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BC Ferry Covid-19 Update

BC Ferries Prohibits Non-Essential Travel

Following new provincial restrictions prohibiting non-essential travel between health regions, BC Ferries has taken action to support the new rules.

Effective immediately and through 25 May, BC Ferries will deny travel to customers travelling for non-essential reasons. 
Travellers will be asked if their travel is essential, and will be denied if that travel does not fall within the provincial exemptions.

BC Ferries supports doing everything possible to discourage non-essential travel and will rely on the appropriate jurisdictional authorities for assistance with enforcement.

Routes the BCF staff will be monitoring for non-essential travel include

  • Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay
  • Tsawwassen – Duke Point
  • Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands
  • Horseshoe Bay – Departure Bay
  • Comox – Powell River
  • Port Hardy – Prince Rupert

Frigid Water Rescue

Rescue by Vancouver Bound BC Ferry

The BC Ferry crew  on the Thursday evenings Queen of Surrey sailing from Nanaimo on Vancouver Island quickly launched a rescue boat and brought a passenger overboard safely back onto the ferry.
The ferry then returned to Nanaimo where the passenger  was transferred into the care of waiting B.C. Ambulance Service paramedics.

Bellingham Ferry to Whittier

Spring Ferry Sailings Sold Out
As of 29 March the 1st available sailing from Bellinghan to Whittier is late June.

There will be direct sailings on the 10th and 24th July; or the 7th and 21 of August and on the 4th and 18 of September.

Additional sailings will cross the Gulf from Bellingham but will require a ferry transfer & possible stay in Juneau.
For those sailing dates call 1-800-686-0446

Alaska Ferry Experiences Mechanical Issues

Bellingham Ferry Cancelled

After experiencing mechanical issues, the MV Matanuska sailings from Bellingham have been cancelled.
It is anticipated that the Matanuska will resume service  01 April 2021.

The MV Kennicott has been reschedued  to accommodate Matunuska passengers and will add southbound port calls in Petersburg and Wrangell.

Book Alaska Ferries Early

Booking an Alaska Ferry Early Is Essential
The only ferries from the Lower 48 into Alaska depart from Bellingham, WA.
Two ferries travel up the Inside Passage: one as far as Skagway , and the other ferry turning at Juneau to cross the Gulf & deliver passengers to Whittier. The ferry crossing the Gulf will miss Canada. 

Becausee the Bellingham - Whittier ferry passengers will not pass through a Canadian border, they will not require passports.

As of March 28, the Bellingham to Whittier ferry sailing are sold out of vehicle space until June.

Early booking of all Alaska ferries is essential to avoid both disappointment and high fares. ( Fares rise as space decreases)

If trying to get to Alaska with a vehicle prior to June, and not able to pass through Canada, consider booking a barge which carries vehicles weekly from Seattle to Anchorage or Seattle to Fairbanks.
 For barging information & costs call I-800-686-0446

COVID-19 Information For Alaska Ferry Travellers

Latest Covid Information
For passengers Departing Bellingham, Washington
*A Covid-19 test must be administered within 72-hrs of the day of departure, and a negative result must be presented on checking in at the terminal or boarding for travel.
The manditory State of AlaskaTraveler Declaration Form must be completed for each passenger and providedto AMHS crew at boarding. Passengers must be able to select #1(a) on the declaration form
Testing Information
The following Information pertains to testing:
If testing is not available in your location, there are FDA authorized at home tests that may be an option

Details about which test are accepted are located at https://covid19.alaska.gov/faq/


Bellingham Ferry to Alaska Delayed

Mechanical Issues

The Matanuskas' March 20, 2021sailing out of Bellingham was delayed due to a mechanical issue.

The new estimated date/time of departure is March 27 at 3:00 pm.
For more details please call the Bellingham Terminal at 360-676-8445

Covid Alternate For Ferry Travellers To Alaska

Alternatives For Getting Vehicles to Alaska
With the Canadian border remaining closed, barges provide a vehicle transport alternative to the twice monthly ferry service between Washington and Whittier Alaska.

Departing Seattle every Tuesday, year-round, barges transport vehicles to Anchorage, Fairbanks and ports along the Inside Passage.
Barge passage to Anchorage takes between 9-10 days depending on weather - but the cost and ability to take advantage of the barge service frequency, makes shipping vehicles / household goods to Alaska an easy alternative to using the Alaska ferry.




Alaska Ferries Sold to Spain

Alaska Sells Its Fast Ferries

Alaskas' newest ferries, the high speed cats MV Fairweather and  MV Chenega, have now been sold to Servicios y Concesiones Maritimas Ibicencas S.A. in Spain, for a combined price of $ 5,174,444

The ferries were purchased 15 years ago by the State of Alaska for a cost of 36 million each.

