BC Ferries’ new Seascapes Dining Lounge menu is making waves — but not in a good way, with some passengers saying the prices are enough to rock the boat.
Admission to the lounge is $6 per person, which includes unlimited tea, coffee and soft drinks. However, the newly-released prices for food and other beverages could quickly rack up the bill.
A bowl of cranberry and coconut oatmeal begins at $9.99 while a continental breakfast plate or banana caramel crepe will set you back $13.99. The lunch and dinner menu ranges in price from $9.49 for a bowl of soup, to $19.99 for a beef barbacoa and rice bowl.
“I think that’s silly. We’re paying to get on the ferry anyways,” passenger Lauren said.
She was echoed by her friend and fellow student Georgia.
“I would not be caught dead paying $14 for a breakfast as a student personally,” Georgia said. “We know Vancouver is expensive. We know B.C. is expensive, but that’s just totally, totally unreasonable.”
Alcoholic drinks may feel comparable to any restaurant on land, with beer, cider and cocktails ranging from $7.99 to $8.99, and wine goes for $14.99, but they must be accompanied by a meal.
By comparison, a full dinner in the former Pacific Buffet onboard was $27, including unlimited dessert.
“I feel a bit sad that the buffet ended up closing, actually, because it was a very nice experience to be able to do that,” passenger Janine Mayers said. “I understand that there is the need for cost, but I do think that it’s not as good of an experience.”
BC Ferries says it ditched the buffet because it wasn’t attracting many passengers and lost more than $1 million a year.