Beautiful ferry terminal here at Tsawwassen. We arrived here unreserved and had to wait out 2 ferries before we got on one. But the little play area and the cafe mall kept her 5 year old pretty engaged through the 2 hours of wait time. Lots of food options at the terminal, so no worries about refreshments. and lots of open grass areas for pets to laze and go. Staff make very timely announcements and ensure transparency with delays as quickly as they can. One sincere advice - please make reservations during peak hours, it is so much better. Once abroad, the ride is amazing. Ferries are well maintained and clean. read more

Call me crazy but the spicy ultimate crunch on the ferry is one of my favourite chicken burgers, and I eat a lot of chicken burgers. Maybe it's the destination that makes it good, maybe it's that you're usually travelling with family, who knows? The ferry it's self although sometimes annoying to drive on, has been improved lots by the reservation system! Walk on has never been a problem ever. Ferries are nice inside for the amount of traffic they see and perfectly fine for a hour and a half boat ride. Some complain lots about the ferries for some reason? Book in advance and show up 30 minutes before the sailing and it'll be a much more pleasant experience! read more

BC Ferries - Spicy Ultimate Crunch - Ferries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

BC Ferries has a great outdoor area for dogs as well as an indoor space. Figg loved her boat ride!!! They have cages but if you want to leave your dog i suppose you should bring a padlock. read more

BC Ferries - Me n Figg on the outside deck!! - Ferries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

This review deals with walking on the ferry and taking transit. I travel Victoria to Vancouver for family reasons. In the last 2 weeks I have made the return trips twice. There is some type of construction going on in the berths so maybe this is the reason for the problems. On 3 of the trips, the ferry has been late in leaving--anywhere from 20-45 minutes late. The problem is if you are taking the bus on arrival to your destination, you will miss it. And since the bus schedule coincides with the ferries' arrival and departure, you have to wait. I've had to wait 45-60 minutes to get the bus. I even tried taking the 9am ferry and it started to board at 8:40. We did not leave dock until 9:20. BC Ferries' website has current conditions but it just listed the trip as on time. It's never been this bad before. I'd previously thought the ferry left pretty much on time. But that was when I took my car on the ferry or had relatives pick me up on the Vancouver side. I wish they would make a better assessment and show it on current conditions so I could at least plan better. read more

Easy way to get from Victoria to Vancouver. You have to buy tickets more than 10 min before the ferry leaves, so get there way earlier than the ferry departure time. We had to wait for the next ferry read more

Cheap transportation. Took the BC Ferries to Victoria. Nothing too wow. The trip was pretty quick. It took around 2.5 hours and costed less than $20 one way. The ferry has multiple floors. They have a cafeteria on one of the floors. Food was blah but it is inexpensive. This is the only place for me to get the White Spot pirate pak. The actual White Spot would say I am too big or too old to get it. Here they don't age discriminate. But again, the food is not as tasty as the actual White Spot restaurant. There is a tiny kids play area on the Ferry. It is super basic. One thing not cool about the ferry is that they don't have a lot of areas or outlet plugs for their customers to charge their phone. They do have carrels desks (less than 5) with outlets plugs. But that is where that ends in terms of outlet plugs. Super sad in today's world. No outlet plugs means no entertainment. I guess BC Ferries expects all their guests to be entertained by staring out at the water. BC Ferries provides cheap transportation to the Islands. read more

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Nice ships. We were walk on passengers and the price is reasonable (although I just read someone else's review that said tickets purchased online are cheaper... that's annoying I didn't check that out). Caution, they don't always keep to their schedule. We were on a 14:00 to Vancouver which didn't leave until 14:30. If you need to be someplace at a specific time, take an earlier ferry. They do sail close to shore, so the views are fantastic, as are the mountain ranges all around Victoria and Vancouver. read more

Traveled to Victoria Island via the Tsawwassen Terminal and landed at the Schwartz Bay terminal via BC Ferries. On our return trip to Vancouver, the BC Ferries Coach had some mechanical issues that prevented us from making our 11am ferry departure time. Normally this would be a difficult situation for any company, however the crew here sprang into action. Offering full-refunds, booking taxis and providing detailed information to provide alternative travel accommodations. Two staff members immediately departed to secure another coach. Stuff Happens. Lasta, an employee at BC Ferries, handled a multitude of requests and maintained her composure with a smile. Highly recommended due to the responsiveness and character of their employees. read more

