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Post by Starsteward on May 7, 2015 7:49:44 GMT -8
Late Premiers Ernest Manning, and Peter Loughheed and others will no doubt be rolling in their graves today as the last bastion of provincial Progressive Conservative Party 'Blue' has fallen.
Voldemort is definitely not a happy camper this morning either, aw shucks. The NDP winning in Alberta? What were the 'Vegas' odds on that happening? Then again, the NDP win last night in Alberta is just a reminder of that the B.C. NDP did NOT accomplish last time around, and a victory was there for the taking. So unfortunate.
Kind of amazed me that Jim Prentice saw the results and not only resigned the leadership of the PCs, but his own seat. How many people in his riding would have voted for him if he had been honest enough to tell them that he wasn't interested in representing voters if he couldn't win all the marbles? But then, this was a guy who, when analyzing the recent setbacks in Alberta's economy, told average citizens, "Look in the mirror". He is the last of a long line of Alberta PC leaders who had an incredible sense of entitlement.
I think Adrian Dix was a very decent, principled man who perhaps was not quite cut out to be a political leader. The NDP has an unfortunate history of sometimes choosing leaders who are ideologically correct but perhaps not electable (i.e. Bob Skelly). But, boy, did the Alberta NDP get it right with Rachel Notley. And looking at the small breakthrough in conservative PEI, with an 11% result for both the NDP and the Greens in their recent election, one can't help but be optimistic for the future of progressive politics.
But despite my lifelong affinity for the orange troops, this fall I will be casting my vote for whatever party has the best chance in my riding to defeat the Harperists. My concern for this country over rides my narrower biases.
Adrian Dix, I agree was is a very decent guy who obviously didn't get the memo titled: 'Nice Guys Finish Last'. The NDP hasn't always done a very good job at looking at their leaders in terms of 'electability'. Changing gears into the 'political/marine (mis)- management' announcement yesterday by the 'we know best' Federal government, that the Harbour Centre Coast Guard Offices will be closed and all duties transferred to Victoria. With the closing of the Kits Coast Guard Station and now this announcement, Port Metro Vancouver will be remotely monitored from Victoria. No 'live' eyes on the daily operations of Canada's largest port and one of the busiest on the West coast. The recent oil spill incident in English Bay was a glaring testimony to mis-management, despite all Transport Canada's bla bla bla to the contrary. Imagine running the Feds latest brain storm of removing live-eyes from Port Metro Vancouver past Port authorities in Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Rotterdam etc., and the U.S. Coast Guard! Hint: Be prepared for a torrent of 'W.T. F.' comments! One would hope that our elected officials and the various agencies/departments that they administer would come to their environmental senses.
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Post by Starsteward on May 6, 2015 5:58:51 GMT -8
Eight years ago, I thought that America electing a black President was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen in politics... but now Rachel Notley has decimated the Conservatives in Alberta. Wow. Double Wow. I was following the campaign and noting the polls, thinking, naah, those prairie folks will return to their roots on election day. No way could the NDP hope to take Alberta. Couldn't happen.
It did. Amazing. Particularly, the vote count from most Edmonton ridings. And listening to the pitch perfect and gracious victory speech from the new Premier, I couldn't help thinking, migawd, I wish this woman had been born west of the Rockies... Christie would have been back on CKNW by now.
Just goes to show: never give up on politics, or the possibility for change. Voldemort may not be Prime Minister for ever. Late Premiers Ernest Manning, and Peter Loughheed and others will no doubt be rolling in their graves today as the last bastion of provincial Progressive Conservative Party 'Blue' has fallen.
Voldemort is definitely not a happy camper this morning either, aw shucks. The NDP winning in Alberta? What were the 'Vegas' odds on that happening? Then again, the NDP win last night in Alberta is just a reminder of that the B.C. NDP did NOT accomplish last time around, and a victory was there for the taking. So unfortunate.
