Car ferry tickets, do times matter that much

[AnalWonderland]

Hello!

Me and some mates have decided last minute to go to Bestival, and so we need to book ferry passage. All the more convenient times are booked up, so the only times left are very early in the morning for departure and very late at night for return.

My question is, do times matter that much?

I.e., if there is a long queue of cars, and those with the correct times are at the back of that queue, and those later or earlier times are at the front, how can the ferry company manage this? Surely they wouldn't let ferries go across with empty spaces just because the people with the correct time on their ticket was at the back of the queue?

Of course, if we did book these times, we risk staying on the island until 2345hr! So it's a big risk, but one that might make a little sense?

Because there is no way that every single person/vehicle will turn up for a particular booking.

Our other option is by foot, but we're worried about having to queue 8 hours for a ferry. One of us lives in Southampton about 5 minutes walk from the Red Funnel ferry port, so if we aimed to arrive really early, say 5 or 6am, would we be faced with huge queues, in the experience of those on this forum that have made the same trip in the past?

Thank you all!

Edited September 2, 2013 by AnalWonderland

[smogo]

There are several queues at the ports, and your car gets directed into the queue for the particular crossing that you're booked onto.

Of course, this all goes to shit on Monday when the timetable slips due to the huge numbers of cars all trying to get back home at once.

[AnalWonderland]

Thanks!

The Monday is the day with which I am most concerned. Do you think I'd be able to get onto another, earlier ferry if I simply turned up earlier and got in line?

Overall, which do you think is the least hassle/annoying, going by car or by foot?

Cheers for the help!

[smogo]

Car's far less hassle because at least when you're queuing, you're in a car.

Hang on - "AnalWonderland"...?!

[Sawdusty surfer]

They squeeze the max number of vehicles onto each ferry. If ,for what ever reason, they can fill spaces they will.

Arriving at I of W festival this year we were 6 hours late. 1hr wait and 2 transits plus trailer got onboard.

Returning 5 hrs early we waited 1/2 hr to board.

Most are on time, but some passengers are not. The ferry company line is that if you've paid , you will cross so are as flexible as they can be and are fair. Obviously the folk with the correct time tickets go first then anyone else.