I make no apology for refering to them as a racket.
I've just made my ferry booking for the MGP..........one would hope that it could be a pleasant experience..........................sadly it wasn't.
At the very least the lady involved was abrupt if not rude and unfriendly.

Had I been in a shop buying apples I would have left and bought my apples elsewhere.....................

This has been an ever declining trend ever since competitors were required to book via the Steam Racket freight office...............I think I hate them

how much this time cargo as of yet i,am not booked

£576 for two adults and a short wheel base Transit with a 3.25m trailer.

And now that I think about it not only do I hate them I feel very muched ripped off.

cargo Wrote:£576 for two adults and a short wheel base Transit with a 3.25m trailer.

And now that I think about it not only do I hate them I feel very muched ripped off.

I was told that camper-vans up to a certain length (could it be 6 metres?) are booked on at car-rates. Is there an angle there that you haven't already tried?

A couple of years ago I took a transit across at car-rates because it was being used "privately" and not "commercially", so did not qualify as freight. Cargo, your van should qualify under the same rules.

But I suppose it is at a time when the Racket traditionally fleece all their customers (by their own admission) and Trading Standards appears to exist in name only on the Island.

On a lighter note, the new Steam Racket uniforms may cheer you up.

Competitors race vans are charged at the same rate as camper vans but must be booked via the freight office. And of course they give one a grilling as to quite how or why you need a van and they want to know what it's contents are.


The only cheer is the thought of an enjoyable Manx GP............by far the best road race meeting on the Island..........

It sounds like they are trying to tackle the "loophole" that wise travellers were using increasingly - shipping as many bikes as possible in a van, with the owners travelling as foot passengers.

cargo Wrote:£576 for two adults and a short wheel base Transit with a 3.25m trailer.

And now that I think about it not only do I hate them I feel very much ripped off.

cargo and you are an ambassador you know what its like when you get there riding around the TT course but just imagine you just get someone interested in going over as a newcomer then you tell them how much the boat is its a uphill task after that i think.

The subject of travel costs was much discussed with the MMCC last August........but it's entirely in the hands of the Steam Packet.

There is no doubt that ferry costs can and do put people off.

We do get a 10% discount which just about saves the price of two jerry cans of fuel and some deisel for the van...........not a lot really.

BTW I did make a complaint directly to the Steam Packet...........I await a reply

You'll all be shocked to hear that your Steam Packet fares have condemned the top twelve executives in the Macquarie Group to share just £5,600,000 in hand-outs in 2008. That's not even half a million pounds each. They'll really be watching the pennies in their homes.

"The figures show Macquarie Group's net profit after tax was just over £428 million, down 52% on last year's figure of £885 million.

Pay for the group's senior management slumped 91% in 2008.

The top twelve executives shared £5.6 million, well down on 2007's total of £61.3 million."

Hello all, although just registered, I have watched this site for sometime now and this is a thread which has wound me up. I did post on the other site, without much response, just another moan about the racket co.

The reason for my anger is this: I sent my entry for the Junior and Senior Classic races and thought that I had better check the ferry times and prices, not having competed in both classes before, just the Senior, checked the normal arrive Thursday before practice and return the Thursday after the presentation, Hopefully, horror the price was £304 to £320 return for a camper under 5.5m. Looked a little further and if I return on the Wednesday of the Senior Classic race at 16.30, I can get the ferry down to £208, If I wait until the 19.45 on the same day it is £304, these prices carry on until the Tuesday after it is all over!

The outcome is, I either don't do the senior, or I don't do any and say this is one rip-off too many.

I have spoken to the MMCC Office and they didn't know this was happening, E-mailed the Racket Co., so far no response.

Thats is the perfect example of the rip off culture that clearly exsists within the Steam Packet.........................

A monoply is fine if it is run as a service for it's customers a good example of this would have been the old electricity service as it was post privatision............that was a monoply that for the most part ran at a loss but it was run to the advantage and benifit of it's customers.

The Steam Racket is a monoply which operates with what appears to be little or no control of its pricing structures..............if there is any way in which more customers can be relieved of their money than the Racket are in there.........they are the Ryanair of the Irish Sea it won't be long before going to the toilet on a Steam Packet ferry will carry a charge and a weight limit..............

They have us by the short and curlies little wonder they fight hammer tooth and nail to stop any kind of competition they (Racket) would be out of business in a month if there was

cargo Wrote:£576 for two adults and a short wheel base Transit with a 3.25m trailer.

And now that I think about it not only do I hate them I feel very muched ripped off.

i dont even try to think about it any more thats a £1000.00 just in ferry and entries not even turned a wheel the mgp is becoming a very expensive luxury for me as i pay for just about every thing. my sponsor on the island is a god send free accomadation and he payed for a set of tyres last year pretty sure this will be my 10th and last m.g.p its just to much with out some decent sponsorship ......which as we all know is like looking for lepracorn poo

any way must not grumble and pray for good weather

Hello Andy and Cargo, I am sure we are not the only ones who feel this way and we are paying for it all ourselves, for the pleasure of riding the TT course but, as a friend said once the hassle takes over from the pleasure it is time to call it a day, with the couse licence as well as anything else! From my earlier post, this also effects all the marshalls as well, so how do they feel?
I have competed in six classic Manx's and did not intend to finish just yet but this could be it for me.

Cheer up....!! It could be worse..! Yes you all correct, the ferry prices are outrageous..! BUT, where would any of us rather be the end of August..?? We only live once... and I am poor today, and I will (likely) be poor tomorrow... but I WILL be there..! I have very little sponsorship, and I have been selling lots of my treasures on Evil Bay, just to make it... but I WILL make it..!

Hope to see all of you over there..!! At least your pints are larger and less expensive than here..!!!!

Cheers..!!!

Ron - California - USA (So you want to be a Teee Teee Racer..??)

I know of riders that have asked for additional start money to cover these extra costs only to be told lump it or leave it, you will still turn up.

Yes, I think I will be there but only for the Junior Classic race on the Monday and then leave on the Tuesday. Surely when we are there the IoM Government and people would like us to stay as long as possible and spend lots more of the money we have already spent in getting there!!!!
This is not only the riders being ripped-off, what about the marshals who travel at there own expense, no marshals, no riders equals no event!

norstar Wrote:Yes, I think I will be there but only for the Junior Classic race on the Monday and then leave on the Tuesday. Surely when we are there the IoM Government and people would like us to stay as long as possible and spend lots more of the money we have already spent in getting there!!!!
This is not only the riders being ripped-off, what about the marshals who travel at there own expense, no marshals, no riders equals no event!

it is my intention to go to IOM for MGP week this year, i love the TT ,But i just cannae afford both, it is amazingthat such a short trip across the water costs far more than a trip, twice the distance!, going for a short TT visit, classics at Billown and some TT practice, and look forward to MGP

Have entered the Pre-TT meeting, always a good friendly meeting, so am looking forward to that. At the minute very doubtful that the 350 will be ready but will at least have the 500, looking forward to good weather and good racing. See you there.