Very clean ferries, although of course the food is very overpriced..... But directions and signs to terminals and berths are very clear. Although most of the staff were very amazing and helpful, some of them were quite rude. read more

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It was a great experience to use the ferry. We checked in our luggage and got a chance to walk the whole boat. We also paid for the lounge area for pricey and short nap. read more

Tag team, back again! I meant with a 2-year holding period...the poutine: 8/10. The Monty Mush burger combo: fries 8/10. Burger 10/10, it was scrumptious! The kids had the Pirate Strip/Cheeseburger combos must've been good, no complaints. Good WIFI while near port. Clean overall the ferry and staff friendly / professional...a decent time! read more

BC Ferries - Ferries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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We rode the BC Ferry from Vancouver to Victoria on a 4pm ferry. It wasn't too packed when we got there. We were able to check out the Tswwassen Quay Market while we waited. They announced our ferry had arrived and they loaded the cars quickly and left on schedule. On board there is: * A gift shop * Cafeteria (with yummy looking burgers and sweet potato fries) * Kids play area * WIFI (YAY!) * Awesome views * TV sets and comfortable chairs * Business cubicles to plug in your laptop and have some privacy * Snack and soda vending machines * Pet area The ride was very comfortable and we were in Victoria in no time (Our ride was about 1 hr and 45 minutes). The views were just so relaxing and definitely made us feel like we were on a vacation. Car plus driver and passenger costed us about $70 one way and $60 on the return. Why the difference? We have no idea. read more

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Love, exciting and new Come aboard! We're expecting you Love, life's sweetest reward Let it flow, it floats back to you... What an operation. The model of efficiency. It works like clockwork. It's about an hour's drive from Vancouver to Tsawwassen where the ferry departs. Make an online reservation in advance, and you get to wait in a special lane where drive onto the boat first. You deserve it, right? It also gives you peace of mind because the occupancy capacity probably gets heady during the summer. Once you're on, you lock up the car and climb up to hang out on deck or in the seating area just a level below. The Love Boat soon will be making another run The Love Boat promises something for everyone Set a course for adventure Your mind on a new romance The crossing through the Georgia Strait is gorgeous (see photos). It lasts close to ninety minutes, and there is even a nature specialist who gives lectures on the local flora and fauna. I'd avoid the movie-multiplex-level food since it's pricey and stale. This was my first time on the ferry as a motorist, and it does add up - C$46.75 for a standard vehicle plus C$14 per passenger. Yikes! I would have told Jamie W. to hide in the trunk. And love won't hurt anymore It's an open smile on a friendly shore It's love...Welcome aboard It's love! The Swartz Bay side on Vancouver Island is even more commercial with a fast-food cafeteria in full operation while you wait. Food still looks awful, so make sure to fill up on those Nanaimo bars in Victoria before you head back to the mainland. Run fast when you get on the boat because everyone grabs a chair on the way back. It's exhausting to buzz through the Butchart Gardens, tea at the Empress, and make it back to the ferry queue for the 5PM sailing. But this is a must-do for any tourist, so just accept the consequences. read more

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All Staff need training on customers with handicaps that you can't see. Ptsd is not a joke. Don't tell a customer you "understand" & then make them do what they can't when there are other options. A panic attack is frightening & life threatening as the person can't breathe properly. Wise up. Stop the cruelty. read more

Can't argue with this service - went from Victoria to Vancouver [Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen]. It's a bit expensive if you've got a car, but with a reservation, you get first on/first off privilege so that's nice. Didn't feel any rocking but there was an odd vibration on the ferry the whole ride. Tons of tourist brochures near the rear of the ferry to help entertain you on the ride and find things to do at your destination. I've added a photo from our view of docking at Tsawwassen from the front of the boat. Whee! read more

BC Ferries - Landing at Tsawwassen - Ferries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

