How much does it cost to make reservations?
How and when do I pay?
What credit cards are accepted online?

Each one-way reservation is charged a non-refundable reservation fee as follows:

• $15.00 if made 7 or more days in advance of the sailing's scheduled departure date, or
• $17.50 if made less than 7 days in advance of travel.

For example, if you make a one-way reservation on Monday for the following Monday, the fee will be $15.00.  If you make a reservation on Tuesday for the following Monday, the fee will be $17.50.  So you can save money by booking 7 or more days in advance of travel.

If you need to change a reservation, a $9.00 service fee will apply. For changes, if the total fare (including fuel surcharge) is less than $9.00, the service fee will be equal to the total fare.

The non-refundable fee is paid by credit card during this on-line transaction when you confirm your reservation.

We accept:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• American Express

Note that you will pay all remaining fares for vehicle, driver and passengers when you check in at the terminal ticket booth, according to the rates in effect on the date of travel.  These may be paid using one of the above credit cards, or by cash or travellers cheques.

To determine these additional fares, click on View Fares.

For travel and check in convenience, if you would prefer to prepay for your driver, passengers and vehicle fares with the reservation in advance, please visit our BC Ferries Vacation Centre or call the Customer Service Centre.

Are reservations necessary?

When you have an important meeting to attend, tight travel connections or a special family gathering, reserving your trip allows you to take control of your schedule.  Travel is also available on a 'first come, first served' basis.

Which routes between the mainland and Vancouver Island are reservable online?

Reservations can be made online for the following routes:

• Vancouver (Tsawwassen) - Victoria (Swartz Bay )
• Vancouver (Tsawwassen) - Nanaimo (Duke Point )
• Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) - Nanaimo  (Departure Bay)
• Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Sunshine Coast (Langdale)
• Powell River (Westview) – Comox (Little River)

You can also use myBCFerries to make reservations for travel between Vancouver and the Southern Gulf Islands. Click here for more information >> 

To make reservations on BC Ferries' other reservable routes such as the Discovery Coast Passage, Inside Passage and Queen Charlotte Islands, use our regular On-Line Reservation service. 

If you're travelling with a Commercial Vehicle (5500 kg/gvw) or are carrying livestock, click here for information on how to reserve. 

What type of vehicle can I reserve with myBCFerries?  

With myBCFerries you can reserve any private passenger or recreational vehicle, with or without a trailer.  This includes cars, pickup trucks, SUVs, vans and motorhomes — but does NOT include commercial vehicles (over 5,500 kg or 12,100 lb GVW), groups (on foot, bicycle or in a bus) or motorcycles.  Go to Commercial Vehicle Reservations or Group Reservations to access these alternate services.

In order to reserve the correct type and amount of space for your vehicle, myBCFerries will ask you to specify:

Vehicle Type - this includes:

• Car/Truck/SUV - up to 7' (2.13 m) high
• Car/Truck /SUV - over 7' (2.13m) high

Total Length - if your vehicle (or vehicle and trailer combination) is over 20 feet long, you'll need to specify its total length in the box provided on the form.

Reservations will be honoured only for the vehicle type (e.g. Underheight, Overheight) and length you specify.  At check-in, if the actual length of your vehicle exceeds the reserved length by more than 5 feet, it may not be possible to honour your reservation.

Can I make a reservation if I'm travelling without my vehicle?

Reservations are not accepted for foot passengers unless there are 10 or more travelling together as a group.  For information see our Group Reservations page.

How far in advance can I make a reservation?

Reservations can be made for sailings many months in advance of departure, right up to 2-1/2 hours (150 minutes) prior to its scheduled departure time.  Sailings are closed to reservations at this point in order to give the terminal enough time to manage traffic during busy periods.

If you select a departure date for which reservations are not yet available, you will receive a message to this effect and be asked to try again later.

Can I change my reservation once I've made it?

Yes. Reservations can be changed up to 60 minutes prior to the reserved scheduled sailing's departure time for a service fee. The fee is applied each time you change a one-way reservation.

