Rocky Mountaineer Vacations' Guest Lounge Blog

New for BC Ferries in 2008

The new Super C Class vessel build for BC Ferries is on it's way to British Columbia.  BC Ferries has built a tracker to follow it's 45 day journey.  You can expect to see the first of 3 of these vessels on routes between Vancouver and Vancouver Island by Spring 2008. They are the largest double ended ferries in the world, necessary to maneuver in the tight waters of BC's coastline.

A video highlighting the "handover" of the ship is available as well.  For those of us who depend on the ferry system in BC - it is truly an extension of our highways - it is a welcome addition to the world's largest ferry fleet.  And a great bonus for tourists travelling to and from Vancouver Island on the 90 minute trip.

Steven Low Imax Film

For you steam fans/ railfans, you may be interested in an update on the latest Steven Low film on the Rocky Mountain Express film shot in Imax format. This link has some fantastic footage from the production and still shots through western Canada.

From the site....

Rocky Mountain Express (working title) is a giant screen film now in production by The Stephen Low Company. Directed by Stephen Low and produced by Pietro L. Serapiglia and Alexander Low, the production is being filmed in the Rocky Mountains and other locations across North America in the 15/70 film format for exhibition in IMAX theaters and in other giant screen theaters worldwide. Extensive aerial photography has been completed for the project. Principal photography continues through 2007-08 with release of the film scheduled for spring 2009.

Rocky Mountaineer Travelogue and Pictures

I was fortunate to travel on the Rocky Mountaineer between Whistler and Quesnel on October 11th and caught some amazing colours on the Fraser Discovery Route where fall foliage was in full display.  Check out the photo album on the sidebar and follow the route with me.

For a variety of pictures taken by Rocky Mountaineer guests have a look here. They have a much better eye than I do!

One Million Guests

This year, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations celebrates our one millionth guest in 2008.  One million is a big number and the celebration of this success can, in my opinion, drive the perception of mass market and facilitate the concept of impersonal delivery of service. "Millions and millions served" - a phrase made famous by McDonald's, came to mind! So, we struggled with how to position this important milestone.

Why is this important?  Because as a niche tourism experience in a competitive market, we have worked hard on ensuring our guest service delivery is a point of difference.  You do not see a lot of advertising about Rocky Mountaineer, simply because we spend marketing dollars to make the guest experience better, not the advertising better.

So how did we come to grips with the one million guests?  Well, we have a saying in the organization that "everyone is in guest service." By extension, "one million guests" should emphasize that an organization and it's employees are successful - and one should not be apologize for this milestone (maybe that is the Canadian way!). Using this thought, I am comfortable in saying the Rocky Mountaineer train has not served one million guests - we have served one guest, one million times.

Voila!