Clipper ferry service between Seattle and Victoria, BC to resume in September

The Clipper Ferry between Seattle and Victoria, BC will resume on September 17th for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

FRS Clipper announced Tuesday that it plans to run a four-day schedule on the weekends and also add extra sailing during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season. Bookings for the resumed service will begin on September 6th. Masks are still required on ships under the state’s new interior mask mandate, but can only be removed when guests are eating, drinking, or outside on the observation deck.

“The pandemic, like so many others, has had a devastating impact on our business, but I’m incredibly proud of the support of the Victoria community and the resilience and determination of my people to get back to our core international businesses,” said David Gudgel. FRS Clipper CEO in a press release. “We couldn’t be more excited to resume our safe, trusted, high-speed ferry service and provide the core Victoria-Seattle connection that so many have relied on for travel over the past 35 years.”

Those arriving in Victoria from the ferry from the United States will need to make several preparations, including having a vaccination or COVID-19 negative test via the ArriveCAN web portal or app within 72 hours of their scheduled arrival. Travelers are also required to submit a second COVID-19 test upon entering Canada.

While Canada is once again welcoming US visitors, non-essential travel to the states by Canadian residents remains restricted due to the current border closure, which has been extended to September 21.

The new departures to Canada come as the Washington State Ferry (WSF) fleet was thinned out with fewer departures and downsized vessels this summer after the 202-vehicle Wenatchee was decommissioned after an engine room fire in April . In combination with a lack of staff, this led to canceled trips and extended waiting times on popular routes.

The service on the WSF ferry Sidney / Anacortes remains suspended and will not resume until spring 2022.

“Adding international services at this point would put a further strain on the already strained domestic service affecting Washingtoners who are still navigating after COVID travel,” the WSF wrote in an online update last week. “We look forward to bringing customers back to the Canadian Islands as soon as possible.”

Travelers taking the state’s ferries should also pay more starting this fall: The Washington State Transportation Commission approved a 2.5% increase in ferry prices for both passengers and vehicles to help meet budget deficits.