Ferry

According to their website they have 5 vessels in their fleet. However, their Facebook site they state only 2 operate between Malta & Sicily.  I wonder if they service them both at the same time? Doesn't seem logical but maybe for financial reasons they do?

http://www.virtuferries.com/?page_id=42

There is perhaps not enough business to run a regular commercial service at this time of year.

redmik wrote:

According to their website they have 5 vessels in their fleet. However, their Facebook site they state only 2 operate between Malta & Sicily.  I wonder if they service them both at the same time? Doesn't seem logical but maybe for financial reasons they do?

http://www.virtuferries.com/?page_id=42

We travel regularly to Sicily and have only ever seen  one ship on this route (Jean De La Valette).

Terry

Terry,

It's normal taking vessels out of water once a year for inspection and routine maintenance. If only one ferry available in this route, is it surprising that the service is halted for 3.5 weeks when demand is at its lowest?

It's in fact better that this period is fixed and known well in advance so people can plan their life/business around it. Wouldn't you agree?

New Horizonz wrote:

There is perhaps not enough business to run a regular commercial service at this time of year.

That may be true ( although most of the times I have travelled there has been  a lot of freight) but a company should not be allowed to run a schedule ( monopoly?) service and be allowed to suspend it for four weeks " for maintenance".
The effect on some small businesses on the Island must be terrible.

Its also one of the most expensive ferry crossings I have ever made but if you want to travel with  a vehicle its the only option!.

Would they allow Gozo ferries to do this?


Terry

Terry,

You're probably venting your frustration and calmed down by now so you can listen to these:

It cannot be the only service from Italy to Malta becasue most of food stuff including fresh produce in the shops are Italian. They must be getting here somehow, I imagine not by airplane!!

The Gozo service is different because that's the only connection there is. The service's used by emergency services such as ambulance service. It's used for a lot of people's daily commute to work. It's also used for carrying food and other supplies to Gozo (as well as some to Malta). That's vital service so isn't allowed to stop.

I did say it was the only passenger / vehicle ferry not the only service.

There are of course freight ferries that arrive all the time.

However if you have a vehicle and wish to leave Malta for Sicily with passengers (or even just the driver) then there is no other service!

As some one who uses this ferry on a regular basis I can assure you that there are hundreds of large and small commercials who use this service weekly.

With  a large number of these vehicles supplying local shops with goods purchased in Sicily / Italy and the UK.



Terry

I was looking today to book the ferry , now I understand why it said "no".
Amazed .... but what can you do ! .

dorada red wrote:

I was looking today to book the ferry , now I understand why it said "no".
Amazed .... but what can you do ! .

Nothing, it seems!   


Terry

Our trip on the Ferry from Sicily to Malta costs 618 euros ( a car and five people). Is this really the price  or have we been robbed?