Saaremaa carries its 1st paying passengers from Nova Scotia to P.E.I.

Halifax resident Beverely Beaman had nothing but rave reviews for the MV Saaremaa 1 on Saturday.

One of the first passengers off as the Quebec ferry started bringing vehicles across the Northumberland Strait, Beaman gave it a five-star rating for comfort. 

She arrived at Caribou, N.S., expecting to be travelling on MV Confederation, but jumped at the chance to try the new boat instead. 

"The trip was fabulous," said Beaman. "I'm a little bit emotional because it was such a smooth ride. There was no bumps. And the boat is so quiet. And the plush seats and everything!"

She said the canteen was a bit small and had only hot dogs and sausages to choose from for hot dishes, but added that there was "a great eating area, with lots of tables."

Beaman wonders if the boat will be a bit rocky in windier weather because it seems taller than the other ferries she has been on, but overall she gave the Saaremaa a rating of five out of five.

She said the new boat's level of comfort reminded her of the old MV Abegweit, adding: "I was so thrilled to be on her the first time."

Late Friday, Northumberland Ferries Ltd. announced the Saaremaa would get a soft launch this weekend before it is added to the company's official schedule on Monday. For at least the rest of this tourism season, it will replace MV Holiday Island, which was damaged in a fire on July 22. 

"Starting Monday, we've published three round trips, starting at 10 a.m. in Nova Scotia," said Donald Cormier, the vice-president of Northumberland Ferries Ltd. 

"It will obviously supplement the Confederation's four round trips, resulting in seven round trips daily, which is good capacity for this time of year." 

Cormier said there are positives and negatives when it comes to adding a much newer vessel to the Northumberland Strait service. The 100-metre Saaremaa is only 12 years old, having been built in Norway for an Estonian shipping company in 2010. 

"There will be a loss of the nostalgia of the Holiday Island that served the Island well for over 50 years, so Saaremaa will be a different experience," he said. "But, like anything, there will be some positives, and some that people will miss — you know, the retro look of the Holiday Island, the kind of deli restaurant that we had on board."

Cormier said it feels good to have two vessels back in service during the peak tourism season. 

"It supports local economies, creates employment for the area and is an essential means of transportation to and from Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia."