Hullo Ferries makes changes to its cancellation policies

Hullo Ferries ship at the Vancouver terminal on August 20, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Later this spring, Hullo Ferries will be making some major changes to its cancellation policies for bookings on its sailings.

Since launching in August 2023, the high-speed passenger-only ferry service between downtown Vancouver and the Port of Nanaimo (near downtown Nanaimo) has provided passengers with the highly flexible ability to incur just a $5 penalty fee for cancellations after the first 24 hours of purchase up until one hour before the scheduled sailing time.

Under this existing system, cancellations within one hour before the scheduled sailing time are charged 50% of the total ticket value.

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However, starting on June 1, 2024, this cancellation policy will change.

Hullo Ferries announced today that between the period after the initial 24-hour grace period following purchase and up to one hour before departure, the company will charge a 50% penalty fee of the total ticket value for cancellations. Cancellations within one hour of departure will be charged 100% of the total ticket value.

But there will be no changes to the booking modification policy, which provides a 24-hour grace period after purchase for modifying a booking without charge, as long as it is 24 hours before the scheduled sailing time. Beyond the 24-hour grace period, up until one hour before the scheduled sailing time, a $5 fee will be applied for booking modifications.

As of 2024, Hullo Ferries’ economy (Comfort class) fares are set at $19.99 one-way and $35 roundtrip for children (ages two to 12) and seniors (ages 65+), and $39.99 one-way and $75 roundtrip for general (ages 13 to 64) — plus GST.

The private operator did not provide a rationale for the policy changes, but this could help create more predictable passenger numbers for sailings. Earlier this year, a number of sailings on the service were cancelled due to an unexpected crew shortage.

Passengers waiting to board a Hullo Ferries ship at the Vancouver terminal on August 25, 2023. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

In contrast, BC Ferries’ foot passenger cancellation policies for the routes between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island enable booking changes up to two hours before the scheduled sailing with no charge, and a full refund for cancelled bookings up to 11:59 pm the day before the booked sailing (no refunds for cancelled bookings on the day of the sailing).

Hullo Ferries has proven to be popular, with a major growth in demand sustaining up to six round-trip sailings per day on select days of the week, plus extra late-night sailings on select dates to accommodate Vancouver Island residents attending concerts and sports games in downtown Vancouver.

It has an end-to-end travel time of about 75 minutes, with both 350-seat catamaran vessels reaching speeds of up to 38 knots (70 km/hr) in open water in the Strait of Georgia.

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