Bookings on CalMac sailings for spring flings and summer holidays are finally online, one month later than normal.
CalMac said the delay was due to having the 2023 timetable ticket prices signed off by the Scottish Government.
Islanders say ferry prices have been frozen until at least September – which will bring much-needed help in the cost of living crisis.
In 2021 online reservations on the summer timetable opened in time for Christmas, allowing travellers to make their holiday plans.
In 2022, the timetable was published on December 17.
View timetable from Thursday
CalMac said the timetable for sailings between March 31 and October 15 will be able to view from Thursday, and bookings will open on the website on Friday at 7am.
Port offices and the contact centres will be taking bookings from 9am on the same day.
Ferry journeys from Mallaig will not be open until January 31, due to the number of tidal amendments required and the complexity of operating three services from the one berth in Mallaig.
Timetables for the period between October 16 and 22 for all sailings are yet to be finalised.
A CalMac spokeswoman said: “These will be made available as soon as possible, once community consultation and work to finalise vessel deployment during the start of the annual overhaul period has been completed.”
Robbie Drummond, chief executive of CalMac, said: “I am very pleased to be able to announce the release of the summer timetable for 2023, but apologise for the late publication. We understand the impact this has on island communities and local businesses.
“The publication of the timetables will be welcome news to the communities we serve and to visitors, who can now plan their summer holidays.
“I am grateful to all our customers who have been waiting for longer than usual for this news and thank them for their continued support and patience.”
Mull and Iona Ferry Committee speculated on the delay of the timetable, a post on social media said: “In December we were told that our summer timetables were delayed whilst decisions were made in Edinburgh about next year’s fares.
“It seemed like a strange reason for delay, since RET fare calculation usually follows the prevailing inflation rate and is quite straight forward.”
RET is the road equivalent tariff for the route – meaning the price of a single journey will be based on an administration charge, plus the cost that would be incurred if you drove that distance.
The post continued: “We perhaps now know the reason for the delay – fares are being frozen until September. This is welcome and unexpected.
“It will do nothing to address the core and chronic issues of reliability and capacity, but its is certainly a small piece of positive ferry news.
“As well as helping the island cost of living it will give tourist businesses something positive to market on, after so much negative ferry news.”
Conversation