New Vancouver-Nanaimo ferry service announces pricing, launch timing
The new passenger-only ferry service between Vancouver and Nanaimo, Hullo, has announced that it will begin operations this summer.
While an exact date wasn't announced Thursday, the company said it plans to begin operating in early August.
Sailings will be 70 minutes each way, and Hullo plans to launch with up to seven roundtrip sailings per day, the company said.
The first sailing will depart from Nanaimo at 6 a.m., and the last sailing will depart from Vancouver at 9:30 p.m., though Hullo says later sailings may be available for special events.
Hullo will launch with two ferries in its fleet that can carry 354 passengers each.
Passengers can purchase tickets for the ferries' three different tiers of seating: comfort, premium and business.
For adults, comfort-tier tickets will cost $39.99, premium tickets cost $49.99, and business tickets cost $59.99.
Separate prices are available for children and seniors. A full price breakdown can be viewed below:
June 8, 2023. (Hullo)Onboard Wi-Fi will be available for all passengers, and snacks can be purchased on each sailing.
Pets are allowed on the ferries, but they must remain in carriers on the laps of passengers. Bikes can also be brought onboard, but Hullo warns that only a limited number of bike parking spaces will be available, and they must be reserved for a fee.
Ferries will depart from downtown Nanaimo at the Nanaimo Port Authority, located at 100 Port Dr., while sailings from Vancouver will depart from the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre at Burrard Landing, located at 1055 Canada Pl.
Hullo's two ferries were given the hul’q’umi’num’ names, spuhéls and sthuqi’.
Spuhéls (spah–els) means wind, and sthuqi’ (sta–key) means sockeye salmon, according to the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
"We honour these vessels by bringing forward our connection with the sockeye salmon and the wind," said Snuneymuxw First Nation Chief Mike Wyse in a release Thursday.
"We remember our kinship with them and how we respect our sacred relationship," he said. "The vessels’ names are an example of how we can also honour our way of being together as partners."
The announcement comes about a week after BC Ferries said it would be altering service between Metro Vancouver and Nanaimo.
BC Ferries is relocating one of its ferries from the Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay route to the Tsawwassen-Duke Point route to relieve some of the traffic congestion at the Horseshoe Bay terminal.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.