Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries Reviews 

420
TrustScore 2.5 out of 5

2.5

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Never visiting the island again. The worst ferry experience I've ever suffered. Wightlink and their disgusting pricing strategy and their rude staff make the island a no-go from now on

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

We booked tickets on the Wightlink service from Portsmouth to Fishbourne for the IoW festival. We were just going for the Saturday so booked the 2am return crossing. We received a message from Wightli... See more

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Been trying to book a ferry all day. Online system just hangs. Notice went up for a few hours saying system down and office shut so can’t make booking by phone. Notice now removed but still unable to... See more

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11.40am Fishourne to Portsmouth service today. The port manager was fantastic, helping me to get an emergency ticket. My vision was so poor so he stopped what he was doing and did it all for me. He... See more

Company details

  1. Ferry Service

Information provided by various external sources

We are the main link between the Isle of Wight and the mainland. Every year, we carry over 4.6 million passengers, making us one of the UK’s largest domestic ferry operators. We provide Island residents with an easy and frequent service to the mainland, as well as giving millions of holidaymakers a taste of Island life. Crossings take approximately 22 minutes by catamaran and from 40 minutes by car ferry. And we operate three convenient routes and just under 46,000 crossings a year. We are also dedicated to giving excellent customer service and the best facilities on board and at our Terminals. As most people who travel to and from the Island do so with us, we are truly a part of Island life. We are proud to support IOW communities wherever we can, from sports sponsorship to local regeneration projects. And we offer Isle of Wight residents great value Multilink Pass tickets, making travel to the mainland easy and affordable.


Contact info

2.5

Poor

TrustScore 2.5 out of 5

420 reviews

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2.5

All reviews

(420)

42 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Wightlinks prices are absolutely…

Wightlinks prices are absolutely horrendous. They really do make my life an absolute misery. I travel to the isle of wight evert month to see my little girl and it costs me an absolute fortune on the ferries I basically cannot afford to see my daughter as often as I desperately want to because of the horrific prices wightlink charge and they have the audacity to advertise that they keep loved ones together!!! They literally keep me from seeing her. Absolute scumbags who run this company.

March 25, 2024
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I live on the IOW and ferry…

I live on the IOW and ferry cancellations and extortionate prices have forced us to make decision to move off the Island. My husband has to travel to hospital in Portsmouth regularly and the ferry charges are disgusting.

April 11, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Extortionate prices

Extortionate prices - they really make it so difficult to go anywhere off the Isle of Wight. Something like a trip abroad becomes such a difficult having to factor is ridiculously expensive ferry prices and a frustrating timetable.

They know we have to pay, so they charge us extortionate rates. The Isle of Wight really needs a fixed link to drive this awful company out of business already.

April 8, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

prohibitive prices

prohibitive prices, unreliable service.
Far too expensive to cross a short stretch of water with a small car. We've had holidays on IW for 35 years but can no longer afford it so will now be going elsewhere.
They are also constantly taking ferries off so you can turn up for a ferry and find that it's not running, and there's no guarantee that you'll get on the next one over an hour later.

March 30, 2024
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Shame as Service is good buy...

Shame as Service is good but...
Prices are astronomical and for IOW residents is a disgrace. These ferry companies are essentially holding Islanders to ransom...staff are cool however prices...sort it out.

April 3, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Wightlink is a disgrace

I was born on the island and all my family live there. We are unable to visit our family regularly because of the astronomical fares that Wightlink now charge. £170 return average is beyond many people’s pockets. Add that to the fact that the ferries are often cancelled, sometimes at the last minute. What used to be an excellent service for islanders, their family and visitors to the island has become a prime example of capitalist greed. This will stop people having holidays on the island which will have a devastating affect on the economy. It’s much cheaper to cross the channel in the summer. Disgraceful company

March 2, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Please could you inform your staff that…

Please could you inform your staff that the Hoverbus does not go to the car ferry. If your Catamaran not running you should arrange for taxis to take passengers from Portsmouth Harbour BR instead of sending on a detour of Southsea. Fortunately I am able to walk and told all the people waiting at bus stop L Hoverbus towards Southsea to walk with me to the car ferry. The Wightlink member of staff just wanted to get rid of us. A lot of the passengers had rail and Wightlink tickets. Not me I go By hover which wasn't running yesterday at all due to bad weather. Your app also said the 115 cat was running which I pointed out to Mr Friendly to change. Since lockdown (when you cancelled all the catamarans) I always go by Hover when available. And I travel twice a week by Hover no Bover.

