tsawwassen ferry reservations?
 

Will be taking the ferry from Tsawwassen to Duke Point Mon, Aug 30. Are reservations advised?

That depends on several things: what time of day are you going? Are you concerned about having to wait for one sailing if the boat fills up before you're able to board?

I assume you're taking a car - foot passengers don't need reservations.

If you don't have to leave at a specific time, it can be reasonably pleasant at the Tsawwasssen terminal; there's a fairly decent food court and some shops in the terminal building.

We want to leave probably at the mid morning sailing (10:30 or around there). Could possibly hang out till next sailing at 12:30 or so. Just don't want to hang out there all day! Will have a car.

It's always a good idea to make reservations on the long weekends. But your chances are good without a reservation on Monday mid-day. The most popular sailings are the first ones in the morning. If you get into the line up right after the 7:45 leaves you have a good chance of getting the 10:15 you want. I'd plan to get there by 8:30 at the latest -- bearing in mind that you can never tell! If it's really important that you get to Nanaimo at a certain time then the $15 reservation fee seems a small price to pay.

The ferry starts loading about 30 mintues before departure, so you will be waiting at the terminal from 8:30 to 9:45 in this case.

BTW -- They've announced reduced fares for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays in July ... maybe that will still be available in August too.

http://www.bcferries.com/promotions/coastsaver.html

Thank you Jacob22! You have some useful information.

I travel that route ALL of the time and that is a long weekend here and will be crazy. Make a reservation if you value your time. If you do not mind a one sailing wait and can give up 3 hours of your life sitting at a ferry terminal - than no reservations required.
(I make them regardless of long weekends)! :) good luck

by the way if you make a reservation you need to show up a minimum of 30 minutes prior to the departure or you will loose your reservation.
the boat time is 10:15 am and is an easy journey at that time of the day. The next one is 12:45 and lunch time on the boat on a long weekend will be busy.

Its not the long weekend on August 30th, but none the less the ferries are booked almost every day of the week these days. I would make a reservation and always do this time of year.