Desperately need help getting to Malta from Sicily!

This may help to clarify your rights and should be sent with your letter of complaint...

New EU regulations guarantees reimbursement or rerouting
New European Union regulations on passenger rights in "maritime and inland waterway transport" – including ferries – come into force on 18 December 2012.

Under this legislation, passengers will be guaranteed reimbursement or rerouting, if there ferry is cancelled or the departure is delayed by more than 90 minutes. They will also gain "adequate assistance" for snacks, meals, refreshments and, where necessary, accommodation for up to three nights. Financial coverage will be up to €80 per night.

If the arrival of the ferry is delayed or the crossing cancelled, compensation of between 25% and 50% of the ticket price will be awarded.


Terry

like virtu ferries all runs much slower in Malta  - just unfortunately Virtu sometimes dont run at all....

We're really not having much luck getting our car across.  My husband is stranded yet again in Sicily looking for a bed for the night.

The ferry was due to set off at 4pm, but it hit the side as it was setting off so it's been cancelled.  They don't know when it will be running again because it needs an inspection tomorrow.  This is just so unreal. Once is bad enough, but this is the second attempt.

For crying out gently!! You must be screaming!!
Not good!!

This firm should get such bad press from this!!  The situation is unbelievable for these poor people and they must have some redress.

redmik wrote:

For crying out gently!! You must be screaming!!
Not good!!

It's awful. I had a feeling it was going to happen, but it's still gutting that it has. My husband said he was just going to sleep at the port in the car, but I've told him no and to find a hotel.  They've been told to phone for more news tomorrow, but from experience they don't answer the phone.

The weather isnt looking great for the next week either.

Your husband must be at his wits end.

Im really sorry to hear this is happening again   I hope your husband sort somewhere and fingers crossed it's back tomorrow

Make sure you get receipts for all your  and husbands hotel stays and for any other out of pocket expenses.

Its not good enough that they can effectively abandon passengers with no support.

There is a small claims court system in Malta with  a maximum of 3 thousand Euros.

  http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/court … fault.aspx

Worth a try if you get no joy from  Virtu.


Terry

not a great start to your new life here  - hope it goes well today - and then you can make a real start on and in the Malta experience - good luck

Finally, the ferry has set off just after 9pm back to Malta !!!!

Nothing at all on the website to suggest they stranded people yet again in Sicily. It was supposed to set off at 4pm, then 6pm, then finally 9pm, due to the weather this time.  My husband has been hanging around the port since 10am, then sitting on the ferry for over seven hours.  They've been offered just free coffee in that time and the promise of a full refund, plus hotel and food expenses from last night.   He's starving, but he said the only food on offer is overpriced sandwiches that went out of date yesterday. It's been a nightmare and if I'd have known there was a risk of all this happening, we'd have shipped our car.  It's just not worth the stress.

With them saying they'll pay for food and hotels from last night, I can't see how they could get out of paying for last time as well.  Both times they were at fault and not the weather.  I'll keep this thread updated with what expenses they're willing to reimburse.

I hope he is now OK and home with you. A nightmare indeed.
Now, breathe, relax, regroup and then sort out the campaign for fair compensation.
Good luck. 

Things can only get better now !



Terry

You are home now and thats good - relax and enjoy malta and all it has to offer.. . . the fight can continue but let them worry about what you are going to do.. and fight hard.....

good luck

Yes he's home, he got back just before midnight.  It's such a relief that we've finally got the car over.  I was starting to think he'd have to leave it there again and try another time!

Just an update!

We just emailed our receipts to Virtu Ferries in the end and had a response yesterday asking for our bank details and offering to pay the hotel and food costs immediately, but nothing else. 

It was quicker than expected, but we've said no we want the other out of pocket expenses looking into as well, so she said she'll forward the request to her directors and get back to us.  If they still say no after that, we'll start going down the routes that people have suggested in this thread.