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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Mar 24, 2023 13:15:51 GMT -8
Spirit of British Columbia had its Arbutus Coffee Bar opened yesterday, I still think that BC Ferries could convert to snack bar because it could reduce the wait at Coastal Cafe.
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Post by Ollie on Apr 14, 2023 22:36:09 GMT -8
Spirit of British Columbia arriving at Swartz Bay, today
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Post by Ollie on Apr 23, 2023 21:49:07 GMT -8
Spirit of British Columbia departing Tsawwassen, today
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QoNW Fan
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Queen of New Westminster fan!
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Post by QoNW Fan on May 24, 2023 20:49:06 GMT -8
Last time I was on the SoBC I found a somewhat-hidden little room with extra seating. I'm not sure what deck it was on, but it was down a hallway that I thought just lead to washrooms and employee-only rooms. I think it was called the quiet lounge or something, but it was my first time ever seeing it. It was open to the public and a few people were sitting in there.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on May 24, 2023 21:13:46 GMT -8
Last time I was on the SoBC I found a somewhat-hidden little room with extra seating. I'm not sure what deck it was on, but it was down a hallway that I thought just lead to washrooms and employee-only rooms. I think it was called the quiet lounge or something, but it was my first time ever seeing it. It was open to the public and a few people were sitting in there. WettCoast can probably correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that when the Spirits were new to the fleet, BC Ferries tried leasing out some space for a spa type operation. It might have been in the location you mention... I've always thought that little lounge is a bit of an oddity. |
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Post by timmyc on May 24, 2023 22:21:59 GMT -8
Last time I was on the SoBC I found a somewhat-hidden little room with extra seating. I'm not sure what deck it was on, but it was down a hallway that I thought just lead to washrooms and employee-only rooms. I think it was called the quiet lounge or something, but it was my first time ever seeing it. It was open to the public and a few people were sitting in there. Is it the one portside forward with the 10 on it?  |
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QoNW Fan
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Queen of New Westminster fan!
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Post by QoNW Fan on May 24, 2023 22:24:23 GMT -8
Last time I was on the SoBC I found a somewhat-hidden little room with extra seating. I'm not sure what deck it was on, but it was down a hallway that I thought just lead to washrooms and employee-only rooms. I think it was called the quiet lounge or something, but it was my first time ever seeing it. It was open to the public and a few people were sitting in there. Is it the one portside forward with the 10 on it? Yep that's the one. It's interesting how it's hidden away like that. I wasn't even sure if I was allowed to go down that hallway, but I did because I was curious and didn't see any signs saying not to. |
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on May 24, 2023 22:44:03 GMT -8
Is it the one portside forward with the 10 on it? Yep that's the one. It's interesting how it's hidden away like that. I wasn't even sure if I was allowed to go down that hallway, but I did because I was curious and didn't see any signs saying not to. I am pretty sure Spirit of Vancouver Island has it too, I believe it was put in during their mid life refit. |
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Post by Curtis on May 25, 2023 15:06:36 GMT -8
 Here’s a pic of this lounge on the SoBC back in 2019. If I’m not mistaken, this space would have been taken up by staterooms prior to the MLU. |
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Post by WettCoast on May 25, 2023 21:43:35 GMT -8
Last time I was on the SoBC I found a somewhat-hidden little room with extra seating. I'm not sure what deck it was on, but it was down a hallway that I thought just lead to washrooms and employee-only rooms. I think it was called the quiet lounge or something, but it was my first time ever seeing it. It was open to the public and a few people were sitting in there. WettCoast can probably correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that when the Spirits were new to the fleet, BC Ferries tried leasing out some space for a spa type operation. It might have been in the location you mention... I've always thought that little lounge is a bit of an oddity. I am looking for a document that I have (from my brother's collection - Mr DOT) from when the SoBC was brand new in 1993. So far I can't locate it. I believe that there were state rooms in that location in the early years. More recently BC Ferries experimented with having 'enhanced' on board services available on the Spirit vessels. One of those services, IIRC, was a nail salon (you could get your nails enhanced while you sailed). |
