Cruising the World<\/h2>\r\nAccording to CLIA, 30 million passengers were expected to travel worldwide on 63 member lines in 2019. Projections for 2020 were 32 million passengers expected to cruise (CLIA, 2020). Given increased demand, 24 new ships were expected in 2014\u201315, adding a total capacity of over 37,000 passengers.\r\n\r\nOver 55% of the world's cruise passengers are from\u00a0North America, and the leading destinations (based on ship deployments), according to CLIA, are:\r\n\r\n \t- The Caribbean (37%)<\/li>\r\n \t
- The Mediterranean (19%)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Northern Europe (11%)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Australia\/New Zealand (6%)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alaska (5%)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Asia (4%)<\/li>\r\n \t
- South America (3%)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
River Cruising<\/h2>\r\nWhile mass cruises to destinations like the Caribbean remain incredibly popular, river cruises are emerging as another strong segment of the industry. The key differences between river cruises and ocean cruises are (Hill, 2013):\r\n\r\n \t- River cruise ships are smaller (400 feet long by 40 feet wide on average) and can navigate narrow passages.<\/li>\r\n \t
- River cruises carry fewer passengers (about 10% of the average cruise, or 200 passengers total).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Beer, wine, and high-end cuisine are generally offered in the standard package.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nThe price point for river cruises is around the same as ocean trips, with the typical cost ranging from\u00a0$2,000 to $4,000, depending on the itinerary, accommodations, and other amenities.\r\n\r\nFrom 2008 to 2013, river cruises saw a\u00a010% annual passenger increase. Europe leads the subcategory, while\u00a0emerging destinations include a\u00a0cruise route along China\u2019s Yangtze River. As the on-board experience differs greatly from a larger cruise (no play areas, water parks, or on-board stage productions), the target demographic for river cruises is 50- to 70-year-olds. According to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking,\u00a0an international river cruising company, \u201cwith river cruises, a destination is the destination,\u201d\u00a0although many\u00a0river cruises are themed around cultural or historical events (Hill, 2013).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"400\"]
![\"A](\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/introtourism2e\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/315\/2021\/06\/River-Beatrice-in-Passau-Germany.jpg\")
Figure 2.6 Uniworld's River Beatrice in Passau, Germany.[\/caption]\r\nCruising in Canada<\/h2>\r\nAccording to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:\r\n\r\n \t- Canada\/New England<\/li>\r\n \t
- Quebec (between Montreal and Quebec City and US ports)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alaska (either departing from, or using, Vancouver\u00a0or another BC city as a port of call)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nThese generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).\r\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\r\nBC's rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver's Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong>\r\n\r\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC's cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia's coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).\r\n\r\nCruising isn't the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let's take a closer look at this vital component of BC's transportation infrastructure.\r\nFerries<\/h1>\r\nFerry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson's Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"400\"]![\"A](\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/introtourism2e\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/315\/2021\/06\/Spirit-of-Vancouver-Island.jpg\")
Figure 2.7 BC Ferries' Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.\r\n\r\nBC isn't the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article \"World's Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,\"<\/a> including:\r\n\r\n \t- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile's\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\r\n \t
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\r\n \t
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, Australia's Sydney Harbour, and New York City's Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia's coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).\r\n\r\nWhile cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.\r\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\r\nOne of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).\r\n\r\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship's navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a \"hard landing\" at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn't follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nWe've covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let's round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.[h5p id=\"7\"]","rendered":"![\"A](\"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/introtourism2e\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/315\/2020\/09\/Ogden-Point-Sunset-Cruise.jpg\")
Figure 2.5 A cruise ship at sunset at the Breakwater District (formerly named Ogden Point), Victoria.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTravel by water is as old as civilization itself. However, the industry as\u00a0we know it began when\u00a0Thomas Newcomen invented the\u00a0steam engine in 1712. The first crossing of the Atlantic by steam engine took place in\u00a01819 aboard the SS Savannah<\/em>, landing in Liverpool, England,\u00a0after 29 days at sea. Forty years later,\u00a0White Star Lines began building ocean liners including the\u00a0Olympic<\/em>-class ships\u00a0(the Olympic, Britannic<\/em>, and Titanic<\/em>), expanding on previously utilitarian models by adding\u00a0luxurious amenities (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nA boom in passenger ship travel toward the end of the 1800s\u00a0was aided by a growing influx of immigrants from Europe to America, while more affluent passengers travelled by\u00a0steamship for pleasure or business. The industry grew over time but, like rail travel, began to decline after the\u00a0arrival of airlines. Shipping companies were forced to change their business model from pure transportation to “an experience,” and the modern cruise industry was born.<\/p>\n
The Cruise Sector<\/h1>\n
We’ve come a long way since the Olympic<\/em> class of steamship. Today, the\u00a0world’s largest cruise ship, MS\u00a0Oasis of the Seas<\/em>, has an outdoor park with 12,000 plants, an 82-foot zip wire, and a high-diving performance venue. It’s 20 storeys tall and can hold 5,606 passengers and a crew of up to 2,394 (Magrath, 2014). A crew on a cruise ship will include the captain, the chief officer (in charge of training and maintenance), staff captain, chief engineer, chief medical officer, and chief radio officer (communication, radar, and weather monitoring).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On:\u00a0Cruise Lines International Association<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise Lines International Association (CLIA)<\/strong> is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines and travel agents in the development of policy. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research, and marketing communications (CLIA, 2014). For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit\u00a0the Cruise Lines International Association website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nCruising the World<\/h2>\n
According to CLIA, 30 million passengers were expected to travel worldwide on 63 member lines in 2019. Projections for 2020 were 32 million passengers expected to cruise (CLIA, 2020). Given increased demand, 24 new ships were expected in 2014\u201315, adding a total capacity of over 37,000 passengers.<\/p>\n
Over 55% of the world’s cruise passengers are from\u00a0North America, and the leading destinations (based on ship deployments), according to CLIA, are:<\/p>\n
\n- The Caribbean (37%)<\/li>\n
- The Mediterranean (19%)<\/li>\n
