BC Ferries will start their one-year pilot program of serving beer and wine aboard some vessels tomorrow.
After an initial delay due to their pending liquor license, the ferry company is adding alcoholic options to the Pacific Buffet menu, available on three vessels servicing the Vancouver – Victoria (Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay) route: The Spirit of Vancouver Island, the Spirit of British Columbia and the Coastal Celebration.
See also: BC Ferries delays alcohol sale on vessels pending liquor license approval
These drinks must be purchased with a meal, are limited to one drink per customer, and will start being served at 11 a.m. onwards.
“Many of our customers have said they would like to have a glass of wine or beer with
their meal while sailing with us,” said Melanie Lucia, Executive Director of Catering and
Terminal Operations, in a statement earlier this year.
“We look for ways to enhance the customer experience and are pleased to now offer these beverages in the Pacific Buffet.”
After a period of one year, the company will review customer and employee feedback and evaluate the pilot to determine its level of success.
The decision to roll out beer and wine on the Vancouver-Victoria route was initialliy made in April 2019, and the company expected to be able to start the project in June. However this was delayed as BC Ferries had not received their liquor license approval by June.
The former crown corporation already sells beer and wine on its Northern routes and now aims to test the “viability and scalability” of offering alcohol on all routes by implementing the pilot program for one major route.
