Northern Expedition ferry

MS Northern Expedition is a Ro-Ro passenger vessel owned and operated by the Canadian company BC FERRIES. The ship has a maximum capacity of 600 passengers and 115 cars. Launched in 2009, she currently operates on the Kaien Island–Graham Island (“Haida Gwaii”) ferry route Prince Rupert–Skidegate (7-hour crossing).

Cabins

As a cruise ferry, Northern Expedition has a total of 55 cabins (on decks 5 and 7), all air-conditioned and with en-suite bathrooms. The ferry company provides bed linens, towels, and toiletries. The ship also features reclining seats. Some staterooms are wheelchair-accessible and adapted for disabled passengers.

The stateroom categories are Luxury, Outside, and Inside.

• Luxury Cabins (aft on Deck 6) are well appointed and equipped with TVs and DVD players.
• Deck 5 (midship and aft) houses all 4-berth Outside Cabins (Quads), as well as Quad Inside Cabins (no window views). Outside cabins have a single, non-opening window.
• Each stateroom includes a toilet, shower, washbasin, two lower beds (twin, non-convertible to a double), and wall-mounted bunk beds.
• All passenger cabins are equipped with life jackets. Additional life vests are stored in marked lockers on Deck 5.
• Cabins can be booked onboard by checking in with the Chief Steward’s Office (midship-starboard on Deck 4).

All passengers must vacate their staterooms 30 minutes prior to homeport arrival.

Shipboard dining and entertainment options

Northern Expedition offers the following onboard facilities:

• The Raven Lounge (aft on Deck 4), a movie-viewing lounge with comfortable leather recliners and three 40-inch TVs.
• Aurora Lounge (forward on Deck 5), a reserved-seating lounge open during summer only, furnished with fully reclining leather seats with footrests and featuring panoramic 270-degree views through floor-to-ceiling windows.
• Vista Restaurant (forward on Deck 4), a buffet-style restaurant with premium amenities and 2- and 4-seat dining tables, also offering panoramic views. Vista Restaurant is open only during summer crossings.
• Canoe Cafe (aft-portside on Deck 4), a self-serve buffet restaurant furnished with 4-seat dining tables and offering a wide selection of healthy and fast-food items, including Bread Garden panini sandwiches, burgers, fries, wraps, sushi, fresh-made salads, hot and cold entrees (White Spot station), dinner plates, Pirate Paks (kids’ meals), a carving station, assorted breads, desserts, snacks, and beverages (including beer and wine by the glass).
• Passages Gift Shop (midship on Deck 4), offering a wide range of gifts, jewelry, watches, sunglasses, branded cosmetics and skincare, fashion and casual clothing, toys, books, magazines, aboriginal silver giftware, and travel essentials. Premium brands include Killtec, Helly Hansen, and Nine West.
• The Reception Desk (Purser’s Square, midship-starboard on Deck 4), providing 24-hour assistance, cabin booking, purser services, and tourist information on British Columbia, along with details on all onboard amenities.
• Kids Zone (midship-portside on Deck 5), a nautically-themed children’s playroom with large windows, leather seating, toys, and TVs for cartoons and DVDs.
• Parents Room (midship on Deck 5), a baby-changing facility.
• Elevators (passenger lifts) serving all decks.
• Pet Area.

The ship is equipped with six canister-type liferafts (capacity 100 persons each) and two additional liferafts (capacity 60 persons each) located on Deck 5. Two rescue boats (capacity 6 persons each) and two safety slides (Deck 5; marked on deck plans as “Marine Evacuation Slide”) are provided for emergency evacuation.

Fire extinguishers are located throughout all passenger-accessible interior and exterior spaces. All passenger decks are fitted with heat-sensitive sprinklers. The Vehicle Deck is equipped with a manual deluge system.

For passengers with disabilities, the ship provides a limited number of wheelchairs. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours before departure.

Service dogs are permitted in ferry terminals and onboard.

Emergency instructions are displayed in staterooms, on TV screens, and at assembly (muster) stations. In case of emergency, the use of elevators is prohibited.

The ferry’s decks are named as follows: Decks 4–5–6–7 are “Passenger,” Deck 3 is “Platform,” and Deck 2 is “Vehicle/Bus.”