From 2004 to 2018 the Fairweather served ports in Southeast Alaska, but she was expensive to run, so was pulled from service in 2019 and has sat idle since. 
Her sister ship the Chenega has been out of service since 2015.

 The proceeds of the sale of the two ferries will go into the Alaska Marine Highway Systems "vessel construction fund" - an account used for future vessel maintenance and construction.

For more information on booking an Alaska Ferry, email info@ ferrytravel.com or visit www.ferrytravel.com

Seattle - Victoria Ferry Travel Update

Seattle Ferry to Victoria Issues a Stop Sell

A stop sell through June 30, 2021 has been issued by the Seattle - Victoria ferry company, Clipper Vacations

With a promise to provide rolling updates the first week of each month based on projections as to when operations will be resumed, bookmarking Ferry News will be the best way to discover when reservations can be made.


call 1-800-686-0446   or   email info@ferrytravel.com

Ferry Travellers Headed to Anchorage

Anchorage Is Served By Barge From Seattle
Anchorage is approximately 60 road miles from the Whittier ferry terminal.
The Whittier ferry travels from Bellingham WA, up the Inside Passage through Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka and, on arriving in Juneau, crosses the Gulf to Whittier, Homer etc.
The schedule notes this ferry service happens  bi-monthly & Whittier is the closest ferry port for travellers headed to Anchorage.

Weekly service from WA to Anchorage is provided by barge; and barges travel every week between Seattle and Anchorage.
The barge service (vehicles only, no passengers) provides those moving into or out of Alaska with a weekly alternative to the bi-monthly Whittier ferry to / from Washington.
Barges also serve Fairbanks, and like the Anchorage schedule, provide weekly transportation between Seattle and Fairbanks

Bellingham Ferry Booking Tip

Bellingham WA Ferry To Alaska
Be advised that the Bellingham ferry sailings on Wednesday travel up the Inside Passage to Ketchikan, Wrangell, Sitka, Petersburg, Juneau, Haines and Skagway and are often several hundred dollars less than the Bellingham ferry departing on Saturdays.

The reason for the significant price difference is because the Saturday ferry sailing from Bellingham WA travels up the Inside Passage only as far as Juneau. 
At Juneau the ferry crosses the Gulf - so the fewer Saturday sailings  (only 2 per month) are in greater demand by those headed to Whittier, Valdez, Homer, Anchorage, Fairbanks etc


Ferries do not travel to Anchorage or to Fairbanks - Call 1-800-686-0446 for info on a Barge from Seattle

Reduced Alaska Ferry Sailings

Aleutian Chain Ferry Service Down to 1 Monthly Sailing

Summer 2021 will see only 5 ferry trips between Homer and Unalaska ( Dutch Harbor ).
This ferry service is down from the twice-monthly service through 2019.

Homer to Dutch Harbor 2021 Ferry Sailing dates:

Depart Homer  May 18                     Arrive Dutch Harbor. May 22
Depart Homer  June 15                    Arrive Dutch Harbor  June 19
Depart Homer  July 13                     Arrive Dutch Harbor  July 17
Depart Homer  August 10                Arrive Dutch Harbor  August 14
Depart Homer  September 07          Arrive Dutch Harbor  September 11


Homer Ferry to Dutch Harbor    Dutch Harbor Ferry to Homer   www.ferrytravel.com
Alaska Ferry.     www.ferrytravel.com

Ferries Strictly Adhere To Covid 19 Regulations

All Ferry Passengers Required To Wear Masks

Two Nanaimo ferry passengers who became abusive when told to wear masks were removed from the ferry by police, and are now facing more than $900 in fines.

Flouting COVID-19 health orders to wear masks while in public on the ferries and acting belligerently towards ferry staff when advised of the regulations, will not be tolerated.

Alaska Marine ferries and BC Ferries are quickly imposing fines on all passenger who refuse to mask.

Alaska Ferries        BC Ferries       www.ferrytravel.com

Whittier -Valdez Ferry Sailings 2021

Whittier - Valdez Ferry summer 2021

This, and the reverse sailing Valdez - Whittier, is one of the most popular ferry trips in Alaska: early booking is essential.

