Routes with advanced bookings

Space for vehicles on board is allocated for both advanced bookings and customers that drive to the terminal without a booking. The percentage of deck space made available to book in advance is based on historical demand and aims to minimize the likelihood of sailing waits for all customers.

You can book in advance on the following routes:
REGION ROUTE VEHICLE
BOOKINGS
FOOT PASSENGER
BOOKINGS

South Coast

Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Victoria (Swartz Bay)

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Nanaimo (Duke Point)

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Nanaimo (Departure Bay)

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Sunshine Coast (Langdale)

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Southern Gulf Islands

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

Sunshine Coast

Comox (Little River) – Powell River (Westview)

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

Central and
North Coast

Port Hardy (Bear Cove) – Prince Rupert

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

Port Hardy (Bear Cove) – Central Coast (Bella Coola)

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

Central Coast Connector
(Bella Bella, Ocean Falls, Bella Coola and Shearwater)

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

Prince Rupert – Haida Gwaii (Skidegate)

Vehicle bookings

Foot passenger bookings

How much vehicle deck space is allocated to customers who book in advance?

On some routes we adjust the amount of bookable vehicle deck space depending on how much area is available at the terminal to stage vehicles, how much deck space is on the ferry, and the amount of demand. This includes space for commercial vehicles and buses.

We review historical demand to help decide how much space to set aside. We provide travel certainty for customers who want to book in advance, while keeping a percentage of deck space for customers who want to drive up to the terminal.

Adjusting the amount of reservable deck space helps us to minimize the likelihood of sailing waits for customers travelling without a booking. Approximately 5–25% of customers who book in advance don’t show up for their sailing.
 

Route Lowest %
deck space bookable
Highest %
deck space bookable
Avg % deck
space bookable
Avg % deck
space sailed as booked
Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Victoria (Swartz Bay)

Lowest % deck space bookable

50%

Highest % deck space bookable

85%

Average % deck space bookable

80%

Average % deck space sailed as booked

70%
Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Nanaimo (Duke Point)

Lowest % deck space bookable

70%

Highest % deck space bookable

85%

Average % deck space bookable

85%

Average % deck space sailed as booked

70%
Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Nanaimo (Departure Bay)

Lowest % deck space bookable

0%

Highest % deck space bookable

85%

Average % deck space bookable

65%

Average % deck space sailed as booked

60%
Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Sunshine Coast (Langdale) 

Lowest % deck space bookable

0%

Highest % deck space bookable

65%

Average % deck space bookable

45%

Average % deck space sailed as booked

40%
Comox (Little River) – Powell River (Westview)*

Lowest % deck space bookable

30%

Highest % deck space bookable

50%

Average % deck space bookable

40%

Average % deck space sailed as booked

25%

* Based on daily sailing frequency, demand and deck space, the percentage of bookable deck space on these routes remains consistent at 30%.

 

Fully bookable routes

Some of our routes have 100% of vehicle and passenger space available for booking in advance. Sailings on these routes are often less frequent. Booking the entire sailing provides customers travel certainty so they don’t have long waits of  hours (or even days) between sailings. The following routes are fully bookable:

  • Port Hardy (Bear Cove) – Prince Rupert
  • Prince Rupert – Haida Gwaii (Skidegate)
  • Port Hardy (Bear Cove) – Central Coast (Bella Coola)
  • Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Southern Gulf Islands
 

Foot passenger bookings

On June 24, 2021, we introduced foot passenger bookings on our busiest South Coast routes between Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Victoria (Swartz Bay), Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Nanaimo (Duke Point) and Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) – Nanaimo (Departure Bay). On these sailings we allocate approximately 50 foot passenger bookings per sailing. Over time we will look to increase the number of bookable space based on demand.

Foot passenger space is 100% bookable on the following routes between:

  • Vancouver (Tsawwassen) – Southern Gulf Islands
  • Port Hardy (Bear Cove) – Prince Rupert
  • Prince Rupert – Haida Gwaii (Skidegate)
  • Port Hardy (Bear Cove) – Central Coast (Bella Coola)

When do we increase the amount of bookable space for vehicles?

We set aside more bookable space on sailings that normally have fewer customers driving up.

On these sailings, our data shows that more customers want to book in advance, (for example, a 6:00 am sailing), so we provide a larger portion of deck space so the ferry sails full. This also relieves pressure on later sailings and reduces the likelihood of sailing waits for drive-up customers.

When do we decrease the amount of onboard bookable space?

During our busiest times, we reduce the bookable space on some sailings to 50% or less. These sailings tend to have more customers who drive up, and this helps to reduce congestion and sailing waits. We work to find a balance between the needs of customers who prefer to drive up with those who like to book in advance.

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