Nova Scotia Comes Alive in 2011!

Boston-Halifax Overnight Cruise Ferry Service

Just when you think that nothing but a last-minute, back-room deal could save the sea route from the U.S. to Nova Scotia another great idea comes out of nowhere. Well, it seems like it came from there!

The Boston-Halifax Overnight Cruise Ferry Project team is considering several specific cruise ferries for a run from Boston to Halifax. As their website states says:

“Our group remains open to finding the right arrangement and the right partners.  These range from chartering a ship with bridge and engine room crews to purchasing the ferry in a joint venture partnership with the ship owner.  There are many possibilities. It is critical to the long term success of the venture that the team invest time now in getting the right vessel on the right financial terms.”

Unfortunately, it seems that 2011 is the earliest practical date for the service to start.

“The overnight ferry will depart each port in the afternoon and arrive in the morning at the other, with layover in either port during the day.  This will give the traveler a sense of a “floating motel” in which much of the trip can be done while sleeping.  Existing travel services often require hotel links on either or both ends, consuming extra travel time and additional cost.  Should you want to bring your own car, ship layover will also allow vehicles to drive onto the waiting ship, instead of queuing up in assembly parking areas.  Leaving the ship will also be less frantic due to on-board clearances and convenient parking layout.”

The ship will be a downtown-to-downtown service which means that travelers do not have to take a long bus ride to get to where the action is.  The ship has not been chosen yet but will patterned after the successful European car ferry/cruise liners that join the Baltic countries with Great Britain, Germany and Denmark. These ships are small cruisers that feature bands, gambling but can hold up to 400 cars and 44 tractor/trailers along with 1300 passengers.

Will it fly? Well, it’s a good start. It takes the ball ut of the politicians’ hands and rolls it among the people. After a few years of lousy Cat service (and if there is a blank summer with no ferry in 2010 ) they will fill the vacuum.