- Northern Europe (11%)<\/li>\n
- Australia\/New Zealand (6%)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (5%)<\/li>\n
- Asia (4%)<\/li>\n
- South America (3%)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
River Cruising<\/h2>\n
While mass cruises to destinations like the Caribbean remain incredibly popular, river cruises are emerging as another strong segment of the industry. The key differences between river cruises and ocean cruises are (Hill, 2013):<\/p>\n
\n- River cruise ships are smaller (400 feet long by 40 feet wide on average) and can navigate narrow passages.<\/li>\n
- River cruises carry fewer passengers (about 10% of the average cruise, or 200 passengers total).<\/li>\n
- Beer, wine, and high-end cuisine are generally offered in the standard package.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
The price point for river cruises is around the same as ocean trips, with the typical cost ranging from\u00a0$2,000 to $4,000, depending on the itinerary, accommodations, and other amenities.<\/p>\n
From 2008 to 2013, river cruises saw a\u00a010% annual passenger increase. Europe leads the subcategory, while\u00a0emerging destinations include a\u00a0cruise route along China\u2019s Yangtze River. As the on-board experience differs greatly from a larger cruise (no play areas, water parks, or on-board stage productions), the target demographic for river cruises is 50- to 70-year-olds. According to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking,\u00a0an international river cruising company, \u201cwith river cruises, a destination is the destination,\u201d\u00a0although many\u00a0river cruises are themed around cultural or historical events (Hill, 2013).<\/p>\nFigure 2.6 Uniworld’s River Beatrice in Passau, Germany.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCruising in Canada<\/h2>\n
According to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:<\/p>\n
\n- Canada\/New England<\/li>\n
- Quebec (between Montreal and Quebec City and US ports)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (either departing from, or using, Vancouver\u00a0or another BC city as a port of call)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
These generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\n
BC’s rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver’s Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).<\/p>\n
\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC’s cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia’s coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising isn’t the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let’s take a closer look at this vital component of BC’s transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Ferries<\/h1>\n
Ferry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson’s Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.<\/p>\nFigure 2.7 BC Ferries’ Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.<\/p>\nBC isn’t the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article “World’s Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,”<\/a> including:<\/p>\n\n- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile’s\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\n
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\n
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, Australia’s Sydney Harbour, and New York City’s Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia’s coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).<\/p>\n
While cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.<\/p>\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\n
One of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship’s navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a “hard landing” at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn’t follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWe’ve covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let’s round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.<\/p>\n
\n
River Cruising<\/h2>\r\nWhile mass cruises to destinations like the Caribbean remain incredibly popular, river cruises are emerging as another strong segment of the industry. The key differences between river cruises and ocean cruises are (Hill, 2013):\r\n\r\n \t- River cruise ships are smaller (400 feet long by 40 feet wide on average) and can navigate narrow passages.<\/li>\r\n \t
- River cruises carry fewer passengers (about 10% of the average cruise, or 200 passengers total).<\/li>\r\n \t
- Beer, wine, and high-end cuisine are generally offered in the standard package.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nThe price point for river cruises is around the same as ocean trips, with the typical cost ranging from\u00a0$2,000 to $4,000, depending on the itinerary, accommodations, and other amenities.\r\n\r\nFrom 2008 to 2013, river cruises saw a\u00a010% annual passenger increase. Europe leads the subcategory, while\u00a0emerging destinations include a\u00a0cruise route along China\u2019s Yangtze River. As the on-board experience differs greatly from a larger cruise (no play areas, water parks, or on-board stage productions), the target demographic for river cruises is 50- to 70-year-olds. According to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking,\u00a0an international river cruising company, \u201cwith river cruises, a destination is the destination,\u201d\u00a0although many\u00a0river cruises are themed around cultural or historical events (Hill, 2013).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"400\"] Figure 2.6 Uniworld's River Beatrice in Passau, Germany.[\/caption]\r\n
Cruising in Canada<\/h2>\r\nAccording to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:\r\n\r\n \t- Canada\/New England<\/li>\r\n \t
- Quebec (between Montreal and Quebec City and US ports)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alaska (either departing from, or using, Vancouver\u00a0or another BC city as a port of call)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nThese generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).\r\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\r\nBC's rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver's Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong>\r\n\r\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC's cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia's coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).\r\n\r\nCruising isn't the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let's take a closer look at this vital component of BC's transportation infrastructure.\r\nFerries<\/h1>\r\nFerry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson's Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"400\"] Figure 2.7 BC Ferries' Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.\r\n\r\nBC isn't the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article \"World's Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,\"<\/a> including:\r\n\r\n \t- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile's\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\r\n \t
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\r\n \t
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, Australia's Sydney Harbour, and New York City's Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia's coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).\r\n\r\nWhile cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.\r\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\r\nOne of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).\r\n\r\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship's navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a \"hard landing\" at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn't follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nWe've covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let's round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.[h5p id=\"7\"]","rendered":"Figure 2.5 A cruise ship at sunset at the Breakwater District (formerly named Ogden Point), Victoria.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTravel by water is as old as civilization itself. However, the industry as\u00a0we know it began when\u00a0Thomas Newcomen invented the\u00a0steam engine in 1712. The first crossing of the Atlantic by steam engine took place in\u00a01819 aboard the SS Savannah<\/em>, landing in Liverpool, England,\u00a0after 29 days at sea. Forty years later,\u00a0White Star Lines began building ocean liners including the\u00a0Olympic<\/em>-class ships\u00a0(the Olympic, Britannic<\/em>, and Titanic<\/em>), expanding on previously utilitarian models by adding\u00a0luxurious amenities (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nA boom in passenger ship travel toward the end of the 1800s\u00a0was aided by a growing influx of immigrants from Europe to America, while more affluent passengers travelled by\u00a0steamship for pleasure or business. The industry grew over time but, like rail travel, began to decline after the\u00a0arrival of airlines. Shipping companies were forced to change their business model from pure transportation to “an experience,” and the modern cruise industry was born.<\/p>\n
