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Red Funnel Ferries Reviews 552

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.4

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 266 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently praise the staff for their helpfulness and positive attitude, making interactions pleasant and efficient. The booking process is consistently described as simple and well-organized, and the service provided is often highlighted as very efficient, with many people appreciating the smooth boarding and timely departures. However, some customers expressed dissatisfaction with the pricing, finding it to be very expensive, especially for the length of the journey. A few other people also felt that the food and drinks on board were overpriced and of poor quality.

What people talk about most

Service

Customers consistently note positive experiences with service. Many reviewers praise the smooth and efficient... See more

Staff

Customers had positive experiences with staff. Many reviewers consistently praise the staff for being polite,... See more

Booking process

Users describe positive interactions with the booking process, often highlighting its simplicity and ease,... See more

Price

Clients share negative opinions on price, with many reviewers expressing dissatisfaction over what they... See more

Location

Consumers find location to be ambiguous. Many reviewers praise the ease of finding locations, clear... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Red Funnel was very quick at responding to my enquiries they answererd in a easy to understand way & made me feel like I was valued as a customer. Everytime I contact Red Funnel or travel on there boa... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Friendly staff, easy process. The issue on the way back was that there had been a delay due to an incident on the ferry before and so we waited a while and there was no communication about why or what... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Due to ill health I was unable to travel on my pre booked passenger ticket. I phoned two days in advance to request a refund. The call was promptly and politely answered. Apparently no foot passenger... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We travelled to the Isle of Wight recently with Red Funnel. The booking process was simple & entry at the ports was all done by car registration recognition so no worries about finding tickets etc. On... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. Ferry Service
  2. Holiday Accommodation Service

Written by the company

We are proud to be the original Isle of Wight Ferry, with over 164 years of experience sailing between Southampton and the Isle of Wight. We aim to deliver a First-Class customer experience from start to finish and operate more than 35 crossings a day. Use our easy online booking service to secure your Vehicle Ferry spot and step aboard to enjoy a range of facilities during your crossing. Customers can enjoy our premium Signature Lounge, pet-friendly lounge, licensed bar, café and retail shop plus outdoor sun decks before arriving at your destination in just 1-hour. Foot passengers can turn up and go via our Hi-Speed Red Jet service, arriving in just 30 minutes.

Discover the Isle of Wight with Red Funnel Ferries

Written by the company

Just 1-Hour from Southampton
Discover the wonderfully different Isle of Wight with Red Funnel Ferries. Set sail for sandy beaches, dramatic coastlines, rolling countryside, dazzling dark skies and charming villages; the Isle of Wight packs a lot of adventure and natural beauty into its modest size. Within an hour’s drive time, you can bask on 25 different beaches, visit more than 50 attractions, and experience the UK’s favourite Island holiday destination from end to end. Not only are we the original Isle of Wight Ferry, transporting visitors between Southampton and the Isle of Wight for over 164 years, but we also offer a fantastic selection of places to stay and visit, all bookable online via our website. Book your hotel, holiday park, cottage and your attraction tickets with us, and save on your ferry travel.

Contact info

4.4

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

552 reviews

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Replied to 90% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 2 weeks

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

First time using Red Funnel

First time using Red Funnel.
Very easy to navigate website.
We travelled with young children and found it very well organised from moment turning up at port to docking and then disembarking.
Would definitely book again.

13 April 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The customer service team was…Happy Traveller

The customer service team was fantastic. We had travelled to Hull for a funeral. Our car was broken into and we had to stay an extra night to wait for replacement glass. That meant we would miss our booked ferry. I called and spoke to a very helpful and understanding woman who without fuss changed our booking to the following day, we had to pay a small additional amount but it saved a lot of worry. We duly arrived the next day and were boarded on an earlier sailing. Very good service. Thank you

7 May 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Red Funnel

The transition to the ferry was seamless. We were allowed to travel before our booked time which made all the difference to our short break. Facilities on board were good. Thank you

22 April 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

My award goes to the staff.

I use Red Funnel above twice a year and four weeks ago I went to the I.O.W. two days after a major op. The staff just couldn't do enough for me. The crossing was calm witch was good but the docking was so smooth aswell. The road in to the port from the motorway is a lot easier than Portsmouth.
My award goes to all the staff.
Keith piper.

1 April 2026
Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The day we travelled out to East Cowes…

The day we travelled out to East Cowes there was a serious accident just outside the terminal at Southampton, we had checked in and was informed of possible long delays. We were kept informed about the situation and we sailed with just a few people and 3-4 cars onboard. The staff were great all very friendly and helpful. On return journey we arrived early and a lovely young lady checked us in on the earlier ferry so we returned an hour earlier to Southampton which was very much appreciated as we had a long journey onwards. Booking process was easy , staff all very efficient and friendly would highly recommend Red Funnel.

17 April 2026
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Reply from Red Funnel Ferries

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your feedback. I am sorry to hear that you were impacted by a delay to our services due to an incident outside our terminal in Southampton.

While the incident restricted entry and exit to our terminal, we experienced delays in our service while we were waiting for the incident to be resolved. I am pleased to hear that you were kept updated, and you found our colleagues to be friendly and helpful.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Staff very helpful

Staff very helpful. Service on time.

24 April 2026
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Reply from Red Funnel Ferries

Thank you for your kind comments about our colleagues - we hope to welcome you back on board again soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Good service.

In spite of not being able to board the ferry to the Isle of Wight at the booked time due to a major accident on the A33 right outside the ferry entrance, we were able to get on to the ferry later the same day without any problems. Return journey on 01/5/26 was fine being boarded and departing East Cowes bang on time. Loading and unloading process was very efficient. I would definately use this service again.

24 April 2026
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Reply from Red Funnel Ferries

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your review.

I am sorry to hear that you were impacted by the incident outside our terminal, and I apologise for any inconvenience this caused. Due to restricted entry and exit of our terminal, we unfortunately saw some suspensions to our vehicle ferry service; however, we endeavoured to return to service as soon as possible.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Good journey

Smooth operation ran on time both ways.

19 April 2026
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Reply from Red Funnel Ferries

Thank you for your review - we hope to welcome you on board again soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Smooth boarding and exit from ferry

Smooth boarding and exit from ferry, good breakfast on board and great to be able to walk around the ship to kill the time for an hour. Will do Red funnel again no doubt!

13 April 2026
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Reply from Red Funnel Ferries

Thank you for your review. I am pleased to hear you enjoyed the breakfast and we hope to welcome you on board again soon!

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