Despite its struggles, new Nanaimo-Vancouver ferry's inaugural run gets rave reviews

It was not a ferry impressive first couple of days for a new company offering rides across the Salish Sea.

Hullo Ferries, which offers foot passenger service between downtown Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver, was scheduled to make its maiden voyage Monday but failed to launch, citing high winds and power issues at its berth on Vancouver Island. Strong winds also cancelled all scheduled sailings on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the company finally had a successful first sailing to the mainland and returned without incident to Nanaimo.

And despite the earlier challenges, passengers on that inaugural trip had nothing but good things to say about the new service.

"It was a really smooth ride. The engine was really quiet. We were just cruising, flying down the Strait of Georgia," saidKeats Morton, who travelled to the island to visit his dad on Hullo's first trip out of Vancouver.

"I'll definitely be back," he said.

WATCH | Hullo Ferries passengers review first trip:

Despite delays, customers delighted with new Vancouver-Nanaimo ferry service

1 year ago

Duration 0:26

Passengers had rave reviews for the Hullo passenger ferry when it finally launched on Wednesday, after weather and technical issues cancelled its maiden sailings.

Elaina Wotten, who regularly commutes from Nanaimo to North Vancouver for work,said she was "stoked" to have a cheaper option than flying and a shorter commute time by sea.

"This is way better," said Wotten. "Ican get to work in, gosh, 90 minutes, door to door."

Those reviews matched the attitude ofHullo Ferries CEO Alastair Caddick, whogreeted passengers in Vancouver as they disembarked from the inaugural sailing.

"It was fast and comfortable and modern and got them right into downtown.I was on the dock as it came in, and there were a lot of smiling faces," he said.

Several private operators have previously attempted butultimately failedto keep a passenger-only ferry service on this particular route afloat.

Caddick has done a lot of media interviews thisfirst week as hiccups delayed Hullo's launch.

An expert in marketing and behavioural science says Hullo's transparency and candid approachcould keep customers from jumping ship.

"The way in which they are communicating is just as important as, if not more important, than what they are saying and the way they in which are saying it seems to be pretty authentic and one that I believe, based on my research, resonates with consumers," saidMurali Chandrashekaran, a professor at UBC's Sauder School of Business.

Caddick has said publicly, and the company has issued statements, acknowledging Hullois in it for the long haul and plans to offer its service for many years.

"We are invested in Nanaimo to provide this service. We are going to be here for a long time, and we know that it will take time for us to earn the trust of the communities on the island and in Vancouver, and we are committed to the long term to earn that trust," said Caddick Wednesday on CBC's All Points West.

Chandrashekaransaid it's all about trust when it comes to business, and the company has not shied away from fielding tough questions. But, he said, if next week resembles this week, it could start to hurt Hullo.

"That's going to hurt trust because what consumer's trust is shaped by is consistency, reliability and a general sense that I am trying hard to do the right thing here," saidChandrashekaran, speaking to CBC's The Early Edition Thursday.

The Hullo fleet consists of two catamaran vessels, each with a capacity of354 passengers.

It takes approximately 70 minutes to make the crossing, significantly faster than riding with B.C. Ferries, which continues to have its own hiccups despite dominating the market for decades. It is also significantly cheaper than flying, with one-way general tickets priced at $39.99.