Travelling without a reservation
We strongly recommend making a reservation at all times, especially since you can change your reservation online at no charge up to three hours prior to your scheduled departure, as many times as you like. Find out what qualifies as a modification by consulting our change and cancellation policy.
If you have not succeeded in getting a reservation for the date you want, you can always try to access the ferry by getting in the vehicle standby line. Even if the ferry is fully booked, a certain number of spaces may be created naturally on the day of departure. On average, a few non-reserved vehicles manage to gain access to the ferry on each trip.
Here’s the procedure for the standby vehicles:
Departing from Cap-aux-Meules
Low season from September 16 to June 14:
- You must arrive at the dock at 5 a.m. the day of departure to register.
- The order of priority will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Standby vehicles can be checked in up to 60 minutes before departure, until the ship leaves port. Please note that it is not uncommon for the ship to depart earlier than the scheduled departure time.
- Note that if your vehicle is not already registered for the vehicle waiting line, you are not allowed to leave your vehicle on the wharf and/or sleep on the wharf.
High season from June 15 to September 15:
- It is possible to arrive at the dock at 4 p.m. the day before departure to pre-register.
- The order of priority will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis. When your turn comes, a clerk at the gate will check you in and your vehicle will be allowed to park in the designated lane.
- The vehicle must remain parked overnight. You can spend the night on the wharf in your vehicle, or return to your vehicle by 5 a.m. the next morning.
- If you are not in your vehicle at the time of boarding, you will automatically lose your boarding priority.
- When there is an overnight trip, if you arrive at 4 p.m., you will be admitted for the current (overnight) trip. If you only wish to line up for the next morning's trip, you will only be able to access pre-check-in at 6:30 p.m., after the ship left port.
- Please note that when there are no more people in line for pre-checkin, the booths will close. It is therefore essential to respect the prescribed times.
- It is also possible to checkin a standby vehicle from 5 a.m. on the morning of departure.
- Standby vehicles can be checked in up to 60 minutes before departure, until the ship leaves port. Please note that it is not uncommon for the ship to depart earlier than the scheduled departure time.
- Note that if your vehicle is not already registered for the vehicle waiting line, you are not allowed to leave your vehicle on the wharf and/or sleep on the wharf.
Departing from Souris
You need to arrive at the dock and place your vehicle in the vehicle waiting line.
The dock is always open and people may leave their vehicle on the dock and/or sleep on the dock. However, if you arrive before the start of check-in time for your crossing, you will have to leave the dock and go to the gate to check in.
If you do not manage to access the ferry, you have the option of leaving your vehicle in the waiting line to keep your priority on the next available crossing.
If you do not leave your vehicle in the line, the first come, first served rule will apply if you want to wait again for the next crossing.
