Neil
Voyager 
Posts: 7,309
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Post by Neil on Mar 30, 2018 21:50:36 GMT -8
I just left an exceptionally professional and well-attended V2V open house at the Victoria Harbour dock. Lots of friendly staff, great snacks and bookings being done at 50% off. Created a really good image of the company. Of course with that said, the fare is simply still to high. And I get that costs for them must be astronomical, however, I cannot help but wonder if they're on the wrong side of the high fare vs high volume equation. I'm living in Vancouver for the next month and commuting back to Victoria on the weekends but even with my employer paying for my car to go back and forth on BC Ferries and 50% off V2V the finances to convenience decision point still leaves me with BC Ferries. I hope they do well and cash in substantially with the tourist market because I don't think the locals will come. I share your concerns, Dane. They're charging airline fares without the swiftness, and vastly exceeding BC Ferries rates, without the ability to bring your car with you. I'll certainly do a trip, and maybe others will as well out of curiosity, but perhaps the market, long term, will be with people who for some reason want a hybrid transportation experience to Vancouver Island that doesn't really make sense on a practical basis. Maybe the food will be amazing. If they do everything right, there may be enough tourists with money to burn, or locals doing something different, that it actually works. Whatever. I wish them well, and the money they've invested to overcome start up problems shows that V2V is a serious operator. |
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Post by Dane on May 6, 2018 14:45:23 GMT -8
Did a round trip on the V2V service this weekend; to the Mainland on Friday and back Sunday.
This was a last minute thing and I booked my tickets Thursday. At the time of booking (and writing) there’s a buy one get one promotion, so a round trip is 50% off. After some debate I opted for Royal class. Differentiation between Royal class and whatever the other one is called is a meal, non alcoholic beverages, at-seat service, better seats, and advertised better views.
Bottom line is the service is great, truly great. But even at 50% off I felt like, at the minimum, that I barely got my back value. In future I wouldn't book Royal class; more on that later.
The boat itself is comfy. Two decks. Downstairs is the 'coach' and upstairs is premium. Although the physical seats are a bit different, they are all comfy. The view from anywhere on the boat is great, but I'd argue with the exception of six front row seats in Royal it's actually better in the coach class. The galley up stairs obstructs all the Royal class views except Row 1 located ahead of it. Bizarrely in coach the front row of seats are rear facing. No idea why, a real lost opportunity.
At 50% off Royal class was an extra $30 per direction. To Vancouver I got a great very rich breakfast and they kept the tea flowing. To Victoria I got open face sandwiches, also really great. The food is on point. However, similar food from the same caterer is sold downstairs. Additionally in Royal class you pay for additional snacks and booze. The food I ate, excluding extras purchases, was about $15 per direction. For me this is why I wouldn't do Royal again – basically the food is the added value and I didn't consume enough. For some the table service is also great, but for me personally I'm quite happy to walk 5 meters to the galley to grab something. Priority boarding is available for Royal, but the boat isn’t busy enough for that to matter. Oh , one other very minor consideration – it is a lot quieter upstairs in Royal because you’re further from the engines. But that turns to white noise real fast anyways.
Wifi is included and was of a good quality for most of the journey.
The outside decks are wonderful albeit windy (obviously) so even on a hot day, it’s 22C right now, bring a sweater or light jacket.
The ride quality is good and as smooth as could be for a smaller size catamaran. Unlike when I sail BC Ferries I actually followed the advice to hold handrails while going up or down stairs.
On the way to Vancouver there were a few detailed announcements about where we were going, and operational things about why we were slowing down and a log strike. On the way back there were detailed pre-recorded announcements about various scenic or interest points.
All crew & staff were exceptional. Great friendly service, and consistent.
Passenger count to Vancouver was 42 and 50-something on the way back. Taking to crew it seems like May has brought a needed uptick in traffic.
Obviously the crossing is beautiful, everyone on WCFF it's familiar with the that but it's nice seeing some parts of the area I wouldn’t otherwise see.
