IOM TT booking advice.

Good morning you fine people,

I would like to book a trip over for the Isle of Man TT next year but haven't a clue where to start. Can anyone point me in the direction of the best place to book everything? Is there a place where I can book a full package? I want to camp and pre-erected tents are ideal.

Cheers

Book your ferry first. Do this through the Steam Packet website. If you can't get the dates you want, don't worry, just book a crossing as close to your preferred dates and pay the deposit. The balance is due late February. Now this is when a lot of people drop out and if you keep checking the website you'll likely to be able to move your dates to what you want. Steam Packet also release more tickets around that time too. When I've been I've waited until early March to book and always got on the boat. The other thing to consider is to go practice week, race week or stay the whole 2 weeks. Practice week is great if you want to ride the circuit (especially the mountain) it is generally quieter, the island starts to get busier from Thursday onwards as race week starts on the Saturday. Race week is better for 2 reasons: the races and the atmosphere. It really is special place during this time, loads of things going on as well as the racing. Be prepared to be frustrated when the mountain gets closed after somebody throws their bike at the scenery. Take it easy and ride at your own pace. Whatever you do, don't try to follow a bike (or a car for that matter) with a manx number plate over the mountain. It'll probably end in tears.

Camping wise, the campsite next to the Grandstand is meant to be good: http://www.isleofmanttcamping.com . Sign up for their newsletter and when they accept bookings, get in quick. This is the campsite where some of the racers stay and the ITV4 team interview lots of punters.There are plenty of other campsites around the island and they're cheap. What some people do is post their camping gear to the campsite and send it back home afterwards to save carrying it on the bike. B&B and hotels are shockingly expensive and probably booked up already. I'd seriously consider home stay options.There are lots of people who rent out rooms during the fortnight. I stayed one year with a young couple in their house, it was quite cheap and I stayed in their spare bedroom. They were really nice and took me out on my final night there for a meal and insisted on paying! The last time I went with my mate, I booked accommodation through http://www.eventaccommodation.co.uk. Martin emails you quickly and keeps you up to date. We had an apartment in the south of the island. Again it was quite reasonable and we self catered for the week. Also being in the south, we had a few NSL roads (remember no speed limit!) to have fun on while making our way to the main circuit.

Other than that, it really is the mecca for motorcycling, so enjoyable. It is expensive overall so budget wisely. The main cost is the ferry. I'm a skinflint and still managed to have a good time. Also, be warned as you will want to go back again In fact this thread is timely as I'm thinking of going back there next year myself. A good resource is this forum:

http://www.ttwebsite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=11

Thanks for that info Rob, what does the ferry typically end up costing? I can only find a deposit price which is a bit cheeky. Pay the deposit and we'll tell you the actual price later on

I couldn't get connected the day ferry tickets went live, gave up bothering.

I've just spoken to the booking office and the price currently would be £202 + £50 deposit. So with adjustments for inflation next year it'll be in the ballpark of £260. I last went in 2014 and it wasn't far of that then.

I couldn't get connected the day ferry tickets went live, gave up bothering.

Half the world were trying to buy them I expect. People seem to go into panic that they'll miss their chance. I've just gone online and made a provisional booking without any issues for Heysham-Douglas. It helps to register as you can adjust your sailing times later online if needed.

Excellent Ive tried on my phone and it's a pain, also it appears what I wanted was fully booked, I was trying from Liverpool and the deposit only thing was greyed out. Ill look at other ports and do it on the computer.

http://i.imgur.com/kynyX4x.png

I got these dates, I always go from Heysham. Like I said, these can be adjusted later. This gives me practice week and a couple of days of race week.

I agree that the website isn't the easiest to navigate!

I'm trying to book from Heysham 1st June Outbound, Return 9th. The website is being poop though I must be doing something wrong as I can't select a journey time, the box is greyed out.

Edit: I can book your dates so it just appears the dates I wanted are fully booked, I'll book anything for now then and try change it at a later date.

http://i.imgur.com/kynyX4x.png

I got these dates, I always go from Heysham. Like I said, these can be adjusted later. This gives me practice week and a couple of days of race week.

I agree that the website isn't the easiest to navigate!

I'm sorted for my ferry now Rob, thanks! I've had to book the same dates as you, but I would prefer to get more of the racing. Once I've paid the full balance can I still choose a differet date? I assume you don't book camping/accomodation until you've got the final sailing dates/times sorted.

http://i.imgur.com/kynyX4x.png

I got these dates, I always go from Heysham. Like I said, these can be adjusted later. This gives me practice week and a couple of days of race week.

I agree that the website isn't the easiest to navigate!

 

I'm sorted for my ferry now Rob, thanks! I've had to book the same dates as you, but I would prefer to get more of the racing. Once I've paid the full balance can I still choose a differet date? I assume you don't book camping/accomodation until you've got the final sailing dates/times sorted.

