B.C. Ferries Cancelled Some Of Their Canada Day Trips & Travel Might Get More Hectic
Be prepared for large crowds!🛥
You might want to rethink your Canada Day plans if they involved sailing away via BC Ferries this weekend! A few trips have been cancelled and the ferry service said it's expecting more passengers than usual until Monday.
According to a BC Ferries travel advisory, an engineering problem relating to piston assembly was found on the ship, Queen of Alberni, which travels between Vancouver and Nanaimo. Because of the technical hiccup, the ferry service said the ship will be out of service to complete repairs on its main cylinder head and line.
So, if you were hoping to sail off for Canada Day today, make note of the following cancelled trips: the 10 a.m. trip from Vancouver's Horseshoe Bay, the 12:25 p.m. ship from Nanaimo's Departure Bay, along with the 2:45 p.m. ship from Horseshoe Bay, and the 5 p.m. from Departure Bay is also down, as well as the 7:20 p.m. trip from Horseshoe Bay. Thankfully, other routes are still up and running.
BC Ferries said that its engineering team "continues to work diligently to resolve the issue." So, you can likely expect full service back by July 2 at 7:40 a.m., if all goes according to plan.
Super busy sails ahead
BC Ferries is recommending that you book your routes in advance, especially for early morning and late evening sails. That's because it'll be a busy weekend with Canada Day and Independence Day falling on the same weekend (which is the first time in six years!).
"Customers without a booking will likely experience sailing waits," noted the ferry service in a travel advisory.
So, it could be a packed ride if you're travelling on the following routes: Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay), Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Duke Point), Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay), and Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Sunshine Coast (Langdale).
With all of the expected crowds, BC Ferries is suggesting that you arrive at least 45 to 60 minutes before departure so you can ensure smooth sailing!
