ferry travel advisor?

[Judy Harris]

As a part of our trip to Alaska this spring, we have scheduled a trip on a BC ferry from Port Hardy, BC to Prince Rupert, BC. Reading our local paper 10 days ago I noted with astonishment and alarm that the southbound ferry on this route hit a rock in 45 mile an hour winds after midnight and sank! All passengers and crew were rescued. However, the vehicles on board are 1400 feet below the surface on the ocean floor. I checked with Progressive and our insurance on the BF would not cover this loss. The policy language is inconclusive, which means they win. I am checking with the ferry carrier to see what coverage they have. It is something to think about, which we hadn't, not to mention the fact that we travel with 2 dogs. Are they rescuable? I will let you all know what I find out. But, it is something to think about when traveling by ferry. I know that we will have a ferry emergency bag with important papers, etc. from now on. And, depending on what we find out about takind dogs, we may skip ferries all together.

[CHARLOTTE]

Just to add a comment....I've noticed that there seems to be an awful lot of ferry accidents lately...Never having been on one, I don't know much about them...but after reading your post, I don't think I'd feel very comfortable putting my RV on one either...It's one thing to lose the investment, it's another thing to lose all the treasures we carry when we travel...plus..pets are like children to many...they can't be replaced...I think you're wise to check all the details...good luck!

[bill crommett]

Check out the Alaska Marine Highway safety record. Several years ago when we were in Ketchikan one of the cruise ships saved money on pilots and ran aground and had to send all the passengers home by air.

[Barbara & Ken]

Judy, we had the same reaction about that ferry accident and sinking. The first thing that I thought about was that our Born Free would have been below on the vehicle deck with the cat inside. We also have Progressive, so the answers you received are very disturbing. Whenever we go, maybe we'll leave the MH at the RV park and just take a day cruise.

[robert newby]

Hi -- I have been on many ferries up and down the west coast - accidents can happen anywhere -- it is siad that most accidents happen within a few miles from home -- I have also led many caravans on these ferries and would not hesitate doing so again -- you will enjoy your trip out of Prince Rupert --- I suggest that you consider a " state room " as you won't want to sit-up to sleep that many nites --- they let you down to the car deck several times a day -- besides walking your pets you can check on your coach and exchange clothes etc. --- have a great trip --- Bob Newby

[Judy Harris]

Thanks for the encouraging words, Bob. It appears from reading the carrier conditions that BC ferries would only cover loss of or damage to a vehicle if they had been negligent. Interestingly enough, they have no liability for damage until the vehicle is parked on the deck by the owner, even if BC ferries had been negligent during the loading or unloading process. They also have no liability for theft. This is probably pretty standard stuff. We are still debating but we know that the chances of this happening again on this route are incredibly slim.

Judy Harris

[robert newby]

Hi -- I was thinking you were going out of prince Rupert going north -- Port Hardy is down a side road a few miles off the north/south road on the island -- just north of the side road is an RV park that we stay in when we are in that area -- the port of Port Hardy is small but RV friendly -- we have used it several times --- be sure to go into the town before you board the ferry --- Bob Newby :D

[Trisha]

Wow. I hadn't thought of this. I have taken my born free across the Arransas pass ferry twice last month without batting an eye. But it's a 10 minute crossing, it's free and you never leave your vehicle.

I guess in life there are risks. If you refuse to take them, you will miss out on some opportunities.

Also, most businesses are not in the business of accepting risk, they are in the business of avoiding responsibiliity. Hence the new LLC.

So if you want to take responsibility, you can feel free to do anything you want. If you don't, and you're looking for someone else to, I wish you the best but you won't like what you find.

It's probably the least risky to sit at home on the couch (so long as you exercise once in a while). However, there's no fun there. No risk, no reward. No guts no glory.

We have to decide for ourselves, I guess, which risks are worth which rewards (or thrills, or lifetime achievements).

I wouldn't go somewhere that they only allowed me a few minutes a day access to my rig (which has all the comforts of home and I can stay 24 hours a day in without feeling too cramped). Doesn't sound like my kind of adventure. But then, I guess it's each to his own. But the risk, no matter who you ride with, is ultimately yours, for getting off the couch in the first place.

If I have to die, or have huge losses in life, I hope that I have them while having the TIME of my life! I hope that they highs are so high that any potential lows are worth it.

And isn't that what RVing is really all about?

Trish

[bill crommett]

Talk to your insurance agent. There must be someone someplace that will give you coverage that the ferry won't, or your regular policy doesn't cover.

[lassen]

Judy.... you think that its a risk in putting your Born Free on the Ferry at Port Hardy to Prince Rupert. Then you get off the Ferry and barrel down the highways towards on coming traffic of RV's and eighteen wheelers going 60 plus miles an hour.

Now your insurance company is protecting you from a financial loss, but its not protecting your life and yet we still barrel down the highways without thinking twice.

I've had these thoughts also of traveling the highways with our pets and if an accident should happen what happens to the pets. The insurance company isn't protecting them from an accident. Its the everyday risks we all take. We don't just set on the couch for fear of something going wrong.