The Cruise Sector<\/h1>\n
We’ve come a long way since the Olympic<\/em> class of steamship. Today, the\u00a0world’s largest cruise ship, MS\u00a0Oasis of the Seas<\/em>, has an outdoor park with 12,000 plants, an 82-foot zip wire, and a high-diving performance venue. It’s 20 storeys tall and can hold 5,606 passengers and a crew of up to 2,394 (Magrath, 2014). A crew on a cruise ship will include the captain, the chief officer (in charge of training and maintenance), staff captain, chief engineer, chief medical officer, and chief radio officer (communication, radar, and weather monitoring).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On:\u00a0Cruise Lines International Association<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise Lines International Association (CLIA)<\/strong> is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines and travel agents in the development of policy. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research, and marketing communications (CLIA, 2014). For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit\u00a0the Cruise Lines International Association website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nCruising the World<\/h2>\n
According to CLIA, 30 million passengers were expected to travel worldwide on 63 member lines in 2019. Projections for 2020 were 32 million passengers expected to cruise (CLIA, 2020). Given increased demand, 24 new ships were expected in 2014\u201315, adding a total capacity of over 37,000 passengers.<\/p>\n
Over 55% of the world’s cruise passengers are from\u00a0North America, and the leading destinations (based on ship deployments), according to CLIA, are:<\/p>\n
\n- The Caribbean (37%)<\/li>\n
- The Mediterranean (19%)<\/li>\n
- Northern Europe (11%)<\/li>\n
- Australia\/New Zealand (6%)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (5%)<\/li>\n
- Asia (4%)<\/li>\n
- South America (3%)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
River Cruising<\/h2>\n
While mass cruises to destinations like the Caribbean remain incredibly popular, river cruises are emerging as another strong segment of the industry. The key differences between river cruises and ocean cruises are (Hill, 2013):<\/p>\n
\n- River cruise ships are smaller (400 feet long by 40 feet wide on average) and can navigate narrow passages.<\/li>\n
- River cruises carry fewer passengers (about 10% of the average cruise, or 200 passengers total).<\/li>\n
- Beer, wine, and high-end cuisine are generally offered in the standard package.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
The price point for river cruises is around the same as ocean trips, with the typical cost ranging from\u00a0$2,000 to $4,000, depending on the itinerary, accommodations, and other amenities.<\/p>\n
From 2008 to 2013, river cruises saw a\u00a010% annual passenger increase. Europe leads the subcategory, while\u00a0emerging destinations include a\u00a0cruise route along China\u2019s Yangtze River. As the on-board experience differs greatly from a larger cruise (no play areas, water parks, or on-board stage productions), the target demographic for river cruises is 50- to 70-year-olds. According to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking,\u00a0an international river cruising company, \u201cwith river cruises, a destination is the destination,\u201d\u00a0although many\u00a0river cruises are themed around cultural or historical events (Hill, 2013).<\/p>\nFigure 2.6 Uniworld’s River Beatrice in Passau, Germany.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCruising in Canada<\/h2>\n
According to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:<\/p>\n
\n- Canada\/New England<\/li>\n
- Quebec (between Montreal and Quebec City and US ports)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (either departing from, or using, Vancouver\u00a0or another BC city as a port of call)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
These generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\n
BC’s rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver’s Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).<\/p>\n
\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC’s cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia’s coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising isn’t the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let’s take a closer look at this vital component of BC’s transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Ferries<\/h1>\n
Ferry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson’s Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.<\/p>\nFigure 2.7 BC Ferries’ Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.<\/p>\nBC isn’t the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article “World’s Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,”<\/a> including:<\/p>\n\n- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile’s\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\n
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\n
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, Australia’s Sydney Harbour, and New York City’s Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia’s coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).<\/p>\n
While cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.<\/p>\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\n
One of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship’s navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a “hard landing” at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn’t follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWe’ve covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let’s round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.<\/p>\n
\n
Figure 2.6 Uniworld's River Beatrice in Passau, Germany.[\/caption]\r\nCruising in Canada<\/h2>\r\nAccording to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:\r\n\r\n \t- Canada\/New England<\/li>\r\n \t
- Quebec (between Montreal and Quebec City and US ports)<\/li>\r\n \t
- Alaska (either departing from, or using, Vancouver\u00a0or another BC city as a port of call)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nThese generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).\r\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\r\nBC's rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver's Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong>\r\n\r\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC's cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia's coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).\r\n\r\nCruising isn't the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let's take a closer look at this vital component of BC's transportation infrastructure.\r\nFerries<\/h1>\r\nFerry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson's Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"400\"] Figure 2.7 BC Ferries' Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.\r\n\r\nBC isn't the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article \"World's Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,\"<\/a> including:\r\n\r\n \t- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile's\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\r\n \t
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\r\n \t
