Additional ferry sailings for Tobago Carnival

The TT Inter-island Transportation Company Ltd (TTIT) has announced 12 additional sailings for the Tobago carnival period.

The carnival will take place from October 28 – 30.

A September 30 release said the usual 8 am sailings from Port of Spain had been shifted to 7 am on October 27, 28, 31 and November 1 to accommodate these additional sailings.

On October 26 there will be an additional sailing on board the Buccoo Reef, leaving Port of Spain and Scarborough at 8 am and 4 pm respectively.

On October 27 there will be an 11.30 am sailing of the APT James, leaving Port of Spain, and one which leaves Scarborough at 11.30 on board the Buccoo Reef.

On that Friday there will be a sailing on the APT James leaving Scarborough at 11.30 am and one leaving Port of Spain on board the Buccoo Reef at 11.30 am.

For those wishing to travel on October 31 there will be four additional sailings that day: one leaving Port of Spain on board the APT James at 11.30 am, another leaving Scarborough at 11.30 am on board the Buccoo Reef and two sailings on board the Galleons Passage, with one leaving Port of Spain at 10 am and the other leaving Scarborough at 5 pm.

The last of the additional sailings will be on November 1 with one leaving Scarborough at 11.30 am on board the APT James and the other leaving Port of Spain on board the Buccoo Reef at 11.30 am as well.

Earlier this year, when Tobago’s carnival was announced, some bandleaders and other stakeholders questioned whether there would be additional flights and sailings to the island for the event.

In July media reports said domestic flights were sold out.

A September 27 report quoted THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine saying that discussions were held with Caribbean Airlines CEO Garvin Medera with a view to increasing the number of flights to Tobago for the island’s carnival.

That report also said people were cancelling hotel bookings because they were unable to get flights.

Augustine said efficient inter-island transportation was challenging even before the pandemic.

“We are trying to work out with them ways of increasing the flight load, because those in the accommodation sector are saying people are cancelling their bookings because they just can’t come.

“We are having carnival in October and people are saying we want flights. Everybody is excited to come – but all of the available flights and sailings have been booked out, and we are looking at how we can work on some increases.”

The release added the original 8 am sailings from Port of Spain had been rescheduled to accommodate the additional sailings and all other sailings remained as scheduled.

It also said the sailing schedules are subject to change without prior notice and people should check for updates on TTIT’s social media platforms or www.ttitferry.com/bulletins.