Holidaymakers furious as Irish Ferries cancels bookings for this summer

There's bad news for many Irish families with the revelation that Irish Ferries has cancelled a number of sailings for this summer.

Irish Ferries has said that it had to cut the crossings as it wasn't confident that it would get its newest ship, the WB Yeats, delivered in time. Up to 10,000 passengers are affected by the cancellations, reports RTÉ. The ferry company said that it has contacted customers with bookings between 12 and 29 July to inform them that the sailings would not be going ahead, offering them a €150 voucher as a goodwill gesture. However, a spokesman said the company is confident it can accommodate passengers with booking for the July period on sailings from Rosslare aboard the Oscar Wilde. Anyone who can't be accommodated will get a full refund, he said. The disruption leaves holidaymakers just three months to review and in some cases rearrange their plans for what is the height of the busy summer season. Many disgruntled customers have taken issue with the company's handling of the cancellations.

@Irish_Ferries What a disgraceful way to treat your customers. Email at 9pm on a Friday night to say ferry is cancelled @BrittanyFerries Pont-Aven will be filling up nicely

— Ciara McKenna (@ciaramckenna7) April 20, 2018

@Irish_Ferries Very poor customer service, sending a email on a Friday night cancelling the July booking, our holiday has been booked to suit the sailing, our very first family holiday to France is ruined. Very disappointed..!!

— Mark Kelly (@MarkMkkelly1) April 20, 2018

Irish Ferries senior management delivering an utterly stunning masterclass in crisis mismanagement this weekend.

— Jonathan Lundberg (@TechJonathan) April 21, 2018

We just got a cancellation and a voucher for 150e for next year. Meant to be sailing in July. No alternative date. Seriously pathetic from Irish Ferries.

— Sinead Smith (@cailin_deas) April 20, 2018

@Irish_Ferries Rather than send just apologies - how about telling us what alternative arrangements you’ve already made? Could the Epsilon cover the route? Am I on the Oscar Wilde? What dates? Will you cover extra nights accommodation?

— John Britton (@JRBeire) April 20, 2018