The awareness campaign, facilitated by ferry industry body, Discover Ferries, ran from March 23^rd – April 6^th this year. Supported by all of its 13 ferry members, the first ever Big Ferry Fortnight ballot was designed to encourage people to discover the freedom, comfort and convenience of modern ferry travel by offering UK and Isle of Man residents the chance to win a free pair* of tickets on one of over 50 ferry routes across the UK, Ireland and British Islands.

Ferry routes to the Isle of Man, Ireland and England, operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and car ferry tickets to France proved to be the biggest draw, with 8,500 applications for 70 tickets.

Lucky winners are now able to book their trips, which range from short island-hopping routes across Scotland and larger island escapes such as the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Channel Islands and Isles of Scilly, to cruise-style ferries across the North and Irish Seas, as well as cross-Channel trips and even river journeys with spectacular views across London.

Emma Batchelor, Director of Discover Ferries, says: “Modern ferry travel is a truly pleasurable experience, with many people unaware of the diverse nature and fantastic quality of the on board ferry experience”.

“We are hoping that the Big Ferry Fortnight ballot will give people a taste of the ferry experience, which not only includes routes offering spectacular views, but also services with outstanding catering and leisure facilities – from en-suite cabins to spas, cinemas and live entertainment for all ages.”

The latest industry figures show that more than 38 million passenger journeys were made by ferry within the UK and to the British Islands, Ireland, France, Spain and Holland in 2018. A recent survey by IRN Research²also revealed that ferry travellers surveyed last year were overwhelmingly happy with their experience (92% rated it as good or very good), with 82% of travellers saying they would recommend ferry travel to friends and family.

Discover Ferries members taking part in the Big Ferry Fortnight ballot are: Brittany Ferries, Caledonian MacBrayne, Condor Ferries, DFDS, Hovertravel, Irish Ferries, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Isles of Scilly Travel, MBNA Thames Clippers, P&O Ferries, Red Funnel, Stena Line and Wightlink.

“With over 80 routes to choose from, there is a ferry service to suit all tastes and budgets. But no matter which ferry route you take, you will feel your holiday has started as soon as you board,” added Emma.

BIG FERRY FORTNIGHT 2019 FACT SHEET

Big Ferry Fortnight 2019 – Summary

•           Over 2,400 pairs of free ferry tickets

•           Tickets were available on over 50 routes across the UK, Ireland and British Islands

•           Winners have been selected by random ballot, receiving a maximum of a pair of tickets per household (vehicle and family tickets were also on offer for some ferry routes)

•           Big Ferry Fortnight Ballot opened on 23^rd March and closed on 6^th April 2019

When is the Big Ferry Fortnight?

Big Ferry Fortnight 2019 took place from 23^rd March - 6th April.  

Big Ferry Fortnight has evolved from National Ferry Fortnight, which was first launched in 2008 to showcase Britain’s extensive network of ferry routes and the benefits of travel by sea.

The annual event was organised by Discover Ferries, the industry body representing 13 ferry companies operating in the UK, Ireland and British Islands

What were the rules?

This ballot was only available to people living in the UK and the Isle of Man. UK and Isle of Man residents aged 18 and over could apply for tickets to any of the ferry routes listed. A maximum of one pair of tickets per household was allocated at random by ballot (some car + family tickets were available).