March 30, 2026
BC Ferries shares travel tips and expands digital tools ahead of busy Easter long weekend
Summary:
- Plan ahead for Easter travel – book early or choose off-peak sailings to secure space and access lower-cost Saver fares
- New tools help customers get on busy or sold-out sailings – email alerts expand to Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen–Duke Point; a waitlist pilot launches on Powell River–Comox
- Advance booking continues to be required for travel from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, helping manage high demand and reduced terminal space during construction
VICTORIA, BC - With increased demand expected over the Easter long weekend, BC Ferries is encouraging customers to plan ahead and use digital tools, including expanded sailing alerts and a new waitlist feature launching April 2, to help make travel more predictable during peak periods.
“We know how important it is for people to connect over long weekends like Easter, and most customers are already planning ahead to make that happen,” said Melanie Lucia, Vice President of Customer Experience at BC Ferries. “Booking early and choosing less busy sailings where possible gives customers more certainty and helps keep everyone moving through the system — especially during busy periods, when demand is high and we’re operating within a constrained system.”
To support customers during busy travel periods, BC Ferries is also expanding digital tools to help customers travelling with a standard vehicle find space on busy or fully booked sailings:
- Sailing alerts, already available on Horseshoe Bay–Nanaimo, Horseshoe Bay–Langdale, and Powell River–Comox routes, will expand on April 2 to Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen–Duke Point. These alerts notify customers when bookable space becomes available on a sailing where it was previously sold out, allowing them to book on a first-come, first-served basis.
- A waitlist pilot will launch on April 2 on the Powell River–Comox route. Customers can join a waitlist for a sailing where bookable space is sold out and will be automatically booked and charged if space becomes available, based on their position in line.
These tools help fill space created by cancellations more quickly, give customers more ways to secure space on their preferred sailings, and make better use of available capacity.
"As demand continues to grow on our busiest routes, tools like sailing alerts and waitlists give customers more ways to secure the sailing they want - even when bookable space is initially full,” added Lucia. “They notify customers when space becomes available, helping them plan ahead, improve their chances of getting on their preferred sailing, and make better use of available capacity during busy periods.”
With high demand expected throughout the Easter long weekend, BC Ferries recommends:
- Book early where possible, especially for peak sailings
- Travel during off-peak times to access more availability and lower-cost Saver fares
- Consider alternate routes, including Tsawwassen–Duke Point, where space may be more available
For more information and travel planning resources, visit www.bcferries.com.
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