[Architype]

The NS - Nfld ferry route is about to get an improvement; this should be a boost for all Nfld, including St. John's, by making travel to the mainland a little easier.

Feds put $101M toward new Marine Atlantic ferry
Last Updated: Saturday, April 26, 2008
CBC News

The Crown corporation that the runs the ferry service linking southern Newfoundland with Nova Scotia is getting a new ferry that will offer substantially more capacity than any of its current vessels.

The new ship will be able to carry 531 cars, about 50 per cent more than the capacity of each of the ferries MV Caribou and MV Joseph and Clara Smallwood. It will also offer amenities including a spa, a children's play area and a trucker's lounge.

"There's a lot more cabins — 196, [compared with] 50 on the current fleet. The public areas appear to be much nicer. They're well appointed," said Robert Crosbie, who chairs Marine Atlantic.

Brian Button, the mayor of Port aux Basques, is pleased to see the new ship coming on stream.

"It's a lot more like a cruise ship," Button said.

Rest of story HERE