BC FERRIES deals

The company offers gift certificates, available for purchase both online and onboard (in the Gift Shop). Denominations are USD 10, 25, 50, and 100. Gift certificates may be used for ferry fares, onboard purchases (Gift Shop, Restaurant, SeaWest Lounge), and “BC Ferries Vacations” packages.

• “BC Ferries Vacations” are “ferry and hotel” packages combining roundtrip ferry travel with a 1-night hotel stay at discounted rates.
• Most packages available through BC FERRIES include 2-, 3-, or 4-night accommodation (in resorts, hotels, or inns). Longer vacation options of 5, 6, 7, and 10 nights are also offered.
• Many 3-night packages for island destinations include a “3rd Night FREE.”
• Package-inclusive ferry tickets cover 2 adults and 1 car.
• Most vacation packages include complimentary parking for BC FERRIES customers.

These vacation packages are offered in numerous British Columbia destinations, including Campbell River (also fishing trips), Cowichan Bay (resorts), Victoria, Richmond, Vancouver, North Vancouver, Courtenay (resorts), Chemainus, Nanaimo, Sooke (resorts), Tsawwassen, Langley, Burnaby, Parksville (resorts), Ucluelet (Black Rock Resort, Shoreside Suites), Salt Spring Island (resorts, shoreside cottages), Madeira Park (resorts), Powell River (Beach Gardens Resort), Mayne Island (resorts), Pender Island (resorts), Quadra Island (resorts and fishing trips), Galiano Island, Qualicum Beach, Kelowna, Whistler, Brentwood Bay, Kamloops, Penticton, Vernon (resorts and golfing), Tofino (beach lodges), Osoyoos, Port Hardy (wildlife tours and rafting), Prince Rupert (wildlife tours), and Haida Gwaii (all-inclusive packages).

“Inside Passage” 1-day ferry cruises (overnight crossings) are offered in summer (June through September) with departures from:

• (ship Northern Expedition or Northern Adventure) from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy, Bella Bella, and Klemtu
• (ships Northern Expedition and Northern Sea Wolf) from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, Bella Bella, Klemtu, Bella Coola, Ocean Falls, and Shearwater
• (ship Northern Expedition) from Bella Coola to Port Hardy, Bella Bella, Ocean Falls, and Shearwater
• (ships Northern Sea Wolf and Northern Expedition or Northern Adventure) from Bella Bella to Port Hardy, Prince Rupert, Bella Coola, Ocean Falls, and Shearwater
• (ship Northern Expedition or Northern Adventure) from Klemtu to Port Hardy and Prince Rupert
• (ships Northern Sea Wolf and Northern Expedition or Northern Adventure) from Ocean Falls to Port Hardy, Bella Coola, Bella Bella, and Shearwater
• (ships Northern Sea Wolf and Northern Expedition or Northern Adventure) from Shearwater to Port Hardy, Bella Coola, Bella Bella, and Ocean Falls.

On select holiday voyages, BC FERRIES offers discount fares for early-morning and late-evening departures. Ticket prices start from USD 39 (for 1 standard car with driver). These discounts apply to the following routes: Vancouver–Victoria (Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay), Vancouver–Nanaimo (Tsawwassen–Duke Point), and West Vancouver–Nanaimo (Horseshoe Bay–Departure Bay).

Car decks

The following car-deck safety procedures apply:

• Disabled passengers or those requiring assistance should visit the ship’s Information Desk (open 24 hours).
• Apply the handbrake and place the vehicle in park or 1st gear. Switch off the ignition, alarm, electrical equipment, and headlights. Gas cylinders, if carried, must be turned off. Lock the vehicle.
• Take only valuables and essential hand baggage from your vehicle.
• Note your vehicle’s location and the garage deck number/stairway before leaving the car deck.
• Access to the ship’s vehicle (cargo) decks during the voyage is prohibited.
• Smoking on vehicle decks, in cabins, and in passenger lounges is forbidden.
• Wait for the onboard announcement before returning to your vehicle.

To avoid air pollution, do not start the engine until instructed.

BC Ferries (fleet), founded in 1960 and headquartered in Victoria, BC Canada, is a Canadian state-owned company providing daily scheduled passenger and vehicle (RoPax) ferry services between mainland Canada and the islands of British Columbia. The company is North America’s largest (followed by Washington State Ferries) and the world’s third largest.