Reservations on Vancouver-Victoria Ferry - Should I bother?

I will be in Vancouver on the weekend of August 2, 2014.

I want to take a ferry to Victoria on August 2 and back to Vancouver on August 3 (Saturday and Sunday).

I already have hotels in both locations.

The ferry is already fairly expensive with a car (almost $90 for a car with 2 adults EACH WAY), but the website wants a $15-each-way reservation fee if I am going to reserve my spot.

Should I bother with this, or am I wasting $30?

Also, is there any way to get a discount on the ferry? I'm not a BC resident, and I don't want any kind of package with it. I'm also not a senior.

Pay the $15 - this is our August Civic Holiday weekend (Monday 4th). Ferries are ALWAYS hoachin' over holiday weekends; this one is also in the middle of school summer vacations; even worse, a lot of kids go to camp in July so start family vacations at the beginning of August - and the island is a pretty popular destination for local tourism over the summer.

Normally I'd say don't bother and take your chances without a reservation. But in your case, you'll be traveling during a civic holiday (BC Day Aug 4). The ferries will be super busy, especially on Fri Aug 1 and Mon Aug 4. Loads will be a bit lighter on Sat Aug 2 and Sun Aug 3 but it's still a gamble. If you have the time to miss a sailing and wait for the next, then take the chance. Otherwise, best to pony up and make a reservation.

We are scheduled to arrive YVR that Monday (8/4) afternoon, and were planning to ferry over to Victoria (won't have a car) Wednesday or Thursday. Am I correct that things will be calmer then?

Also, is is possible (reasonable?) to visit both Victoria and Buchart Gardens in one day?

We are scheduled to arrive YVR that Monday (8/4) afternoon, and were planning to ferry over to Victoria (won't have a car) Wednesday or Thursday. Am I correct that things will be calmer then?

 

Also, is is possible (reasonable?) to visit both Victoria and Buchart Gardens in one day?

The Swartz Bay ferry terminal in Victoria is close to Butchart Gardens, so it will be easy to get there once you arrive. The gardens are not huge and can be seen in 1-2 hrs but if you take the time to stop and smell the roses, you could easily spend much more time there. Downtown Victoria is about 30-60 min away depending on your mode of transportation. Private car and taxi will be fastest while public transport will take much longer. You could see some of Victoria on the same day as a visit to Butchart, though much will depend on your start time and energy level.

Absolutely get a reservation. The last thing you want is a 3 or 4 sailing wait (loss of hours waiting). It is the long weekend and it will be busy. The extra $30 is worth every dime on long weekends.

Don't forget to get to the ticket booth 30 minutes before scheduled sailing time. Any later and you forfeit your reservation- just the rules.

I will be in Vancouver on the weekend of August 2, 2014.

 

I want to take a ferry to Victoria on August 2 and back to Vancouver on August 3 (Saturday and Sunday).

 

I already have hotels in both locations.

 

The ferry is already fairly expensive with a car (almost $90 for a car with 2 adults EACH WAY), but the website wants a $15-each-way reservation fee if I am going to reserve my spot.

 

Should I bother with this, or am I wasting $30?

 

Also, is there any way to get a discount on the ferry? I'm not a BC resident, and I don't want any kind of package with it. I'm also not a senior.

Having taken the Swartz Bay - Tsawwassen ferry many hundreds of times in my life; this is my advice:

Forget the car altogether; and just walk on the ferry. Especially given the 2nd/3rd/4th Aug the ferries will be extra busy (with cars) as it's a holiday weekend in BC. As a foot passenger it's exceedingly rare to have a sailing wait (whereas with a car it could be 2 sailings/2 hours). The trip is exactly the same speed, and so much cheaper to just take the local buses to/from the ferry. On a weekend, it's only one zone; so

From Downtown Vancouver:

• 1 zone ticket, Canada Line Skytrain to bridgeport, switch to #620 "Tsawwassen Ferry" bus at Bridgeport: $2.75
  
• Walk on ferry to Swartz Bay: $15
  
• #70 "DOWNTOWN" bus from Swartz Bay to downtown Victoria: $2.50
  

Back to Vancouver just reverse the path.

Victoria is compact and easy walking, and the only thing people tend to do outside of the downtown core is Butchart gardens, which is also reachable on the bus, or by frequent coach tours from downtown Victoria (from in front of the Empress)

If you are taking the ferry, I would go with the reservation. We went early morning and it was crowded.

