Victoria Clipper to resume Seattle sailings this week
The Victoria Clipper fast ferry from Seattle will resume service to Vancouver Island on Friday after a year and a half of suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Seattle-Victoria service will only be available to American travellers, as the U.S. continues to bar recreational travel for Canadians through land and sea borders until at least Sept. 21.
Bookings for the Clipper are already open, with the company offering sailings four days a week to and from Victoria, with added sailings planned around Christmas and the American Thanksgiving holiday.
All U.S. citizens and Canadian residents living in the U.S. will be required to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arriving in Victoria. Clipper travellers will be required to provide proof of vaccination and submit their travel information to Canadian authorities within 72 hours of their arrival, according to Clipper Vacations.
Fully vaccinated travellers will be exempt from quarantine, however all travellers must still provide a quarantine plan and be prepared to quarantine in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet the necessary requirements, the company said.
The Clipper ceased sailing in March 2020, cutting its workforce from 200 year-round staff and seasonal employees to just eight administrative staff, the company said in a news release last month.
“The pandemic has had a devastating impact on our company like so many others, but I’m incredibly proud of the support from the Victoria community and my staff’s resiliency and determination to return to our core international operations once again,” said Clipper CEO David Gudgel.
“We could not be more excited to reinstate our safe, trusted fast ferry service and to provide the core connection between Victoria and Seattle that so many have relied upon for travel over the past 35 years.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
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.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.