We are planning a trip in the future to leave Vancouver and take the Horseshoe Ferry over to Nanaimo. What is the process for boarding when you have luggage? If you check your luggage how does it work?
We are planning a trip in the future to leave Vancouver and take the Horseshoe Ferry over to Nanaimo. What is the process for boarding when you have luggage? If you check your luggage how does it work?
Sounds like you're walking on the ferry and not driving on. If you are then you take your luggage inside through to the baggage loading area just beyond the foot passenger ticketing booth. There is a scale to weigh your bag. If you bag is too heavy they may leave it at the terminal so ensure the weight fits within the scales parameters. Alternatively you can take your luggage on board. Use the escalator and wheel it to the berth number indicated on your ticket. There is an elevator there to get you up to the waiting room. Board the ferry with your luggage and stow it where you are sitting.
At the Departure Bay end you either wheel your own luggage off or pick up your checked luggage at the carousel just before the departure doors to enter the terminal building.
Hope that helps.
If you are driving on, store your luggage in the trunk, take your hand luggage (book, sweater/jacket, camera) up to the passenger deck for the 1h40 m sailing. Wifi connection is usually abysmal.
Do you have too much to just keep with you?
If you have too much, then check out this information on the BC Ferry website....
About the scale... if your bag is over fifty pounds, they will not take it! You have to lug your very heavy suitcase yourself!
Horseshoe Bay (and quite a few of the other terminals) don't have flat (or level) walkways so prepare to haul the bags up and down inclines which may or may not be long for you.
Look up "BC Ferries" on You Tube
The walkway immediately off the ferry in Departure Bay may or may not be steep! Depends on if the tide is in or out, and by how much!
Based on a comment in your other thread about hoping to limit your walking to 400 metres (a half mile) at a time, here is link to the BC Ferries information on accessibility both at the terminal and onboard. The only problem right now is that COVID is keeping persons with a disability from getting staff assistance (2 metres distance). Maybe your trip in the future will be after we are over COVID restrictions, so have a look here where there is quite a bit of information. I would definitely suggest you contact BC Ferries to inquire.
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