Is the Inside Passage ferry trip from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy worth the effort?

Question

Is it worth the effort to fly up to Prince Rupert and then get the 15 hour ferry down to Vancouver Island?

I'd love to do it but my family are a bit doubtful and need persuasion.

is the ferry comfortable?
is 15 hours too long?
is the passage spectacular?

Answer 1

Worth it is a hard question to answer. So I will babble on a bit and maybe hit some topics that might help you decide. Part of it may depend on where you are from, and how often you get to the coast.

I have taken the route a lot over the years. However, it is hard to comment on the comfort of the ferry as I haven't been on this ship. The Ferry is in its first Summer of operation. So not many people have experienced the trip, and many that have are probably still on holidays. My guess is that it is novel and new, so comfortable. You can check the link for pictures.

The vessel I took was on the route for 26 years before it sank last Spring. 2 people died, which is a tragedy but thankfully there wasn't more deaths. The sinking was blamed on human error and it means that this summer they will be overly cautious and it should be the safest time ever to take that passage.

If you are one that can relax or need to relax this trip can be great. Sure, the view is great, but it can get old pretty quick. Especially for younger ones. I have only ever taken this trip as a transportation option to or away from Rupert, so it is harder for me to say as an excursion.

Flying to Rupert sounds expensive. It is expensive, I have done that a lot too. Oh, and you need to make sure you follow up on how you are getting out of Port Hardy too.

Edit: The schedule has been set up for over a decade that if you travel during the Summer it is a daytime ONLY trip, if you travel in the Winter it is more likely to be a nighttime trip. You will not be traveling at night.

Answer 2

On that trip there are accomadations available, it can be a long trip if your not prepared and for a family with small children it can be a bit nerve racking, but there are activities on board and a game room, restaurants and bar. but book a cabin it might be a bit more but at least you can lay down for a while, a with it being an overnight journey, at 3 am on deck it is just dark??

But it has to be one fo the most spectacular water journeys, and depending on when you go, you might see killer whales, other types of whales, seals and the birds like bald eagles and you may even spot a spirit bird, the famed albino crow.

I took it some years ago on the old ferry and I must say I can still remember the sun coming up and all the grandure that rose with the dawn.

I would do it again in a heartbeat.