Newest BC Ferries Arrived at Ogden Point on 18 Jan 2020
Called Island Class ferries, BC Ferries new battery-powered hybrid-electric vessels will commence service on the Campbell River-Quadra Island & Nanaimo Harbour-Gabriola Island routes early this spring.
The ships are rated as being among the most
efficient and quiet in the world; and each Island Class ferry is expected to
have a service life of 40+ years.
The new ferries, which will carry up to 47 vehicles & 300 passengers and crew, are expected to provide the BC Ferry Corporation with a 10-20% saving in fuel costs.
Long Wait for Alaska Summer Schedules Nearly Over
After months of budget restriction negotiations, the State of Alaska has at last provided a preliminary 2020 ferry schedule.
Although the fares are increasing and the sailing frequency to many ports has been reduced, it appears the Prince Rupert ferry service has been added back into the mix.
It is anticipated that the full 2020 Alaska ferry schedule will be posted and available for booking on www.ferrytravel.com within the next 2 weeks.
For immediate information help call 1-800-686-0446
2020 Ferry Alaska Bookings Have Started to Rise
If planning to ferry to Alaska in 2020, be aware that as a result of the States' new dynamic pricing policy ( prices go up as ferry space diminishes), many route prices are already starting to climb.
Today saw a $250 increase in travel from Bellingham to Wrangle for the 1st Jan, 2020 sailing
To try to secure the best possible pricing As people book the price can go up but when people cancel the price on a particular sailing can go down
BC Ferries Zero-tolerance Policy
On October 15th a passenger at the Langdale
Ferry terminal forced a BC Ferry employee to jump out of the way of his vehicle. A one year travel ban has been handed to a man for reckless driving .
On October 17th a person threatened to get a gun and
go back to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. That person has also
received a one-year ferry travel ban.
Under the law the BC Ferries has the right to refuse passage to anyone who threaten other passengers, the crew or terminal staff.
Modified Ferry Schedule for October 25, 2019
To avoid forecasted heavy weather the ferry M/V Tustumena will depart Kodiak for Ouzinkie, Port Lions, and Homer on October 25 at 5:15 PM, 24 hrs earlier than scheduled.
The ferry will remain at the dock in Homer for one day before returning to regular service when it departs at 05:30 on October 27, from Homer to Seldovia.
Alaska Ferry To Be Pulled From Service
As a result of a vessel inspection showing that the M/V Malaspina needs about $16 million worth of
repairs, she will be pulled from service in December and will be stored in Ketchican until a decision about her future can be made.
As there isn’t enough money in the Alaska ferry system’s budget to cover the repair costs, no long term decisions for the ferry have been made.
DOT spokesperson Meadow Bailey says the current sailing schedule will not be impacted.
AMHS Sailings to Prince Rupert will begin again in Oct. 29 and Nov. 25.
Reservations are now available for booking at www.ferrytravel.com or by calling the the Reservations Center at 1-800-686-0446
Alaska
Governor Michael J. Dunleavy stated that “The State of Alaska recognizes that the
AMHS presence in Prince Rupert is important & we are committed to
maintaining this route if it’s logistically and fiscally feasible.”
Future sailings to Prince Rupert will depend on factors that include the necessary financial investment & the long-term requirements of the Canadian Border Patrol.
As The Alaska Ferries Fill The Fares, Cancellation & Change Price All Rise
Implemented on 01 October 2019, the State of Alaska commenced dynamic pricing.
This means as the ferry starts to fill up with reservations, the price will go
up.
So if the ferry is 80% full, the fare for new passenger bookings in 2020 will
be 30% higher, & prices for bringing a vehicle or securing a cabin
the if the ferry is 80% full, will be 50% higher.
Other fare changes include event pricing (a 10%
increase for special events at a specific port) and change fees, which
go up as the travel date approaches.
Read more here: https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/business/article234808612.html#storylink=cpy
Washington State Ferries Are Going Green
Washington State Ferries (WSF) will see Seattle’s Vigor shipyard build up to five 144-car Olympic
class, hybrid-electric ferries over the coming years.
Vigor has built the last 12 ferries for Washington State and it is anticipated that the new hybrid-electric ferries will greatly reduce carbon emissions thereby resulting in a positive impact on the environment.
"The new hybrid vessels will benefit from an Olympic class hull form
which has less drag through the water and a small wake for a positive
environmental impact.
They will be capable of 100% electric operation on
most routes once the infrastructure needed for charging is installed.
Over the life of the vessels, a 94% reduction in carbon emissions is
anticipated along with the added benefit of significantly reduced
operating costs for the ferry system".
Find Ferry Schedules & Fares Quickly
If looking to get either the Alaska ferry sailing schedules and/or fares, but don't want to use the quote engine, you can simply click https://www.ferrytravel.com/alaskaferryschedules.htm.
By choosing the port you want to depart from & go to ( eg Bellingham -Ketchikan) you will be able to select the month & year to see the schedule plus the basic* fare.
* Dynamic pricing is now in effect for the Alaska ferries. Dynamic pricing means that as ferry space decreases, the fares increase.
Protesters May Cause Delays in Getting To The Victoria Ferry Terminal
A Climate change protest in downtown Victoria on Friday, September 27th, 2019 is scheduled to convene between approximately 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in the area of the B.C. Legislature.
