BC Ferries - Buy ticket in advance or at port (day of arrival)

[cabland]

Hi all - we are flying into YVR (Vancouver airport) in June on a Tuesday for our cruise which leaves on Saturday.  We are spending the first 2 nights in Victoria and are planning to rent a car upon arrival at YVR, drive to the Ferry terminal (Tsawwassen) and cross to Victoria (Swartz).  We actually did this once before but it was almost 20 years ago so my memory is a bit foggy.

 

Anyway, my question revolves around whether or not to buy a ticket in advance or at the port.  The "challenge" of "in advance" is the flight arrival time, airport headaches, etc.  Our flight is scheduled to arrive at Noon.  I anticipate at least 90 minutes in the airport and then another 45 minutes to get to Tsawwassen. so BEST case that puts us there around 2:15pm.  I THINK I have to be in line 30-60 minutes before the sailing, so the soonest sailing would be the 3:00 PM sailing.

 

Should I go ahead and pre-book the 3:00 PM sailing and cross my fingers that I can make it?  If I am late will they let me roll over to the 4:00PM slot, etc.?  As we aren't traveling on a weekend, would there be a little less congestion?

 

Per the link below, it appears there is LITTLE RISK in pre-paying a reserved slot as it indicates:

$5 change fee.

$5 cancellation fee four days or more before travel; $15 cancellation fee three days or less, up to one hour before departure. Unredeemed bookings will be refunded less a $15 fee.

 

Arrived early or missed your sailing?

If you book a Saver or Prepaid fare and arrive early or late, you can use your fare towards travel on a different sailing on the same route, on the same day, for travel in the direction originally booked. You will be boarded after reserved customers on the next available sailing, where space is available.

At Terminal fare conditions apply if customers travel on a different sailing. Customer must pay price difference if original booking was a Saver fare.

 

BCFerries Fare Info

 

Thanks!

[cruiseryyc]

Make a reservation - both ways!  Since Covid, the ferries have been hit with numerous cancellations due to a variety of reasons (including staff shortage).  No they won't just put you on the next ferry if you miss your reservation, you're at the back of the line with everyone else.  It doesn't matter if its a weekend or weekday - during the summer the ferries are busy.

 

Also I would strongly, STRONGLY advise that you not travel back to Vancouver on the day of your cruise.  As I said cancellations or delays are common place now.

Edited May 24, 2023 by cruiseryyc

[cabland]

57 minutes ago, cruiseryyc said:

Make a reservation - both ways!  Since Covid, the ferries have been hit with numerous cancellations due to a variety of reasons (including staff shortage).  No they won't just put you on the next ferry if you miss your reservation, you're at the back of the line with everyone else.  It doesn't matter if its a weekend or weekday - during the summer the ferries are busy.

 

Also I would strongly, STRONGLY advise that you not travel back to Vancouver on the day of your cruise.  As I said cancellations or delays are common place now.

Thanks for the heads-up!  We are in Victoria for 2 nights and then return to Vancouver for 2 nights before the cruise (did that to explicitly avoid any challenges on cruise day)!  Also thanks for the tips to book both ways.

[martincath]

Honestly, with 4 nights to play with I would advise changing your resos to first and last night in Vancouver, then rental car to Victoria for the middle two nights.

Completely removes the issue with flight timing, and also means you can rent from a downtown location (probably cheaper - there's an over 20% extra fee applied for all YVR rentals, so while airports remain the best bet for one-way rentals on a round-trip returning to the same office without leaving the province downtown usually has better pricing).

 

Like CYYC said - the ferries have been struggling more than usual, mechanical issues, IT issues, staffing issues, you name it - so make a reso for every trip... if your flight is delayed you could end up waiting for literally hours, as in order to cope they have been cutting back how many 'drive on' slots they keep on some routes. You may have to wait for not just the next ferry but one or two after that if you fail to arrive in time for your planned departure!

[Heidi13]

I concur with the others, as I never travel without a reservation. You cannot arrive more than 1 hr before departure and must be at the ticket booth at least 30 mins before departure. Arriving outside these times voids your reservation.

 

Yes, you can contact them and make changes for a small cost, but they will only change a reservation to a sailing that has reserved space available. In the summer, many sailings are fully booked a number of days in advance.

 

From YVR, you have to negotiate the tunnel, which can start to back up anytime after 14:00. At times it can take an hour or more to reach Tsawwassen.

 

Personally, I would book the 17:00, which gives you lots of time if the flights are late, YVR arrivals is busy, or the tunnel is backed up. If you make good time, you can always stop into Ladner or Tsawwassen.

 

When making a reservation, they give you the option of paying only the reservation fee, at time of booking, or paying everything up front. Personally, I always only pay the reservation fee up front and any balance at the ticket booth. 

[em-sk]

On 5/24/2023 at 1:25 PM, cabland said:

Thanks for the heads-up!  We are in Victoria for 2 nights and then return to Vancouver for 2 nights before the cruise (did that to explicitly avoid any challenges on cruise day)!  Also thanks for the tips to book both ways.

 

If you book ahead of time and miss you sailing but arrive on the same day you go into the line up waiting for the next sailing with everyone else that just showed up that day.  There way be a wait if it is busy.  

 

The reservation price can sometimes be a bit cheaper or more expensive that the terminal rate.  Usually the difference is only +/- $15.   If you miss your reservation and have a discount you will charged the difference.  

 

If you arrive early then it is the same thing.  You can go on the earlier sailing if there is space and you pay the difference.

 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2023 by em-sk