Ferries in the world

@maximax8 (31055)
United Kingdom
January 12, 2013 11:04am CST
It is crazy that the most of Caribbean Islands don't have ferries operating between them. It must be pricey to fly between each island and there isn't an air pass anymore. There should be a ferry from Jamaica to Central America but I don't think there is. There used to be a upmarket ferry that did a day trip service from Florida to the Bahamas. Sadly it stopped sailing in 2011. I know ferries link St Vincent and Grenada. I think a ferry links Trinidad and Venezuela in South America. Would you like to see ferries in the Caribbean Sea? Have you been on a ferry to some islands?
3 people like this
10 responses
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
12 Jan 13
When we went to Guernsey in the Channel Islands back in 1986 we caught a ferry to the other islands Alderney and Sark as well as Herm, I think in well populated and certainly touristy areas there should be more ferries and regular too, after all they want to support the tourist trade, and how else are you going to have the opportunity to visit other islands?
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Jan 13
I have visited Jersey twice in the past and on both occasions I travelled via ferry. I also stayed off at Guernsey for a day on the way home, and caught the ferry back to Portsmouth the next day. There was also a hydrofoil that went to St Malo, where I spent a day and returned to Jersey. As you have said, the tourist areas tend to have demand for such services, which makes it seem odd that a popular tourist destination would not operate any.
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 13
Hi Wolfie. Thanks for mentioning the Chanel Islands. Back in 2005 with a friend we drove down to Poole and then took the ferry to Guernsey before getting the water taxi over to Sark Island. It had taken a long time to get my dog off the ferry. We missed the ferry to Sark Island. Luckily the water taxi charged the same as the ferry. I agree that ferry services in that region are very important.
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 13
Channel Islands, sorry.
• India
13 Jan 13
Hi maximax. If I ever went to the Caribbean islands then I would prefer travelling by ferries instead of catching a flight from one island to another. I am from India and it is covered with sea on two sides and ocean on another. There are plenty of islands in and around India as well. And I have been to few of them through ferries. It is a wonderful experience indeed. Anyways have a nice day... ~=SuperShames=~
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 13
Hi Super Shames. I would also prefer to travel around the Caribbean by local ferry if I went there. I flew to St Lucia from my home country. Yes, India has sea on both sides of it. It is a pity there is no longer a ferry from India to Sri Lanka since they look so close. Have a lovely day.
1 person likes this
• India
15 Jan 13
Hello maxiamx. Woah. Now that was something even I didn't know. Well there was no question of a ferry but may be they could have a ship. We have ships to islands in bay of bengal and the arabian sea. I wonder why they do not have one for Sri Lanka as well.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
13 Jan 13
It does seem rather strange to have an absence of ferries in a region that would appear to be ideally suited for such a service. Illogical though it may sound, I can only assume that the demand for the service is not sufficient to justify it. If there used to be a ferry between Florida and The Bahamas, then the demand must have ceased because if the service was profitable then it would be still operating today.
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 13
It seemed so very strange to me. I know the Caribbean Sea does have a hurricane season and so ferries might be damaged at such a time if one hits. I know that the recession has closed some businesses in America. Sometimes demand can cease too. Many thanks.
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
13 Jan 13
Hi maximax8, I would like to see ferries in Caribbean Sea so that tourists and the local passengers don't have to pay pricey to fly between islands available there I haven't been to any of the Caribbean Islands and I hope I would have chance to have a great trip there in the coming future Here we have ferries run by different companies to serve visitors to the famous islands where tourists love to spend vacation. There is 7/24 ferry service to entertain residents and visitor from the mainland to the well known Island, Penang located at the north west. Other than many natural beauties and attractive seascapes delicious local food is available as well. Have a nice day
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
14 Jan 13
Wow, you had been to Penang and Tiomon 14 years back Seems that you had traveled to many countries in Asia as well. Ferries from the peninsular to Penang is the bigger ferry available here. The upper cabin for passengers whereas the ground is for vehicles. Whenever travelling on ferry I like to be standing at the fore watching the moving surfy seawater breaking the way moving forward in the oncoming wind
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 13
Hi Ikbooi. I am glad that you would like to see ferries in the Caribbean between its islands for the local people and the tourists. It would stop people having to pay for pricey flights. I traveled in South East Asia in 1994. I caught a ferry from Medan in Indonesia to Penang in Malaysia. I also caught a ferry from Mersing to Tiomon Island.
1 person likes this
• Canada
13 Jan 13
I would love to see more ferry services around the islands. The only ferry I know of on an island is the us virgin islands has a ferry service between the two close islands.
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 13
Hi there. Yes, the Virgin Islands have a ferry service. It is the American part of it. Haiti is connected to the Dominican Republic by land.
@prashu228 (37524)
• India
12 Jan 13
Hi I like to travel in ferries. Though i am afraid of water i feel ferries are some what safe for no reason My grandparents live in a place which is surrounded by water (sea on one side and Godavari on one side) Previously they use to run ferries in between and it was fun when ever i used to visit their place. But recently they constructed a bridge on the Godavari river so many are not using the water route. instead they are using the road made on the bridge. i guess what the first respondent said is right . The sea route is not possible all the time so they prefer the air route. But every thing has their pros and cons we cannot deny.
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 13
Hi there. Thanks for your wonderful response. It is interesting to hear about where your grandparents live. I recently read a story by a person that owns a yacht. He was in Grenada and he managed to sail to Tobago even though it was quite difficult to do due to the winds. He and his partner found a warm welcome and a lovely place.
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
12 Jan 13
It might be thta they discovered that planes were cheaper than ferries. It is expensive to go from island to island in a plane as the most expensive part is the air`port tax and use of it. But I don`t know much about ferries. Caribbean is not a nice ocean the whole year around so maybe that`s why they cannot have boats the whole year. And keeping them waiting until the tornado season is over is very expensive.
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
13 Jan 13
I can understand more why they don't have ferry services in most of the Caribbean my dear friend. Thanks for explaining.
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
14 Jan 13
Well, maybe we can all get together & put our money together to fund another under-sea tunnel for them? I think we can arrange to go halves with their government on such a deal! I've been on ferries most of my life. Most of them were for getting across the river. What types of ferries do you like best? The diesel-electrics are my favourite!
@sanjay91422 (2725)
• India
14 Jan 13
I have traveled on a boat to cross the Beas river in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is a hill place so there are no islands around here. Their are islands near to the peninsular India, or southern India. I think many people enjoy the sea journey, and other might enjoy the air journey but as it takes more time, may they have stopped it. I saw the images on the internet and it looks nice. One can ship their cars, and luggage also. It is still used at many places. I Venice they are known as the local buses, and ferries are also used in the Mediterranean sea.
• Philippines
13 Jan 13
Well since I am living in a tropical country, most travel destinations here in my city is made through sea-fare so, most likely I had travel from one island to another through ferries. It’s more likely cheaper also than air travel.