Should You Take The CAT Ferry to Maine?

TTT20 Cat
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Jenn: Hey, everybody. Welcome back to travel tip Tuesday.

Meggan: Hey everyone.

Jenn: Hey, this week, Meggan has done something new and I was like, you need to tell us about this on travel tip Tuesday. And I'm really excited to hear about your experience taking the cat.

Meggan: I know I've told several people I've took the cat and they're like, what's that? And I'm like, I didn't take an actual cat anywhere.

Jenn: Oh no. .

Meggan: It was a ferry anyway. Yeah. So I wanted to definitely share this, cuz I think it's a A a bone of contention and also B people are curious about it. in Nova Scotia in particular. So for those of you who don't know, there is a ferry that crosses from Yarmouth to bar Harbor. Maine goes once a day from each port. And I guess I just wanted to share a bit about our experience and like some tips about it as well, since it is travel tip Tuesday

Jenn: mm-hmm

Meggan: so yes, one ceiling per day from each port and the journey takes approximately three and a half hours, which is very fast.

Jenn: Right.

Meggan: I mean, let's be honest.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: And the capacity of the ship is about 866 passengers. You are able, able to walk on or take a vehicle. The boat is leased from the us Navy which is why we were confused at first. But once we learned that is why it flies an American flag.

Jenn: Right.

Meggan: And it also has an American captain in crew. It is really convenient as a walk on traveler, if you're able to. So you essentially wait in a little waiting area, a golf cart takes you to the ship. You can stow your bag if you'd like to, they put it in a van and like they literally drive the van onto the ship and the van goes with you.

Jenn: Hmm.

Meggan: So when you're in your port, on the other side, the golf cart takes you off. The van follows you and there's your bag like.

Jenn: Interesting.

Meggan: And they own the van. So why not take it back and forth?

Jenn: Exactly. Yeah.

Meggan: Super convenient. I also wanna stress as well that it is half price for Nova Scotia residents for the summer of 2022. So like, this is your time to shine.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: In terms of the boat itself. So the stern of the boat has panoramic windows. It is the most popular section. We learned that live on Sundays, There's Richard and Sue. They do some music. And they are Yarmouth residents and they play like older classics.

Jenn: Mm-hmm

Meggan: um, middle section of the boat usually plays a movie and they play it like you don't need headphones for it. So they like force you to watch it pretty much. If you're in the middle of the boat, if you don't wanna watch movie, don't stay there. Also in the middle of the boat, there's a market with sandwiches and drinks. There's a gift shop with Nova Scotia themed items, which I guess, because we're subsidizing the boat, they'll sell Nova Scotia on it.

Um, And then at the end of the boat it has like the news playing. So. There's like CBC or something. They also have sip and sail cafe there, which is you can get some fancy coffees and stuff.

Jenn: Mm-hmm

Meggan: plus you can actually go onto the back of the boat outside and there are seats and it's a really cool view. We saw whales and purposes.

Jenn: Oh, neat.

Meggan: I know. I tell you. Yeah, yeah. Before I sort of get into like my overall impressions and tips, do you literally know anyone, Jenn, that has taken the ferry?

Jenn: No. I used to work in a restaurant when I was in high school here in Liverpool. And you could tell when the ferry got in because a couple hours later they'd all be in our restaurant.

Meggan: Right.

Jenn: So, so in that CA and it was so inconvenient because it always happened. They would land in Liverpool at like three in the afternoon when typically you'd think the restaurant would be dead and we would be completely understaffed and then you'd get a lot of people, so that wasn't fun, but

Meggan: well, thanks for nothing. Bay ferries

Jenn: I mean, that definitely, you know, brings people to Nova Scotia and that is great. But you'd think that we would learn to not be understaffed at that time.

Meggan: I mean, yes, that's, that's I'm gonna say that that was on your peeps of the restaurant.

Jenn: Oh, that was a hundred percent of the people who ran the restaurant who did not learn that lesson, but anyway, I don't.

Meggan: Do you know anybody personally?

Jenn: I don't think I do. And if I did, I, I really don't think I do every time that I've brought up the ferry to somebody they're like, Ugh, no.

Meggan: Right. So that lets us roll into my tips very well.

Jenn: Let's roll into your, your impressions and your tips.

Meggan: Yes. So the ship itself, like let's talk about it. It's nice. It's comfortable. There's lots of seating. There's no one on it and there's a lot. And there's a lot of room to move about. I mean, capacity when we rode it both to and from was between a hundred to 200 people.

Jenn: Oh, like a ghost town boat.

Meggan: Yeah. It was unfortunate. But again, we weren't cramped. It was a pleasant journey.

Jenn: Yeah. There you go.

Meggan: And it did go by quickly. Like you weren't, you didn't feel like you were on there forever.

So overall, like it seriously was pleasant. Now, if you do decide to take it, bring your own snacks and drinks. The prices on board are in us dollars and the items are way overpriced. It's like an airport. They have you, and they're gonna charge you.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: So if you bring like fruits or vegetables, you can't take those into a foreign country, so you have to eat them on the ship, keep that in mind. Yeah. But bring your own snacks and drinks. I highly highly recommend that. If you're traveling with kids, bring things to amuse them during the journey or leave them home. I mean, that's what I would do, but that's up to you. um, There is room to stretch out for a snooze, so there's like banquette seats. So there's, if you have a little travel pillow, it actually would be quite useful if you wanted to catch a nap.

Jenn: Yeah

Meggan: again, there's no one on it. Lots of room to lay down. So it is a fun experience. I will say that like it was. I'm glad we did it, but overall it is not convenient for Nova Scotians slash Canadians, unless you live on the south shore of Nova Scotia.

Jenn: Right.