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, Australia's Sydney Harbour, and New York City's Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia's coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).\r\n\r\nWhile cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.\r\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\r\nOne of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).\r\n\r\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship's navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a \"hard landing\" at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn't follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nWe've covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let's round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.[h5p id=\"7\"]","rendered":"Figure 2.5 A cruise ship at sunset at the Breakwater District (formerly named Ogden Point), Victoria.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTravel by water is as old as civilization itself. However, the industry as\u00a0we know it began when\u00a0Thomas Newcomen invented the\u00a0steam engine in 1712. The first crossing of the Atlantic by steam engine took place in\u00a01819 aboard the SS Savannah<\/em>, landing in Liverpool, England,\u00a0after 29 days at sea. Forty years later,\u00a0White Star Lines began building ocean liners including the\u00a0Olympic<\/em>-class ships\u00a0(the Olympic, Britannic<\/em>, and Titanic<\/em>), expanding on previously utilitarian models by adding\u00a0luxurious amenities (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nA boom in passenger ship travel toward the end of the 1800s\u00a0was aided by a growing influx of immigrants from Europe to America, while more affluent passengers travelled by\u00a0steamship for pleasure or business. The industry grew over time but, like rail travel, began to decline after the\u00a0arrival of airlines. Shipping companies were forced to change their business model from pure transportation to “an experience,” and the modern cruise industry was born.<\/p>\n
The Cruise Sector<\/h1>\n
We’ve come a long way since the Olympic<\/em> class of steamship. Today, the\u00a0world’s largest cruise ship, MS\u00a0Oasis of the Seas<\/em>, has an outdoor park with 12,000 plants, an 82-foot zip wire, and a high-diving performance venue. It’s 20 storeys tall and can hold 5,606 passengers and a crew of up to 2,394 (Magrath, 2014). A crew on a cruise ship will include the captain, the chief officer (in charge of training and maintenance), staff captain, chief engineer, chief medical officer, and chief radio officer (communication, radar, and weather monitoring).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On:\u00a0Cruise Lines International Association<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise Lines International Association (CLIA)<\/strong> is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines and travel agents in the development of policy. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research, and marketing communications (CLIA, 2014). For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit\u00a0the Cruise Lines International Association website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nCruising the World<\/h2>\n
According to CLIA, 30 million passengers were expected to travel worldwide on 63 member lines in 2019. Projections for 2020 were 32 million passengers expected to cruise (CLIA, 2020). Given increased demand, 24 new ships were expected in 2014\u201315, adding a total capacity of over 37,000 passengers.<\/p>\n
Over 55% of the world’s cruise passengers are from\u00a0North America, and the leading destinations (based on ship deployments), according to CLIA, are:<\/p>\n
\n- The Caribbean (37%)<\/li>\n
- The Mediterranean (19%)<\/li>\n
- Northern Europe (11%)<\/li>\n
- Australia\/New Zealand (6%)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (5%)<\/li>\n
- Asia (4%)<\/li>\n
- South America (3%)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
River Cruising<\/h2>\n
While mass cruises to destinations like the Caribbean remain incredibly popular, river cruises are emerging as another strong segment of the industry. The key differences between river cruises and ocean cruises are (Hill, 2013):<\/p>\n
\n- River cruise ships are smaller (400 feet long by 40 feet wide on average) and can navigate narrow passages.<\/li>\n
- River cruises carry fewer passengers (about 10% of the average cruise, or 200 passengers total).<\/li>\n
- Beer, wine, and high-end cuisine are generally offered in the standard package.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
The price point for river cruises is around the same as ocean trips, with the typical cost ranging from\u00a0$2,000 to $4,000, depending on the itinerary, accommodations, and other amenities.<\/p>\n
From 2008 to 2013, river cruises saw a\u00a010% annual passenger increase. Europe leads the subcategory, while\u00a0emerging destinations include a\u00a0cruise route along China\u2019s Yangtze River. As the on-board experience differs greatly from a larger cruise (no play areas, water parks, or on-board stage productions), the target demographic for river cruises is 50- to 70-year-olds. According to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking,\u00a0an international river cruising company, \u201cwith river cruises, a destination is the destination,\u201d\u00a0although many\u00a0river cruises are themed around cultural or historical events (Hill, 2013).<\/p>\nFigure 2.6 Uniworld’s River Beatrice in Passau, Germany.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCruising in Canada<\/h2>\n
According to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:<\/p>\n
\n- Canada\/New England<\/li>\n
- Quebec (between Montreal and Quebec City and US ports)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (either departing from, or using, Vancouver\u00a0or another BC city as a port of call)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
These generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\n
BC’s rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver’s Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).<\/p>\n
\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC’s cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia’s coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising isn’t the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let’s take a closer look at this vital component of BC’s transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Ferries<\/h1>\n
Ferry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson’s Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.<\/p>\nFigure 2.7 BC Ferries’ Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.<\/p>\nBC isn’t the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article “World’s Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,”<\/a> including:<\/p>\n\n- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile’s\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\n
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\n
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, Australia’s Sydney Harbour, and New York City’s Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia’s coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).<\/p>\n
While cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.<\/p>\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\n
One of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship’s navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a “hard landing” at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn’t follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWe’ve covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let’s round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.<\/p>\n
\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\r\nBC's rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver's Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong>\r\n\r\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC's cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia's coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).\r\n\r\nCruising isn't the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let's take a closer look at this vital component of BC's transportation infrastructure.\r\nFerries<\/h1>\r\nFerry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson's Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"400\"] Figure 2.7 BC Ferries' Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.\r\n\r\nBC isn't the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article \"World's Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,\"<\/a> including:\r\n\r\n \t- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile's\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\r\n \t