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Post by Starsteward on May 6, 2015 5:46:27 GMT -8
Why is BCF digging up the new pavement in Buckley Bay? Lots of white hard-hats staring in the hole! Oh, come on... it's their first cable ferry... you can't expect them to get everything right. A few excavations here, a first broken cables there, a few waves rolling over the deck of the skimboard... eventually they'll figure it out, after spending so much money that any 'savings' from this thing won't be realized for a century. 'Neil', stop being so darn serious! ROFL
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Post by Starsteward on May 1, 2015 17:03:02 GMT -8
During Expo '86 in Vancouver, the Epirotiki Lines cruise ship 'Pegasus' was docked in New Westminster as hotel accommodation for the 6 months of the fair. I'm not I'm sure the 'Pegasus' was somewhat smaller than the 'Mona Lisa' but may have hosted more guests over 6 months of the fair. Joining the 'Pegasus' in New Westminster as a hotel ship was the venerable old "Prince George'.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 25, 2015 1:21:43 GMT -8
I uploaded to YouTube some video footage of the steamship Princess Marguerite from 1988 that may be of some interest. Shows arrival and departure from Victoria, lots of whistling, and includes specifications of the steam whistle. It is low resolution so best viewed on the smaller screen:
Steamship Princess Marguerite Thanks for posting two of the most 'historic' videos of the 'Maggie' that I've seen. Having lived in Victoria during the late 1970's, one did become tuned into her comings and goings by the sound of her whistle blasts resonating across the city from the inner harbour. At least twice a day, one knew what time it was. Long live the 'Maggie' and welcome aboard the Forum.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 20, 2015 9:27:55 GMT -8
This shot of the 'Burnaby' belies her doom I'm afraid. Too bad BC Ferries couldn't splurge on a couple of cans of white paint. I suppose cost comes before 'image' to the company at this point but be darned if I'd put my name on something that looked like I didn't care about how the world perceives my 'product'.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 18, 2015 7:46:11 GMT -8
Eight shots of the same bus model? Love all the shots of some pretty spiffy looking buses that no doubt will be welcomed by the 'transit-deprived' citizens of that part of the Lower Mainland. Interesting to hear that the City of Surrey and surrounding communities are seriously looking at an at-grade light rail transit system that would operate from Surrey to the Eastern regions of the Lower Mainland. Of particular interest to planners is the system that operates in Portland Oregon. Would really love to see a light rail system that utilizes the Bombardier type trams that were on display and operational during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 18, 2015 7:37:39 GMT -8
Nice shot of the 'Mini Wack'. I'd be pleased to lead a group tour for all the folks that work at the downtown BC Ferries Travel office in order that they could experience first hand the boundless amenities this wonderful little vessel offers to International and local tourists alike as they endeavour to explore the mid-coast route as part of their 'Beautiful B.C.' adventure! After all, their boss, Minister Stone states that touring that part of British Columbia is a fabulous experience no matter the size of 'The Wack'!
