The Steam Packet has moved four of the Ben-my-Chree’s Saturday evening sailings from Liverpool to earlier in the day next month, meaning they can no longer be used by passengers on day trips to the city.
The Liverpool to Isle of Man departures on 7, 14, 21 and 28 November will now leave at 13:30 rather than the scheduled 19:00, the company said, citing “tidal and operational issues”.
According to Energy FM, a Steam Packet spokesperson said the new times mean the sailings “are no longer suitable for passengers booked on day trips to Liverpool on these dates”.
The company said the revised timetable also allows the Ben-my-Chree to keep the core Heysham passenger and freight route running while repairs to Manxman continue. Isle of Man Today reported that the Ben-my-Chree is currently helping to maintain those services, while the Arrow is still operating freight sailings.
The Steam Packet has set out the following arrangements for those whose bookings are affected:
- Passengers may rebook onto the 01:45 sailing from Heysham to the island.
- Coaches will run from Liverpool to Heysham for foot passengers taking that option, but the transfer must be booked at the same time as the sailing is changed.
- The reservations team will contact affected customers directly, working through bookings in order of travel date, to help with alternative arrangements.
- Refunds will be offered where no suitable alternative sailing is available.
Manxman is now in dry dock at Balaena in Birkenhead, where her two propulsion shafts, along with their liners and bearings, are being refitted after repair work in Denmark, the company said.
The spokesperson said that once reassembly is complete, the vessel will undergo sea trials “before a targeted return to service no later than the end of November, if not sooner”.
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