February 26, 2024
Unprompted review
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Always have a great crossing with…

Always have a great crossing with Wightlink and they really helped when we needed help with transporting our doggy who need room for his steps to and from the car. Can't fault our last few trips at all.

February 25, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

How you get away with charging what you…

How you get away with charging what you do is shocking. Monopolies commission should be looking at you,how you can charge £170 quid for a return ferry is disgusting. They should allow other operators not just you

January 21, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Rather rude crew member in the pet…

Rather rude crew member in the pet area, asking me to get my pet off the carpeted area. ?? Don’t put carpets in the pet area if you don’t want them used!! I don’t mind rules and regs but there is a polite way to be asked (I am the customer I think) ?

January 12, 2024
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Epitome of a monopoly

Epitome of a monopoly. Overpriced, with awful and belligerent customer service. Would say avoid at all costs but it's impossible for some. Time to build a bridge!

December 28, 2023
Unprompted review
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

blue badge passenger

blue badge passenger. Excellent service on the 11 am ferry on the 23rd of December, Designated line for boarding and parked by the lift. Returned on the 26th even though we had booked for the 27th. changing the booking was very easy and the same Blue Badge service as going out. Thank you Valerie Riley (booking under the name John Riley)

December 23, 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

If you’re a pet owner don’t be fooled

If you’re a pet owner don’t be fooled. You pay an absolute fortune for a sailing and then there’s only one deck you can use. Then there’s a sign saying don’t use this side of the boat, go next to the kids play area, so I sat there and was told to move again. For the price of a ticket my dog should by all rights been invited to take the Captains chair!!!
Over priced rubbish!

December 7, 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Wightlink have been great with me!

Never had a problem travelling with Wightlink the staff have always been very supportive and offered solutions to my travel arrangements when I have spoke with them on the phone. The onboard staff are just as friendly and kind and approachable. The newly refurbished ferries are much nicer and it is a very relaxed atmosphere when travelling.

October 6, 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

The people at Yarmouth are not very…

The people at Yarmouth are not very bright, the person in the box told at least a hundred cars they could get on the early ferry so we all queued up and was not allowed on , why on earth he didn’t say no to everyone I don’t no , what a dinlo !!!!!!!

October 30, 2023
Unprompted review
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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Aggressive staff, boat oversubscribed

If I could give zero stars, I would. The staff are aggressive and Wightlink oversubscribed our sailing, only to then blame us for not leaving longer than the 30 minutes necessary to board. That we arrived, 35 minutes before our sailing, to a sea of cars - every lane was full - was apparently down to a busy crossing. Mmm... When we asked why we weren't allowed on the sailing we were booked on, I was told that only those that had arrived before us - presumably for other sailings - had priority (over my booked sailing). Why should she let me board, the Wightlink staff member growled, before another person, who had arrived 5 minutes before me, for the same sailing? Er... surely, if we are both booked on the same sailing, we should both be on the same boat? Unless of course, Wightlink had mistakenly sold too many tickets for the same crossing? Surely not. The male member of staff actually leaned into our car through my window, which I didn't overly appreciate, to tell my partner in great detail how us missing the sailing we had booked a month in advance wasn't his fault. When I pointed out we would now miss our ongoing connections, I was told I was cutting it fine in the first place! Strongly suggest, Wightlink, that you train your team better. As a paying customer I do not expect to be spoken to in the manner I was, and a little honesty and transparency, as a company, wouldn't go amiss. If you've sold too many tickets don't kid on it's my fault for not getting to the boat on time.

October 27, 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I’d give 0 reviews if I could

I’d give 0 reviews if I could. £30.40 for a foot passenger is disgusting. For my brother and I to visit our disabled mum who lives on the island, it’s over £60. I do not understand how they are allowed to keep upping the prices like this I have written to the council and to the correct authorities as they have the monopoly for the crossing so they are putting people in a situation where they can not afford to visit family members. They should be disgusted with them selves the amount of money they take.

October 13, 2023
Unprompted review
Rated 1 out of 5 stars

What a waste of space

Arrived at Portsmouth terminal in plenty of time for my 18h40 ferry. It was shown on the notice board as "on time". The next thing I knew was that the notice board changed and showed my ferry as cancelled! The ferry arrived at the port, unloaded, and promptly moved to the offshore mooring. I had to wait over an hour for the next ferry and that was 10 minutes late in leaving. No apology or explanation, but I can only surmise that there was not enough traffic (looking around the terminal) to make the run profitable so they just cancelled it. This would not happen with Red Funnel. What an absolute joke of a company Wightlink is.

October 8, 2023
Unprompted review

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