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 18, 2015 7:25:56 GMT -8
Sidney was for Swartz Bay Of course today's route 1, BC Ferries first route, began operations in 1960 between terminals constructed at Swartz Bay and, as it was then known in the beginning, 'Tsawassen Beach'. The first two ships were named for the small communities nearest to each of the terminals. See this: i90.photobucket.com/albums/k268/wetcoastkidjst/Sidney%20Class/VanProvince-15Jun1960.jpg PS: Back on topic, the Bowen Queen probably has served on more routes than any other vessel in the BCF fleet. Can anyone think of another vessel that might have the BQ beat? Now that's a great dose of yesteryear reading that newspaper article on the 'Sidney' and 'Tsawwassen'! Definitely the cat's meow back in the day. The initial fare structure of $2.00 for passengers and $5.00 for vehicles was a bargain, mindful that the basic minimum wage in the 'mid-60's in B.C. was $1.00 /hr. Interesting to note that the two Senior Masters, Captain Tom Parkinson and Captain B.G.K. Owen Jones were the first Captains on the new service, Captain 'Parky' doing a stint at Horseshoe Bay, and both Masters moving north to take command of the 'Queen of Prince Rupert' (Bonus points awarded to anyone who knows at least one name that coincided with the initials- B.G.K. of Captain Owen Jone's name) We, rascals on the 'Rupert' had our own take on all of them, however none of them would be considered 'forum appropriate'. Naming the first two ships after the small communities nearest the terminals is interesting especially Tsawwassen Beach. Historically, I'm not sure what the correct term, ie. township, municipality, city etc. was for Tsawwassen in the mid 60's.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 17, 2015 5:37:23 GMT -8
I beg to differ. I am quite sure that there is a Queen of Richmond floating about... We are the keepers of the legend. The legend lives on.... (actually "The legend floats on....") I was wondering when the 'Queen of Richmond' legend would re-emerge from the brackish backwaters of yesteryear? In the mid-60's when our great local shipyards gave birth to all those elder 'Queens", we, who somehow managed to cruise through the era of flower power and other 'influences', that generated many myths and fantasies into our lives, seem to cling to what we conceive to be our rational thinking in 2015. Hopefully the 'Queen of Richmond' will sail the mystic seas forever.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 16, 2015 11:32:59 GMT -8
Nimpkish is continuing her trek south to the Lower Mainland this morning. She left Texada after 6 this morning and is currently off Sechelt. It might interest a few of you that her destination is now set as Allied Shipyards. I do hope that the good folks at Allied Shipyards make sure to install that second water fountain to the correct potable water line, as per Minister Stone's refit memo.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 16, 2015 11:24:51 GMT -8
Yes, the BQ was purposely built in the mid-1960's for the HSB - Snug Cove run. The photo below shows her in 1971 at Horseshoe Bay, arriving from Bowen Island. She was shorter then. In the late 1970's she was stretched (as were her sisters), upping auto capacity from 50 to 70 AEQ. The names of all the older 'Queen' vessels in the BC Ferry fleet give an indication (in most cases) of where they originally served. Some exceptions are the Q Chilliwack & Skeena Q. Bowen Queen arriving at Horseshoe Bay - 9 April 1971 © WCK/JST by Wett Coast, on Flickr
Aye there 'Wett Coast' so true, as most of the elderly 'Queens' were basically assigned to routes that mirrored their city-names etc., and tis why when the newly minted 'Queen of Burnaby came along a year or so later, we Route 2ers at Horseshoe Bay sent the barely broken in 'Queen of New Westminster' packing down to Tsawwassen, for she, being from the Royal City wanted nothing to do with Nanaimo or heaven forbid her next door land neighbour, the 'Municipality of Burnaby'. She much preferred to keep company with the 'Queen of Victoria' being known as quite 'Royal', and why not hobnob with the 'Queen of Vancouver' while she had the opportunity to sail with her big-city Sister-Queen. Ironically, as retirement dates draw closer, maybe we did her a 'royal' favour, sending her South, where she has undergone more refits and facelifts than an old vaudeville actress. She will have the last of queenly laughs when her two former route 2 sisters suffer the ultimate 'Royal' indignity when they are called to plead their 'seaworthiness'- cases to the decommissioning guillotine. As an aside, it seems somewhat odd that neither Swartz Bay nor Richmond were ever blessed with vessels named after them.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 11, 2015 9:04:00 GMT -8
