Bluebridge ferry passengers are feeling deflated and frustrated by ongoing disruption to sailings, with one ferry out of action and the other running four hours behind schedule.
Sailings on Connemara have been canned for the eighth day in a row due to a technical fault, which is causing issues for its remaining ship Livia.
Connemara, which usually sails up to four times daily between Wellington and Picton, has not run since the fault was identified almost a week ago.
Sailings on the ship have also been cancelled for today.
StraitNZ Bluebridge spokesman Will Dady apologised ‘‘unreservedly’’ for the disruption but did not elaborate on what the fault was, just that it was taking longer than anticipated to fix.
Maritime NZ confirmed it would undertake its own inspection of the vessel to ensure safety standards were being met, but did not provide a timeframe.
Yesterday Bluebridge issued an alert on its website informing passengers Livia was running four hours behind schedule due to re-accommodating Connemara passengers.
‘‘All affected customers will be kept up to date with email and text notifications with revised sailing and final check in times,’’ it said.
Passengers Grace and John, who travel from the South to the North Island for work, said it wasn’t the first time they had been caught up in a ferry cancellation or delay.
‘‘Not only do we have to deal with increased fuel costs to drive up the South Island to the ferry, now we have to tolerate an appalling service from an essential transport network.’’
They said they were booked on yesterday’s 7.15pm Livia sailing and had just been told there was a four-hour delay - it would now depart after 11pm.
In their opinion, ‘‘technical issues’’ was an insufficient explanation for the delays and cancellations.
‘‘The New Zealand public deserves better.’’