Summer 2021 sailings for Valdez- Whittier ferry sailings are every Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday departing at 7:00AM arriving at 12:45 PM

May 2021 Whittier - Valdez ferry to sail:
Monday       03 / 10 / 187/ 24 / 31
Wednesday 05 / 12 / 19 / 26
Friday          07 / 14 / 21 / 28
June 2021 Valdez- Whittier ferry to sail:
Monday       07 / 14 / 21/ 28
Wednesday 02 / 09 / 16 / 23 / 30
Friday          04 / 11 / 18 / 25
July 2021 Valdez- Whittier ferry to sail:
Monday       05 / 12 / 19/ 26
Wednesday 07 / 14 / 21 / 28
Friday          02 / 09 / 16 / 23 / 30
August 2021 Valdez- Whittier ferry to sail:
Monday       02 / 09 / 16 / 23 / 30
Wednesday 04 / 11 / 18 / 25
Friday          06 / 13 / 20 / 27
September 2021 Valdez- Whittier ferry to sail:
Monday       06 / 13 / 20 / 27
Wednesday 01 / 08 / 15 / 22 / 29
Friday          03 / 10 / 17 / 24

Whittier - Valdez ferry;    Valdez - Whittier ferry;   Alaska ferries   info@ferrytravel.com

2021 Valdez- Whittier Ferry Sailings

Alaska Ferry Schedule & Fare Posting Expected Soon

Summer 2021 sailings for Valdez- Whittier ferry sailings are every
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday departing at 7AM arriving at 12:45
May 2021 Valdez- Whittier ferry to sail:
Tuesday  04 / 11 / 18 / 25
Thursday 06 / 13 / 20 / 27
Saturday  01 / 08 / 15 / 20 / 25
June 2021 Valdez- Whittier ferry to sail:
Tuesday  01 / 08 / 15 / 22 / 29
Thursday 03 / 10 / 17 / 24
Saturday  05 / 12 / 19 / 26
July 2021 Valdez- Whittier ferry to sail:
Tuesday  06 / 13 / 20 / 27
Thursday 01 / 08 / 15 / 22 / 29
Saturday  03 / 10 / 17 / 24 / 31
August 2021 Valdez- Whittier ferry to sail:
Tuesday  03 / 10 / 17 / 24 / 31
Thursday 05 / 12 / 19 / 26
Saturday  07 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 28
September 2021 Valdez- Whittier ferry to sail:
Tuesday  07 / 14 / 21 / 28
Thursday 02 / 09 / 16 / 23 /30
Saturday  04 / 11 / 18 / 25

Valdez - Whittier  ferry;    Whittier - Valdez ferry;   Alaska ferries   info@ferrytravel.com

Alaska Summer 2021 Schedules Due Soon

Alaska 2021 Bellingham - Whittier Sailings

While the summer sailing dates have not yet been published, the draft proposal indicates the following:
May 2021 Bellingham - Whittier ferry sailings
Sat 01;  Sat 15;  Sat 29
June 2021, Bellingham - Whittier ferry sailings
Sat 12th; Sat 26th
July 2021,Bellingham - Whittier ferry sailings
Sat 10th; Sat 24th
Aug 2021 Bellingham - Whittier ferry sailings
Sat 07th; Sat 21th
Sept 2021 Bellingham - Whittier ferry sailings
Sat 04th; Sat 18th


Bellingham - Whittier  ferry;    Whittier - Bellingham ferry;   Alaska ferries  info@ferrytravel.com

Seattle - Victoria Ferry Service On Hold

Seattle- Victoria Ferry Service Suspended As Canadian Border Remains Closed

The popular high-speed catamaran which has operated a Seattle -Victoria ferry route every day year-round to serve the interests of visitors travelling between the two cities, has temporarily ceased all operations.

For more than 20 years the clipper ferries have offered attractive Seattle - Victora ferry / hotel and attraction packages, but the continuing Covid pandemic has resulted in the continued suspension of all operations.

Riley Matson, speaking on behalf of Clipper president David Cudgel, has promised updates on when the Seattle - Victoria ferry and Victoria hotel & attractions package service will return to regular serevice.

For updated information on travel between Seattle and Vancouver Island email : info@ferrytravel.com

Seattle- Victoria ferry;    Port Angeles -Victoria ferry;   Anacortes - Sidney ferry  

Alaska Sailing Schedule Proposal

Summer 2021 Proposed Alaska Sailings
Mat 2021 - September 2021
MV Kennicott to sail Saturdays Bellingham - Whittier 2 x per month
MV Matanuska to sail Inside Passage (Bellingham - Haines) every Wednesday,
MV LeConte to sail Northern Panhandle ( Juneau, Haines Skagway )
MV Lituya to sail 5 days per week between Annette Bay and Ketchikan
MV Tustumena to sail the Southwest Route ( Homer-Kodiak ) with one Aleutian chain trip per month
MV Aurora to sail PWS ( Whittier - Valdez ) 
 
Ferry travel to Alaska: www.ferrytravel.com




Alaska Sailings and Fares

Summer Schedules Expected Soon
The long awaited schedules and fares for the summer 2021 season (May through September) are expected to be made available within the next two weeks.
Because the dynamic pricing* structure adopted by the state in 2019 is still in effect, making ferry reservations early will save substantial dollars.

For more information prior to the posting of the new schedules, call 1-800-686-0446. 
When the summer sailings become available for booking they can be found by clicking on www.ferrytravel.com

* as space on any sailing decreases, the fare increases

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