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Let's consider Red Funnel
RED FUNNEL ferries sail between Southampton Docks and East Cowes on the Isle of Wight. The journey takes 60 minutes.
The boats are larger than those run by Wightlink. This can mean lots of people on board - and, at peak times, queues.
And it may take longer to embark ..... and longer to disembark, depending on where your car ends up.
On the positive side, this company has always been cheaper than Wightlink, so if price is all important, you may save a few pounds by booking with them.
On the other hand, because Red Funnel boats travel right down Southampton Water before crossing The Solent, the journey takes one whole hour compared to just 30 or 40 minutes with Wightlink. If you've got children on board, the extra time could mean further expenditure on refreshments - which will more than devour any initial savings you made on the booking!
What do we like about Red Funnel ferries?
The journey down Southampton Water can be very interesting. You can often see some of the huge ocean liners in Southampton Docks. Also, like most other people, we would prefer to pay as little as possible for the crossing.
Anything to dislike?
Signage mainly! When we last travelled (December 2007), the signage in Southampton was awful! There were no signs pointing the way to the ferry until you were right on top of it. Our advice? Head for 'The Docks' then, when you pass The Holiday Inn, look out for a small sign on the right hand side which simply says, 'I.O.W. Ferry'.
Also, the sheer size of the boats can be a bit daunting if you're a nervous driver - as can the number of people on board at peak times. (These huge ferries are used by many coach operators - so, as you can imagine, empty seats may be hard to find!)
If you will be traveling as a foot passenger you can, of course, come across on any of the car ferries. Alternatively, you can choose the Red Jet catamaran service for pedestrians which sails from Southampton Docks to West Cowes.
Red Jet catamaran arriving at West Cowes
The Red Jet offers a much speedier service (30 minutes) and it is an excellent means of traveling swiftly between Southampton and the Isle of Wight. Weather permitting, the crossing is usually smooth and pleasant.
To make a BOOKING with RED FUNNEL click here
For information about WIGHTLINK ferries and catamarans click here
For information about HOVERTRAVEL click here
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