Advance Bookings on Nova Scotia-Maine Ferry Service Up 29% As 2026 Season Starts Today
The 2026 sailing season for the Nova Scotia-Maine ferry service is beginning today, Thursday, May 14, with an increase in passenger interest.
As of Tuesday, May 12, 17,771 passengers have made reservations for The CAT’s 2026 season, compared with 13,727 at the same time in 2025. This represents an increase of more than 29 per cent.
“The CAT arrived back in Yarmouth on May 2 following its winter maintenance period, with the entire team focused on training, safety and readiness ahead of the start of the 2026 season,” said Mark Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Bay Ferries Limited (BFL), the locally owned operator of The CAT. “Everything is in place for a successful service, and BFL looks forward to welcoming customers on board, delivering a memorable travel experience and continuing to support the tourism and hospitality sectors across the Maritimes.”
The CAT ferry is scheduled to depart Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, at 9:30 am Atlantic, and Bar Harbor, Maine, at 3:00 pm Eastern. The 2026 schedule is as follows:
| THU, MAY 14 - WED, JUN 17 | 5 Days Per Week | SUN/MON/THU/FRI/SAT |
| THU, JUN 18 - MON, SEP 21 | 7 Days per Week | No Service - Scheduled Maintenance JUL 7, 21 / AUG 4, 18 / SEP 1, 15 |
| TUE, SEP 22 - MON OCT 12 | 5 Days Per Week | SUN/MON/THU/FRI/SAT |
| TUE, OCT 13 & WED, OCT 14 | Final Sailings | |
Darlene Grant Fiander, President of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS), noted that The CAT provides a critical access point bringing visitors into Nova Scotia from the United States. “We are very pleased that The CAT service kicks off today what is looking like a strong operating season for 2026. Nova Scotia needs every possible option available to bring visitors to our province and we need predictability and stability of the transportation network,” said Grant Fiander. “With Nova Scotia’s new Tourism Strategy identifying the importance of marine access into the province, The CAT provides a critical piece of transportation infrastructure. With global uncertainty at an all-time high, having a direct marine link into the lucrative US market is key for our economic goals for the industry, building on the $3.7 billion tourism results from 2025.”
The increase in bookings on The CAT this year reflects a renewed strong interest in travel from the United States to Canada.
BFL will release a monthly traffic report during the first week of each month during the operating season.
For further information and reservations, please visit our website at www.ferries.ca.