Ferry Marina Discount For October 23

[dom]

Wroxham bridge will never be removed unless something causes a major structural failure. The clever thing to have done would have been to push a relief channel through from around Broads Tours area into either Daisy Broad, or the old Broads Tour's boatsheds, then raise/extend the new bridge so it clears both the old and new river routes. It would have needed foresight and collaboration from various groups to achieve though, which is never going to happen when they can't even sort out a bypass, or foresee the issues in allowing residential development on the downstream side.

[dom]

26 minutes ago, dom said:

Daisy Broad

Bridge Broad even.

Weird you can only edit posts on here for a limited period of time.

[Broads01]

5 hours ago, dom said:

I suspect Barnes are probably starting to suffer the effects of "death by social media", whether they realise it or not. They need to employ someone to engage with and encourage social proof (I'm currently available for the right price ). Just compare them and NBD on Trustpilot and ask yourself who people are going to steer towards.

I think it's more complicated than who might have the best reviews online. I do read reviews but I have to filter out a lot of nonsense from people who moan about next to nothing. I've had nothing but good experiences from Barnes whereas with NBD their handover day was sloppy and slow and the boat was over-priced for what it was.

[YnysMon]

14 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

I think it's more complicated than who might have the best reviews online. I do read reviews but I have to filter out a lot of nonsense from people who moan about next to nothing. 

Like the people who think their holiday is ruined because they couldn’t moor outside a pub every evening. Okay, slight exaggeration, but I have seen reviews that aren’t far off that, 

[dom]

I've fixed escalating poor review issues for several businesses in the last year or so. You'd be surprised what an impact it can have. When you have poor overall ratings, people often just see the total and don't read the detail. It works both ways though - bring the total back to a more decent number and it can be used as a positive marketing tool. I've been cynical about the whole thing in the past but, at this point in time, it's an important issue. NBD obviously recognise its importance.

[CambridgeCabby]

The trouble , I feel, with these online review sites is that unfortunately the general public seem all to eager to post a negative review when all doesn’t go well for them (in their opinion) yet these same reviewers rarely post a positive when everything is perfect .

Also if you look at a large hire yard  (Yard A) as an example and upon reading the review site you see they have 10 times as many negative reviews as Yard B then you would believe that they were a terrible experience in comparison ; however Yard A is much larger and  has probably 100 times the amount of hirings which in effect means that percentage wise Yard A is the better of the two .

In my option sites such as TripAdvisor are to be viewed with caution , the reviews are often posted in haste or in anger when something often beyond a companies control occurs that they are not happy with and frequently the first a company hears of any grievance is when they read the review online , the customer not even having the decency to discuss their complaint with the company involved .

 

[MargeandParge]

Some people have been known to use this system as a blackmail tool to assist a refund. 

A resort hotel owner with a large pool told the Matriarch of a large group staying in that resort only four of which at his hotel ,that when all about 15 where using his pool they had to use his pool bar for refreshments and not bring their own in to consume.

With Venomous fingers a very unfair review was submitted  about this family run hotel. 

It's refreshing when The hotel doesn't tar all with the same brush and they appreciate manners even though they have been treated very unfairly by others.

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[rightsaidfred]

1 hour ago, MargeandParge said:

Some people have been known to use this system as a blackmail tool to assist a refund. 

A resort hotel owner with a large pool told the Matriarch of a large group staying in that resort only four of which at his hotel ,that when all about 15 where using his pool they had to use his pool bar for refreshments and not bring their own in to consume.

With Venomous fingers a very unfair review was submitted  about this family run hotel. 

It's refreshing when The hotel doesn't tar all with the same brush and they appreciate manners even though they have been treated very unfairly by others.

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

Perhaps I am a dinasour but I don't give or read revues, opinion is a personal thing and varies greatly for different people.

Fred

[Troyboy]

Going back to the bridge situation. I don't think there will be any changes to Wroxham, Potter or Yarmouth in our lifetime. And quite right too. I look at the size of some of the modern hire boats and i can't believe what I'm seeing. Along with the lack of pilot experience, it's crazy. As for less hire boats on the river at this time of the year. All the better for you privateers. Sorry Ricko. No offence intended. 

[MauriceMynah]

I rarely write or read reviews for the same reasons as above. If I have an unpleasant experience at a venue,  then I might read reviews of that place to see if my experience was frequently found there.

Not too many years ago I had a breakfast at a place well regarded by this forum. My guest found a hair in their breakfast and complained to the management and was compensated appropriately, sadly moments later I found a hair in mine. I said nothing as I thought it would look very much like I was just jumping on the bandwagon. 

I would have been happy to have another meal there but as yet have not.

I suppose that if one reads good things about a place from people one trusts, that is a fair recommendation. If one reads poor reports from strangers, they can or should be ignored.

Taking these sites that encourage feedback, I wouldn't trust any of then, they are all too vulnerable to misuse from both sides.

My overall position on this is that if I have a poor experience,  I say nothing on media but will sometimes mention it to the management.  If I have a great experience,  I tell anybody listening/reading.

[DAVIDH]

Reviews are a double-edged sword for the business owner. Google uses them in its ranking algorithms and a good reputation will help you get or stay on the first page of search. As such, businesses court them. Of course, all businesses will attract unwanted/unwarranted reviews from time to time. How they react to criticism is also a factor. I think the consumer is less likely to be taken in by unwarranted reviews than they were perhaps 5 years ago, 

[floydraser]

Reviews: sometimes people just want to tell the world what great taste they have and how clever they are by always choosing a place that's perfect. On Tripadvisor you can click on the reviewer and see all their contributions so it's easy to see those above, or those who always complain.