Meggan: Unless there is a specific reason, of course you need to take the ferry take it.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: But you'll need to drive to Yarmouth the ferry leaves at nine 30 in the morning. If you don't live close, you're gonna need to stay the night at a hotel in Yarmouth

Jenn: yeah.

Meggan: Luckily I knew someone there, so I was able to leave our car in her driveway, which was wonderful.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: You need to be there like at least an hour before sailing. Like eight 30 is your latest arrival time.

Jenn: Right.

Meggan: So you either stay overnight or you have to leave Halifax, let's say as an example at like four 30 in the morning. Right?

Jenn: Right.

Meggan: So the cost of summer is great due to it being half price for Nova Scotia residents. But if that incentive doesn't continue the price overall, especially if you're traveling with a vehicle. Is astronomical and as compared to driving to the us.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: It is more expensive to take the theory than it is gas to go driving

Jenn: that is saying something, especially with the price of gas right now

Meggan: a hundred percent. It is. It is. It is still doubly cheaper. To not take the ferry and I hate to say it like, yeah, but if you're, if you're gonna do it, though, if you live in Nova Scotia, this is the year to do it because you are gonna get, I think for the two of us for walk on without a vehicle, it was still 230 American.

Jenn: Right.

Meggan: So that would normally be double. And then if you add a vehicle on top of that, it's nearly a thousand dollars.

Jenn: Wow.

Meggan: For us to drive from Halifax to bar Harbor with gas. It's probably $80. If that, and we're there three and a half hours later. Then the ferry would get us there. Okay. So like, I, I guess to sum it up, like overall, we had a fun time. It was a different way to go, but driving is a hundred percent cheaper. Now I feel we're subsidizing this ferry in Nova Scotia. So as residents of this province, unfortunately not many people are using it.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: Like I even mentioned it at my gym and someone's like, I forgot that existed. Right.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: I mean, I hope it picks up, they say it's picked up to pre COVID limits.

I can't so it wasn't many people taking it before COVID

Jenn: no, yeah. , it's not a COVID problem.

Meggan: but I'm, I'm, I'm just not convinced it's going to ever be successful. But if you are looking to save money and not end up in Yarmouth and you don't need to. Drive. And I know it is meant to help the economy of Yarmouth.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: They really do need it to be successful. But if I hate to say it too, but if the ferry left from Halifax, it would be a game changer in terms of its use.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: It would take longer. But imagine being able to go to Halifax instead of Yarmouth and it's just the reality of it. And it does make me sad and a smidge angry because the experience itself is a good one, but just people aren't using it.

And we have this lease until 2028.

Jenn: Wow. Wow.

Meggan: Right right wow indeed.

Jenn: Wow. And yikes.

Meggan: yeah. Wow. And yikes, our pocketbook are getting hit enough. Like, so it's one thing. I guess I have a very varied feeling fix the trip itself is lovely. It's overpriced and it's inconvenient. But if you have the time. This is the summer to give it a try is my opinion.

Jenn: Yeah. How was the walk on experience? Like once you, once you walked off was, is bar Harbor, like where you land? Is it okay without a vehicle if you're just staying in bar Harbor?

Meggan: Yeah. So tax, I have to say taxis, aren't prevalent. Right in bar Harbor, but we walked, so we got, we only had like wheelies, so we didn't have a lot of luggage. We were only there for the weekend. So we literally took our little wheelie suitcases and we, it was a 20 minute walk.

Jenn: Okay. You stayed a regular, your regular spot.

Meggan: No, we couldn't get our regulars spot. So we got there different and we stayed somewhere different. Wow. But it was in the same vicinity. So it would've taken us the same amount of time.

So yeah, it was about a 20 minute walk and it wasn't a bad walk, lovely sidewalks, et cetera. So once you get there without a vehicle, if you do need help in terms of a cab, I would just go into the ferry center and I'm sure someone could assist you, but we just decided to walk cuz it was a, a nice day. But yeah, we're about 20 minutes outside of downtown.

Jenn: Okay. And where did you do like customs after you arrived?

Meggan: So customs was in bar Harbor, and then on the way home customs was in Yarmouth.

Jenn: Gotcha.

Meggan: And we, when we got home, they got there early in Yarmouth and they let us off the boat and the customs guards weren't there yet. And there were people waiting to get into Canada. So essentially the border was unmanned.

Jenn: Good. Perfect.

Meggan: So when the customs border guard, the purser went to check in, he, he laid into her just a smidge. It was embarrassing, and I felt bad for her, but I think they were very worked up about this.

Jenn: Oh yeah.

Meggan: Um, Yes. Customs in Yarmouth customs Bar Harbor. And when you are a walk on you don't sit in the traffic line, you just, there was literally six of us.

Jenn: Perfect.

Meggan: It's sad, but perfect. Yeah. So customs took like two minutes. Do you know what I mean? So, yeah, it was very simple and they, we still had to do the arrive can app.

Jenn: Oh yeah.

Meggan: And we still had to show our vaccine papers at some point. Right.

Jenn: Gotcha. Gotcha. Perfect. Well, thanks for telling me about it, because I think you are the first person that I I actually know, especially who's done it recently. Yeah. I'm sure I know people who've done it in the past, but

Meggan: I'm the only person or we're the only people I know who've done it.

Jenn: Not many people doing it. So,

Meggan: no, I hope I hope people do go it, it is an it's experience, but I just think it's a long term money drain.

Jenn: Yeah. Yeah,

Meggan: which is unfortunate, but thank you for tuning in to this. Week's travel tip Tuesday. We're glad you're here. You can follow us on social media at travel mug podcast. We'd love it. If you buy us a coffee to support the show, the link is in the show. Notes takes two seconds. We love coffee do and leave us a five star review.

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