VICTORIA, BC – With the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Thanksgiving long weekends fast approaching, BC Ferries is advising passengers to book in advance due to limited capacity and the risk of being turned away. The 60-year-old Queen of New Westminster is undergoing significant repairs and will be out of service until spring, reducing overall system capacity and making advance travel planning essential.

“Both of these long weekends are an important time for families and communities to connect, and we play a key role in facilitating those connections,” said Mel Lucia, Vice President of Customer Experience at BC Ferries. “We’re adding capacity where possible but having one of our major route vessels out of service and no resiliency in our fleet presents a challenge. Passengers are encouraged to book in advance, consider travelling during off-peak times, or walk on board to avoid disruptions during these busy periods.”

To manage demand over both long weekends, BC Ferries is offering discounted Saver fares at off-peak times for passengers with vehicles, along with special savings for foot passengers on select sailings. Additional sailings, including early morning and late-night trips, have been added where possible to provide customers with more options and help them avoid peak periods. During high-demand times, vehicles without reservations may be turned away. BC Ferries also expects that space for foot passengers on sailings between the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island may reach capacity at peak periods, requiring some foot passengers to wait for the next available sailing. Customers without reservations are advised to target non-peak travel times and check current conditions before heading to the terminal.

“We’re expecting high volumes across the system during both long weekends, and we simply can’t shift a vessel without disrupting service for other customers,” added Lucia. “This is an example of just how critical it is that we move ahead with seeking approval from the Ferry Commissioner to add a net new ship to our major routes and meet the needs and expectations of our customers for reliability and flexibility across the system.”

The Thanksgiving weekend is the fifth busiest weekend in the system for BC Ferries. In 2023, approximately 165,000 vehicles and 430,000 passengers travelled over the Thanksgiving long weekend.

Customers planning to drive on board without a reservation should prepare for significant sailing waits and the possibility of being turned away if they arrive at the terminal during peak times. At this time, reservations for vehicle and foot passengers are still available for both long weekends, with discounted fares during off-peak times.

Terminals will be busy, and passengers are advised to arrive early, including those travelling without vehicles, as Thanksgiving long weekend typically sees high foot passenger traffic. As parking lots often reach capacity during all long weekends, travellers are encouraged to consider public transit, the BC Ferries Connector, or arrange to be dropped off at the terminal.

BC Ferries had to cancel all Queen of New Westminster sailings through December 30, 2024, affecting 6,587 bookings. Over 80% of these reservations have been successfully rebooked on alternate sailings, while the remaining bookings were refunded due to limited availability on preferred dates and times or by customer choice.