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\r\n \t
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, Australia's Sydney Harbour, and New York City's Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia's coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).\r\n\r\nWhile cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.\r\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\r\nOne of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).\r\n\r\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship's navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a \"hard landing\" at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn't follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nWe've covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let's round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.[h5p id=\"7\"]","rendered":"Figure 2.5 A cruise ship at sunset at the Breakwater District (formerly named Ogden Point), Victoria.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTravel by water is as old as civilization itself. However, the industry as\u00a0we know it began when\u00a0Thomas Newcomen invented the\u00a0steam engine in 1712. The first crossing of the Atlantic by steam engine took place in\u00a01819 aboard the SS Savannah<\/em>, landing in Liverpool, England,\u00a0after 29 days at sea. Forty years later,\u00a0White Star Lines began building ocean liners including the\u00a0Olympic<\/em>-class ships\u00a0(the Olympic, Britannic<\/em>, and Titanic<\/em>), expanding on previously utilitarian models by adding\u00a0luxurious amenities (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nA boom in passenger ship travel toward the end of the 1800s\u00a0was aided by a growing influx of immigrants from Europe to America, while more affluent passengers travelled by\u00a0steamship for pleasure or business. The industry grew over time but, like rail travel, began to decline after the\u00a0arrival of airlines. Shipping companies were forced to change their business model from pure transportation to “an experience,” and the modern cruise industry was born.<\/p>\n
The Cruise Sector<\/h1>\n
We’ve come a long way since the Olympic<\/em> class of steamship. Today, the\u00a0world’s largest cruise ship, MS\u00a0Oasis of the Seas<\/em>, has an outdoor park with 12,000 plants, an 82-foot zip wire, and a high-diving performance venue. It’s 20 storeys tall and can hold 5,606 passengers and a crew of up to 2,394 (Magrath, 2014). A crew on a cruise ship will include the captain, the chief officer (in charge of training and maintenance), staff captain, chief engineer, chief medical officer, and chief radio officer (communication, radar, and weather monitoring).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On:\u00a0Cruise Lines International Association<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise Lines International Association (CLIA)<\/strong> is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines and travel agents in the development of policy. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research, and marketing communications (CLIA, 2014). For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit\u00a0the Cruise Lines International Association website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nCruising the World<\/h2>\n
According to CLIA, 30 million passengers were expected to travel worldwide on 63 member lines in 2019. Projections for 2020 were 32 million passengers expected to cruise (CLIA, 2020). Given increased demand, 24 new ships were expected in 2014\u201315, adding a total capacity of over 37,000 passengers.<\/p>\n
Over 55% of the world’s cruise passengers are from\u00a0North America, and the leading destinations (based on ship deployments), according to CLIA, are:<\/p>\n
\n- The Caribbean (37%)<\/li>\n
- The Mediterranean (19%)<\/li>\n
- Northern Europe (11%)<\/li>\n
- Australia\/New Zealand (6%)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (5%)<\/li>\n
- Asia (4%)<\/li>\n
- South America (3%)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
River Cruising<\/h2>\n
While mass cruises to destinations like the Caribbean remain incredibly popular, river cruises are emerging as another strong segment of the industry. The key differences between river cruises and ocean cruises are (Hill, 2013):<\/p>\n
\n- River cruise ships are smaller (400 feet long by 40 feet wide on average) and can navigate narrow passages.<\/li>\n
- River cruises carry fewer passengers (about 10% of the average cruise, or 200 passengers total).<\/li>\n
- Beer, wine, and high-end cuisine are generally offered in the standard package.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
The price point for river cruises is around the same as ocean trips, with the typical cost ranging from\u00a0$2,000 to $4,000, depending on the itinerary, accommodations, and other amenities.<\/p>\n
From 2008 to 2013, river cruises saw a\u00a010% annual passenger increase. Europe leads the subcategory, while\u00a0emerging destinations include a\u00a0cruise route along China\u2019s Yangtze River. As the on-board experience differs greatly from a larger cruise (no play areas, water parks, or on-board stage productions), the target demographic for river cruises is 50- to 70-year-olds. According to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking,\u00a0an international river cruising company, \u201cwith river cruises, a destination is the destination,\u201d\u00a0although many\u00a0river cruises are themed around cultural or historical events (Hill, 2013).<\/p>\nFigure 2.6 Uniworld’s River Beatrice in Passau, Germany.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCruising in Canada<\/h2>\n
According to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:<\/p>\n
\n- Canada\/New England<\/li>\n
- Quebec (between Montreal and Quebec City and US ports)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (either departing from, or using, Vancouver\u00a0or another BC city as a port of call)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
These generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\n
BC’s rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver’s Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).<\/p>\n
\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC’s cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia’s coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising isn’t the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let’s take a closer look at this vital component of BC’s transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Ferries<\/h1>\n
Ferry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson’s Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.<\/p>\nFigure 2.7 BC Ferries’ Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.<\/p>\nBC isn’t the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article “World’s Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,”<\/a> including:<\/p>\n\n- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile’s\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\n
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\n
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, Australia’s Sydney Harbour, and New York City’s Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia’s coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).<\/p>\n
While cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.<\/p>\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\n
One of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship’s navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a “hard landing” at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn’t follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWe’ve covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let’s round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.<\/p>\n
\n
Ferries<\/h1>\r\nFerry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson's Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1508\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"400\"] Figure 2.7 BC Ferries' Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.\r\n\r\nBC isn't the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article \"World's Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,\"<\/a> including:\r\n\r\n \t- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile's\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\r\n \t