Greetings, Forum mates! I recently obtained copies of a set of historic plans of well known ships that operated here in this part of the world. One of these is of the MV PRINCESS OF VANCOUVER. The other one is, I'll keep you in suspense until I present her plans later. These came in retractable versions as well as flat sheets. Without further ado, here's the MV PRINCESS OF VANCOUVER shown just for you, my mates of the West Coast Ferries Forum: Wow! Thanks very much for sharing this. I took PRINCESS OF VANCOUVER a few times as a child, whenever BC Ferries was on-strike. I have memories of the revised upper deck, and it was a pleasure to look through these plans now and to rekindle some memories. Yes, very cool to see the old deck plans for the Princess of Vancouver. The upper car deck was in operation as early as 1965. The layout was very weird as one would walk out of the main lobby area and through the car deck enroute to the cafeteria/ dining room. Keeping the decks clean in the lobby and the food service areas was always a challenge as the car deck wasn't always the most spotless area of the old girl.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 10, 2015 8:15:21 GMT -8
I seem to recall B.C's minimum wage in the late 70's/early 80's was $3.65/hour. The minimum adult wage in B.C. in November 1967 was $ 1.25/hr. The wage rose in 1974 to $2.50/hr. In the time frame you reference, the minimum wage had risen to an eye-popping $3.00 ( 1976) and $3.65 (1980)
In the 1960's era with BC Ferries, there was no union and the wage structure was only slightly higher than the minimum wage of the day. If my foggy old memory serves me correctly, my early days (1964), on Route 2, paid the Princely sum of $ 215.00 a month. Those old menu prices don't look like quite the bargain given the reality of the wage structure way back when.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 8, 2015 5:20:02 GMT -8
Yeah, those prices are pretty crazy. My memory only goes back to the days of a deluxe burger platter for $1.95, I think, circa 1974-75. Basically you've shown how in approximately 10 years the escalation of prices was off and running. The sad part of this 10 year span was that wages did not really keep pace with rising prices. Come to think of it, things in 2015 haven't really changed for the better, if anything, wages are falling farther and farther behind.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 7, 2015 7:26:03 GMT -8
Great reminiscing through the great old photos of the 'Princess of Vancouver' and then discovering your photos of the original BC Ferries menu. I have two copies of those menus, luckily with the plastic inserts that held the dinner specials du jour. I've often wondered if anyone had copies of the old menus out there. But what great prices on menu items back in the day!, compared to where our economic world has evolved to in 2015. One would be staggered to see mid-60's prices on menus today. Huge bowls of freshly made clam chowder for 35 cents! Ah, let's go for the whole meal deal and have a white-coated steward deliver the meal to us at one of the two horseshoe counters or at a window table. Chowder at .35, then add a big cheeseburger for another .70 then wash that all down with an ice-cold large milkshake for .30. Please pay the cashier on the way out, a grand total of $ 1.35 As a steward, hopefully your departing guests would leave a .65 tip, which would bring the total cost of a terrific dining experience to a whopping $2.00 - paper bill. Ah, how times have changed? For the better??
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 5, 2015 10:04:53 GMT -8
The inside passage route for BC Ferries was started in 1966. Here is my copy of a 1966 schedule pamphlet, given to me by a friend today. Close-up of the ship artwork: The calendar: And some historical information on the ephemera: - 1966 being the centennial of the union of the 2 crown colonies. --------------- And the full back side Close-up of the tariff page ....and a closer look at just the fares: - discount for return trip booking. Ship diagram ------------------- Scrolling down to the bottom of the ship diagram brought back some 'in-service' memories from the Summer of 1967, as the Lower Deck cabins were my domain to wet mop and polish the cabin and passageway decks after the housekeeping staff had finished making the beds and cleaning the cabins. I'll find an appropriate spot on one of the 'Queen of Prince Rupert' threads and relate a tale of how I almost managed to kill myself in the course of a days' work, down in the 'Tween decks'. Scanning the list of vehicle, passenger, and stateroom tariffs is a sad reminder of the 2015 insanely high tariffs on routes 10 and 11. And we wonder why the vessels used on these runs, sail with a dismal count of vehicles and passengers, even in the Summer months? Dear Dear.