Jack

[Dave&JanPotter]

As a part of our trip to Alaska this spring, we have scheduled a trip on a BC ferry from Port Hardy, BC to Prince Rupert, BC. Reading our local paper 10 days ago I noted with astonishment and alarm that the southbound ferry on this route hit a rock in 45 mile an hour winds after midnight and sank! All passengers and crew were rescued. However, the vehicles on board are 1400 feet below the surface on the ocean floor. I checked with Progressive and our insurance on the BF would not cover this loss. The policy language is inconclusive, which means they win. I am checking with the ferry carrier to see what coverage they have. It is something to think about, which we hadn't, not to mention the fact that we travel with 2 dogs. Are they rescuable? I will let you all know what I find out. But, it is something to think about when traveling by ferry. I know that we will have a ferry emergency bag with important papers, etc. from now on. And, depending on what we find out about takind dogs, we may skip ferries all together.

As a retired CAPT in the US Coast Guard and former Group Commander involved in directing many open ocean Search and Rescue missions and as a pet lover/owner I'd like to answer your query about pets being rescuable. It depends upon the conditions at the time, but rescuing of your pets is probably not going to happen as a rule. In the conditions that occured in the case cited, the crew was able to awaken the passengers and get them into life boats/rafts which were later rescued by boats from the local community. There was time for them to move about and they didn't go directly into the water. The newspaper articles I read didn't mention the fate of pets but I'd say it would be unlikelyl that the crew would have let people go to the car deck to get any pets that weren't with them at the time. If people had their pets with them and were rescued by other boats in relatively calm sea conditions, the pets might be saved. In situations where the rescue must be carried out using helicopters or where the victims are in the water, pets would again likely not be rescued. Aside from the fact that the pets wouldn't have a suitable life jacket, they most likely would be highly agitated by the commotion. In most rescues of this type, the conditions would be such that the helicopter would be lowering a rescue crewman onto the ship or into the water to help the victims into the rescue basket. This is a risky procedure often performed under trying conditions and I seriously doubt if the aircraft commander would risk someones life to rescue a pet that is likely highly agitated under the circumstances. If a victim had a small dog or cat with them and was refusing to let go, them the pet would probably be taken aboard for expediency reasons but if the pet was large as mine is, that wouldn't be the case. There is also the question of survivor weights which effects aircraft fuel burn rates and the ability of the aircraft to remain on scene and rescue others. This is a very real problem that must be managed in most rescues of this type. In short, I would not count on having my pets rescued if the ferry I was on were to sink. It is not right to ask others to risk their life to save my pets. I know and accept that when I travel with my pet.

[Trisha]

Makes sense.

I know that if I 'm going to rescue my pet, I am the only one who will, but in a water situation, I'm going to let him go and hope he flies away. Chances are he'd never make it. He's a bird. he's never had to forage for food, and wouldn't recognize eatible food in the wild. He wouldn't make it in the water, but if I had a way to protect him in water (such as a baggie and then zipped up inside my coat or something, he wouldn't be any added weight. But chances are, his fate would not look good. I pray nothing like that ever happens.

Can't leave him home, though, or he'll starve himself. He won't eat without me. Maybe he'll find someone else he'll attach to some day that he'll eat for, then I can leave him. Not now tho.....

I'll have to look at my policy for info on the ferry insurance.

Trish

[Judy Harris]

Dave, thank you for that very informative and logical discussion. I totally agree and think I knew that answer already. For a variety of reasons, we are going to skip the BC ferry trip, partly because we think that it may not be that enjoyable in the middle of May to be on a ferry for 15 or so hours. But, we are not going to sit on the couch, we are still taking 2 much shorter ferry trips in the BF, one to Orcas Island and one to Vancouver Island. I am still looking for any insurance that would cover this but with no luck. I think it is just one of those chances that you take and if it were to happen, we would let our lender try to get somewhere with our carrier or the ferry company. Paying off the mortgage would be a big bite out of the retirement budget!

[robert]

Judy, you are just mistaken if you think your lender has any responsibility or even will go to bat for you. They will care less. The loan has absolutely nothing to do with the insurance, except the lender probably required you to obtain insurance as a condition of the loan. This just makes it easier for the lender to collect if the coach is destroyed, but in any event, you are responsibile for paying the payments to the end of the loan (unless you go bankrupt).

Normally you will sign a release of the ferry company in order to bring your vehicle on board. You may not actually sign a release, but by just purchasing the ticket, you agree to all of the conditions the ferry company has set forth. If you do not want to give them the release, you do not board the ferry.

If ferry company is grossly negligent, then you may have a case in court, however this can be a very expensive legal battle which, you, not your lender will have to undertake.

I just did a Goodle search and although there is "ferry" insurance available in Europe, New Zealand, and other such places, there is no reference to any company inthe USA that supplies such a policy.

You are wise to investigate and make an informed decision
based on all of the facts. There are millions of people who make decisions everyday without knowing all the facts. Every once in a while, one of them gets caught is a situation where they are not covered.

I used to live in Southern California and every so often I would drive into Mexico for the day. I did not realize until later that I had absolutely no insurance while there.

About five years ago, I took a rental car from England to Ireland (on the Ferry!). I did not find out until I returned to England several weeks later, that I had no insurance in Ireland, and now I realize that I might not have had any coverage while on the ferry itself.

So as smart as I think I am, I have made some dumb decisions based on the lack of knowledge and only dumb luck has kept me out of trouble.

Wish you well which every way you travel.