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23 January 2025
We want to let our customers know about changes to our services from February through to mid-May. While we move through the busy winter overhaul period, several challenging issues have emerged across the fleet in recent days – and we have had to review our vessel deployment and service plans.
The service to/from Colonsay will be delivered by MV Lord of the Isles for longer than expected. It’s anticipated MV Clansman will return to the route from 8 April 2025.
Work is underway to update our booking system and timetables with these changes.
Current bookings and those made prior to the system being updated are subject to change and may be moved to a different vessel or sailing time. However, if your reservation is affected, we’ll be in contact with you as soon as we can, to let you know.
When work is taking place to update the booking system, amendments and new bookings for some sailings will be unavailable. This is temporary and will take place in phases, so please do check back later.
MV Clansman – the vessel’s overhaul has been delayed by a few days. Following completion, she will relieve MV Hebrides’ annual maintenance period before returning to services on Colonsay from 8 April.
As is always the case, dates and details shared can change. If you are travelling on our services, please always check our service status information here on our website, or on the app for the very latest information on services to/from Colonsay.
Finally, thank you for your understanding as we manage our way through this exceptional set of circumstances where challenges with several vessels in the fleet have converged at the same time, affecting their availability for service and capacity. Despite these major challenges, our focus remains on ensuring core services to all island communities.
A two-vessel service will remain in operation on the Oban-Craignure, Mull service until at least 17 February 2025. MV Isle of Arran, which is currently deployed to support MV Loch Frisa will remain in the area until this time.
MV Isle of Arran will also deliver sailings to/from Colonsay on 10 February and 17 February in addition to 27 January and 3 February, as mentioned below. As always, to stay up to date with the latest information on the service status of each route, please continue to check our service status pages and app for these routes, check the X (formerly Twitter) feed - @CalMac_Updates, and sign up for SMS text subscription services.
MV Isle of Arran will be redeployed to support services to/from Oban-Craignure (Mull) from Thursday 16 January, meaning that a two-vessel service will be in operation. MV Isle of Arran will operate on the Oban-Craignure route from 16 January until 9 February inclusive, alongside MV Loch Frisa.
This means that MV Isle of Arran will also cover Colonsay services on 20 January, 27 January and 3 February and services between Oban-Coll-Tiree will also be reinstated on those dates.
As always, to stay up to date with the latest information on the service status of each route, please continue to check our service status pages and app for these routes, check the X (formerly Twitter) feed - @CalMac_Updates, and sign up for SMS text subscription services.
Following the news that MV Caledonian Isles, which previously operated services between Ardrossan-Brodick, requires further repairs, we have planned for the vessel being unavailable for the duration for the winter timetable period.
Below, we have shared details of our updated vessel redeployment plans from 16 November through to the end of the winter timetable period on 27 March 2025. Services to/from Colonsay remain largely unchanged. However, sailings on some Mondays between February and March are at high risk of cancellation due to vessel availability, but this will remain under review and be confirmed in January. We will do our best to provide these sailings. Please as always, check our service status and information pages for the very latest details.
If you have a reservation in the system that is affected by any later changes, we will be in contact with you in date order of sailings.
As always, to stay up to date with the latest information on the service status of each route, please continue to check our service status and information page for these routes, check the X (formerly Twitter) feed - @CalMac_Updates, and sign up for SMS text subscription services.
Again, we apologise for the inconvenience caused by having one of the large vessels on the fleet out of service for this period. The revised plans outlined above takes on board the feedback from customers and communities on how we manage this situation - and reflects our commitment to meeting demand and maintaining a lifeline service across the network.