Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.comThe Cape May-Lewes ferry tried using luxury boats without success.
See:http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20070916_A_farewell_to_Cape_M...
part of the problem is that the Cape-May Lewes Ferry is a "choice
rider" ferry. From Cape May to Lewes you can probably drive in almost
the same amount of time as it takes to take the ferry...when you
account unloading, loading, crossing time, and being there early (at
least half an hour or you lose your reservation). From any origin/
destination in NJ north of Cape May, it is almost definitely faster to
drive. So the people it attracts are the ones who want a relaxing
trip, but when push comes to shove they could always drive if they
needed to.
Contrast this with the Cross Sound Ferry from Orient Point, NY to New
London, CT. They are a privately run operation (no bridge to
subsidize them) and cost about 2 times as much as the CMLF, yet they
are obviously fairly successful since they run a pretty large fleet
with a pretty robust schedule throughout the year. In the summer,
there are hourly departures. They make a lot of money transporting
passangers, and one of their boats is passangers only (the fast sea
jet) and they make a ton of money transporting Long Islanders to the
casinos in CT, who would otherwise have to drive through NYC and a
long trek up I-95. And that, my friends, is why they make money.
They are strategically located, and have a decent sized captive
audience (anyone east of about Nichols Road in Suffolk County would
probably be able to get to Boston faster by ferry than by car), and
the alternative driving routes are further out of the way and much
more of a PITA (through NYC, Connecticut Turnpike). Even if the trip
takes longer by ferry than by car, some people take the ferry just to
avoid NYC...which is why we took it often from Massapequa to New
England when I was growing up. Also, the approach roads to it are
much better than the CMLF. OP/NL involves I-95 from RI or I-395 from
CT, neither of which are congested, and on Long Island the North Fork
traffic isn't bad if you know how to avoid Riverhead...even in the
summer. The Garden State Parkway and DE 1 are miserable during the
summer... I avoided mentioning the Bridgeport/Port Jeff ferry since it
is more expensive, slower, than OP/NL.
Basically, the CMLF isnt in a strategic enough location to attract
enough customers.