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Post by Starsteward on Apr 4, 2015 11:22:10 GMT -8
Great photos! PRINCESS OF VANCOUVERThis photo shows her arriving Vancouver. She would warp herself around the end of the side dolphins while swinging her stern into the dock. She was a stern loader at Vancouver and Nanaimo. If she was departing, it would be a straight shot out of the slip. PRINCESS MARGUERITEYes, that was Port Angeles. She was a busy ship then. Seattle to Victoria to Port Angeles to Victoria to Seattle and FWE at night. The pic at PA was taken just after she lost her staterooms and social halls on the Upper Deck in favor of a second car deck accessible by a new car hatch above the current forward car hatch on the Main Deck port side and an internal ramp. Probably a 1972 or 1973 photo. She would get canvas installed on the railing between the aft lifeboat and the corrugated plastic "solarium" after this picture was taken. BC took virtually all the canvas off the railings of this ship in 1975 when they introduced her to us with her new livery. In early 1975 the then N.D.P. Provincial government, under the leadership of Premier Dave Barrett, bought the 'Maggie' and the crumbling inner harbour dock from the CPR and did a total refurbishment of her. The 2nd car deck was removed and replaced with a spacious lounge that comfortably accommodated about 200 folks. Her dining room and bar were also totally redone and were a big hit with passengers. In November of 1975, Premier Barrett called a snap election, (worst move he made in his political career), and was soundly defeated by Bill Bennett, (W.A.C. Bennett's Son), and in 1976 the newly elected Social Credit government decided to sell the 'Maggie' to the Stena Line which as history reveals was a disastrous move that ultimately led to the permanent termination of the 'Maggie's' - Seattle-Victoria run. This old bit of history still bugs me to this day as I was about to turn in my QPR run for a guaranteed job on the 'Maggie' but be damned if 'politics' didn't scuttle that dream. Ah the hard lessons one learned at a much younger age.
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Post by Starsteward on Mar 28, 2015 22:57:15 GMT -8
Thanks for that, Starsteward. I missed out on Langdale Queen, Suzy Q, and Sechelt Queen. Thankfully, I did P.o.V twice, but would have liked to have sailed on her when she was re-fitted for Comox-Powell River. And, thankfully, M.V. Coho is still around for us retro-ferry nerds to enjoy. Yeas, we sure had some clunky classics running around in the 60's and 70's. The Suzie Q wasn't glamorous either. Of the three old girls, I think the beauty and glamour contest would have finished: Sechelt Queen, best make-up and hair, the Suzie Q, the first runner up, and proving that big and heavy, strong and slow Do have a place in beauty pageant. Sadly the Langdale Queen would remain sister ugly for the rest of her days, short, slow and very old had her doomed from the start. The Princess of Vancouver may have begun her career as a prim and proper C.P. R. steamship but at heart she had a blue collar identity. Her interior trappings were middle class at best, featuring her rowdy bar and pub, a decent cafeteria/dining room, coffee shop melee of eating joints. Her lower car deck was a hazard to navigate on two feet as grease or oil splotches jettisoned from rail cars and transport trucks could often and easily send ones' foot into a train track gutter. The amenity that allowed her to retain some of her 'steamship' glory days were her staterooms. Dark wood paneling prevailed along with fine bedding linens and a venerable C.P.R. crested wool blanket. Staterooms came complete with solid iron steam registers, the force and direction of the cold air blast that masqueraded for air conditioning could be controlled by turning the round porcelain wall nozzle in almost any direction, but I confess I could never get the damned thing to do what I wanted. A requested wake-up call from the purser's office, delivered by an old heavy black, no-dial phone was about as electronic as things got in those days but the wake-up experience seemed cool at the time. Throughout this Princess's service history, her dark panelled stateroom walls must have been privy to countless secrets, witnessed,but untold. That is, unless one could get those silly porcelain air nozzles to spill the beans.
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Post by Starsteward on Mar 28, 2015 9:29:42 GMT -8
She only looked like that in the promotional drawings. She came out of the yard in the form we're all familiar with. Well, that was quite an exercise of artistic license. They added an entire deck... and I can't imagine that she could ever have carried 1000 passengers. This was a vessel only thirty feet longer than the Bowen Queen, and three feet less in beam.
Princessofvanfan... unfortunately, I've never seen a photo of the Kahloke/Langdale Queen's interior, on this forum or elsewhere. I only recall sailing on her once, and I really have no particular memory.
Starsteward, mrdot? Any insights as to her layout?
