Duke Point Ferry Terminal - Nanaimo

Had reservations canceled Sail. Not only did they not honor our reservation it cost us more money to sail on the next boat. Missed our flight home and had to pay more one way home then our whole round trip originally. These ferries are ridiculous. Too bad they have our hands tied.

Not Too busy Quick HOp on and hop off process at this terminal

If you are going to Vancouver Island or returning with kids, this ferry is the superior choice. This is because both sides have great playgrounds and services, whereas horseshoe bay is horrible for families. There are few services except for in town, and you are really in for trouble if you have a ferry wait and it's raining. In any case, reservations are available and can save a lot of hassles. The price is only ten dollars and we usually reserve anyway. The ferries are expensive, but are run cleanly and efficiently, and the staff are generally courteous.

BC Ferries are the best form of transport to get from the mainland to places on Vancouver Island. There are two ferry terminals in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. The one at Duke Point operates ferries to Tsawwassen located in the south of Vancouver city. We sailed only once from Duke Point to Tsawwassen in June 2019, on the ‘Queen of Alberni’. The trip across the Strait of Georgia takes about two hours while the ferry from Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay takes an hour and a half. The Duke Point terminal is located at a fair distance from Nanaimo and you have to have your own transport to get there. However the logistics seem to be better organized and there is sufficient waiting area for the vehicles before they are allowed to board the ferry. Foot passengers do not need to book in advance and can simply walk on after buying the ticket at the terminal. Oversize luggage can be checked in before boarding with no extra charges. Vehicles generally have to be booked in advance and there is a long queue of cars waiting to board the ferry. Once on board we relaxed in the comfortable chairs on deck and enjoyed the views from the broad glass windows. One can go up to the sun deck for better views and the cold breeze in your hair, and one can take better pictures from there. We enjoyed our breakfast and beverages available onboard the ferry.

This terminal just sold me a ticket before the cut off announcement (I’m the only foot passenger it’s just me and the girl working the ticket booth) after buying my ticket before the 25 minute cut off I went to grab my lap top from my vehicle which I parked 25 ft Away in the parking lot …I turn around to come through the glass doors and she has them locked…. Excuse me ? Bc Ferries “you missed cut off “ Me : “No I didn’t you sold me the ticket? and there is still vehicles boarding the Ferry? It doesn’t even leave for 12 minutes? ” Bc Ferries “you will be on the next boat”. Me : “They are still loading this boat though ?” A) Don’t sell tickets to people if they aren’t going to make the boat b) have some humanity and find another way in the ferry while vehicles are still be loaded. People that work on the boat are great This terminal needs to get it together.

This ferry terminal definitely doesn't deserve such a low congregate rating. It's great! I've always had good experiences traveling through it. The staff are friendly and very helpful. They do their absolute best to get you on to whatever ferry you're trying to catch. The foot passenger waiting area could use a few more seats for people, but you're never waiting too long so it's fine. In the car waiting area, there's lots of room for cars waiting for the ferry. In the long-term parking area, there are lots of spaces for cars. I've never seen the parking lot completely full; there always seems to be quite a few spots available. Really good ferry terminal!

Although pleasant and friendly, the younger staff needs to be better trained in their departments. I have a vehicle just under 6'11", whenever I have a young worker at the booth they put it as oversized whereas anyone with experience knows it's not. I get that it's better to err on the side of caution but when it's a difference between sitting peacefully in my vehicle or being crammed into over crowded seating areas there should be some steady level of professionalism. I had the last girl lean the measuring stick in when it was clearly under the requirements because she knew she was wrong then tried to give me a speech about damaging the boat and my vehicle, was embarrassed for her

Nice ocean & mountain views from here. If driving on to the ferry, the parking lot offers room to go for a walk - appreciated if you are with dogs. There's also an okay play structure for kids. Sometimes there's vendors, good to pick up something local and occasionally offering cowboy popcorn to snack on. The line for the always-busy coffee shop never seems to move fast enough, and the coffee isn't really anything special.