The B.C. Legislature is near both the Victoria Clipper Terminal (Victoria Seattle ferry) and the Blackball terminal (Victoria - Port Angeles ferry), and the protest could well see several thousand participants.
Traffic delays around the ferry terminals are anticipated, and the Victoria Police Department suggest that ferry travellers allow extra time to get to and from the downtown ferry terminals.
No Alaska Ferry Service Resolution In Sight for Prince Rupert
Effective Oct. 1, 2019, the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is scheduled to end ferry service to
& from Prince Rupert, British Columbia.
Struggling with severe budget cuts and limited staff, Alaska Marine has not been able to secure the staff necessary to fulfill the Canadian requirement that there be a Canadian law enforcement presence in Prince Rupert.
The enforcement presence would have the ability to make arrests in Canada, a duty that Alaska Marine staff are not able to perform.
Alaska Ferries Introduce Dynamic Pricing
To maximize & create a more self-sustaining system, the State of Alaska established a new fare structure commencing with the 2019-20 winter schedule.
- Dynamic pricing: this means as space availability decreases, the published fares will increase.
- Event Pricing: for some special events there will be a 10% fare increase 4 days befor & 4 days after the evet in a port
- Change fees: change fees to existing reservations will increase as the scheduled travel date approaches.
Travellers are encouraged to book early for the best fares.
Additional details on pricing can be seen on the chart below.
Read more here: https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/business/article234808612.html#storylink=cpy
For additional information or help with booking call 1-800-686-0446 or email info@ferrytravel.com
College Fair in Ketchikan
Extra sailings to Ketchikan have been added for Wednesday October
9th to accommodate students to the College Fair in Ketchikan.
To double check the Lituya schedules and fares call 1-800-686-0446
No Vehicle Ferries Travel Seattle to Victoria
The ferry downtown Seattle to downtown Victoria is a passenger-only ferry.
There are NO VEHICLE FERRIES between Seattle and Victoria.
There are however 3 ferry operators that carry vehicles & passengers to Victoria on Vancouver Island.
1) Washington State Ferries:
These traditional vehicle/passenger ferries travel from Anacortes Washington, (about 30 mins N of Seattle) to Sidney BC (about a 25 minutes drive to downtown Victoria) on Vancouver Island.
2) BC Ferries
These ferries (vehicle/passenger) travel from Vancouver (the Tsawwassen Terminal about 40 minutes from downtown Vancouver or 2.5 hrs from Seattle) to Swartz Bay near Sidney (about a 25 minutes drive from downtown Victoria)
3) The Coho is a traditional passenger/vehicleferry that travels between Port Angeles (located about a 2.5 hr drive from Seattle) to downtown Victoria
Thanksgiving Is Coming: Book a Ferry - Hotel Package Early
The Seattle to Victoria ferry is always sold out of space for the Thanksgiving long weekend: sold out both ways - Seattle to Victoria & Victoria to Seattle.
This year the US holiday falls on Thursday November 28th & not only the Seattle- Victoria direct ferries, but the Victoria hotels will book out by mid October.
If booked early, it is still possible to secure one of the Special “guaranteed lowest combination rate” ferry /hotel booking packages.
The rate will vary depending on the hotel chosen - but almost all the downtown Victoria hotels participate in the specials, and accommodation can range from the 5 star properties to the 2 star properties
Book Early To Ensure Seattle to Victoria Direct Ferry Space
The ferry travelling direct from downtown Seattle to Victoria downtown is enormously popular for a number of reasons and space is often sold out.
Not only is the ferry like a mini cruise, but on arrival, travellers with US dollars will find that their dollar stretches 25% or more.
Fabulous restaurants, wonderful galleries and fabulous shopping can all be had for what amounts to bargain prices.
Ferry To Alaska Requires Early Booking For Lowest Prices
Be aware of two major changes in the Alaska Ferry system for the Winter / Spring 2019/2020 season.
1) As sailing space diminishes on any ferry, fares will rise substantially (up to as high as an additional 30% for passengers & 50% for vehicles and cabins)
2) Reservation fees for ferry travel will also increase from $25 to as much as $110.00 if a date change is requested within 5 days of departure.
To ensure lower prices - measure your vehicle before booking the ferry.
Alaska Ferry Fares, Changes and Amendment Costs Rise.
After years of not raising their fares, the Alaska ferry system has been caught in a financially difficult position as the state Commissioner cut the ferry operating budget by $43 Million ( 31%).
This reduction resulted in both a seriously reduced winter ferry schedule and substantially increased fares for passengers, their vehicles and for ferry cabins.
To maximize revenue the increases for 2019/2020 the system will employ a dynamic pricing position. Dynamic pricing means as availability decreases the published fares will increase. The increases will apply across the board - ie for passengers, their vehicles and for ferry cabins
What Does Dynamic Pricing Mean For The Traveller Using Alaskas' Ferry System ?
With
Alaska Marine having now adopted what is known as "dynamic pricing", it
is imperative that travellers planning ferry travel in Alaska in 2020
make their reservations as far in advance as is possible.
In
short, dynamic pricing means that travellers planning to use the
ferries in Alaska will see the basic fares rise, as a ferry fills.
In the case of the Alaska Marine ferries, the company has set the bar at 30%.
This
means that once 30% of the available space on an Alaska ferry has been
sold, the basic fares (passenger / vehicle and cabin) will all rise:
and they will continue to rise as much as 50% over the basic cost, as
the ferry fills.
