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Post by misstheqpr on Sept 26, 2015 1:35:57 GMT -8
does anybody remember on the stern of the old V-class ships on the upper deck, what used to be there , i recall what looked like an abandoned restaurant in the mid 2000's
was it used at any time
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Post by Variable Pitch on Sept 26, 2015 5:07:51 GMT -8
It was a buffet on all four V's, the same format that is on the Spirits. I mainly rode Route 1 and the B's were rarely used on this route, aside from the Burnaby I remember as a teen, which only had a lounge in the same location. Once I discovered the buffet upstairs, there was no goin' back with the rabble in the cafeteria!
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Post by WettCoast on Sept 26, 2015 6:31:54 GMT -8
In the beginning (meaning after stretching) those were 'a la carte' restaurants with pastel blue jacketed waiters & full table service. This was true for all four of the route 1 sisters (Esquimalt, Victoria, Vancouver & Saanich). It was a decade or more before they became buffets similar to what the Spirits have today. The following images are from original menus that were on the Esquimalt & Victoria:    |
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 26, 2015 6:46:17 GMT -8
In the beginning (meaning after stretching) those were 'a la carte' restaurants with pastel blue jacketed waiters & full table service. This was true for all four of the route 1 sisters (Esquimalt, Victoria, Vancouver & Saanich). It was a decade or more before they became buffets similar to what the Spirits have today. The following images are from original menus that were on the Esquimalt & Victoria: I had never seen those menus they're very cool. Aren't the entrée prices tantalizing too?  Those pastel blue steward's jackets made their way north too. They were a bit more stylish than the plain white ones we had on the 'Queen of Prince Rupert' circa 1967 they had a weird cut to them and did not look great on some of our 'grander' stewards. It paid to be slender back in the day.  |
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Post by northwesterner on Sept 26, 2015 13:24:18 GMT -8
Next question:
When were the buffets last used on these vessels?
When I rode on the Queen of Saanich in 2006, the area looked fairly abandoned.
I do not recall forum members stuffing their faces in the buffet on the "last ride" trip reports.
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mrdot
Voyager 
Mr. DOT
Posts: 1,252
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Post by mrdot on Sept 26, 2015 14:27:13 GMT -8
:)these menus form part of the collection I gathered together in my active ferry days, at Swartz Bay, and later at Tsawwassen back when we had unprivitzed ferry service! long live the dogwood! :)mrdot.
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Post by Mike C on Sept 26, 2015 16:33:56 GMT -8
Next question: When were the buffets last used on these vessels? When I rode on the Queen of Saanich in 2006, the area looked fairly abandoned. I do not recall forum members stuffing their faces in the buffet on the "last ride" trip reports. I am estimating about ten years before retirement, was the last time the buffet was actively used. An exception for the Queen of Saanich which (along with the Queen of Cowichan) received an interior upgrade in the mid-90s and that seemed to keep the buffet going, at least seasonally, into the very early 2000s. |
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Post by Dane on Sept 26, 2015 20:58:03 GMT -8
2001 was the last mention I ever saw in anything official. I gather that the buffet in these ships wasn't a money maker like now. No idea why that is, whether it was a lower cost then, higher crewing didn't pay off?, or perhaps simply a function of the limited seating?
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Post by princessofvanfan on Sept 26, 2015 23:09:30 GMT -8
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Post by misstheqpr on Sept 27, 2015 2:47:15 GMT -8
i think the Queen of New Westminster had one too, i remember the one time i rode it, an eerily abandoned restaurant with a kitchen that still had appliances that worked, i turned a stove dial on and the hotplates burned some cardboard that was on there, the whole place was unlocked for anybody to enter
has anybody rode the Nanaimo or New Westminster lately ...whats up there in those upper deck lounges, there's only 2 of these classic ships left, gotta ride them before their gone
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Post by Starsteward on Sept 27, 2015 5:47:50 GMT -8
Some images of an old menu of mine. I'm too young to remember the original full service dining rooms - they were just lounges by the time I came along. Unlike the menus previously posted by 'Wett Ferry Coast' that I had never seen before, the one you have posted is, I believe, the first menus used aboard BC Ferries. I have 2 of these menus with the plastic insert sleeve that they used to put the lunch and dinner special cards into. We used these menus on Route 2 in 1964 on the 'Queen of Sidney'. Her dining room would be full to capacity and the two horseshoe counters were always a delightful challenge to work as customers would be hollering across the horseshoe, trying to get the steward's attention for more coffee, or asking if their order was arriving any time soon. Pie or toast and tea or coffee was an order favourite with the Seniors groups that frequently travelled on day excursions. An average meal chit would add to a princely sum of .45 or .50 if the pie was a la mode. Many of these gracious old folks would leave a quarter under the edge of their coffee cup as a tip. Two, very stark examples of the changing 'sign of the times' can be found on these menus: At the bottom of the left hand page: " PLEASE PAY CASHIER WHEN LEAVING THE DINING ROOM" - This denotes a 'service-first' philosophy. Back page above the map: " IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND ONE OF THESE MENUS TO YOUR FREINDS, PLEASE ASK STEWARD FOR A NEW MENU AND ENVELOPE. WE WILL MAIL IT FOR YOU". The 'prehistoric' second offering, is a reflection on the impersonal service delivery style of today where the connection between the company and its patrons has been totally abandoned.  |
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Post by ferryfanyvr on Sept 27, 2015 8:11:25 GMT -8
