V2V Vacations Announces Closure After Three Years

Premium Cruise Experience Connecting Downtown Vancouver and Downtown Victoria to End its Daily Seasonal Service

VANCOUVER, Jan. 6, 2020 /CNW/ - V2V Vacations, the premium cruise experience connecting downtown Vancouver and downtown Victoria regretfully announces it is stopping its operations after three years. The service which sails daily between March and October will not return in 2020, the organisation ceasing its business with immediate effect.

V2V completed its 2019 season at the end of October, a year in which it achieved double digit growth, extended its offering to include a variety of Victoria day tours and experiences, and received a GlobalTrends Marketing Award.

Julian Wright, General Manager of V2V Vacations, says, "V2V Vacations has made the difficult decision to cease service after three years' operation, with immediate effect.

"As a management team, our commitment and focus has been on improving the overall health of our operations, with considerable efforts made over the past number of years to develop the service successfully. Our improved product and enhanced marketing efforts resulted in phenomenal double-digit growth in passenger numbers in 2019 and outstanding guest feedback. Sincere thanks to our extended team in contributing to such significant achievements.

"However, regretfully the financial prospects remain unsatisfactory to sustain the business, and our continued operation in 2020 is simply not economically viable.

"We are disappointed but also acutely aware of the pressures and challenges that we faced in running such an ambitious venture. Our 242-seat catamaran, the V2V Empress, will be docked in its home port of Victoria.

"We thank our team for their skills, service and commitment. We also thank our partners, suppliers, tourism organisations, harbour authorities and associates for their support and collaboration over these past three years. Lastly, we thank our customers for their patronage, it has been a pleasure hosting you onboard."

The only boat service to connect the centre of Vancouver and Victoria's historic Inner Harbour, the 242-seat V2V Empress's travel time of less than three hours and thirty minutes, offered a more time-efficient and comfortable alternative to the car ferry that operates from outside both cities. Focused on guest comfort and convenience, the V2V Empress on-board experience included Wi-Fi, ergonomic leather seating with USB ports and power outlets at every seat, luggage storage, commentary on local nature and culture, and access to the 360-degree sundeck. An impressive on-board menu featured fresh local foods, BC wines and local craft beers.

Primarily marketed as a tourist experience in its first two seasons, in 2019, V2V Vacations launched its Salish Pass entitling BC Residents to ticket savings. It also hosted three night sailings in Vancouver harbour for the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks competition.

About V2V Vacations
V2V Vacations was a premium cruise service connecting downtown Vancouver and downtown Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. The V2V Empress experience placed travellers in a premium and highly personalized journey focused on guest comfort and convenience, while providing them with the opportunity to spend the voyage learning about the rich culture in the region. Passengers were also invited to the upper outside deck to enjoy a spectacular 360-degree view. The V2V Empress catamaran is wheelchair-accessible and equipped with ergonomic leather seating with the convenience of USB ports and power outlets included for every seat.

Owners Riverside Marine Group are one of Australia's leading marine companies operating a number of diverse divisions since 1926. The concept for V2V Vacations was envisioned by Riverside Marine's CEO Hume Campbell and his wife Rowan Campbell. Being lovers of the sea, they longed for an easily accessible way to get directly to Victoria from Vancouver without sacrificing the ocean experience.

SOURCE V2V Vacations