– It is problematic if no price is stated. Consumers should always be informed about what something costs. There must be clear price information both on the quay, on board the boat and online. There must be a price list, and you are entitled to a specified bill, says department director Bente Øverli in the Norwegian Consumer Agency to TV 2.
These days, tourists flock to both Western Norway and along the coast up to Northern Norway, and then you often have to take a ferry. But the price of taking a ferry is often a well-kept secret after the ordinary sailor ticketing disappeared with covid-19. Now it is registration of number plates and autopass that applies.
Unknown price
At the ferry quay at Solavågen in Møre og Romsdal, TV 2 meets Stein Tore Østensen who is in line to get on board. He has no idea what it costs to take the ferry over to Festøya.
– DISCLAIMER: Stein Tore Østensen calls for better price information. Photo: Kristian Haug Hansen / TV 2.
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– Unfortunately, I do not know! I’m probably a little too bad to check the prices and it is not stated here on the ferry quay what it costs. It’s a little silly that people do not know what it costs in advance. When you buy a service should have been informed so that people know it, says Østensen.
Janam Vettivel is in the same ferry queue.
– Now we have no choice but to take the ferry, but it would have been nice with a sign with price information, says Vettivel to TV 2.
– I actually have no idea what it costs, says Jan Eide when he is asked about the price.
At the quay in Bodø, there is also little information about what it costs to take the ferry over to Moskenes.
– You do not know the price of any ferry anymore if you do not log in online and write down. Previously, you got a note stating what things cost. It would have been nice to know what you pay, says Karstein Fet before he gets on board the ferry.
– Must be fixed
You have the right to find that information on the quay or on board the boat, even though there is never so much available online. If not, there is a violation of the Marketing Act, the Consumer Agency states.
– CRITICAL: Bente Øverli in the Norwegian Consumer Agency. Photo: Heiko Junge
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– In the extreme, we have the opportunity to impose sanctions that make it unprofitable to violate the law because it can cost the company money. But we assume that you align yourself and have as good information as possible. This should be known to the ferry companies, so we expect that those who do not have this in place will get it fairly quickly, says Bente Øverli in the Consumer Agency.
She also reminds that travelers should receive written confirmation of the trip there and then.
– It must be clear that it is a travel document and not a receipt. This is to avoid the confusion becoming total for the consumer, says Øverli.
– ORDER ORDER: Torkild Torkildsen is director of Torghatten Nord.
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Director Torkild Torkildsen of the shipping company Torghatten Nord thought online price information was sufficient.
– When price information is required, we immediately started to get this in place both on the ferry berths and on board the boats. So in a day or two this should be in order, Torkildsen says to TV 2.
The large ferry companies Boeral or Fjord1 have not responded to TV2’s request to comment on the requirement from the Norwegian Consumer Agency.
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