Customer FAQs - Ardrossan to Brodick service April 2022
Customer FAQs
I have a vehicle sailing booked on the Ardrossan to Brodick service between 22 April and 2 May, can I travel?
Yes. However, this service is currently being operated by the MV Isle of Arran as the MV Caledonian Isles was withdrawn from service on 17 April after experiencing a component failure in the port main engine. She is currently undergoing repair in Troon.
Our engineers and a specialist sub-contractor are working on a 24-hour basis on the repairs to MV Caledonian Isles. A repair plan has been established, which advises an expected return to service of 3 May at the earliest.
This means that advanced bookings are closed until this date, although this will be subject to change as the works progress.
What to expect if you had made a vehicle reservation on this service
MV Isle of Arran will continue to operate sailings as previously advised. If you have a vehicle reservation to travel between 22 April - 2 May, you will receive a SMS to the number associated with your booking advising of the disruption and that sailings are operating on a turn up and go basis. This is because MV Isle of Arran has a lower capacity, all sailings for vehicles and their passengers will operate on a turn up and go basis. You can find full details on her timetable and scheduled sailings on our service update pages.
As the service is operating on a turn up and go basis, space on sailings cannot be guaranteed - and your first choice of sailing may not always be available. Customer wait times may be extended.
Commercial customers are being supported by our teams. Traffic on impacted sailings will be prioritised by lifeline services/supplies and will be managed directly by staff at the ports. Our team is currently working with island representatives, commercial customers, businesses and suppliers to understand priorities.
What to expect if you have a foot passenger reservation or plan to travel by foot
If you are travelling as a foot passenger, depending on demand, you will be able to travel on MV Isle of Arran sailings on the Ardrossan-Brodick route.
What to expect if you have a foot passenger reservation or plan to travel by foot
Foot passenger bookings from 25 April - 2 May
If you have a foot passenger reservation for the following sailings from 265 April onwards, your booking will remain as per your booking confirmation.
Monday - Thursday
Depart Ardrossan - 07:00, 09:45, 12:30, 15:20 & 18:00
Depart Brodick - 08:20, 11:05, 13:55, 16:40 & 19:20
Friday
Depart Ardrossan - 07:00, 09:45, 12:30, 15:20, 18:00 & 20:30
Depart Brodick - 08:20, 11:05, 13:55, 16:40, 19:20 & 21:40
Saturday
Depart Ardrossan - 07:00, 09:45, 12:30, 15:20 & 18:00
Depart Brodick - 08:20, 11:05, 13:55, 16:40 & 19:20
Sunday
Depart Ardrossan - 09:45, 12:30, 15:20 & 18:00
Depart Brodick - 11:05, 13:55, 16:40 & 19:20
Foot passenger bookings from 28 April - 2 May
If you had a foot passenger reservation for the sailings below, due to a technical issue, and a one vessel service operating on this route, your booking has been cancelled. Alternative sailings, operating as above are open to foot passenger bookings - subject to availability. If you would like to travel on an alternative sailing, please contact our team in the Customer Contact Centre on 0800 066 5000 (or +44 1475 650 397 for international customers) to transfer your booking, or you can turn up and go at your planned port of departure. If you no longer wish to travel, you can apply for a refund by completing our online form.
Monday - Wednesday
Depart Brodick - 07:00, 09:45, 12:30, 15:15 & 18:00
Depart Ardrossan - 08:20, 11:05, 13:50, 16:40 & 19:20
Thursday
Depart Brodick - 07:00, 09:45, 12:30, 15:15
Depart Ardrossan - 08:20, 11:05, 13:50
Friday
Depart Brodick - 12:30, 15:15
Depart Ardrossan -11:05, 13:50
Saturday
Depart Brodick - 09:45, 12:30, 15:15, 18:00
Depart Ardrossan - 11:05, 13:50, 16:40, 22:00
Sunday
Depart Brodick - 09:05, 12:30
Depart Ardrossan - 11:05, 20:00
Travelling by foot with no previous booking
In general, we would encourage customers to travel as foot passengers where possible, and advance bookings remain available for those travelling by foot, subject to availability.
Can I book as a foot passenger Ardrossan-Brodick?
Yes, advance booking is available for foot passengers, subject to availability.
Alternative routes to Arran
We have an alternative crossing to/from Arran via our non-bookable Claonaig - Lochranza service. For those new to the route, we've shared some useful information to be aware of in a dedicated FAQ. This route is a turn up and go service and will be operated on a first come first served basis. If you have a reservation on the Ardrossan-Brodick service and decide to use this as alternative, you do not need to buy an additional ticket, your original ticket will be accepted.
Why can't I book on the Ardrossan - Brodick service until Tuesday 3 May?