What really stood out to me - how much people clearly enjoyed everything about V2V. The view, the boat, and the service. That's going to be important to their continued future.
If you can, I would recommend trying V2V – but – on sale.
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Post by whalebreath on Aug 22, 2018 20:40:37 GMT -8
Big Changes on the way and if you were a pessimist you'd say the writing was on the wall with a 6 month or more shutdown coming.
Vancouver to Victoria passenger ferry alters sailings
The new schedule will offer passengers more time to discover Victoria
 A year into service, V2V, the luxury passenger-only ferry between Vancouver and Victoria, is changing its schedule. Originally, V2V's schedule has seen its vessel leave Victoria at 9:30 a.m. for its three-hour journey to Vancouver. The vessel would then depart Vancouver for Victoria at 1:30 p.m., leaving passengers looking for a day trip only one hour of urban exploration. After collecting feedback from guests and partners, it's decided to make some adjustments. "Our current schedule does not accommodate what the tourists in Vancouver are after. Overwhelmingly, what people are looking for is a day trip to Victoria," said vice-president Julian Wright. He told All Points Westhost, Jason D'Souza, the new schedule will depart Vancouver at 8 a.m. and eventually leave Victoria at 4:00 p.m. "That allows guests about four hours to look around Victoria, which is what we've received a lot of feedback from guests and partners, that's what they'd like to explore and discover," said Wright.  From year-round to seasonal
The schedule won't be the only change in the company's future. Oct. 15 marks its last day of service before it switches to a seasonal model, returning on March 15, 2019. Wright says the winter weather proved to be a challenge for the service. "The winter time has significantly more unpredictable weather compared to summer. The weather you experience, mainly due to fog but also heightened wind and waves ... we feel the experience on the seas is not really where we need to be," said Wright. Despite the changes, Wright says the service's first year was successful. However, he does anticipate a boost in ridership following the changes.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,309
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Post by Neil on Aug 22, 2018 21:59:07 GMT -8
Big Changes on the way and if you were a pessimist you'd say the writing was on the wall with a 6 month or more shutdown coming. I don't think you had to be a pessimist... just someone who had paid attention to this sort of thing over the years. They were offering a high priced, tourist type voyage, minus your car. There was no way this was going to work in the winter. I give them credit for persisting in the warmer months, where it would still seem to be a dicey proposition. |
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Post by dofd on Aug 23, 2018 1:16:06 GMT -8
Well I have info about, V2V, the City of Victoria is not happy
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Post by Starsteward on Aug 23, 2018 7:00:08 GMT -8
Well I have info about, V2V, the City of Victoria is not happy …..And the rest of the story is_______________?  |
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Post by vancouverecho on Aug 23, 2018 18:58:11 GMT -8
I wonder what their financials are looking like; I haven't seen them that busy, and I imagine they are still bleeding money from their operation.
They are in a very tough position; they won't attract regular crossers because of their schedule and lack of car service.
Business people and those with money could probably find fares for Harbour Air or Helijet for about the same price, with a better schedule, and get to their destination much quicker.
That leaves tourists; their current and future schedule don't seem to allow them to capture the cruise ship passenger market, which hampers them as the cruise ship passengers generally have lots of disposable income and are willing to spend once ashore.
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Post by dofd on Aug 24, 2018 19:14:32 GMT -8
Well I have info about, V2V, the City of Victoria is not happy …..And the rest of the story is_______________? Sorry, it was late and I thought I had cancelled the post. A friends wife who works for Victoria Tourism said that some of the local hotel and tour operators were unhappy with their business practices. We were talking about the Clipper numbers with the new boat and that Clipper Vacations still has Vancouver on the board. Though it would come as a Seattle - Victoria - Vancouver - then bus back to Seattle. But she doesn't see it happening anytime soon. |
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grk
Chief Steward
Posts: 227
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Post by grk on Aug 25, 2018 10:17:28 GMT -8
I have used V2V several times in the last few months, and have really enjoyed the trip. Very comfortable, nice and quiet compared with the BC Ferries, and a chance to see a different area of our coast. Onboard service is excellent. Comparable price to Helijet and Harbour Air, but much more expensive that a journey on BC Ferries. On all trips there were less than 70 passengers.
