MV Vacationland

The MV Vacationland is a Canadian RORO ferry that operated across the Northumberland Strait between the ports of Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick and Port Borden, Prince Edward Island.

Built in 1971 by the Government of Canada for Canadian National Railways (CNR) at Port Weller Dry Docks near St. Catharines, Ontario, Vacationland was designed for the sheltered waters of the Northumberland Strait; and as such her vehicle decks are open on both sides and she lacks a hurricane bow. She measures 99.06 metres (325 feet) in length, 20.9 metres (67 feet) in beam, and displaces 2775 tons. She has a capacity for 485 passengers and 155 vehicles or 16 tractor trailers. She is a sister ship to the MV Holiday Island. She is powered by two Ruston V-16 16CSVM Ruston diesel train engines that produce 3625 horsepower each giving a total of 7250 horsepower. Her propellers are of the Voith-Schnieder Cycloidal design which are located in the bow and stern of the ship. They are variable pitch that turn opposite one another that propels the ship and steers it as well. The table diameter that the blades are housed in is 14.5 feet. Her sister ship the MV Holiday Island has the same propulsion machinery and main engines.

The MV Vacationland had her sea trials at Port Weller Drydocks in mid April 1971 and her sister ship MV Holiday Island had her sea trials during the first week of April 1971. Their keels were laid at the Port Weller Drydock in November 1969. The MV Vacationland entered service on the Cape Tormentine-Borden run after the MV Holiday Island which had arrived the week before her in May 1971.

CNR changed the name of its ferry services to CN Marine in 1977 and then to Marine Atlantic in 1986. The opening of the Confederation Bridge on June 1, 1997 saw Marine Atlantic close its ferry service and all of its vessels on this route except Holiday Island were disposed and sold off by the Crown Assets division of the Department of Public Works and Government Services.

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