cancelled/ Ferry from Vancouver Island to Seattle

[compozer]

I picked up some guide books and one stated that the big cross sound ferry frequently cancels trips when seas build too high. I think it is the Clipper that we are looking at. Is this the ferry they are talking about?? We were planning to take the ferry from Victoria to Seattle the day before we fly out of Seattle. We'd miss our flight if we can't get to Seattle that night. (8am flight)

 

Maybe I'm jumping the gun but I never thought about the ferries not running. Our Lake Michigan ferries rarely cancel and it get rough - many sick people. So, is this something I need to worry about. They suggest you purchase your tickets ahead and not sure if they refund them when you don't use them.

 

Does the travel insurance cover you if the ferries cancel? thanks for any help.

[zephyr17]

Has to be Victoria Clipper, that is the only ferry service directly between Victoria and Seattle. It is a relatively high speed, passenger only ferry, which kind of explains why it gets cancelled in bad weather.

 

However, during the summer, weather bad enough to cause cancellation would be quite rare. When are you travelling?

 

If you are really concerned, you may think about booking a bus to Vancouver, then something like Quick Coach to Seattle. The buses will use the BC Ferry to Tsawassen, which is a BIG scheduled vehicle ferry and would seldom be cancelled due to weather. It will take a lot longer going via Vancouver, though.

[Casagordita]

Right after I moved to Seattle, I booked a weekend excursion package to Victoria for my mother and me, including transportation on the Victoria Clipper. Mom was coming to visit for Thanksgiving. Being new here, I didn't know yet that late November typically brings the stormiest weather of the year to the Pacific Northwest! Sure enough, when Mom arrived, it was howling--gale-force winds on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We checked--the tickets were non-refundable if the Clipper sailed. And if you think my mother was going to waste money she'd already paid because of a "little" storm, you didn't know my mom!

 

The Clipper sailed, and we were on it. Even the cabin attendants spent most of the trip belted in their seats. The seasickness bags were very popular items. We arrived alive, had a lovely weekend in Victoria (it was even sunny there!), and came back through an even worse storm on the Strait. But the Clipper sailed on through it!

 

Keep in mind--this was November. As the previous poster said: it's very unlikely that you'd ever see that kind of rough seas in summer. But I can attest to the fact that the Victoria Clipper can and will sail on VERY rough seas, and get you there--maybe a little green, but intact and on time!

[scottbee]

I picked up some guide books and one stated that the big cross sound ferry frequently cancels trips when seas build too high. I think it is the Clipper that we are looking at. Is this the ferry they are talking about?? We were planning to take the ferry from Victoria to Seattle the day before we fly out of Seattle. We'd miss our flight if we can't get to Seattle that night. (8am flight)

 

Maybe I'm jumping the gun but I never thought about the ferries not running. Our Lake Michigan ferries rarely cancel and it get rough - many sick people. So, is this something I need to worry about. They suggest you purchase your tickets ahead and not sure if they refund them when you don't use them.

 

Does the travel insurance cover you if the ferries cancel? thanks for any help.

 

 

The Victoria Clipper rarely cancels in summer. Even if it did cancel, QX/Horizon Air (part of the Alaska Airlines group), have an early morning flight YYJ/Victoria to SEA/Seattle that leaves early enough for you to make your connection;

QX2381: YYJ 0600-0645 SEA