Victoria Clipper: Clip Along Lil’ Doggies
November 24, 2009 by Hedonista · 2 Comments
As your Hedonista recovers from all the delicious decadence Victoria has to offer – and paces herself through this Thanksgiving week – it’s time to offer another way to visit British Columbia’s lovely capital city via transportation both to (and from) Vancouver Island.
In my last post, I advised my precious hedonists with little travel time to spare to take to the skies with Kenmore Air. However, in addition to this aviation option, there’s also a foot-friendly, seafaring way: the Victoria Clipper ferry through Clipper Vacations.
The Victoria Clipper is a great alternative to flying if you have a few hours to spare – it’s a three-hour tour (yes, that’s a three-hour tour), but you need to arrive at least one hour prior to departure in order to clear U.S. or Canadian customs and immigration (depending on which direction you’re heading on a given day). The cost? Depends on when you book your ticket: currently, last-minute, non-refundable, one-way fares are as low as $50.00, with standard fares around $134.00 (to calculate a return trip, merely double these figures).
Red plastic baskets: it's what's for dinner. (Feel free to suggest they kick their noshies up a notch. Or ten. I have, but thus far my humble requests have fallen on deaf ears....)
The perks: Fast ferry service waterfront-to-waterfront, with one-way prices in the two-figures.
The drawback: Takes a few hours – each way. Rough seas can lead to nausea brought on by motion sickness (take heed, dear hedonists – the two 25 mg Meclizine Hydrochloride tablets they sell for a mere 25 cents – in either U.S. dollars or Canabucks – is worth its weight in gold should you be prone to motion sickness). And the ferry food menu needs a serious re-vamp – the breakfast menu ($4.00-$6.50) is worse than a continental breakfast buffet at a low-brow motel (not to mention strictly cold fare), and the light dinners ($6.00-$7.50) – also cold – are barely (if actually) humble cafeteria-grade fare. (Note: foodies – pack your own!)
In short, if you don’t mind taking a few hours to get there or back for about half the cost of flying, then clip along lil’ doggies.
Just be sure to BYOF (that’s bring your own food), my foodie hedonists.
Thanks for sharing these tips with your readers! A couple of quick notes that may be helpful– Clipper is currently running web specials on fare for $50-$79 round trip. New $50 round trip fares are added often so check frequently for best deals. Also, Clipper offers a new menu monthly of signature and seasonally themed cocktails that you can order on board the boat. The cocktail menu is yours to keep and always features a fresh drink recipe for you to try at home.
Happy travel!
-Melissa, Clipper Vacations
Melissa – thanks for the heads-up on these fab holiday fares. I look forward to trying your signature seasonal cocktails!