This weekend marked the maiden voyage of V2V’s Empress ferry service between Victoria and Vancouver.
The high-speed luxury passenger ferry service, owned by Riverside Marine Group of Australia, has been in the works for the past year and was officially christened late last month in Victoria.
The new boat can accomodate more than 250 passengers and will travel between Vancouver Island and the mainland twice a day, leaving Vancouver at 8 a.m. and returning from Victoria at 1 p.m. Each voyage takes roughly three and a half hours.
A beautiful shot as we sail through #activepass on our way to #Victoria aboard the #V2Vempress pic.twitter.com/a3oIQ25Amp
— V2V Vacations (@V2Vvacations) May 6, 2017
Fares on the Empress are significantly more than what foot passengers on BC Ferries pay, but the company points to value-added amenities such as luxurious leather seats, on-board wifi and the ability to purchase alcoholic beverages or upgrade to a complimentary 3-course meal.
This new ferry service also offers the convenience of point-to-point travel between the downtown hubs of both major cities.
“When we launch, V2V will offer guests a premium cruise experience between two of Canada’s most beautiful cities and along one of the most eye-catching coastlines in the world,” said Nick Cheong, vice president of operations for V2V Vacations in a release.
You can catch the passenger ferry from the Steamship Terminal building in Victoria (470 Belleville St.) or on the waterfront side of Vancouver’s Convention Centre (1055 Canada Place).