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\r\n \t
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, Australia's Sydney Harbour, and New York City's Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia's coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).\r\n\r\nWhile cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.\r\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\r\nOne of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).\r\n\r\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship's navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a \"hard landing\" at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn't follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nWe've covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let's round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.[h5p id=\"7\"]","rendered":"Figure 2.5 A cruise ship at sunset at the Breakwater District (formerly named Ogden Point), Victoria.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTravel by water is as old as civilization itself. However, the industry as\u00a0we know it began when\u00a0Thomas Newcomen invented the\u00a0steam engine in 1712. The first crossing of the Atlantic by steam engine took place in\u00a01819 aboard the SS Savannah<\/em>, landing in Liverpool, England,\u00a0after 29 days at sea. Forty years later,\u00a0White Star Lines began building ocean liners including the\u00a0Olympic<\/em>-class ships\u00a0(the Olympic, Britannic<\/em>, and Titanic<\/em>), expanding on previously utilitarian models by adding\u00a0luxurious amenities (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nA boom in passenger ship travel toward the end of the 1800s\u00a0was aided by a growing influx of immigrants from Europe to America, while more affluent passengers travelled by\u00a0steamship for pleasure or business. The industry grew over time but, like rail travel, began to decline after the\u00a0arrival of airlines. Shipping companies were forced to change their business model from pure transportation to “an experience,” and the modern cruise industry was born.<\/p>\n
The Cruise Sector<\/h1>\n
We’ve come a long way since the Olympic<\/em> class of steamship. Today, the\u00a0world’s largest cruise ship, MS\u00a0Oasis of the Seas<\/em>, has an outdoor park with 12,000 plants, an 82-foot zip wire, and a high-diving performance venue. It’s 20 storeys tall and can hold 5,606 passengers and a crew of up to 2,394 (Magrath, 2014). A crew on a cruise ship will include the captain, the chief officer (in charge of training and maintenance), staff captain, chief engineer, chief medical officer, and chief radio officer (communication, radar, and weather monitoring).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On:\u00a0Cruise Lines International Association<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise Lines International Association (CLIA)<\/strong> is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines and travel agents in the development of policy. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research, and marketing communications (CLIA, 2014). For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit\u00a0the Cruise Lines International Association website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nCruising the World<\/h2>\n
According to CLIA, 30 million passengers were expected to travel worldwide on 63 member lines in 2019. Projections for 2020 were 32 million passengers expected to cruise (CLIA, 2020). Given increased demand, 24 new ships were expected in 2014\u201315, adding a total capacity of over 37,000 passengers.<\/p>\n
Over 55% of the world’s cruise passengers are from\u00a0North America, and the leading destinations (based on ship deployments), according to CLIA, are:<\/p>\n
\n- The Caribbean (37%)<\/li>\n
- The Mediterranean (19%)<\/li>\n
- Northern Europe (11%)<\/li>\n
- Australia\/New Zealand (6%)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (5%)<\/li>\n
- Asia (4%)<\/li>\n
- South America (3%)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
River Cruising<\/h2>\n
While mass cruises to destinations like the Caribbean remain incredibly popular, river cruises are emerging as another strong segment of the industry. The key differences between river cruises and ocean cruises are (Hill, 2013):<\/p>\n
\n- River cruise ships are smaller (400 feet long by 40 feet wide on average) and can navigate narrow passages.<\/li>\n
- River cruises carry fewer passengers (about 10% of the average cruise, or 200 passengers total).<\/li>\n
- Beer, wine, and high-end cuisine are generally offered in the standard package.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
The price point for river cruises is around the same as ocean trips, with the typical cost ranging from\u00a0$2,000 to $4,000, depending on the itinerary, accommodations, and other amenities.<\/p>\n
From 2008 to 2013, river cruises saw a\u00a010% annual passenger increase. Europe leads the subcategory, while\u00a0emerging destinations include a\u00a0cruise route along China\u2019s Yangtze River. As the on-board experience differs greatly from a larger cruise (no play areas, water parks, or on-board stage productions), the target demographic for river cruises is 50- to 70-year-olds. According to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking,\u00a0an international river cruising company, \u201cwith river cruises, a destination is the destination,\u201d\u00a0although many\u00a0river cruises are themed around cultural or historical events (Hill, 2013).<\/p>\nFigure 2.6 Uniworld’s River Beatrice in Passau, Germany.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCruising in Canada<\/h2>\n
According to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:<\/p>\n
\n- Canada\/New England<\/li>\n
- Quebec (between Montreal and Quebec City and US ports)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (either departing from, or using, Vancouver\u00a0or another BC city as a port of call)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
These generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\n
BC’s rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver’s Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).<\/p>\n
\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC’s cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia’s coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising isn’t the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let’s take a closer look at this vital component of BC’s transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Ferries<\/h1>\n
Ferry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson’s Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.<\/p>\nFigure 2.7 BC Ferries’ Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.<\/p>\nBC isn’t the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article “World’s Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,”<\/a> including:<\/p>\n\n- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile’s\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\n
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\n
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, Australia’s Sydney Harbour, and New York City’s Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia’s coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).<\/p>\n
While cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.<\/p>\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\n
One of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship’s navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a “hard landing” at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn’t follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWe’ve covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let’s round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.<\/p>\n
