‘Shocking service’ and ‘insanely expensive’, are just some of the Trustpilot reviews left by customers after their experiences with cross-Solent travel operator Wightlink.
With day returns at peak times this Summer set to put you back well over £100, many a local – and tourist – have complained about the cost of getting to and from the Island, but what have people on Trustpilot actually had to say?
In Wightlink’s case, a total of 262 people have given reviews on the site with a total of 77% grading the service 1-star. In contrast, just 12% of reviews rated the service as 5-star with the average rating a measly 1.7 out of 5.
On the reviewing platform, 1 disgruntled customer claimed that the increase imposed over the Isle of Wight Festival weekend was ‘price gouging of the highest order’ whilst another bemoaned the actions of the company after they weren’t allowed on a booked sailing, despite being at the terminal well over an hour before departure.
Wightlink was also called ‘rip-off merchants’ with the same customer saying: ‘
“The company has you over a barrel as it’s the only way on and off the Island unless you have the money to have your own boat”.
More pressure was pushed toward Wightlink bosses following a large protest by the Wightlink User Group last Saturday. A strong crowd gathered at the bottom of Union Street to voice their concerns about ferry service, pricing, and reliability with members of the public armed with pickets braved the blustery weather.
Neither cross-Solent operator has escaped criticism, however with ratings on Red Funnel ‘slightly’ better with a total of 24% of reviews 5-star, whilst a total of 66% were rated as 1-star. The average Trustpilot rating for Red Funnel was 2.3 out of 5.
I would have struggled to award one star !!!!
Trouble is that zero stars is never an option, so it’s always an overestimate for the ferry companies!
Fair and reasonable comments, although Wightlink won’t be remotely bothered.
Sadly true
Cost shouldn’t warrant a one star review – the price is quite clear and if you don’t like it, buy elsewhere OR use multilink. It’s like going to Butlins during peak season and moaning it’s expensive. Typical island mentality.
“Typical island mentality”
you are probably correct in that most Island residents (along with most visitors by the look of the reviews) feel the same way.
Island residants are being held hostage by the greed of the ferry companies,.
presumably you are either wealthy enough to not be bothered by the cost, or have no need, or desire to travel across the solent.
as for ‘buy elsewhere’,.. there is no ‘elsewhere’,.. red funnel are almost as expensive.
and as for ‘multilink’, that only works if you make a lot of trips,..and you can afford the ‘up-front’ cost
perhaps it would be more accurate to describe your position as “typical corrupt tory tvvat mentality’
anything is ok as long as the rich profit from it
There are only two ways to get across with a car and both are extremely expensive!! How do you buy elsewhere?
1 star review is completely appropriate!
What on earth is island mentality? Wanting to be able to travel with out being completely ripped off??? Typical keyboard warrior reply!!
Bob, I assume your surname is Seeley, going by your comment
Correct!!!
Hardly surprising. Wightlink is a notorious rip-off.
The real criminals are not inside.
How can a Company get away with charging so much money to travel less than 5 miles
to the mainland
Because people pay them!
How much money would you consider fair then?
£20 would be too much.
Would be interesting to know what percentage of 1 star reviews are from islanders; from a quick peruse of reviews on trustpilot website.. it would seem an awful lot.It is an island obsession. Aside from that cars are a universal obsession. I don’t have a car and find the foot passenger rates reasonable, esp Redjet for oaps.Both Portsmouth and Southampton crossings connect with major rail hubs, just sayin. It’s difficult to assess the merit across the board in the eyes of the “public” generally because the figures are skewed from an island who’s major pastime is complaining.That’s not to say it doesn’t have merit, but it’s a bit like crying wolf.. after all lot of islanders attitude to almost anything you care to name, is negative.
In Wightlink’s case, a total of 262 people have given reviews – hardly a conclusive opinion then – 66 million in the country, 144,000 on the island – guess the rest are happy then.
For your happiness they should find out how many Islanders never travel… quite obviously the 66 million you refer to would not all travel to isle of Wight… so maybe you need to get out more…
You’re not an islanders clearly!! But an arrogant idiot you are that!
People want to pop over with the family gif a day trip and end up paying extortionate amounts it’s unfair, anywhere else in the world you wouldn’t have to pay these prices.
We are held to ransom it’s true and should get reasonable discounts. It’s way too expensive gif everyone though, the service is shoddy gif a start intermittent and stops so early at night its pathetic. Get into the real world wight link and stop getting fat off of normal hard working people!!
It will cost me £130 for a period return for my family of 4 on the passenger ferry
Not that many years ago, the price was reasonable, but now just stupid prices. IE: motorbike, almost same price as a car… yet can get more than one motorbike in a cars space, but they put motorbikes into non vehicle spaces. As for the ‘fast’cat ( its NOT fast ) But used to be quicker than now.. and hovercraft , it was not that long ago they were charging £1.00 per crossing..
So stating double figures in cross fare is reasonable,, I do not think so. How many companies have ceased due to the ferry costs ??
WE NEED A TUNNEL , it is the only answer…
How can these ferries companies be allowed to hold Island residents to ransom like this, it is criminal! Red Funnel are cheaper but still expensive in the scheme of things!! They have no incentive to improve service or make their crossing cheaper because people have no choice but to use them. In one year Wightlink made 50 million in profit AND took 6 million of public money, and what have they done with the huge amounts of profit…. Paid HUGE dividends to directors!!
bore off zippy – it is barely even £20 for a foot passenger day return – you don’t worry about spending far more on a mobile phone, takeaways, booze, baccy and tattoos do you.
What planet are you living on where £100s of pounds to take a car off the Island is acceptable, I’m assuming you have more money than sense or just like living under your rock and don’t want to explore the big wide world. All the things you mentioned are a choice (and personally I do not spend much on any of those things) however you do not get a choice if you need to get off the Island. I’m staggered how uneducated you are…
What if you’re a family of five and not an entitled pensioner? Such a comment in these days o
Did you vote for the party that privatised SeaLink(British Rail)?
They probably only got as there wasn’t a 0 star option
Islanders have been saying all this for yrs
Not a surprise really, the pirate ferry companies have been dreadful for years.
The only reason they get one star is that you cannot award 0
Both services are needed to get on and off the Isle they know that that’s why they not bothered about customers feedback, they got everyone by the short and curlys
can’t say I’ve had anything but prompt and efficient service with booking and travel either by foot or car on the few occations I cross to the mainland each year. Going over by foot tomorrow and back on Monday and very much looking forward to the trip – ferry included.