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QoNW Fan
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Post by QoNW Fan on May 25, 2023 22:27:59 GMT -8
WettCoast can probably correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that when the Spirits were new to the fleet, BC Ferries tried leasing out some space for a spa type operation. It might have been in the location you mention... I've always thought that little lounge is a bit of an oddity. I am looking for a document that I have (from my brother's collection - Mr DOT) from when the SoBC was brand new in 1993. So far I can't locate it. I believe that there were state rooms in that location in the early years. More recently BC Ferries experimented with having 'enhanced' on board services available on the Spirit vessels. One of those services, IIRC, was a nail salon (you could get your nails enhanced while you sailed). So they were in shape to even have a special nail salon on board, and now they can't even run the buffet on it's own. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on May 26, 2023 6:20:49 GMT -8
"Experience the Difference, with the Coastal Wax"
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Post by ferryfanyvr on May 26, 2023 7:54:11 GMT -8
WettCoast can probably correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that when the Spirits were new to the fleet, BC Ferries tried leasing out some space for a spa type operation. It might have been in the location you mention... I've always thought that little lounge is a bit of an oddity. I am looking for a document that I have (from my brother's collection - Mr DOT) from when the SoBC was brand new in 1993. So far I can't locate it. I believe that there were state rooms in that location in the early years. More recently BC Ferries experimented with having 'enhanced' on board services available on the Spirit vessels. One of those services, IIRC, was a nail salon (you could get your nails enhanced while you sailed). I just dug out my old brochure I picked up during the SoBC's open house at Canada Place in 1993. That little lounge area was indeed staterooms at the beginning. There was also a conference room that was available to rent directly under the bridge. As for the spa, I remember it operating for a couple years or so, but not until the late '90s or early 2000s |
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Post by Scott on May 26, 2023 15:55:26 GMT -8
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QoNW Fan
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Post by QoNW Fan on May 26, 2023 16:09:58 GMT -8
Great find! I wonder why BC Ferries doesn't partner with more services. They could have a lot more to offer on board, like a replacement for the buffet. Why not find a company with their own employees to replacement the buffet for example. |
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on May 26, 2023 18:11:58 GMT -8
Great find! I wonder why BC Ferries doesn't partner with more services. They could have a lot more to offer on board, like a replacement for the buffet. Why not find a company with their own employees to replacement the buffet for example. I truly don’t think it stuffing issues, it’s being stupid in my opinion and not food safety protocols. I truly think restaurant will take and crew will serve the food. I personally think crew working in buffet are part of crew count towards vessels crewing. |
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Jun 28, 2023 0:03:48 GMT -8
Here is an interesting video from CHEK Media about her first sailing. I didn’t know she was based out of Swartz Bay for first few months of her service life. |
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Post by WettCoast on Jun 28, 2023 16:12:27 GMT -8
I didn’t know she was based out of Swartz Bay for first few months of her service life. Yep, in the first year, 1993, she was Swartz Bay based. Further proof in the photo attached here. Note: not my photo. I believe that it was originally posted by former member 'Retro' (aka Graham Johnson). Attachments:
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Jun 28, 2023 19:59:12 GMT -8