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Post by WettCoast on Nov 5, 2018 8:39:44 GMT -8
V2V Empress in Georgia Strait after having just traversed Active Pass while en route to Vancouver
6 September 2018
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Post by 1foot2ships on Mar 27, 2019 23:27:11 GMT -8
i agree the business model is stupid and agree they deserve to fail b/c of that. no disrespect to the native people, but i am mainly cheering for them to fail b/c of their ugly paint job. i also dont think its proper to run a business using somebody eles cultural heritage.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,309
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Post by Neil on Mar 28, 2019 10:52:39 GMT -8
i agree the business model is stupid and agree they deserve to fail b/c of that. no disrespect to the native people, but i am mainly cheering for them to fail b/c of their ugly paint job. i also dont think its proper to run a business using somebody eles cultural heritage. You're agreeing with statements that no one actually made. While a number of us wondered about the viability of the V2V business model, I don't believe anyone called it stupid, and certainly no one said they deserve to fail. Why would you be cheering for people to lose their business or their employment? They appear to have some sort of arrangement with the Songhees people, so it's likely they have their blessing to use the design on the V2V Empress. |
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Post by 1foot2ships on Mar 28, 2019 11:07:24 GMT -8
im sorry for how blunt i put it. im not really actively cheering for them to fail b/c of their paint scheme; that would be a weak reason. im just more curious to how they are doing. i guess i wrongly assumed the criticism on this board was reflective of my opinion on their flawed business model. all im saying is i wouldnt be surprised if they went under. in fact, i give them credit for making it this far with all consideration for so much bad luck theyve had starting up. i dont wish it to happen of course as i think there could be potential for a downtown to downtown service, but should they flop, it makes it that much harder for the next guy to make a go of it b/c investors, lenders, govt... all will cite a history of failure.
i didnt know about that agreement to use native symbols.
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Post by whalebreath on Mar 31, 2019 21:02:32 GMT -8
I took a quick cruise to Victoria & back with V2V late last week-apart from some mildly irritating booking software the process was smooth & professional, boarding easy & uncomplicated from friendly knowledgeable crew, the ship clean as a whistle, the ride smooth & fast and the operation overall very well run indeed I'd recommend them to anyone anytime.
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Post by WettCoast on Apr 1, 2019 7:32:28 GMT -8
I took a quick cruise to Victoria & back with V2V late last week-apart from some mildly irritating booking software the process was smooth & professional, boarding easy & uncomplicated from friendly knowledgeable crew, the ship clean as a whistle, the ride smooth & fast and the operation overall very well run indeed I'd recommend them to anyone anytime. You made no mention of how many paying customers were aboard or whether or not you paid the regular fare. |
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Post by whalebreath on Apr 1, 2019 11:28:36 GMT -8
I took a quick cruise to Victoria & back with V2V late last week-apart from some mildly irritating booking software the process was smooth & professional, boarding easy & uncomplicated from friendly knowledgeable crew, the ship clean as a whistle, the ride smooth & fast and the operation overall very well run indeed I'd recommend them to anyone anytime. You made no mention of how many paying customers were aboard or whether or not you paid the regular fare. That's because I choose not to feed the chronic negativity that taints so many corners of the internet-including this one. |
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,309
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Post by Neil on Apr 1, 2019 18:45:37 GMT -8
You made no mention of how many paying customers were aboard or whether or not you paid the regular fare. That's because I choose not to feed the chronic negativity that taints so many corners of the internet-including this one. Past ventures like this weren't killed by 'chronic negativity', they were killed lack of a market, or insufficiently deep pockets of the operators. There has been substantial evidence of light passenger counts on V2V so far, and people are understandably interested in whether that has changed. |
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Post by WettCoast on Apr 1, 2019 19:14:24 GMT -8
