Reviews & Ratings for the Coastal-Inspiration

On the morning of May 19, 2026, the ferry 'Coastal Inspiration', which operates between Duke Point and Tsawwassen, experienced a steering malfunction that disrupted its schedule. The issue arose early in the day but was swiftly addressed, allowing the ferry's 7:45 a.m. departure from Tsawwassen to set sail over two hours late. This delay had a cascading effect on subsequent sailings, with the 10:15 a.m. departure from Tsawwassen, the 12:45 p.m. sailing from Duke Point, and the 3:15 p.m. sailing from Tsawwassen all facing delays. B.C. Ferries closely monitored the situation throughout the day, providing updates as operations gradually returned to normal. Passengers with reservations were reminded to arrive within their designated check-in windows to keep their bookings intact, ensuring that reserved vehicles could be prioritized ahead of standby traffic and later sailings.

On April 21, 2016, the ferry 'Coastal Inspiration' was temporarily docked at the Duke Point terminal in Nanaimo while crew members responded to a potential fire in the galley area. Smoke was reported, prompting an immediate investigation. It was determined that the issue was due to an overheating bearing in the galley ventilator shaft, which was quickly isolated to prevent any further complications. Following thorough checks and safety assessments, Transport Canada authorized the vessel to resume its journey approximately two hours late, around 5 p.m. Fortunately, the event had no effect on the safety of the passengers on board.

The ferry 'Coastal Inspiration' is scheduled to resume operations with its 1 p.m. sailing on February 10, 2023, departing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay. This follows a week-long repair period necessitated by a mechanical malfunction affecting its drive motor number one. Key components were replaced to ensure the vessel's optimal performance. During the downtime of the 'Coastal Inspiration,' the 'Salish Heron' took over the ferry route, maintaining service continuity for passengers. Notably, the mechanical issue was isolated, with no impacts reported on the other two vessels in the Coastal-class fleet.

B.C. Ferries has announced the cancellation of sailings for the 'Coastal Inspiration' vessel for the third consecutive day due to ongoing mechanical concerns with its main engine. On February 6, all departures from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen have been scrapped, including the following times: 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m. Despite these cancellations, other sailings on the route were anticipated to run as planned, starting with the 7 a.m. departure from Swartz Bay and the 9 a.m. one from Tsawwassen. To mitigate the disruption, B.C. Ferries had previously added an additional vessel to the route on February 5. Customers affected by the cancellations are being contacted by the B.C. Ferries customer service center, which is working to rebook them on alternate sailings. The ferry service has assured that in cases of cancellation, fees and fares will be reimbursed. Passengers can also opt for alternate transportation on the Tsawwassen (Vancouver) to Duke Point (Nanaimo) route.

On February 3, 2025, the 7 a.m. voyage of the 'Coastal Inspiration' from Tsawwassen and the 9 a.m. departure from Swartz Bay were canceled due to a mechanical malfunction. Passengers were informed that while these two sailings were affected, other routes were expected to proceed as normal, including the 7 a.m. sailing from Swartz Bay and the 9 a.m. journey from Tsawwassen. The cancellation stemmed from a malfunction in the vessel's drive motor, prompting an engineering team to conduct an investigation on board. Customers are advised to check for updates on future sailings.