I didn’t know she was based out of Swartz Bay for first few months of her service life. Yep, in the first year, 1993, she was Swartz Bay based. Further proof in the photo attached here. Note: not my photo. I believe that it was originally posted by former member 'Retro' (aka Graham Johnson). So Spirit of British Columbia was the one displace the Queen of Esquimalt. Why did BC Ferries decide to put the Spirit of British Columbia on Swartz Bay of main vessel instead of main vessel out of Tsawwassen? I am glad things have always been kinda of random for where vessels get placed for BC Ferries. |
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Post by WettCoast on Jun 28, 2023 20:13:50 GMT -8
So Spirit of British Columbia was the one displace the Queen of Esquimalt. Why did BC Ferries decide to put the Spirit of British Columbia on Swartz Bay of main vessel instead of main vessel out of Tsawwassen? I am glad things have always been kinda of random for where vessels get placed for BC Ferries. I think it was actually the Queen of Victoria that was displaced, though it was used as a 5th vessel on route 1 in a few summers. I have no idea why BC Ferries chose Swartz Bay as home port for the first Spirit, but once the SoVI came along it made sense to have one based at each terminal. |
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Jun 28, 2023 20:27:53 GMT -8
So Spirit of British Columbia was the one displace the Queen of Esquimalt. Why did BC Ferries decide to put the Spirit of British Columbia on Swartz Bay of main vessel instead of main vessel out of Tsawwassen? I am glad things have always been kinda of random for where vessels get placed for BC Ferries. I think it was actually the Queen of Victoria that was displaced, though it was used as a 5th vessel on route 1 in a few summers. I have no idea why BC Ferries chose Swartz Bay as home port for the first Spirit, but once the SoVI came along it made sense to have one based at each terminal. So for peak Queen of Vancouver and Queen of Esquimalt were based out of Tsawwassen. Where there of plan to build two more Spirit Class vessels for there could be two Spirit Class vessels based out of both terminals? |
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Post by WettCoast on Jun 28, 2023 20:34:02 GMT -8
So for peak Queen of Vancouver and Queen of Esquimalt were based out of Tsawwassen. Where there of plan to build two more Spirit Class vessels for there could be two Spirit Class vessels based out of both terminals? Those are good questions because before the Spirits the Esquimalt & Saanich were based at Swartz, and the Vic & Van at Tsawwassen, though this was not always the case. As for additional Spirits there was talk, but nothing ever came of it. Something similar to the fabled 8th Sister, Queen of Richmond.
Might we have seen a Spirit of the Salish Sea?
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Post by Blue Bus Fan on Jun 28, 2023 20:46:12 GMT -8
So for peak Queen of Vancouver and Queen of Esquimalt were based out of Tsawwassen. Where there of plan to build two more Spirit Class vessels for there could be two Spirit Class vessels based out of both terminals? Those are good questions because before the Spirits the Esquimalt & Saanich were based at Swartz, and the Vic & Van at Tsawwassen, though this was not always the case. As for additional Spirits there was talk, but nothing ever came of it. Something similar to the fabled 8th Sister, Queen of Richmond.
Might we have seen a Spirit of the Salish Sea?
So when Spirit of British Columbia she operated along side Queen of Esquimalt and Queen of Saanich or was Spirit of British Columbia and Queen of Saanich?I kinda think wish BC Ferries built two more Spirit Class because they could have retired the Victoria Class all in one go or help increase service on other major routes. |
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Post by WettCoast on Jun 28, 2023 21:03:05 GMT -8
So when Spirit of British Columbia she operated along side Queen of Esquimalt and Queen of Saanich or was Spirit of British Columbia and Queen of Saanich?I kinda think wish BC Ferries built two more Spirit Class because they could have retired the Victoria Class all in one go or help increase service on other major routes. The Saanich stayed as #2 at Swartz. I assume the Esquimalt went to Tsawwassen but I'm not sure. In any case once the SoVI was in service the Victoria & Esquimalt were no longer 'regulars' on Route 1. Yeah, maybe they should have built a 3rd & 4th Spirit. |
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Post by northwesterner on Jun 28, 2023 22:00:38 GMT -8
I didn’t know she was based out of Swartz Bay for first few months of her service life. Yep, in the first year, 1993, she was Swartz Bay based. Further proof in the photo attached here. Note: not my photo. I believe that it was originally posted by former member 'Retro' (aka Graham Johnson). Amazing find! I remember those ads, and on a fishbowl no less! Mike C - now that's a real bus... |
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