I LOVE THE BC FERRIES! anytime our family went into victoria this was our way of getting to the island. the fact of driving your car onto a large boat was crazy to me as a kid. all of these people and all of the cars make one heavy boat. it was always a pretty long trip back and forth but the scenery was always breathtaking. i always had to go up to the top deck and feel the brisk wind and hope to see the whales in the waters below. well i was lucky enough to see a family of whales once and it was remarkable. they seemed to be chasing along side us as they thought it was some sort of game. make sure you head down into the restarant or caferteria for some suprisingly good food. and the duty free shops are a must. lucky for me i never get seasick so this will always be my way of getting around to the many different islands next time i'm up there. it's sure beats flying. read more

BC Ferries - Ferries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

4 hours sitting in my car on a rainy September Sunday waiting to escape Departure Bay. It took three boats to get me home. Only by the grace of God did I get on the very last ferry of the night. There must be a better way... The is the very same service I remember as a kid in the 90s. When will it get better. read more

Ferries were on time, staff members keep everything running smoothly and keep everybody in check. Once on board, there's plenty of things to do- such as rush to the cafeteria so you can buy fries with triple O sauce, there's gift shop for you to browse. Seats are comfortable so you see a lot of people taking a nap. Restrooms are clean and well-supplied. i would be happy to take BC ferries again next time. read more

Nicest view ever for only $14 one way from Victoria to Vancouver [Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen]. It was a little crowed because it was Friday before Thanksgiving Day, but everyone was in a good mood since they had Monday and most likely Tuesday off as well. Besides the fantastic two hour view.. they have many cafes, an arcade, gift shop, and numerous outlets to charge your electronic devices. I really enjoyed taking the BC ferry and wouldn't mind taking it again. It's a bit pricey if you're taking your car across since you're paying for each passenger plus the car. If you can, just walk onboard and leave your car elsewhere, it's less of a hassle anyway. + good fares + great onboard amenities - the lines get extremely long at the cafes read more

BC Ferries - view on the way to Vancouver [Tsawwassen] - Ferries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

BC Ferries provides good basic service on a fairly consistent basis. Sure, there are some hiccups from time to time...but overall I'm quite happy with their service. read more

BC Ferries - Ferries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

For you to even think about serving booze on the ferry is "very stupid". The wrong way to make money. We have drunks that can drink in B.C. until 4am. We have drug addicts dying on the street, now "pot smokers". Enough people die every year who "drink and drive". Do not need drunks driving off the ferry!!!! How can you keep track of how much booze a person can take? One beer...I would be drunk!! Stop Now!!!!!!!!!!.... rethink this "crazy idea"!!!! Eileen Nattrass read more

I'm not a big fan of bc ferries I have to practice driving and . I will give you 100 points

Very fun and smooth boat ride to Victoria. Beautiful ocean and island views. Green pine trees are breath taking. Wonderful ocean breeze. Chill atmosphere. Multiple indoor and outdoor decks. Front of the boat is windy, but worth it for the views. Smooth sailing throughout. read more

BC Ferries - Ferries Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We just got back from a 3-day trip to Victoria, BC on Vancouver Island. We traveled from Tsawassen to Schwartz Bay and back. We have taken this trip many times in the past but our last trip was about 10 years ago. WOW! The prices have at least doubled or tripled! We paid $106.2 CAD per sailing, for a total of $212.40 CAD, or $169.92 USD. We only have a Honda Accord and there were two of us adults, so this was the MINIMUM price for a car, driver and passenger. To give you an idea of how expensive this is, the ferry rides represented 30% of the total cost of our 3-day trip. AND we stayed in a posh B&B, ate nice meals at restaurants, and went to a Beethoven concert! Incredible! The problem seems to be the privatization of the ferry service. (Where have we seen this before? Think Margaret Thatcher and the ruination of Britain's rail system!) Back in 2003, the government handed off running the ferries to the British Columbia Ferry Services, Inc. This was during the Premiership of Gordon Campbell, who distilled conservative tax cuts, program change, and regulatory reform into something palatable for BC voters. Sort of a template for Stephen Harper, as it were. This is the kind of nonsense that Canada has embraced trying to catch up (or is it down?) with the UK and USA. Now the high prices are raising quite a stink on Vancouver Island. Here is an article from the CBC. As it says in the article, "The province says ferry users and coastal communities have raised significant concerns relating to the affordability of the service, BC Ferries policies, and service levels." http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/coastal-ferry-review-a-complete-waste-of-time-and-money-says-vancouver-island-regional-director-1.4450191 We certainly won't be going back to Vancouver Island for a long, long time. read more

Make sure to pay online before you go to avoid paying TWICE AS MUCH at the terminal. What a rip-off.

