CalMac Reviews 

Crossing from Largs to Cumbrae is excellent - staff are friendly from both ends and chat away to passengers as they collect tickets.
The ferry is clean and the app was easy to use and gave me accurate updates during cancellations with storm Amy.
Took the motorhome on and off Millport a few times - never any hassle ( same experiences going to Dunoon )

Changed the location and time of our booking with no consultation. The ferry had no refreshments just a vending machine. On the positive, the staff were efficient and friendly in what must be difficult circumstances.

I had a query relating to carrying camping gas canisters on my vehicle from Ullapool to Stornoway, followed by another 3 different crossings. The person that I spoke to double checked with Ullapool that she was giving me the correct information. All sorted in a matter of minutes, and much appreciated.

Brilliant service, will contact you if any crossings get cancelled, and if it has to divert or get cancelled on an island, they will give you a refund on your accommodation. Unlike some other ferry companies (cough cough p&o)

All the staff onboard are super friendly and most of the time let you on the bridge if you ask.

Food onboard is great and the newer boats are very nice, even the older ones have been refurbed and made a lot better.

The reason the average is so low is because of people just complaining about the tiniest things like there not being a first class section (posh spoiled brats) and there not being a fair loading system for the disabled even though there is and I know from experience. If your service is cancelled or delayed or made earlier they will contact you and give you a refund, accommodation, and incurred mileage, but if you can wait or make it earlier your booking will stay and your spot on the boat won't be compromised.

Amazing customer service from Jenny when I had to book a ferry suddenly to get me from arran to adrossan due to my mother taking seriously unwell - this meant an original booking two days later could be cancelled and I contacted calmac to advise , what a quick response I got as well as a full refund which I actually didn't expect - great customer service - thank you

Not quite sure what's going on with the website. I've attempted to book two ferries now and despite my partner and I checking the details prior to purchase, the ticket gives a different dates to what we intended to purchase. Not a friendly site for those suffering with Dyslexia. Thanks for nothing Calmac.

Not even 1 star. Distinct lack of information on website. Hard to find anything. Not helpful at all. Slightly better service by phone but takes ages and still not able to book ferrycrossing.

We didn't make our much anticipated trip to the outer Hebrides due to storm floris but CalMac fully refunded us. The operator we spoke to was so helpful and understanding. Thank you.

The online ticketing system is straightforward and the ability to amend tickets online is helpful. Text alerts advising changes are really useful (we’re travelling through Storm Floris). Customer services were great when we needed to make a change. The terminal and ferry staff were professional. The ferries were clean. The menu has been improved since our last trip and we enjoyed baked potatoes, curry, pancakes and salmon and egg bagels - not a chip in sight (at our table anyway!). Travelling with a small child, I appreciate the separate baby changing room so much - quiet, clean and uninterrupted, with a comfy sofa seat to feed / rest with your child. Of course not to mention taking us to our favourite islands. I love CalMac!
For those complaints about ferry changes and cancellations, remember they are operating in the seas off the west of Scotland - it’s not as straightforward as finding another bus or train, but they still consistently get satisfaction ratings >80%. Manage your expectations, give yourself a few days’ weather window, and you’ll have a great time.
Update: CalMac just got us back to Skye from the Outer Hebrides through Storm Floris on the morning of 04/08. Thanks and appreciate your service.

It’s really expensive and instead of going at 3:00 we had to go at 10:30 just for a small trip too.

I would like to give cal mac ferries 10/10 .. I was travelling from Arran to Troon .. I had two very big bags as I’d just left my job on Arran . I .. When I got onboard the Calmac a beautiful lady with blonde hair who had a white shirt with stripes helped me .she obviously worked for you ... she also helped me off the boat .. thank you so much .. I forgot to say this as I’ve been so busy .. thank you again and leaving arran was not so bad because of your kindness .. I’m not sure when I left it’s approx date

Well i went to Arran on the ferry Arther what a dump the ferry that is from Troon.No catering freezing cold I have been on a few ferries over the years this was the worst.Even on pleasure boat around Bridlington bay you can get tea and coffee.

