Marine Atlantic Travel Tips for the Holiday Season

There’s no place like home for the holidays. But the hustle and bustle of holiday travel may have you feeling like a Grinch. Every year, our terminals experience the rush of the holiday season with students hurrying home at the end of their semester, people travelling for the holidays, and commercial vehicles carrying all the ingredients you’ll need for your favourite holiday meals. With all those moving pieces, traveling during the season can feel overwhelming to many of us. 

To keep your holiday travel with Marine Atlantic feeling merry and bright, follow these travel tips. 

Wrap your Essentials 
Make your list and check it twice to make sure you have all your essentials ready for your crossing. We suggest that all passengers pack a bag of essentials that they can easily take from their vehicles to have with them for the duration of their journey. We suggest keeping it in a convenient spot so you can grab your item and go. 

Suggested items to pack include: 

Identification 

Medications 

Toiletries

Your phone, laptop, or tablet and respective chargers

A change of clothes if you’re travelling overnight

Avoid the Naughty List
The guidelines we share with you before and during your travels are designed to provide you with the smoothest travel day possible – and might help you get on Santa’s nice list. Make sure you check-in at-least two hours before your scheduled sailing and listen carefully to the instructions given before you board, while you’re onboard, and while you’re disembarking.

Some of Your Holiday Surprises May Result in a Bah Humbug
Bringing fireworks with you on your crossing for the big New Year’s party? Unfortunately, they won’t be able to make the crossing with you. We don’t want to be a Scrooge, but items that are classified as dangerous goods, like fireworks, require special transportation provisions. 

Click here to learn more about travelling with dangerous goods.

Prepare Backup Holiday Plans
While the Grinch may not steal Christmas, weather systems can disrupt your plans for the holidays. Delays and cancellations often occur during the winter months and may put a damper on your plans. While travelling during the holiday season, make sure you have a backup plan to be prepared for any potential delay or cancellations.

On behalf of all of us at Marine Atlantic, we wish you a safe, happy and healthy holiday season wherever your travels may take you.