A student stranded in Wellington for a month has turned to flat-hunting after her ferry was cancelled.

Jessica Cullen was supposed to be in Dunedin this week for O-Week – but instead she’s busy running around flat viewing in Wellington, desperately trying to find a room of her own for the month she has been forced to spend in the capital.

Her Bluebridge ferry on February 19 was cancelled the evening before she was due to sail – and the rebooking option was not until March 18.

“I just thought it was kind of crazy, I understand all the technical issues with the ship but that’s why I had previously actually booked with the Interislander.”

Cullen said she originally booked to sail with the Interislander, but cancelled her booking when the new Bluebridge ship came in, as it would have gotten her to Dunedin sooner.

Ten days on, she has still not received a refund from the Interislander.

“Hopefully that will come through today. I managed to get in contact with them the other day but that was after, like, the 20th time calling, the lines are just so backed up ... I don’t think it’s really fair on anyone, there’s no fall-back system.

“That backlog is just really making it hard for a lot of people.”

She said someone recommended she sit at the computer and hit refresh regularly to check for rebookings.

“People were just constantly having to check and it’s quite nerve-wracking.”

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On top of the ferry struggles, Cullen said it’s a hard time of year to be looking for short-term rentals in Wellington.

“The rent down here is so extravagant this time of year, you’re looking at $250 a room and when you have a really minimal budget that’s hard, and it’s hard when there’s no short-term mahi available.”

Not only was rent too expensive, Cullen had to balance it with finding a place she felt safe to stay.

Marcus Pedersen at Wellington Airport after becoming stranded when the Interislander cancelled further ferry sailings.

“It’s difficult when it’s limited options but you’re trying not to be picky at the same time ... you can’t afford that but at the same time it is your safety. It’s you that’s going to be living somewhere.”

Another victims of the mass cancellations is Greymouth man Marcus Pedersen and his wife.

The couple were travelling home after a holiday and were due to sail home on the Kaiarahi early this morning, but found out yesterday afternoon the sailing was cancelled.

They were forced to leave their car parked at a relative’s house in Wellington and fork out $800 to fly home, as Pedersen needed to get back to his work as a caregiver and the person who was petsitting their dog couldn’t stay any longer.

Pedersen was unable to rebook the ferry until March 20, meaning he will fly back in about a month just so he can bring his car home.

He said he was “not a high-earning person” but at least he had savings to dig into for the pricy flight home.

“Not everyone can do that, just pull out of their hat $800 to get the flights home.”

Pedersen was also lucky his neighbour was able to pick them up from the airport and lend him a spare car to use until he got his own one back. Living out of town, Pedersen relies heavily on his car for his job.

He wanted to see changes in the way ferry companies operated.

“To me, it seems the problem is they’re pushing their bookings to the absolute max of their capacity.”

It would also be good if ferry companies could reimburse passengers what they spent to get home last-minute due to the cancellations.

“I’d like to see something that forces them to do the right thing.”

Pedersen has emailed Transport Minister Michael Wood asking him to take action on the situation.

In its latest statement, Kiwirail said the Aratere, which broke down in the Cook Strait recently, is now sailing with freight and passengers and the Kaiarahi is expected to resume sailing this afternoon.

Kaitaki continues to carry freight only while it is audited, after it too broke down in the Cook Strait.

About 1200 passengers’ sailings on the Kaiarahi today have been cancelled and they will receive refunds.

The last couple of weeks have been full of ferry cancellations across both Interislander and Bluebridge as breakdowns and engine problems struck many of the vessels.

As most sailings were fully booked, thousands of passengers have been left stranded, unable to rebook a trip across the strait until about mid-March.

Some have flown home while others have managed to squeeze onto last-minute sailings, and others, like Cullen, have settled in to wait.

Marlborough mayor Nadine Taylor told RNZ’s Nine to Noon she had heard of local families taking in stranded passengers and looking after cars that people have had to leave.

Accommodation providers were also swamped and doing their best to help people find a roof over their heads, she said.

Picton was already busy at this time of year and better communication was needed from both companies, she said.

- Additional reporting by RNZ