Went for a day trip on the bicycle to the isle of Bute.
I was surprised that in 2025 and as choosing the environmentally friendly travel option we had to wait to get on the boat last(with no shelter or seating available) .
And then also got off last off the ferry from a car deck full of fumes.
Raising this with several employees I have been told several different stories.
From yes that's how we do it all the time to sometimes it's bikes first sometimes last.
It would encourage people to cycle more if they have a better experience.

And yes I think cyclist should have priority for environment and health reasons.

And I know Calmac probably won't even read this😂

Having booked February 2025 to sail from Mallaig, I was informed in May {couple of weeks pre holiday} I had to travel from Oban - 90 miles South, due to Freight and our motorcycle would not fit on !!
Then having packed up ready to go, I received a text message at 9pm the night prior to travel saying the sailing was cancelled with no alternative offer made. The whole thing was over before it started. Completely tarnished my feelings of considering booking again, having waited so long to have it gone in a text message and no help, only watch the service updates - poor gaming!!

In April I booked the ferry from Harris to Skye for 28 June. CalMac have cancelled it. I have now lost a day on Harris and have to book alternative accommodation at extra expense.
CalMac staff seem to treat this as business as usual and don't care

The service provided is nothing like that advertised. I booked from Ardrossan to Brodick. About 1 months before the outward crossing I was told this service wasn't running and moved to an earlier crossing from Troon to Brodick. I did not want to sail from Troon, it is a longer crossing and the port is not near the station, unlike Ardrossan. In addition the new time was too early (i was flying to Glasgow so would not get there on time). Unbelivably CalMac then locked down all the crossing on the date for a couple of days so you could not change bookings online, nor would they do it over the phone. You had to phone back several days later to change the booking, which I eventually managed to do.

It was not weather related, it is because so many of their ferries are broken.

Then a week before the return, which was meant to be to Ardrossan, they cancelled that as well. Unable to change online again and not able to get in touch by telephone in time (and no phone signal where I was staying in Arran) I had to book a new ticket on the website via the hotel Wifi.

Again the new sailing was earlier, meaning I eventually arrived on Arran later than the original time I should have and had to leave earlier too.

CalMac should not sell tickets in advance if they can't provide the service. I understand the service from Ardrossan hasn't actually run for some time (over a year I think), yet they continue to sell tickets for it, then cancel them and move you to the Troon service.

In addition the ferries I travelled on had no catering at all in either direction, yet were advertised as having catering when I booked. There was a food counter, but closed both ways. The only option was a vending machine, but it was jammed so no food / drink available at all and you also had to board via the car decks both ways.

A very poor service, nothing like that advertised when I booked and paid for the tickets, and I cannot recommend this company. it feels like they take your money and but provide a vastly inferior service from what they advertised when you paid for the ticket. Unfortunately, there is no other company so if you wan to go to Arran, you are stuck with them.

Had to change car registration number on 2 bookings and also claim a refund for a ticket I purchased in error online. Jackie on the customer service line sorted everything out efficiently, professionally and in a friendly manner. I've had numerous customer care calls in Scotland and its been a mixed bag - this was my best experience to date.

I bought a ticket to Arran costing £10.20 for 2 weeks time but I need to cancel it because I can no longer go. The admin fee for cancelling my ticket was £10, so really it was pointless to cancel the ticket at all! This fee is exorbitant!

I had an excellent impression of Cal Mac as a company from start to finish. Ease of booking, the patient and professional assistant I got from their helpline when I had to amend my booking, the customer focused approach - in terms of keeping customers informed and managing them on and off the boat - I was even helped with my bag and greeted as I got onboard. The hospitality staff were friendly and couldn’t do enough and made sure I was catered for as I was a single passenger with a dog (and the dog travelled free!) There are many companies who would do well to follow their approach. Carolyn Hickman

Disappointed there were no vegetarian sandwiches and the crew refused to make one.