To change a reservation, log into your MyBCFerries Account and click on View Reservations near the top of the screen. Follow the onscreen prompts to change your reservation.  You can also change your reservation by calling our Customer Service Centre.

Can I see reservations on-line that I have made by telephone?

Yes.  After signing on to your MyBCFerries Account, click on View Reservations near the top of the screen.  All future reservations, including those made by calling our Customer Service Centre, will appear. 

NOTE: At the present time, reservations made through our automated Reserved Boarding Service (touch-tone phone reservations system) cannot be viewed through your MyBCFerries account — these reservations may be reviewed by calling our Customer Service Centre.

Can I make a reservation for someone else?

Yes.  If you are reserving for a family member or friend using your credit card, be sure to provide the travelling party with the Reservation Number.  This number must be provided upon check-in at the terminal to claim the reservation.

If you are a travel agent or hotel, you can make a courtesy reservation for your client or guest (note that it is not commissionable).  Please register with myBCFerries using your customer's name, address, etc. and pay the reservation fee with their credit card.  Print the resulting reservation confirmation page for your customer and circle or highlight the Reservation Number provided -- or ask your customer to make note of the Reservation Number and provide it when needed upon check-in.

Please be sure that the travelling party is aware of the Reservation Rules and Policies.  These are presented for acceptance during the reservation process, and relevant portions are repeated on the "Reservation Confirmation" page.

What if my sailing is cancelled?

Scheduled sailings may need to be cancelled from time to time as a result of heavy weather conditions, mechanical difficulties or other unforeseen circumstances.

If we are unable to accommodate you on the next sailing, your reservation fee will be refunded.

We will make every effort to accommodate you on the next available sailing.

Can I find out about sailing waits and cancellations before I travel?

Yes. Click the Current Conditions tab in the upper right hand corner of the screen or bookmark http://www.bcferries.com/current_conditions/. If you subscribe to our e-mail notification network  you will automatically receive information regarding sailing changes or cancellations. You can also contact our Customer Service Centre.

How do I claim my reservation?

The fastest and easiest way to check in at the ticket booth is to:

• Present the credit card you used to make your myBCFerries reservation,
• Show a printout of your itinerary page or "MyBCFerries Confirmed" e-mail,
• Provide your telephone number or,
• Quote the Confirmation Number you received when your reservation was confirmed on-line.

Remember, you must claim your reservation at the ticket booth at least 30 minutes prior and not more than 60 minutes prior to your reserved sailing's scheduled departure time.

Will printing details of my reservation(s) help at check-in?

A printout of reservations made online will be very helpful at check-in because it contains everything our ticket agents need to know to honour your reservation.

We recommend that you print the Reservation Confirmation page which is displayed when you successfully confirm your online reservation(s).  Or, you may print the e-mail message you received at this time (IF you specified your current e-mail address when providing your credit card information).

If, when you made reservations, you did not print the Reservation Confirmation page or receive an e-mail for printing, log into your MyBCFerries account and click on View Reservations. Then look for your specific reservation and click the Print button. Carry the printout with you to the terminal and present to our ticket agent at check-in.

When do I have to check in at the terminal?

Reservations should be claimed at the ticket booth 45 to 60 minutes prior to the scheduled sailing time. If you are not checked in 30 minutes prior to the scheduled sailing time your reservation will not be valid and you will travel stand-by. Since the terminal may not have room to accommodate early arrivals during peak traffic periods we cannot process reserved traffic more than 60 minutes prior to the reserved sailing time. The reservation fee for unclaimed reservations will not be refunded.

When will I receive my boarding pass?

Your boarding pass will be issued when you claim your reservation at the terminal and have paid the vehicle and passenger fares.

What if there's a line-up outside the terminal?

When you arrive at the terminal, let our traffic control people know that you have a reservation. You will then be directed to the appropriate check-in area.

I have a question that is not answered here. What should I do?

For further assistance, phone our Customer Service Centre (1-888-BC FERRY/1-888-223-3779).

You can also e-mail your questions or comments to us: customerservice@bcferries.com.