Reviews & Ratings for the Bute

On March 23, the 'Bute', a prominent ferry on the Wemyss Bay - Rothesay route, encountered a technical malfunction involving its forward main engine, leading to a temporary suspension of its services. At the time of the incident, the ferry was docked at Rothesay but needed to vacate its position to allow the 'Argyle' to commence its service. A tugboat was called in to assist the 'Bute' in moving from the linkspan berth, clearing the way for the 'Argyle', which ultimately completed a delayed sailing initially scheduled for 09:00 a.m. Thankfully, the technical issues were promptly addressed, enabling the 'Bute' to return to its regular operations with a scheduled 10:00 a.m. departure from Rothesay.

The ferry 'Bute', which primarily operates the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route, faced a significant technical malfunction involving its rescue boat davit on February 15, 2026. This incident prompted the vessel to be temporarily anchored in Rothesay, leading to the cancellation of several sailings. Specifically, the affected departures included Rothesay at 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m., as well as the following day on February 16 at 07:05 p.m., and on February 18 at 07:00 p.m. Likewise, the Wemyss Bay departures at 1:05 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 5:05 p.m., and 7:05 p.m. were also called off, along with additional sailings on February 17 at 06:05 p.m. and 08:05 p.m. To mitigate the disruption and accommodate passengers, the 'Coruisk' was promptly deployed to manage the scheduled sailings from Wemyss Bay starting at 08:05 a.m. up until the 3:00 p.m. slot. Unfortunately, due to persisting technical difficulties, further cancellations were necessary for February 17 and 18, specifically the 07:05 a.m. departures from Rothesay. However, the 'Coruisk' continued to maintain its schedule from Wemyss Bay at 08:05 a.m. The maintenance team worked diligently on repairs for both the boat davit and the control panel, which had contributed to the earlier issues. By February 18, these repairs were finalized, allowing the 'Bute' to resume operations with its first service at 10:05 a.m. from Wemyss Bay, while the 'Coruisk' continued its round from Rothesay with the 09:05 a.m. sailing.

On November 17, the ferry 'Bute', which operates the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route, encountered a problem with its bow visor. As a result, the vessel was forced to operate in a single-ended manner. This situation necessitated that vehicles turn around on the car deck during the loading procedure. Both commercial vehicle operators and those towing trailers had to reverse onto the ferry at Wemyss Bay and Rothesay ports, leading to longer turnaround times and potential delays for travelers. Passengers were advised to consider alternative travel options, such as the Colintraive service, or to take a ride on the ferry 'Coruisk', which was scheduled for several sailings on the same day. The sailing times for 'Coruisk' included departures from Rothesay at 11:00 a.m., 1:05 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m., as well as departures from Wemyss Bay at 10:05 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:05 p.m., 4:05 p.m., 6:05 p.m., and 8:05 p.m.

In a recent update for travelers, the Wemyss Bay-Rothesay ferry service faced disruptions due to technical problems with the MV 'Bute'. The issue necessitated an investigation and repairs, leading to a temporary shift to a single vessel timetable from October 10 to October 12. On October 10, the revised schedule included departures from Rothesay at 06:25 a.m., 08:05 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m., while departures from Wemyss Bay were set for 07:15 a.m., 09:05 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:05 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 5:05 p.m., 7:05 p.m., and 9:00 p.m. The following day, October 11, saw a continuation with departures from Rothesay at 08:05 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m., and from Wemyss Bay at 09:05 a.m., 11:05 a.m., 1:05 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 5:05 p.m., 7:05 p.m., and 9:00 p.m. On October 12, passengers could travel from Rothesay at 08:05 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m., along with departures from Wemyss Bay scheduled for 09:05 a.m., 11:05 a.m., 3:05 p.m., 5:05 p.m., and 7:05 p.m. Fortunately, the technical difficulties were resolved promptly on the morning of October 10, allowing the vessel to resume service with the 10:00 a.m. sailing from Rothesay. Full operations returned with the next scheduled departure at 11:00 a.m. from Rothesay, ensuring that ferry services continued smoothly for all passengers.

On October 7, the ferry 'Bute', which operates on the Wemyss Bay-Rothesay service, encountered a technical issue that necessitated further assessment. As a result, multiple sailings were canceled, affecting travelers on both sides of the route. Canceled departures from Rothesay included 07:05 a.m.; 09:05 a.m.; 11:00 a.m.; 1:05 p.m.; 3:00 p.m.; 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Similarly, Wemyss Bay's schedule saw the following cancellations: 08:05 a.m.; 10:05 a.m.; 12:15 p.m.; 2:05 p.m.; 4:05 p.m.; 6:05 p.m. and 08:05 p.m. By October 9, operations were down to a single ship service, with departures from Rothesay at 06:25 a.m., 08:05 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m., while Wemyss Bay offered departures at 07:15 a.m., 09:05 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:05 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 5:05 p.m., and 7:05 p.m. Unfortunately, this adjustment still led to the cancellation of previously scheduled sailings. Passengers were advised of an update concerning crossings on October 10, which was expected to be communicated on the evening of October 9. For travelers seeking alternative options, the Colintraive-Rhubodach service was made available as a substitute route.

On September 6, the ferry 'Bute', which operates the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route, encountered a technical malfunction involving its propulsion unit. This unexpected issue necessitated thorough investigations on-site at the quay in Rothesay. Consequently, a series of sailings were affected: the 08:05 a.m. departure from Rothesay, along with the 09:05 a.m. sailing from Wemyss Bay, were both cancelled. The disruption continued with the subsequent departures from Rothesay at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 02:00 p.m. Additionally, services from Wemyss Bay at 09:05 a.m., 11:05 a.m., 01:05 p.m., and 03:05 p.m. were also suspended to facilitate necessary repairs by engineers. Thankfully, after resolving the technical complications, the 'Bute' successfully resumed operations with its 04:00 p.m. sailing from Rothesay.

On August 24, the ferry 'Bute', which operates on the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay route, encountered a mechanical issue with its fast rescue craft. This unexpected breakdown led to the cancellation of two scheduled sailings: the 3 p.m. departure from Rothesay and the 4:05 p.m. departure from Wemyss Bay. While repairs were underway, the ferry 'Argyle' continued to operate according to its standard timetable. Fortunately, after the necessary repairs were completed, the 'Bute' resumed its operations in time for the 5:00 p.m. sailing from Rothesay, restoring service for passengers on the route.

On July 22, the ferry 'Bute', which connects Wemyss Bay to Rothesay, encountered a fuel-related issue that resulted in the cancellation of several sailings. Specifically, the 10:00 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. departures from Rothesay, along with the 11:15 a.m. and 1:05 p.m. sailings from Wemyss Bay, were impacted, causing potential disruption to many travelers. Fortunately, after the problem was successfully addressed, the ferry service was able to reinstate the previously canceled sailings. Passengers were able to board the following departures from Rothesay at 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m., and from Wemyss Bay at 3:05 p.m., 5:05 p.m., and 7:05 p.m. This swift resolution allowed for a timely restoration of service on this vital route.