\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\r\nOne of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).\r\n\r\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship's navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a \"hard landing\" at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn't follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).\r\n\r\n\r\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nWe've covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let's round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.[h5p id=\"7\"]","rendered":"Figure 2.5 A cruise ship at sunset at the Breakwater District (formerly named Ogden Point), Victoria.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nTravel by water is as old as civilization itself. However, the industry as\u00a0we know it began when\u00a0Thomas Newcomen invented the\u00a0steam engine in 1712. The first crossing of the Atlantic by steam engine took place in\u00a01819 aboard the SS Savannah<\/em>, landing in Liverpool, England,\u00a0after 29 days at sea. Forty years later,\u00a0White Star Lines began building ocean liners including the\u00a0Olympic<\/em>-class ships\u00a0(the Olympic, Britannic<\/em>, and Titanic<\/em>), expanding on previously utilitarian models by adding\u00a0luxurious amenities (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nA boom in passenger ship travel toward the end of the 1800s\u00a0was aided by a growing influx of immigrants from Europe to America, while more affluent passengers travelled by\u00a0steamship for pleasure or business. The industry grew over time but, like rail travel, began to decline after the\u00a0arrival of airlines. Shipping companies were forced to change their business model from pure transportation to “an experience,” and the modern cruise industry was born.<\/p>\n
The Cruise Sector<\/h1>\n
We’ve come a long way since the Olympic<\/em> class of steamship. Today, the\u00a0world’s largest cruise ship, MS\u00a0Oasis of the Seas<\/em>, has an outdoor park with 12,000 plants, an 82-foot zip wire, and a high-diving performance venue. It’s 20 storeys tall and can hold 5,606 passengers and a crew of up to 2,394 (Magrath, 2014). A crew on a cruise ship will include the captain, the chief officer (in charge of training and maintenance), staff captain, chief engineer, chief medical officer, and chief radio officer (communication, radar, and weather monitoring).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On:\u00a0Cruise Lines International Association<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise Lines International Association (CLIA)<\/strong> is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines and travel agents in the development of policy. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research, and marketing communications (CLIA, 2014). For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit\u00a0the Cruise Lines International Association website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nCruising the World<\/h2>\n
According to CLIA, 30 million passengers were expected to travel worldwide on 63 member lines in 2019. Projections for 2020 were 32 million passengers expected to cruise (CLIA, 2020). Given increased demand, 24 new ships were expected in 2014\u201315, adding a total capacity of over 37,000 passengers.<\/p>\n
Over 55% of the world’s cruise passengers are from\u00a0North America, and the leading destinations (based on ship deployments), according to CLIA, are:<\/p>\n
\n- The Caribbean (37%)<\/li>\n
- The Mediterranean (19%)<\/li>\n
- Northern Europe (11%)<\/li>\n
- Australia\/New Zealand (6%)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (5%)<\/li>\n
- Asia (4%)<\/li>\n
- South America (3%)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
River Cruising<\/h2>\n
While mass cruises to destinations like the Caribbean remain incredibly popular, river cruises are emerging as another strong segment of the industry. The key differences between river cruises and ocean cruises are (Hill, 2013):<\/p>\n
\n- River cruise ships are smaller (400 feet long by 40 feet wide on average) and can navigate narrow passages.<\/li>\n
- River cruises carry fewer passengers (about 10% of the average cruise, or 200 passengers total).<\/li>\n
- Beer, wine, and high-end cuisine are generally offered in the standard package.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
The price point for river cruises is around the same as ocean trips, with the typical cost ranging from\u00a0$2,000 to $4,000, depending on the itinerary, accommodations, and other amenities.<\/p>\n
From 2008 to 2013, river cruises saw a\u00a010% annual passenger increase. Europe leads the subcategory, while\u00a0emerging destinations include a\u00a0cruise route along China\u2019s Yangtze River. As the on-board experience differs greatly from a larger cruise (no play areas, water parks, or on-board stage productions), the target demographic for river cruises is 50- to 70-year-olds. According to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking,\u00a0an international river cruising company, \u201cwith river cruises, a destination is the destination,\u201d\u00a0although many\u00a0river cruises are themed around cultural or historical events (Hill, 2013).<\/p>\nFigure 2.6 Uniworld’s River Beatrice in Passau, Germany.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCruising in Canada<\/h2>\n
According to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:<\/p>\n
\n- Canada\/New England<\/li>\n
- Quebec (between Montreal and Quebec City and US ports)<\/li>\n
- Alaska (either departing from, or using, Vancouver\u00a0or another BC city as a port of call)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
These generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\n
BC’s rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver’s Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).<\/p>\n
\nSpotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong><\/p>\nCruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC’s cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia’s coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThis potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n
Cruising isn’t the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let’s take a closer look at this vital component of BC’s transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Ferries<\/h1>\n
Ferry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson’s Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.<\/p>\nFigure 2.7 BC Ferries’ Spirit of Vancouver Island<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.<\/p>\nBC isn’t the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article “World’s Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,”<\/a> including:<\/p>\n\n- An 800-mile\u00a0ferry voyage through\u00a0Chile’s\u00a0Patagonian fjords<\/li>\n
- A three-mile trip\u00a0from the Egyptian Spice Market to Istanbul, Turkey<\/li>\n
- Urban ferry rides including Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, Australia’s Sydney Harbour, and New York City’s Staten Island Ferry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia’s coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).<\/p>\n
While cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.<\/p>\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\n
One of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\nAccidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship’s navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a “hard landing” at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn’t follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).<\/p>\n\nSpotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWe’ve covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let’s round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.<\/p>\n
\n