Having taken the Swartz Bay - Tsawwassen ferry many hundreds of times in my life; this is my advice:

 

Forget the car altogether; and just walk on the ferry. Especially given the 2nd/3rd/4th Aug the ferries will be extra busy (with cars) as it's a holiday weekend in BC. As a foot passenger it's exceedingly rare to have a sailing wait (whereas with a car it could be 2 sailings/2 hours). The trip is exactly the same speed, and so much cheaper to just take the local buses to/from the ferry. On a weekend, it's only one zone; so

 

From Downtown Vancouver:

• 1 zone ticket, Canada Line Skytrain to bridgeport, switch to #620 "Tsawwassen Ferry" bus at Bridgeport: $2.75
  
• Walk on ferry to Swartz Bay: $15
  
• #70 "DOWNTOWN" bus from Swartz Bay to downtown Victoria: $2.50
  

 

Back to Vancouver just reverse the path.

 

Victoria is compact and easy walking, and the only thing people tend to do outside of the downtown core is Butchart gardens, which is also reachable on the bus, or by frequent coach tours from downtown Victoria (from in front of the Empress)

I appreciate the advice, but this isn't just a day trip. We are staying overnight (and will be watching the late fireworks at Butchart Gardens), so obviously we need a car.

Thank you to everyone for convincing me not to cheap out on the $30 for the reservation.

One more question: What if I don't make it in time for the reservation? What do I lose? Just my reservation, or the entire fare? That is, will I get a refund?

When you make a reservation you only pay the reservation charge - which isn't actually charged to your account until you (a) show up and pay the full fare plus reservation charge, or (b) fail to show up in which case, only the reservation fee is charged to your credit card. You must show up no sooner than 60 minutes and no later than 30 minutes prior the sailing.

I appreciate the advice, but this isn't just a day trip. We are staying overnight (and will be watching the late fireworks at Butchart Gardens), so obviously we need a car.

 

Thank you to everyone for convincing me not to cheap out on the $30 for the reservation.

 

One more question: What if I don't make it in time for the reservation? What do I lose? Just my reservation, or the entire fare? That is, will I get a refund?

I'm sorry, I lived in Metro Victoria for 25 years, and no, it's not obvious that you need a car.

Taking a car on the ferry is expensive ($53 for the car + another $17-20 if you reservation each way), and parking at Butchart Gardens, especially on fireworks nights can be difficult.

If you're visiting other things around Victoria a car can be handy, but there are frequent bus tours from downtown to Butchart if that's the main reason to be outside of the downtown area.

I'm sorry, I lived in Metro Victoria for 25 years, and no, it's not obvious that you need a car.

 

Taking a car on the ferry is expensive ($53 for the car + another $17-20 if you reservation each way), and parking at Butchart Gardens, especially on fireworks nights can be difficult.

 

If you're visiting other things around Victoria a car can be handy, but there are frequent bus tours from downtown to Butchart if that's the main reason to be outside of the downtown area.

Yes, I would also like to visit things around Victoria. Also, with only one day in Victoria, I would prefer to maximize the time there rather than waiting around for buses.

Most importantly, being from out of the area (and taking a cruise right after our time in Vancouver), we will have a bunch of luggage with us. So yes, we need a car. I can't make it a day trip because we will be seeing the fireworks at night, and it will get too late for public transportation options. Even if it wasn't, that's the last thing I would hassle with at that time of night on vacation.

I asked here if I was wasting the $30 in reservation fees. I got the correct answer: No, I'm not. I was not asking how I could see Victoria on a college student's budget.

I don't like wasting money, but I also don't like causing myself major inconvenience on my vacation to save little bits of money. And I'm the guy who never books cruise ship tours and does things myself to save on things like that, but no chance I would saddle myself with the bus in this situation.

When you make a reservation you only pay the reservation charge - which isn't actually charged to your account until you (a) show up and pay the full fare plus reservation charge, or (b) fail to show up in which case, only the reservation fee is charged to your credit card. You must show up no sooner than 60 minutes and no later than 30 minutes prior the sailing.

Thanks. Now I have to figure out the best time to book, which I really hate having to do, but it sounds like that's my best option given the crowds on this particular weekend.

Yes, I would also like to visit things around Victoria. Also, with only one day in Victoria, I would prefer to maximize the time there rather than waiting around for buses.

 

Most importantly, being from out of the area (and taking a cruise right after our time in Vancouver), we will have a bunch of luggage with us. So yes, we need a car. I can't make it a day trip because we will be seeing the fireworks at night, and it will get too late for public transportation options. Even if it wasn't, that's the last thing I would hassle with at that time of night on vacation.

