John the Steam racket sent me this like yourself its a pity their customer relations are not like the good old days when they listened to passengers.

Its called "take it or leave it"...we take your money, you have no comeback...
Mind you, unlike Pykey, I don't recall any good old days. I remember queuing for hours and hours with two small children in a vast, freezing hall. I remember coming home to Liverpool to find the car had been impounded, in the car park, because they started some building operation a week after we parked it. At 1 in the morning, with two tired, weepy children we were told "Tough, you should have parked it somewhere else." We had to stand around in Liverpool Docks until 7.30 am to get it.
More than twenty years later, had almost the exact same experience with my daughter and grandchildren, except we had no car. Uncivilised, third world standards...no food, in the middle of nowhere, and if your sailing was a night one, no waiting room.
I fly now.
It's time the Isle of Man Government ended the agreement that gives the IOMSPC a monopoly.

i beg to differ Helen i agree on some of you points but the old racket company answered your letters and 10 yrs ago even sent me a comp sailing which i got to the MGP free. Also Helen my 1st trip to the IOM was 1959 midnight sailing and a enthusiast said' i have put up with these ferries 40 years never again' so there you go Helen its ok when you get there but how the hell irish ferries turn vesels around has to be seen to be believed when it took 1hr for the baggage to be brought to the check-in at lpool? their excuse LOW TIDE .

The Irish ferries are a completely different thing, aren't they. There is at least some competition there, and that probably makes a difference. In recent years I have used those ferries more often than the IOMSPC, and they are generally trouble-free. The ships are modern, clean, spacious, with facilities for adults ad childre, and staff who treat you like a customer, rather than a nuisance. Of course there are sometimes problems, but that's acceptable. the dictatorial attitude of the IOMSPC, where you cannot even find out what exactly you are buying (defiite date and sailing time) or how much it will cost is appalling.
Imagine going into M&S for a ready dinner. When you choose it you have to pay a deposit...when you get to the till they tell you the full price, and if you don't like it they say "Tough...we keep your deposit!" No, I don't think so. M&S know how to treat a customer.