I 'think' I was aboard the Langdale Queen on one occasion, during the 1964 summer season. It wasn't a sailing, just dropping off a bag of company mail for the Chief Steward that had ended up on either the Queen of Sidney or the Sechelt Queen by mistake. Very hazily, I think there was a forward lounge, then lobby with stairways down to the car deck. Travelling along Prom deck there was a tiny Chief Steward's office, washrooms on both sides of the Prom deck hallway, then aft towards a toady wee coffee bar. Farther aft from the coffee bar, there May have been some sort of cafeteria which was probably a more gussy dining room in the old girl's earlier lives. I remember the whole interior of the ship being quite dark but I'm sure that newer lighting was installed a few years after I was aboard. One thing I do recall, is that the Langdale Queen, was no match in the interior design style and finish compared to the Sechelt Queen, ex-Chinook !!. In all fairness, the Langdale Queen was significantly older than the Chinook and had undergone more make-overs than many of the old-time Hollywood Actresses put together.
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Post by Starsteward on Mar 27, 2015 13:18:25 GMT -8
Menu from the Iroquois from 1940. Looks like they went with the cream of wheat. I've always had a soft spot of the old Iroquois, clunky thing that she was when she was remodeled as the "night boat" from Seattle. While on the Anacortes-Sidney run I talked to a fellow who had honeymooned on board in the 1940's. He said it had been foggy and the bridal suite was in close proximity to the stacks and the whistles blew all night long. The bridal suite had, for some inexplicable reason, twin beds. Americans always surprised me as to their love of cream of wheat and rolled oats when we had it on the 'QPR's' breakfast menu. They always had a thing for Canadian bacon too, (which I still don't see what all the fuss is about)
The twin beds in the bridal suite were probably just the vestiges of the 'Victorian Era', bestowed on both her 'Children' by the Brits. Can't one just imagine the couple hastily shoving the twin beds together? Dear Dear Great old photos of a bygone era for sure. Love them.
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Post by Starsteward on Mar 27, 2015 12:58:08 GMT -8
Advertisement on the back of the Chinook, the on-board magazine, summer, 1953. A fine looking ferry before they chopped her nose off. Same thing of course goes to the 'Chinook' before she suffered the same fate.
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Post by Starsteward on Mar 26, 2015 10:06:03 GMT -8
taking a re-positioning trip this time of the year, across the North Pacific, can be a risk for us seniors, as we may not have good sea legs anymore, and the trip up to the midnite buffet, could be a death sentence, to eat like that, 'to get our moneys worth' mrdot. Sadly, 'mrdot' I must agree that our sea legs aren't what they used to be however all one has to do in terms of getting to the midnight buffet and then navigate safely to a table is ask that some fair steward/buffet attendant carry your try for you. Two trays might pose a bit of a challenge though. On the technical side of things, the only true ocean liners capable of sustaining real heavy weather belong to the Cunard folks. The monolithic guest barges operated by most of the cruise industry have such shallow drafts that one need not only be concerned with their sea legs to function adequately but I dare say one might need crew assistance with the journey to and from one's stateroom to the midnight food extravaganza.
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Post by Starsteward on Mar 23, 2015 11:13:45 GMT -8
October, to December 2015 sailings are limited to the Star Princess, and Ruby Princess, doing round trip sailings between Vancouver and California, some sailings stopping in Victoria as the ships head South.
The full 2015 cruise ship season can be found on the Port Metro Vancouver website.
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Post by Starsteward on Mar 13, 2015 12:16:21 GMT -8
Based on how much the term "standardization" is tossed around by BCF I think it's a safe bet that we'll see vessel-per-vessel Coastal replacements. I seem to recall hearing somewhere that the standardization dream was to only have ~4 classes of vessel in the end (probably an off the record comment from a BCF rep at one of the public meetings a few years ago...). Unless BC Ferries significantly lowers its tariffs across the entire system, I suspect that the whole topic of vessel replacement(s) might become a moot point as there will be little use for such a large fleet, as sailing cancellations, route cancellations, etc. all take their toll on a once proud marine transport system.
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