I’m so glad you found it helpful. Have a great trip!

Yes, it’s probably that they haven’t opened up bookings for that time period yet. Your best bet would be to call the BC Ferries booking line to ask them.

As you know, you will have far less daylight in October. That means that the beginning and end of the trip will be in the dark. However, you’ll still have lots of time to enjoy the scenery in the middle of the day. Another factor is the weather – it’s far more likely to be raining or foggy in October. It’s definitely a risk to go in October, but you could still have a good time.

Thank You sooooo much for this very good describtion. We are thinken of travelling with the ferry 4th of october, but can’t make up our minds if it is worth it according to daylight/darkness? I know u went in JUne, but what do u think?

Yes. You have to state the total height and length of your vehicle (and trailers/towed vehicles) when booking. The BC Ferries website will quote you a price based on your total height and length. With a large motor home like that, you will need to book very early to make sure there is enough space.

We were lucky enough to enjoy a mostly sunny and mild day, which made for a stunning trip, a real once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A few things I’d add to Taryn’s guide, especially from the perspective of foot passengers.

1. Even with a fully-paid reservation you have to join the ticket counter when arriving at the Port Hardy terminal. It moves slowly especially when there is only one counter open, as you are joining others who have turned up without a reservation to buy a ticket. Some folk we’d met had been smart and had gone to the terminal the day beforehand to get their boarding pass. Do that if you can.

2. Do the check-in luggage first, a little uphill from the passenger terminal.

3. We had booked places in the Aurora Lounge. Was it worth the extra $40? You betcha. We were in the front row in the middle, the best view on the whole ferry besides the captain. Seats are allocated in the lounge according to how early you booked, so the lesson is book early. That said, if you want to see whales and seals you are much better off doing a separate tour where you are on a vessel closer to sea level. I would recommend those going out of Telegraph Cove, and would not recommend those going out of Prince Rupert.

4. If you can, bring your own food. The Vista Buffet is still closed(!) and the cafe food is very ornery, like a bad nursing home.

5. If you haven’t got anyone collecting you at Prince Rupert, be prepared to get grumpy at the town’s taxi service. It took almost an hour for us to wait for a cab to arrive, we were fifth in line. There are no Uber drivers in the town.