Best Service Provider - Sea Crossing/Water Transport
This award is designed to recognise and reward providers of services such as meals, sea crossings, event tickets and accommodation. We were looking for those suppliers who have made outstanding efforts to accommodate, attract, and welcome coaches, their drivers and their passengers.
This year, the award was divided into four categories, covering:
- Hotels and Catering
- Theatre and Venue Ticketing
- Tour Wholesaling
- Sea Transport/Water Crossing
This page covers the last of these, looking at provides of water transport and sea crossings.
Results
Winner: Wightlink
Wightlink is totally committed to the coach and group tour business and is always seeking to improve services for operators.
The company's ships carry many of the major coach companies, including local operators, to and from the Isle of Wight. There are frequent sailings day and night - half hourly at peak times with a choice of routes, easily accessible from all parts of the country.
Using purpose built roll-on/roll-off ferries Wightlink offer a crossing time of only 35-40 minutes on the two shortest and quickest coach routes to the Island and spacious terminals for easy loading and unloading.
The judges commended Wightlink's regular workshops for coach and group operators, the familiarisation visits plus regular mailings and offers for coach and group tour organisers. There is a strong impression that Wightlink management is totally committed to the coach and group tour business and always seeking to improve services for operators.
Highly Commended:
- Stena Line
- Red Funnel
- P&O Ferries
Who could be nominated?
This category was open to:
- ferry operators
- other sea crossing providers
- inland water transport providers
… and by whom
Coach operators were asked to nominate providers of services they have admired during the last 12 months.
They were asked to explain why they think the nominated service provider deserves this award – this will cover such matters as:
- the ease of booking
- the flexibility and quality of customer service during the enquiry and booking stages
- the welcome provided on the ground to
- the coach
- the passengers
- the driver