The boat that will be used to ferry passengers between Bimini and Miami arrived in Miami yesterday from Spain, and must await inspection in July before it can begin its service.
The fast ferry, Pinar del Río, is owned by the Spanish company Baleària, and will operate on the Miami-Bimini route on a daily basis, with the exception of Wednesdays.
The boat reportedly sails at a speed of 32 knots and has the capacity to hold 450 passengers and 80 vehicles. It features a bar, cafeteria, duty-free shop, mini casino and accommodation.
The company says the scheduled service timetables will enable passengers traveling from Miami to spend an entire day in Bimini since the boat departs at 9:30 a.m. and returns at 8:30 p.m., with the duration of the journey being approximately two hours.
An article published in the Miami Herald in March indicated that promotional round trip fares are expected to start at $69-$79 plus taxes, per person.