i think the Queen of New Westminster had one too, i remember the one time i rode it, an eerily abandoned restuarant with a kitchen that still had appliances that worked, i turned a stove dial on and the hotplates burned some cardboard that was on there, the whole place was unlocked for anybody to enter has anybody rode the Nanaimo or New Westminster lately ...whats up there in those upper deck lounges, theres only 2 of these classic ships left, gotta ride them before their gone The B's had upper deck restaurants for a time when they were on route 2...I remember eating there as a child in the early 70's. And you're right about the New West having a complete, but unused, galley up there in later years. It was there during her steady stint on route 30 up until she was Coastalized in 2008/2009. I'm not sure what's there now, but since there's once again food service in that area in the form of the Coast Café Express, there's probably still some equipment up there. (hopefully upgraded!) |
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Post by minstrel on Sept 27, 2015 10:32:48 GMT -8
All of the Seven Sisters, and the Sidney and Tsawassen as built had a small coffee bar with stools in a typical lunch counter style of the late 1950' upstairs above the Main Restaurant on the aft end of the Ship. this was expanded many times and became the Pacific Buffet on the mainline ships in later years
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Post by yak on Sept 27, 2015 11:53:38 GMT -8
i think the Queen of New Westminster had one too, i remember the one time i rode it, an eerily abandoned restuarant with a kitchen that still had appliances that worked, i turned a stove dial on and the hotplates burned some cardboard that was on there, the whole place was unlocked for anybody to enter has anybody rode the Nanaimo or New Westminster lately ...whats up there in those upper deck lounges, theres only 2 of these classic ships left, gotta ride them before their gone Correct me if I am referring to the wrong space but I was on the New West last week and at the stern there was a Coastal Cafe style restaurant approximating what they have on the C-Class ferries amidships. |
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Post by Kahloke on Sept 27, 2015 12:03:49 GMT -8
i think the Queen of New Westminster had one too, i remember the one time i rode it, an eerily abandoned restuarant with a kitchen that still had appliances that worked, i turned a stove dial on and the hotplates burned some cardboard that was on there, the whole place was unlocked for anybody to enter has anybody rode the Nanaimo or New Westminster lately ...whats up there in those upper deck lounges, theres only 2 of these classic ships left, gotta ride them before their gone Correct me if I am referring to the wrong space but I was on the New West last week and at the stern there was a Coastal Cafe style restaurant approximating what they have on the C-Class ferries amidships. New West currently has a Coast Cafe Express upstairs:  |
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Post by WettCoast on Sept 27, 2015 17:33:49 GMT -8
All of the Seven Sisters, and the Sidney and Tsawassen as built had a small coffee bar with stools in a typical lunch counter style of the late 1950' upstairs above the Main Restaurant on the aft end of the Ship. this was expanded many times and became the Pacific Buffet on the mainline ships in later years Yes, I agree, but they were not called the 'Pacific Buffet', and not on 'all the ships' (esp. the Sidney & Tsawwassen). I am fairly sure that only the four route one 'V's had the buffets that were actually full service restaurants in the years after the vessels were first stretched (1969-72). |
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Post by minstrel on Sept 27, 2015 18:24:57 GMT -8
My post may have been incomplete the Queens " Victoria , Vancouver, Saanich, Esquimalt" I had the Buffet added and it was operated on the Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen route. I don't believe Departure Bay to West Vancouver ever had the Buffet. the Name Pacific Buffet I believe originated when the Spirit class vessels were brought on line. All of the vessels had the area that originally was a Coffee bar upper deck aft expanded
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Post by misstheqpr on Sept 27, 2015 19:55:42 GMT -8
that was at least 15 years ago on the New West, before they opened the coast cafe,
i heard the Burnaby and Nanaimo are for sale , ride em while you can
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Post by princessofvanfan on Sept 27, 2015 20:52:17 GMT -8
In the beginning (meaning after stretching) those were 'a la carte' restaurants with pastel blue jacketed waiters & full table service. This was true for all four of the route 1 sisters (Esquimalt, Victoria, Vancouver & Saanich). It was a decade or more before they became buffets similar to what the Spirits have today. The following images are from original menus that were on the Esquimalt & Victoria: These menus look like early 70's, and almost appear to be trying to compete with the Princess of Vancouver's full service dining experience. The paddlewheel steamships look like something you would have found in the P.o.V's décor.  Attachments:
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Post by ferryfanyvr on Sept 28, 2015 7:42:52 GMT -8
All of the Seven Sisters, and the Sidney and Tsawassen as built had a small coffee bar with stools in a typical lunch counter style of the late 1950' upstairs above the Main Restaurant on the aft end of the Ship. this was expanded many times and became the Pacific Buffet on the mainline ships in later years Yes, I agree, but they were not called the 'Pacific Buffet', and not on 'all the ships' (esp. the Sidney & Tsawwassen). I am fairly sure that only the four route one 'V's had the buffets that were actually full service restaurants in the years after the vessels were first stretched (1969-72). The "pre-Spirit" buffets on the V-class were named "Dogwood Buffet" |
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Post by yak on Sept 28, 2015 20:28:02 GMT -8
that was at least 15 years ago on the New West, before they opened the coast cafe, i heard the Burnaby and Nanaimo are for sale , ride em while you can Burnaby and Nanaimo are being replaced by the Salish class vessels. I also understand that the Burnaby may soon be relieving the Nanaimo while it is on refit - so if you are in Powell River you may want to take your ride imminently. |
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Post by chinook2 on Oct 1, 2015 23:45:36 GMT -8
All seven Victoria class vessels were built with 1. A restaurant on the promanade deck at the aft of the vesssel, and 2. a coffee shop/snack bar facing into the aft lounge. The Sidney class were built with a restaurant upstairs on the sun deck, but on first refit gained the restaurant space downstairs, the old rest. became the coffee shop.
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