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[ghYHZ]

The new ferries from St. Pierre et Miquelon have been in service for a couple of years now but have only carried foot passengers, no vehicles due to dock improvements required in Newfoundland. Those are now complete and a ferry made a symbolic crossing to test the new facilities.

Due to Covid requirements and the International Border still being closed.....a single vehicle was allowed off the ferry to test the ramp then immediately returned without any contact.

St. Pierre has applied to join the 'Atlantic Bubble'....which allows residents of the four Atlantic Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador) to move freely within those provinces without the 14 day quarantine requirement when crossing a provincial border. If St. Pierre joins....it will add an International Border!

https://vocm.com/2021/04/05/126250/

This certainly makes sense with the strong ties between St. Pierre and Newfoundland. There are currently no active Covid cases in St. Pierre and more than half the population is now vaccinated.....but this decision would have to be between Ottawa and Paris. Not with the Provinces.

Perhaps I'll get an International trip in this summer after all......and I thought it would have first been to the States when that border opened!   

[webfil]

a single vehicle was allowed off the ferry to test the ramp then immediately returned without any contact.

The Renault Laguna, of all cars!

The ferry just looks like some shipyard fitted a car deck on a large yacht. 70$ for a one-way passenger ticket seems a bit excessive (4 times the price of a Vancouver―Victoria fare with BC Ferries and 3,5 times the price of a Matane―Baie-Comeau ride, both publicly subsidized 1h30min-trips).

Anyway thanks for the heads-up, Gary.

[ghYHZ]

The ferry just looks like some shipyard fitted a car deck on a large yacht........

Yes....an interesting looking design! Click on Gallery and Downloads here for interior photos and deck plans:

https://products.damen.com/en/ranges/fast-ropax-ferry/fast-ropax-ferry-5510

[Alps]

a single vehicle was allowed off the ferry to test the ramp then immediately returned without any contact.

The Renault Laguna, of all cars!

The ferry just looks like some shipyard fitted a car deck on a large yacht. 70$ for a one-way passenger ticket seems a bit excessive (4 times the price of a Vancouver―Victoria fare with BC Ferries and 3,5 times the price of a Matane―Baie-Comeau ride, both publicly subsidized 1h30min-trips).

Anyway thanks for the heads-up, Gary.

I'm sure it's more difficult to subsidize an international crossing, but this is a good deal cheaper than shipping your car over!

[Rothman]

I went to Saint-Pierre a couple of years ago.  The ferry didn't look like it could hold many cars, but I do wonder about parking on the island.  Not too many places to park a car.

I'd expect the price to keep demand down.

[webfil]

I'm sure it's more difficult to subsidize an international crossing, but this is a good deal cheaper than shipping your car over!

Right. It's still about the same price as the Seattle-Victoria Clipper, which is a 3-hour crossing. Rothman mentionned it, it is presumably a matter of volume. The ship can only handle 18 cars and 200 pax.

For the SPM ferry, it is not specified whether the fare include the car transportation, and considering they haven't offered the service yet, it is likely that it wouldn't.

[andrepoiy]

Can't wait to go with a vehicle one day

[mgk920]

How close is Canada to chilling on this whole 'Virus' thing?

Mike

[Henry]

When I first read the title, I was actually believing that you'd be able to travel to France on a car ferry, but then again, I'd imagine such an undertaking to be too expensive to operate. However, I like that you'll be able to take your car from Canada to St. Pierre, which is indeed a great start.

[kphoger]

When I first read the title, I was actually believing that you'd be able to travel to France on a car ferry ...

That's correct.

[wanderer2575]

Pinging FritzOwl!!

How close is Canada to chilling on this whole 'Virus' thing?

Mike

I don't know about land border crossings.  But we have a cruise out of Baltimore scheduled for September that is supposed to go north to New England and Canada, and I've been hearing that it's likely to be rerouted (if not cancelled) because Canada ports won't re-open to cruise ships until at least February 2022. 

(If they open at all; apparently some of these towns have decided they are doing quite well without the cruise ship tourists and they don't want the ships returning.  But that's another story.)

[andrepoiy]

We still have really strict restrictions here in Ontario (with around like 500 daily new cases last week). Last time the Premier decided to reopen, we were at 1000 daily new cases, and after that, it led to a third wave. I'm assuming the Premier didn't want that to happen again so that's why we're still here.

The Toronto Guns N' Roses concert for July was cancelled, and all US dates are still going on (((((. Going to see if borders reopen before August, maybe I can get a ticket to the Detroit show, but I don't think that's going to happen.