That's because I choose not to feed the chronic negativity that taints so many corners of the internet-including this one. You accuse others of "chronic negativity" yet it was you who was the author of this post regarding a north coast life line ferry service. Could it be that one person who believes himself to be a "realist" is perceived by another person as displaying "chronic negativity", and vice versa. |
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,309
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Post by Neil on Apr 1, 2019 21:41:11 GMT -8
That's because I choose not to feed the chronic negativity that taints so many corners of the internet-including this one. You accuse others of "chronic negativity" yet it was you who was the author of this post regarding a north coast life line ferry service. Could it be that one person who believes himself to be a "realist" is perceived by another person as displaying "chronic negativity", and vice versa. Bang on. One person's reality is another person's negativity. I find myself questioning that all the time... in myself, and others. Sometimes it gets really extreme, particularly in today's Trumpian 'reality'. Not so long ago, Kellyanne Conway called it a 'slur' when someone pointed out a clear lie that her boss had told. I guess it wasn't a lie, but just an 'alternative fact'. Optimism is great, but so is critical thinking. And given the history of cross-strait passenger ferry services, your query about the passenger count on V2V was entirely appropriate. |
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Post by WettCoast on Jun 3, 2019 7:59:22 GMT -8
V2V Empress off Pender Island while en route back to Vancouver - 17 May 2019
One of these days I just might find the money to 'do' the V2V ...
PS: I lightened up the dark window areas and there looks to be a pretty good number of passengers aboard. That's good and should be expected as this was the eve of the Victoria Day weekend. I also note a person standing on the top outside deck appearing to be taking a photo ... A crew member? Is that area accessible to passengers? It must be just a bit breezy ...
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grk
Chief Steward
Posts: 227
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Post by grk on Jun 3, 2019 8:40:54 GMT -8
Yes the top deck is a passenger area, with comfortable bench type seating and lots of air. There is a bit of shelter from the winds, created by the ship's bridge and mast area. Great views and the noise from the Cat engines seems to get lost in the wake. V2V is a great ride, too bad it is so pricey.
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Post by Dane on Jun 28, 2019 11:35:33 GMT -8
V2V sent out an e-mail this week with a request for feedback on a $1100 season pass for one, $2100 for two.
As a very frequent Vancouver traveler I'd give this some serious consideration.
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Post by futureferrydriver on Jun 28, 2019 13:58:13 GMT -8
V2V sent out an e-mail this week with a request for feedback on a $1100 season pass for one, $2100 for two. As a very frequent Vancouver traveler I'd give this some serious consideration. At the normal walk on rate of $17.20 per person each way, this is roughly equivalent to 31 round trips. Add in (a low estimate) of $5-10 per round trip for transit between the downtowns and the ferries and $1100 is more like 24 round trips. IIRC the season for V2V is mid March to mid October, roughly 30 weeks. If the schedule was a bit better this would be pretty much a no brainer for anyone travelling (without a car) weekly. I personally go to Vancouver (via bus, walk on, bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus) about 2 out of every 3 weekends during the summer. Cost wise this would be close to the same as I spend already. The additional convenience of downtown to downtown would makes this considerably more appealing (and worth any extra money). That said as a weekend traveller an 8am departure on Sunday morning pretty much ruins my chances of using V2V for the return trip. Leaving Victoria at 4:30 on Friday is great, but I want to be able to spend most of my Sunday in the big city. |
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Post by 1foot2ships on Sept 18, 2019 14:03:49 GMT -8
its september and yr 2(?). just curious if there are any insiders on this board able to give knowledge on how they are doing. are they profitable yet?
saw this about 1.5 wks ago. not sure if any of u guys saw it. thoughts? |
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,309
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Post by Neil on Sept 18, 2019 20:49:16 GMT -8
saw this about 1.5 wks ago. not sure if any of u guys saw it. thoughts? Maybe they're realizing that they've priced themselves out of the market with most people for a lengthy crossing between Vancouver and Victoria, and they're trying to entice more business? |
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