 

I asked here if I was wasting the $30 in reservation fees. I got the correct answer: No, I'm not. I was not asking how I could see Victoria on a college student's budget.

 

I don't like wasting money, but I also don't like causing myself major inconvenience on my vacation to save little bits of money. And I'm the guy who never books cruise ship tours and does things myself to save on things like that, but no chance I would saddle myself with the bus in this situation.

You might want to consider not asking the questions then if your mind is already made up.

1) Buses run much later than the ferries do -- hence a ridiculous statement

2) I suggested a tour to Butchart from downtown including transportation; hence your comment makes even less sense.

You're talking about taking your car on pretty much the busiest weekend for ferries all year. It gets so backed up August long weekend that plenty of people can't even get close enough to the ferry toll booths to claim their reservation; but as you seem to know more than people that live in the area, I'll leave it to you.

If you're so concerned about getting to Victoria quickly, why not just fly there to start with? There are non-stops into YYJ/Victoria from major Canadian cities, plus a few US ones like SFO, LAS and SEA. The extra cost of flying to Victoria is likely more than offset vs renting a car, driving on the ferry etc etc.

You might want to consider not asking the questions then if your mind is already made up.

1) Buses run much later than the ferries do -- hence a ridiculous statement

2) I suggested a tour to Butchart from downtown including transportation; hence your comment makes even less sense.

 

You're talking about taking your car on pretty much the busiest weekend for ferries all year. It gets so backed up August long weekend that plenty of people can't even get close enough to the ferry toll booths to claim their reservation; but as you seem to know more than people that live in the area, I'll leave it to you.

 

If you're so concerned about getting to Victoria quickly, why not just fly there to start with? There are non-stops into YYJ/Victoria from major Canadian cities, plus a few US ones like SFO, LAS and SEA. The extra cost of flying to Victoria is likely more than offset vs renting a car, driving on the ferry etc etc.

I asked a simple question about reservation fees.

Why are you trying to redo my itinerary?

Your advice doesn't even make sense. Am I supposed to drag my suitcases onto the ferry, off the ferry, take a cab to the hotel, take a bus to and from Butchart, all to avoid the $53 per way fare for having a car?

You seem so obsessed with being "right" in this situation that you are ignoring my personal situation.

There is no nonstop to Victoria from my airport. It is more expensive and much more time consuming to fly to Victoria. I want to have a car in Victoria, and I will have lots of luggage with me for my upcoming cruise.

Your advice about the bus would work for a day-tripper who will return to Vancouver the same day (and who doesn't want to explore other parts of Victoria).

It would NOT work for my plans, for so many reasons it's laughable that we are even arguing this. For one, the last ferry out of Victoria is at 10pm, which is when the fireworks at Butchart will just be starting.

This has nothing to do with "knowing more than locals". It has to do with one certain local who is making ridiculous, highly inconvenient suggestions and sticking to them because of some emotional attachment to his argument.

Go ahead and reply, telling me about how it's totally reasonable to bring several suitcases on the ferry, drag them on the bus, drag them down the street to my hotel, and then do the reverse the next day. Sounds like a fun vacation. Maybe you can give me your e-mail address so I can have you plan my next trip.

Pokerpro5 - enjoy your visit to Victoria - you asked a reasonable question - should I reserve a space on the ferry and several posters indicated that you should because of it being a holiday weekend and that would be my recommendation as well.

You DID NOT ASK WHETHER YOU SHOULD RENT A CAR OR HOW TO GET TO VICTORIA and you have rightfully called to task a poster who wants you to change your well thought out plans for visiting a very beautiful and historic part of our Province.

Once again enjoy your visit and cruise.

Cheers!

Dennis

The ferry is already fairly expensive with a car (almost $90 for a car with 2 adults EACH WAY), but the website wants a $15-each-way reservation fee if I am going to reserve my spot.

Raising fares has been essentially the government's way of rationing scarce ferry capacity. Ridership is or was at a 15 year low at least last year.

Also, is there any way to get a discount on the ferry? I'm not a BC resident, and I don't want any kind of package with it. I'm also not a senior.

No, only for seniors and students. And it was raised from free to 1/2 off for seniors recently.

One can load funds onto an Experience Card but no discounts are available for the main routes to/from Vancouver Island. You can only get the discount on the north Island route (Comox Little River to/from Powell River Westview but then you are stranded on a peninsula with no road access and so you have to take the Powell River Saltery Bay to Earls Cove ferry and then Langdale to West Vancouver Horseshoe Bay - but you only have to pay for one of those.