After a hiatus due to the global pandemic, passengers will once again travel swiftly by sea between the U.S. and Canada starting May 19, 2022. Bay Ferries is excited to restore high speed catamaran service between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and Bar Harbor, Maine, enabling travellers to conveniently explore two beautiful sides of the border. The CAT high-speed ferry, which completes the crossing in approximately 3.5 hours, starts May 19 operating four days per week, increasing to seven days a week on June 23. Service will move to six days per week on September 7 and the season ends October 10. Read more

There’s good news for cruise fans and lovers of the Caribbean. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has lowered its risk assessment rating for cruise ships, as well as for such popular Caribbean destinations as Jamaica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and The Bahamas. The CDC’s website says it bumped cruise travel from level three (high levels of COVID) to level two (moderate levels) on Monday, March 14. The centers’ level three warning says travel should be avoided to those destination unless a visitor is fully up-to-date with their vaccines. Level two is much more mild, simply stating that Read more

If the Canadian travel industry is counting on public pressure to get Ottawa to ease travel restrictions, they’re in a bit of trouble. A new poll from Angus Reid finds the Canadian public is still high on testing and vaccination requirements for travel outside of the country. The poll found that slightly more than three in five Canadians are in favour of testing at the border.  Asked if they support mandatory COVID testing to travel internationally or cross the border with the U.S., 61% said they’re in favour. Even in Alberta, 49% of respondents are on board with border testing. Read more

Spiralling oil prices could be bad news for Canadian travellers, and it may only be a matter of time before higher costs are passed on to consumers. Given the current cost of fuel, “we will be looking at a surcharge of some sort when current contracts and futures are over , in all modes of transportation , air , cruise and ground,” said Martin Firestone, head of Toronto-based Travel Secure.   Firestone said companies that ship cars home for Canadians have jacked up rates by $150 per car.   “We can only speculate when this will trickle down to fuel Read more

WestJet today announced its 2022 summer schedule, marking a significant milestone in recovery through the restoration of its network to near pre-pandemic levels. Making significant investments in its transatlantic network, the airline will offer a multitude of connections to Europe this summer, with more non-stop service options across the country from Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax. WestJet also announced new, daily service between Toronto and Chicago beginning May 19, 2022. “We know Canadians are ready to make their highly anticipated return to travel this summer, so whether it’s reconnecting with friends and family, or taking that long overdue trip, we Read more

Canada’s busiest airport is getting a bit lift from Trudeau government. The ruling Liberals today announced $142 million in funding to help Toronto Pearson International Airport recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and to support continued air services and important transportation infrastructure projects at the airport. “As Canada works towards recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, investments in our airport infrastructure continue to be crucial to maintain safety, security, and connectivity for travellers, workers and communities,” the government said in a press release.  Investments such as this “also help ensure Canada’s aviation industry is well-positioned to recover from the Read more