MV Caledonian Isles was withdrawn from service on 17 April after experiencing a component failure in the port main engine. She is currently undergoing repair in Troon. Our engineers and a specialist sub-contractor are working on a 24-hour basis on the repairs to MV Caledonian Isles. A repair plan has been established, which advises an expected return to service of 3 May at the earliest.
This means that advanced bookings for vehicles are closed until this date, although this will be subject to change as the works progress. Bookings are open for those customers who wish to travel by foot on this service, subject to availability.
MV Isle of Arran will continue to operate sailings as previously advised. However, this vessel has a lower capacity. During this period all sailings for vehicles will operate on a turn up and go basis. You can find full details on her timetable and scheduled sailings on our service update pages.
As the service is operating on a turn up and go basis, vehicle space on sailings cannot be guaranteed - and your first choice of sailing may not always be available. Customer wait times may be extended.
We will continue to keep our customers up to date as we progress through the repair works.
I have an urgent appointment on the mainland /Arran, what are my options?
We have a protocol in place for customers who have urgent medical appointments. Our CalMac Customer Representatives will support you to ensure you can reach your NHS destination and return to the ferry.
Are there delays on the Claonaig - Lochranza service at the moment?
At present, there are no issues reported on the Claonaig - Lochranza service. MV Loch Riddon will operate a shuttle service, as and when required from 11:00 - 18:00, in addition to the scheduled timetable.
You can stay up to date with the latest customer service information via our @CalMac_Updates twitter page, which publishes all the latest service information. You can also check the service status and information pages of our website also.
Find out more about travelling via Claonaig - Lochranza.
When will the MV Caledonian Isles return to service?
MV Caledonian Isles is currently undergoing repair in Troon. Our engineers and a specialist sub-contractor are working on a 24-hour basis on the repairs. A repair plan has been established, which advises an expected return to service of 3 May at the earliest.
We will keep customers updated with any changes - and these will be available via the route service status pages.
How long do you predict this disruption to last for?
MV Caledonian Isles has an expected return date of 3 May 2022, based on the repair plan established by our engineers and specialist sub-contractors - however, with this kind of work, dates are subject to change.
The team is working on a 24-hour basis on the repairs - and we will keep our customers updated on any changes, which will be available on service status page for Ardrossan to Brodick.
We've provided details and support in the form of answers to your most frequently asked questions - alongside the latest information we have - and we'll keep this updated to help you make decisions about travel to and from Arran.
What options do I have to get to / from Arran?
Customers can travel to Arran via Ardrossan-Brodick. MV Isle of Arran is currently operating sailings. However, this vessel has a lower capacity. All sailings will operate on a turn up and go basis until at least 3 May. You can find full details on her timetable and scheduled sailings on our service update pages.
As the service is operating on a turn up and go basis, space on sailings cannot be guaranteed - and your first choice of sailing may not always be available. Customer wait times may be extended.
For travel on the Ardrossan-Brodick route, we would encourage customers to travel as foot passengers where possible, and advance bookings remain available for foot passengers, subject to availability.
Traffic on impacted sailings will be prioritised by lifeline services/supplies and will be managed directly by staff at the ports.
Customers travelling in a vehicle, can also travel via Claonaig - Lochranza route, where it is possible to do so. It is a Turn up and Go service and there's no need to call us to book. Please see our supporting information about travel to Claonaig.
Can I claim for compensation, extra mileage if I travel on the Claonaig-Lochranza route?
If your journey is re-routed as a result of the disruption and you incur additional mileage costs, we will reimburse mileage in line with Passenger Rights.
For more information on Passenger Rights and how to claim, please visit our dedicated section of the website here.
I would prefer to cancel my booking; how do I request a refund?
If you wish to apply for a refund, complete our online form.
Please note - There's no need to complete the form if you have already emailed us for a refund. We are working hard to process refunds, and this may take up to 21 working days. Thank you for your patience.
Will another vessel from elsewhere on the network to cover this route?
At the moment, the MV Isle of Arran will cover this route as a turn up and go service. We have no spare large vessels to use as an alternative, and are continuing to explore vessel redeployment and charter options.
We are sorry for the inconvenience this disruption has caused our customers. Our teams are working hard to help resolve the situation and to keep our customers informed.
Why can't MV Loch Riddon carry out a shuttle service between Ardrossan - Brodick?
The vessel is not certified to operate a passenger/vehicle service between Ardrossan - Brodick and cannot gain certification to operate in open sea waters, she is however certificated to operate between Lochranza - Claonaig. Alongside this, regardless of certification, MV Loch Riddon cannot operate on either of the three linkspans on this route as the ramp can only land on the linkspan at certain tidal conditions - and crucially, vehicles would not be able to safely cross over.
Can I still travel with my bicycle?
Yes. We will do everything we can to accommodate all cyclists and bicycles, however, we cannot guarantee shipment on busy sailings. If you do not get a particular sailing, we will do everything we can to get you the next available sailing.