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On Tuesday, January 10, 2006 Mayor Robert Duffy made the very difficult decision to discontinue ferry service. All of the parties involved including former Mayor William A. Johnson Jr. and the Rochester Ferry Company had the best of intentions. But, the sad reality was that the ferry lost $10 million in 10 months and that was deemed too great a financial risk to the city of Rochester.

The Rochester Ferry was a victim of poor marketing. It is the personal opinion of Omar Aboya of TorontoHarbour.com (an associate site of RochesterTourism.com) that the City of Toronto and the local businesses in the area should have really come together and supported the project instead of allowing it to languish. We benefited greatly economically, but gave nothing. In order to succeed, the ferry needed to have a high profile in Toronto. Instead it was allowed to accumulate staggering debt and die a slow death.

However, I do commend the Toronto Port Authority for investing 12 million dollars from it's own budget to build a beautiful ferry terminal. The TPA single-handedly saved us Torontonians from total shame.

I have found the citizens of Rochester to be the most courteous and friendly anywhere and my personal friendships with those that I have befriended will only get stronger. To the citizens of Rochester I say.... Rochester Rocks!

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Duty Free Shopping!

The Toronto Rochester Ferry is officially called the Spirit of Ontario. Its nickname is The Cat.

It was built in Australia. The Toronto Port Authority is continuing to build a new terminal for the Ferry.

For many years, ferries have played a vital role to travelers all over the world. Now, you can enjoy the unique travel experience that the Toronto Rochester Ferry has to offer. Why take a bus, drive or even fly when you have the convenience of the Ferry at your fingertips?

The ship is much more than transportation between Toronto & Rochester. The Cat is a luxury vessel that can accommodate approximately 750 people, up to 220 vehicles and up to 10 buses or trucks. Travel time is approximately 2 hours & 15 minutes from port to port, traveling at 55 mph. It is just like a mini cruise ship with all the amenities that you can expect. What an exciting way to make the journey from Toronto to Rochester! Your trip aboard The Cat will provide you with a most memorable experience. The Toronto Rochester Ferry is meant to be a total travel experience!

The ship measures 86.563 meters (284 ft) in length and 23.8 meters (78 ft) wide. The Toronto Rochester Ferry is as high as a 5 story building, nearly as long as football field, and bigger than a jumbo jet.

It is easily accessible on both sides of the border. In Toronto, The Terminal is located at the end of Cherry Street off of Lakeshore Drive, approximately 1 mile from the Gardiner Expressway and a 1 1/4 mile taxi or shuttle ride to Yonge Street. The terminal provides a dramatic panoramic view of downtown and the Inner Harbor.

In Rochester, the Terminal is located on the Genesee River in Charlotte, approximately 1 mile from the Lake Ontario State Parkway and the connecting national interstate highway system. It is about a 15-20 minute drive to downtown Rochester, N.Y.

It's now easier than ever to cross the border between Toronto and Upstate New York with the latest state-of-the-art Toronto Rochester Ferry. It has been designed as an exciting new way to travel. The ship will provide a safe, reliable and stress free method of traveling, all year round. Customs on both sides of the border will allow walk on passengers, drivers and truckers to use the Ferry as a shortcut across the lake.

The Toronto Rochester Ferry has been designed as an exciting new way to travel. The ship will provide safe, reliable and stress free method of traveling, all year round. Once you come on board the ship, enjoy one of the beautifully appointed licensed lounges & the breathtaking views. Conduct your business via wireless Internet connections, phone services and the comfort of a luxurious business lounge. The Toronto Rochester Ferry will make sure that you maximize your travel time. Wind down in our two movie theatres or in an electronic game room. Yes, the Toronto Rochester Ferry even has Duty Free shopping! And, we've even thought of the children. The Fisher Price Kidz Cove will keep them busy & happy. For those of you who are traveling by car, there is easy drive-on and off vehicle access.

Importantly, the two and a quarter hour "port to port" trip will act as a "virtual" bridge, connecting the national highway systems of Canada and the United States, and acting a catalyst for two regions coming together, economic development, tourism activity and job growth on both sides of the border.

Travel on board and enjoy a truly unique experience! You'll love it!