Digby - Digby, Nova Scotia

Anastasiya Evtushenko

I like the ferry a lot , it is nice big ship , where you peacefully spending couple hours , definitely worth the money and don't need to drive all the way

TC Orion

Nice ferries for the most part - spent much of my life in BC - often newer ferries, but this beauty, though older, was mostly taken care of & quite unique. The movie chairs & screens, neat mirrors & blinds, drapes. Nicely divided spaces - made the boat feel much bigger & homier than it really was...nice to preserve something a bit older than to chuck it & buy new (I think).

BUT, too many staff. Alot of people standing around. Seemed ridiculous. And I've travelled on many, many ferries - much bigger & much smaller ones. But I've never seen so many crew members standing around. Tax dollars. All making good wages, but jeez - felt like a giant waste of funds.

And rude, generally. The car deck crew. One guy came blasting through the doors as folks were gathering their things and yelled to 'get off the car deck now - you can't stay on the car deck.' Some young guy with red hair. Snarly. Like we were prisoners being herded. It was brutal.

And once you're on the passenger deck, they rope off the stairs so you can't get back to your car. For a sweatshirt, medication, whatever! I've never been roped off like that. I simply moved the rope & went down to my car to get what I needed, anyway - but I doubt most folks would do that. Follow the rules. And how ridiculous they were.

Drop a few labour hours & fix the urinals & the top deck cash register, and don't allow the staff to stand around chatting with one another like it's a social gathering. Who runs this ferry?

And don't get me wrong, I'm happy we have the ferry service, but like most gov't subsidized endeavours, it seemed poorly run, inefficient with high labour costs and the passengers & public ultimately paying the price. Felt kinda like a slap in the face. But nice vessel!

Robyn Davis

This ferry ride was a nightmare for pet owners. While they advertise as "pet-friendly," the reality is far from it. The ambiguous pet policy misleads you into thinking pets are welcome on board, but in reality, they are either confined to your vehicle or placed in a horrifying kennel situation.

The kennels were unsafe and uncomfortable, especially in 32-degree heat. There is no air conditioning until the boat leaves the bay, making the room stifling hot. These crates are wire cages placed side by side, allowing dogs to see each other, which can exacerbate stress and trigger reactive behaviors. Dogs in these conditions can become highly anxious or even aggressive due to the lack of visual separation and the overall stressful environment.

To make matters worse, there was no water provided in the kennels. I refused to leave my dog in such a dire situation. The staff did accommodate us the best they could, given that the boat had already left the dock. However, the initial setup is utterly unacceptable. Upon leaving the deck and going back to our vehicle, the room where the crates were still felt extremely hot, even though they exclaimed that there was AC in the area.

Avoid this ferry if you care about your pet's well-being. This experience was deeply distressing, and I strongly urge the company to reconsider their pet policies and facilities immediately.

Sandy T

This ferry from Saint John to Digby was an unforgettable experience.
We loved the entire trip, got so lucky we even saw seals before departure!!
We ordered a capuccino and an espresso and the capuccino was delicious!!
All health/covid protocols are followed. Departure and arrival was smooth and on time. Very spacious and clean!

Emily Davis

A Misleading "Pet-Friendly" Experience: Digby Ferry to Saint John NB

If you’re considering traveling with the Digby Ferry from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick and are relying on their advertised “pet-friendly” amenities, let me save you a heap of frustration and potential heartache: look elsewhere. Their claims of being accommodating to pets and their owners are not only misleading but border on neglectful, especially when it comes to the treatment of emotional support dogs.

The ferry’s website paints a picture of a seamless and caring environment for your pets, promising two clear options for travel. It states that service animals on-leash are allowed on the interior passenger deck with paperwork, and that a crew will be on hand to monitor pets in the vehicle deck, alerting owners if there are any issues. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Upon our arrival, the area designated for pets was a stifling 32 degrees Celsius, despite their assurance that it was air-conditioned. A dog, already confined to a kennel, had to endure this oppressive heat for an unknown period of time. Even more concerning is the fact that passengers are prohibited from checking on their pets during the crossing. The temperature was not just uncomfortable but downright inhumane, making their claim of being “air-conditioned” both laughable and potentially dangerous.

In our case, my sister’s emotional support dog was going to be subjected to these abysmal conditions, left isolated and vulnerable for the duration of the trip. Despite the ferry’s route to New Brunswick, where documentation for emotional support animals isn't mandated.

Upon requesting to have my sister’s emotional support dog accompany us on the top open deck—away from the main passenger area—we were met with a flimsy excuse about potential allergies from other passengers. When we asked how they accommodate legitimate guide dogs in such cases, the crew failed to provide a coherent response and merely added that some passengers might be afraid of dogs. This is simply unbelievable. How do they manage situations where someone has a peanut allergy or is afraid of loud noises? The lack of consistency and understanding in their policy regarding support animals was both disappointing and frustrating.

The one glimmer of hope was a lone staff member who seemed genuinely concerned about my sister’s distress at being separated from her emotional support animal for over two hours. However, this single act of kindness was drowned out by the overwhelming apathy and negligence exhibited by the rest of the crew.

To say I was disappointed with the Digby Ferry’s pet-friendly claims would be an understatement. Their false advertising, lack of basic procedures for pet safety, and the indifferent attitude of most of the crew left us frustrated and deeply concerned about the welfare of our pets. If you’re traveling with an emotional support animal or any pet, I urge you to reconsider using this service.

For a ferry service that supposedly prides itself on being accommodating, the Digby Ferry fails spectacularly in practice. Their neglect of the essential care and attention that traveling pets require makes their “pet-friendly” label a complete farce. Avoid this ferry if you value the comfort and safety of your furry companions.

Troy

The staff at the Digby terminal need additional training.
Terrible, terrible, terrible customer service!
My son was to walk on the 1100am ferry, they told him to be there by 1045am, he was there at 1045am. They told him he couldn’t board (even though the cars were still loading). I asked them why, and the response was that 1044 was the cut off time for walk on. The part that upset me was that they said they phoned him and his “tone” was that of a person that did not care…WHAT?! I didn’t see a Psychology diploma by their desk. Very unprofessional comment and very offended. As people that work in a government funded public transportation service you should be ashamed. You should know that some people have different “tones” because of various reasons, some of them being mental health issues, medications, medical reasons or just because that is their “tone”.
Just because he didn’t answer you with excited jubilation doesn’t mean he didn’t hear what you said.
The only reason this isn’t the lowest rating is because the manager stepped in and allowed him to board. Very professional conversation with him and very pleasant to deal with.
All I can say to the staff is get training (it’s available) and be better.
And yes, I’m aware that he was to check in earlier, life happens. Until the gate is closed and the cars are on, walk on people should be allowed to board.

J Cline

Great food and very respectable prices for food on board the vessel. Staff is very friendly and helpful. I walked two kayaks on to deliver to customers in Digby. One of the shore staff insisted that he help my customers get the kayak on their car so I could return to the ferry for departure. Lounges are equipped to watch movies on the port side and news and sports on the starboard side. A small day care are is available on the prominade deck starboard side, midships. Trip length is roughly 2 hrs 15min. The trip is worth the cost. Who knows, you may even catch a glimpse of a whale or shark during the crossing.

troy smillie

This was the only ferry we have traveled aboard that did not allow pets on any decks. All pets have to be crated or left in vehicles. Rescue animals will suffer aboard this vessel. Staff did try to accommodate us the best they could but the policies should be adjusted.