Yes you can, if they're available. Early March is a good time to start that but just keep checking maybe on a weekly basis. I'd think about accommodation pretty soon. The campsite I mentioned gets filled quickly but others you could just contact them and ask. If you can get a homestay, honestly it's better than camping and not much more cost really, can be as low as £35 a night. As much as I like camping, at the TT I prefer a warm bed and some luxury as the weather can be severe at times and change very quickly.

In 2014 we left Ramsey in hot sunshine and by the time we got to the mountain it was freezing and lashing down!

Ok cheers mate, only thing that worries my about accomodation is there's a good chance my days will change and I don't know what to yet.

Ok cheers mate, only thing that worries my about accomodation is there's a good chance my days will change and I don't know what to yet.

In that case get your dates sorted first. Saying that, on those dates you'll get to see plenty of practice sessions (which are exciting in themselves) and a couple of top races. The first race (Superbike) is on the Saturday. Mad Sunday is on Sunday, which is ...mad. On reflection, I sorted accommodation quite late last time, almost before we left so I think you'll be ok. I'm not sure what I'll do, I might camp as I'm used to it now and that would be easy for me to sort out.

I would like to go. Out of interest, what/how do you secure your gear ie helmet etc? do you leave it in the tent?

If your camping you'll always get some where, if your looking for ready made tents check at glen wyillen campsite it's a nice place but big difference in price per pitch if you take your own , only other advice is be prepared to spend lots of money every yr because it's an addiction and you will go back

Bumping an old thread!

We can now pay for our sailing in full, but I want to choose a different date (If possible) How do I go about that? It still all seems to be fully booked.

you can only change if dates are available keep checking for cancellations

You really need to nail down your crossings times and schedule first before you start looking for accommodation. As already said there are Hotels "mega money", home stays or camping, pre erect camp sites are good but not cheap, in fact if you check them out they are in some cases more expensive than the Home stays.

We always camp and take all our own gear, if your bike is not up for carrying all your camping gear l would strongly suggest sending some of your gear over in advance using these folks

https://www.sendmybag.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxsTt9tq52AIVjZztCh0ciQBqEAAYASAAEgLNQvD_BwE

Worked out fine for a bunch of my mate last year and it's a dam site cheaper than pre erect camp sites costs.

Just put all your gear in a large holdall they will collect it from your house on your fixed dates they then transport it to the camp site, when your done, they will also collect it from the camp site and bring it home simple's.

I like the sound of sending my gear over if I end up camping. At the very least I want to go in pre-erected tents if I do camp. I'm going to see what's available when I get my sailings confirmed, I want to get more of the race week so I'll keep my eye out until March time.

I like the sound of sending my gear over if I end up camping. At the very least I want to go in pre-erected tents if I do camp. I'm going to see what's available when I get my sailings confirmed, I want to get more of the race week so I'll keep my eye out until March time.

Send you camping gear mate, you can send a much bigger tent, a 3 season sleeping bag and a good airbed for a fraction of the cost of a pre erect camp site tent. Just be sure you have plenty of gear to stay warm and dry, if the sun comes out your quids in. As my Scottish friend tell me, there's nothing wrong with the weather your just wearing the wrong cloths

On that note, l must get my arse in gear and get the Classic TT booked, we much prefer the classic than the TT, the TT now is manic and getting stupid, the mountain section closed more often than open due to the idiots who think there a bit special.

I want to go in pre-erected...

I’m saying nothing. The post writes itself.

If you haven't got accommodation booked yet you will struggle, if you do post an ad on www.manx.net in the classifieds, someone will probably stump up a home stay for you, hope this helps.

If you haven't got accommodation booked yet you will struggle, if you do post an ad on www.manx.net in the classifieds, someone will probably stump up a home stay for you, hope this helps.

Yeah I don't have the sailing dates so soon as I've got them I'll have a look, not much I can do until that point. Thanks for that I'll have a look on there when I'm sorted

Booked for the Manx - Classic TT yesterday, I have to call in as they don't allow for me to book the trailer on online. Went through the normal channels all done a confirmed in minutes. This years were going as a group of maybe 8 or more camping as normal, last night the rest started to make reservations and already we're running into difficulties of us all getting on the same sailings. It's crazy when you think that for the Manx you have to pay the amount in full for a sailing that's 8 months away.

Booked for the Manx - Classic TT yesterday, I have to call in as they don't allow for me to book the trailer on online. Went through the normal channels all done a confirmed in minutes. This years were going as a group of maybe 8 or more camping as normal, last night the rest started to make reservations and already we're running into difficulties of us all getting on the same sailings. It's crazy when you think that for the Manx you have to pay the amount in full for a sailing that's 8 months away.

The Steam Packet (costa packet) is robbery, they fleece people coming to the island, I was away a couple of years ago, I came back on the Friday before TT, boat was heaving, paid top notch prices and there there was nowhere to sit except the floor. Classic TT is getting busier every year so people are having to book months ahead to ensure they can get on the boat. Hope you have a good time when you eventually get here anyway, fingers crossed the weather is fine. Oh nearly forgot, don't buy your beer from the kiosks or street vendors that pop up at that time of year, you get ripped of, go to Shoprite, you'll pay a third of the price!