[dom]

It's interesting to see that Richardsons actually quote review ratings across a number of sites as key performance indicators in their financial accounts.

[hazzer111]

The bizarre thing about the Ferry Marina discount is... it isn't advertised anywhere, whereas HW are very on the ball with advertising on the website and social media. The website also has some really poor images and out of date information on some of the boats. All of them have bow thrusters, but the website doesn't say that. 

Looking to next year Ferry Marina prices are dramatically higher than this years (about £300) more, comically the prices increased a day before I was going to make a booking. For less money at another I can get an equally nice boat which is what I will end up doing. 

[Broads01]

7 hours ago, hazzer111 said:

All of them have bow thrusters, but the website doesn't say that. 

Have they fitted them to all of their older craft? If so that's a bad omission given the benefits of a thruster. I did look at Bronze Emblem for next year which I like as a boat as 2 berth compact centre cockpits are in short supply. I might have been prepared to pay the premium price but was put off because I thought it didn't have a thruster.

[SwanR]

Bronze Emblem definitely didn’t have a bow thruster when I hired it a few years ago. And I haven’t seen anything to indicate they’ve changed it. Let’s just say that the bathroom needs modernising as well. 

I have heard good reports of Tranquila at Richardson’s if you’re looking for something for a holiday when you’re not on your own. 

[hazzer111]

55 minutes ago, SwanR said:

Bronze Emblem definitely didn’t have a bow thruster when I hired it a few years ago. And I haven’t seen anything to indicate they’ve changed it. Let’s just say that the bathroom needs modernising as well. 

I have heard good reports of Tranquila at Richardson’s if you’re looking for something for a holiday when you’re not on your own. 

 

I hired bronze this year and it had bow thrusters! I then asked the question when looking at white emblem and was told it also has them.. Which is also not advertised. 

[MrBlueSky]

3 hours ago, SwanR said:

Bronze Emblem definitely didn’t have a bow thruster when I hired it a few years ago. And I haven’t seen anything to indicate they’ve changed it. Let’s just say that the bathroom needs modernising as well. 

I have heard good reports of Tranquila at Richardson’s if you’re looking for something for a holiday when you’re not on your own. 

I have to agree with SwanR about Tranquilla as we hired it in Sept and it's an excellent boat for two however Richardsons pricing of the boat is strange.In May next year its very expensive to book whilst by late August its a bargain,same price as the two berth ex Swancraft boats.

[YnysMon]

On 19/10/2023 at 22:50, Broads01 said:

Have they fitted them to all of their older craft? If so that's a bad omission given the benefits of a thruster. I did look at Bronze Emblem for next year which I like as a boat as 2 berth compact centre cockpits are in short supply. I might have been prepared to pay the premium price but was put off because I thought it didn't have a thruster.

We hired Bronze Emblem the year before we bought into a syndicate. We found it a lovely responsive boat, and none the worse for not having bow thrusters. It handled really well. 

[LizG]

Yesterday whilst passing Horning Ferry, I commented how busy the opposite moorings were until I realised they were all Ferry Marina boats moored up!

[floydraser]

On 18/10/2023 at 09:34, floydraser said:

This Saturday I'm collecting my son, his wife and three kids from the airport after their all inclusive stay in Ibetha. How much cheaper would a holiday on the Broads have to be to tempt them? I'll ask them.

Well I did collect them and I did ask them. 

Who are they? A couple in their early 40s, two good incomes, three kids. They went all inclusive to Ibiza Sat to Sat, half term week. 

Have you ever considered a boating holiday on the Broads? No.

Why not? Just hadn't thought about it, but wouldn't rule it out.

Three grand a week? Never! Wouldn't spend three grand to stay in Norfolk unless it was in a house with a pool and decent weather. Alternatives abroad are more appealing at that price.

I should point out that they also have a large tent and enjoy the self catering aspect of camping so it's not even the boat handling that puts them off.

[ZimbiIV]

All I can say is that having been on the Broads late September, we will not be back, unless the British Leisure Industry learns that the post-covid boom era is over!

40 percent off equates to what the price should be without the covid premium.

I have just tried to book an apartment in Whitby for November (Jill's Birthday) that we booked in 2019 5 days  for £400 then, £1000 pounds now.

Inflation has not that been that much.

I emailed the owner to complain about the price rise, his answer he could do it for £600, my second email to him was Go Bust if you are willing to change the cost by so much! No wonder it is not booked.

paul

[NeilB]

2 hours ago, floydraser said:

Three grand a week? Never! Wouldn't spend three grand to stay in Norfolk unless it was in a house with a pool and decent weather. Alternatives abroad are more appealing at that price.

They may not pay £3K which is what you would pay for a Broadsman style boat, pretty much all Richardson's Bounty 37's are £1,400 including fuel for a week in high season - would they pay that?  Or £1,900 for an Aquafibre Pearl 38?

 

[Broads01]

2 hours ago, NeilB said:

They may not pay £3K which is what you would pay for a Broadsman style boat, pretty much all Richardson's Bounty 37's are £1,400 including fuel for a week in high season - would they pay that?  Or £1,900 for an Aquafibre Pearl 38?

 

Those are about right for August prices. Easter or October half-term are considerably less of course. A Richardsons Pearl 38 this time next year is about £1000 including fuel.

[floydraser]

3 hours ago, NeilB said:

They may not pay £3K which is what you would pay for a Broadsman style boat, pretty much all Richardson's Bounty 37's are £1,400 including fuel for a week in high season - would they pay that?  Or £1,900 for an Aquafibre Pearl 38?

 

I don't know what they paid for Ibiza but I'll ask the question what WOULD you pay to try a week on the Broads.