. There’s a LOTI replacement that’s bespoke in the works. Not sure where the MV Hebrides will move to, perhaps as a second vessel on Ullapool-Stornoway?!
@@craig.bryant Maybe yeah. They could replace the MV Isle of Mull with MV Hebrides on the Mull route as she is a younger vessel compared to the Isle of Mull by around 10 or 11 years. That or have her as a second vessel on the Arran route if the new ferries somehow ain't in service yet
A newcastle lad CalMac fan I’m not the only one 😂 will keep watching your vids
Thanks very much mate! In my next video I actually spot someone at the ferry terminal in a Newcastle top - was it you 😆
@@craig.bryant not this time but at some point maybe, over 20 island routes done and still counting!
@@mtchamberlin that’s great, more than me!
No cafe on the MV Alfred ? Well, that's a bit cr*p ! After all those minutes of regaling how lovely it is, and then out of the blue.... no cafe.
It is its major downside. For me, I only use the cafe or restaurant for 2 hours plus journeys usually!
its because irs a dry charter and that doesnt include catering
@@alanpbg OMG, no drink either.
@@andrewpreston4127 exactly
@@andrewpreston4127 check out Alans Homemade Vlogs he did a crossing and drive round Arran
Trip to Arran....... something ridiculous. Thousands of tourists a year would disagree!
650 views in 20 hours - does this count as viral for a ferry comparison video? 🤌🏼
1 view in 24 hours is my usual fayre!