By DENNIS AMOR

THE rising cost of taking caravans to the Apple Isle has given travellers the pip.

One outraged couple claim it will cost them $500 more than last year to ship their caravan, tow vehicle and themselves to Tasmania onboard the Spirit of Tasmania.

"How on earth can they justfy this," travellers Cyril and Bev Winterbotham fumed to Caravanning News.

"It's got to be a rip off ... how else can you explain such a big increase. Someone should be made to walk the plank over this."

Caravanners Neville and Louise McNeair also protested to media about the increased fares and have taken their complaint to Tasmania's Tourism Minister Michelle O'Byrne, Braddon MHR Sid Sidebottom and MLC Ruth Forrest.

Spokesperson for the ferry company Soniya Fernandez told Caravanning News that caravan fares had been restructured and the number of seasons reduced from three to two.

"The off peak season is now 43 weeks compared to 19 weeks," she explained.

"Overall, our passenger fares have also been significantly reduced, with our discounted fares ranging from 30 percent to 50 percent. It is important to note that caravan bookings on the Spirit have increased year on year."

TT-Line last year reported an operational profit of $6.7 million and said it would be debt-free by 2010/11.

Writing in the annual report, chief executive officer Charles Griplas said: "Debt reduction has been one of our obvious priorities.

"It is important that we continue to strengthen our financial position given the previously announced strategy to replace the Spirits around 2017."

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