Travel by water is as old as civilization itself. However, the industry as\u00a0we know it began when\u00a0Thomas Newcomen invented the\u00a0steam engine in 1712. The first crossing of the Atlantic by steam engine took place in\u00a01819 aboard the SS Savannah<\/em>, landing in Liverpool, England,\u00a0after 29 days at sea. Forty years later,\u00a0White Star Lines began building ocean liners including the\u00a0Olympic<\/em>-class ships\u00a0(the Olympic, Britannic<\/em>, and Titanic<\/em>), expanding on previously utilitarian models by adding\u00a0luxurious amenities (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\n A boom in passenger ship travel toward the end of the 1800s\u00a0was aided by a growing influx of immigrants from Europe to America, while more affluent passengers travelled by\u00a0steamship for pleasure or business. The industry grew over time but, like rail travel, began to decline after the\u00a0arrival of airlines. Shipping companies were forced to change their business model from pure transportation to “an experience,” and the modern cruise industry was born.<\/p>\n We’ve come a long way since the Olympic<\/em> class of steamship. Today, the\u00a0world’s largest cruise ship, MS\u00a0Oasis of the Seas<\/em>, has an outdoor park with 12,000 plants, an 82-foot zip wire, and a high-diving performance venue. It’s 20 storeys tall and can hold 5,606 passengers and a crew of up to 2,394 (Magrath, 2014). A crew on a cruise ship will include the captain, the chief officer (in charge of training and maintenance), staff captain, chief engineer, chief medical officer, and chief radio officer (communication, radar, and weather monitoring).<\/p>\n Spotlight On:\u00a0Cruise Lines International Association<\/strong><\/p>\n Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)<\/strong> is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association with representation in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. CLIA represents the interests of cruise lines and travel agents in the development of policy. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research, and marketing communications (CLIA, 2014). For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit\u00a0the Cruise Lines International Association website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n According to CLIA, 30 million passengers were expected to travel worldwide on 63 member lines in 2019. Projections for 2020 were 32 million passengers expected to cruise (CLIA, 2020). Given increased demand, 24 new ships were expected in 2014\u201315, adding a total capacity of over 37,000 passengers.<\/p>\n Over 55% of the world’s cruise passengers are from\u00a0North America, and the leading destinations (based on ship deployments), according to CLIA, are:<\/p>\n While mass cruises to destinations like the Caribbean remain incredibly popular, river cruises are emerging as another strong segment of the industry. The key differences between river cruises and ocean cruises are (Hill, 2013):<\/p>\n The price point for river cruises is around the same as ocean trips, with the typical cost ranging from\u00a0$2,000 to $4,000, depending on the itinerary, accommodations, and other amenities.<\/p>\n From 2008 to 2013, river cruises saw a\u00a010% annual passenger increase. Europe leads the subcategory, while\u00a0emerging destinations include a\u00a0cruise route along China\u2019s Yangtze River. As the on-board experience differs greatly from a larger cruise (no play areas, water parks, or on-board stage productions), the target demographic for river cruises is 50- to 70-year-olds. According to Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking,\u00a0an international river cruising company, \u201cwith river cruises, a destination is the destination,\u201d\u00a0although many\u00a0river cruises are themed around cultural or historical events (Hill, 2013).<\/p>\n According to a study completed for the North West & Canada Cruise Association (NWCCA) and its partners, in 2012, approximately 1,100 cruise ship calls were made at Canadian cruise ports generating slightly more than 2 million passenger arrivals throughout the six-month cruise season (BREA, 2013). The\u00a0study found three key cruise itineraries in Canada:<\/p>\n These generated $1.16 billion in direct spending. Cruising also generated almost 10,000 full- and part-time jobs paying $397 million in wages and salaries. The international cruise industry also generated an estimated $269 million in indirect business and income taxes in Canada, and the majority of this spending was in British Columbia (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n BC’s rail history and cruise history are intertwined. As early as 1887, Canadian Pacific Railway began offering steamship passage\u00a0to destinations such as Hawaii, Shanghai, Alaska, and Seattle. Ninety-nine\u00a0years later,\u00a0Vancouver’s Canada Place was built, with its cruise ship terminals, allowing the province\u00a0to attract large ships and capture its share of the growing international cruise industry (Cruise BC, 2014).<\/p>\n Spotlight On: Cruise BC<\/strong><\/p>\n Cruise BC<\/strong> is a partnership between BC port destinations designed to provide a vehicle for cooperative marketing and development of BC’s cruise sector.\u00a0Their vision is that the\u00a0West Coast and British Columbia’s coastal communities\u00a0are recognized and sought out\u00a0globally by cruise lines and passengers as\u00a0a destination of choice. For more information, visit\u00a0the Cruise BC website<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This potential continues to grow as Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, Victoria, and Vancouver accounted for 57% of the Canadian cruise passenger traffic with 1.18 million passengers in 2012 (BREA, 2013).<\/p>\n Cruising isn’t the only way for visitors to experience the waters of BC. In fact, the vast majority of our water travel is done by ferry. Let’s take a closer look at this vital component of BC’s transportation infrastructure.<\/p>\n Ferry service in British Columbia\u00a0dates back to the mid-1800s when the Hudson’s Bay Company ran ships\u00a0between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Later, CP Rail and Black Ball ferries ran a private service, until 1958 when\u00a0Premier W.A.C. Bennett announced the BC\u00a0Ferry Authority would consolidate\u00a0the ferries under a provincial mandate.<\/p>\n The MV Tsawwassen<\/em> and the MV Sidney<\/em> began regular service on June 15, 1960, and BC Ferries was officially launched with two terminals and around 200 employees. Today, there are 37 vessels, 47 destinations, and more than 5,000 employees in the summer peak season (BC Ferries, 2019). In late 2019, BC Ferries introduced the world\u2019s most advanced electric battery hybrid ferries to serve inter-island routes.<\/p>\n BC isn’t the only destination where ferries make up part of the transportation\u00a0experience. In 2011, Travel + Leisure Magazine<\/i> profiled several notable ferry journeys in the article “World’s Most Beautiful Ferry Rides,”<\/a> including:<\/p>\n The article also featured the 15-hour trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert on British Columbia’s coast\u00a0(Orcutt, 2011).<\/p>\n While cruising is often a pleasant and relaxing experience, there are a number of safety concerns for vessels of all types.<\/p>\n One of the major concerns on cruise lines is disease outbreak, specifically the norovirus (a stomach flu), which can spread quickly on cruise ships as passengers are so close together. The US Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) vessel sanitation program<\/a> is designed to help the industry prevent and control the outset, and spreading, of these types of illnesses (Briggs, 2008).<\/p>\n Accidents are also a concern. In 2006, the BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of the North<\/em> crashed and sank in the\u00a0Inside Passage, leaving two passengers missing and presumed dead. The ship’s navigating officer was charged with criminal negligence causing their deaths (Keller, 2013). More recently, a “hard landing” at Duke Point terminal\u00a0on Vancouver Island\u00a0caused over $4 million in damage. BC Ferries launched a suit against a German engineering firm in late 2013, alleging\u00a0a piece of equipment failed, making a smooth docking impossible. The Transportation Safety Board found that staff aboard the ship didn’t follow proper docking procedures, however, which contributed\u00a0to the crash (Canadian Press, 2013).<\/p>\n Spotlight On: The Transportation Safety Board\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The Transportation Safety Board (TSB)<\/strong> investigates\u00a0marine, pipeline, rail, and air incidents. It is an independent agency that reviews an average of 3,200 events every year.\u00a0It does not determine\u00a0liability; however, coroners and medical examiners may use TSB findings in their investigations. The head office in Quebec manages 220 staff across the country. For more\u00a0information, visit\u00a0the Transportation Safety Board website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We’ve covered the skies, the rails, and the seas. Now let’s round out our investigation of transportation in tourism by delving into travel on land.<\/p>\nThe Cruise Sector<\/h1>\n
Cruising the World<\/h2>\n
\n
River Cruising<\/h2>\n
\n
Cruising in Canada<\/h2>\n
\n
Cruising in BC<\/h2>\n
Ferries<\/h1>\n
\n
Cruise and Ferry Safety<\/h1>\n