If you want to see how to run a business badly use their services..They charge you an arm a leg but when you ask a question they are baffled by the simplest question. If you have all day to wait then you will have no problem with them.. read more

Dear BC Ferries, Your new ferries (or renovated ferries? Who can keep track?!) are pretty spiffy. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that you've decided to resurrect the rows of seats that face each other so I can put my feet up. I know i'm not supposed to, the sly glances of passing crew members remind me of this, but BC Ferries, i'm a rebel... and also, my feet hurt. The new safety messages? I've legitimately wanted to know how the life rafts work, so the geek in me appreciates that you've included a detailed blurb about the "slide". I say this without a hint of sarcasm: who doesn't love a safety slide? And Sitka, your new on-board coffee bar? Well that's just fantastic. I can now get coffee on two separate levels, which means I don't have to wander far from my seat to consume caffeine. My feet hurt remember? Gold stars. But Dear BC Ferries: The lids on your coffee cups do not fit. Two times this week, i've stepped onto your boat full of youthful optimism and immediate sought out coffee to fuel this new adventure. Two times now, i've pushed that little automated americano, lovingly added cream and sugar and retreated to a comfy chair. And two times, I took a sip, the edges of the lid filled and a small stream of hot coffee hit my very lovely, business casuals. I thought perhaps, in my haste to caffeinate, that I had incorrectly fit the cup. I even went back to get a second lid, in the hopes that I could still enjoy a covered drink. I checked with a staff member. We tested it out. We've both concluded the edges are too "slippy". So Dear BC Ferries: I paid $70 to spend 1.5 hours on your boat. At least provide decent wifi and coffee. Sincerely, Everyone. read more

****Written as a comparison of different routes between Seattle and Victoria PROS: -Great amenities for families at terminals and on board. Children's play areas. White spot cafeterias serving Starbucks coffees. Work stations. Decent gift shop -Frequent sailings. Hourly in busy seasons, every two hours during off season -Sturdy ship mansges most weather. -reservations can be useful and are free if you book far enough in advance.... But its also possible to get a spot without a reservation CONS: - these ships are showing their age and not always clean. -as an option for travel between Seattle and Victoria, this route is reliable but not always predictable. Traffic delays, ferry cancelations etc are not unheard of and can significantly increase travel time. read more

I had never been on a ferry before so I had/have nothing to compare it to.The concierge at our hotel made reservations for us from Tsawwassen to Victoria and even advised us as to what time to leave the hotel in the morning and what time to make sure were in line to board the ferry upon our departure from Victoria. Since we had rented a car we paid about $80.00 each way which seemed a bit steep in price, but when in Rome (err) Canada, you pay for the adventure. The ride was seamless and there was plenty of people watching to be had. There were restaurants aboard from a buffet style place to a take and eat cafeteria style place. Gift shop, coffee shop, even a "spa" available for a quick mani/pedi. For an extra $10 per person, there is a separate lounge with less noise, less people and comfortable seats along with snacks and beverages. There was a small arcade and I passed some time playing Ms. PacMan which was great fun. The service was wonderful as well and the driving on and off the boat was super fun (and my husband let me do it)! The ferry terminal in Tsawwassen had a great food court and even a Starbucks while the terminal in Victoria was much smaller with less food options/clean bathrooms. read more

It's a ship, people. A ship. You get to ride on a ship on the ocean. This blows my mind in itself, but then add a gift shop, a classy restaurant, a kid's play area, a White Spot, TVs (wut! I don't even have one of those at home! No, for real. I don't), clean bathrooms (may I remind you that we are on a BOAT) and some workstations for us laptop-tech-types, and holy hell -- we have ourselves a winning experience. Offering some of the best views in the entire world for a fraction of the price of a cruise, BC Ferries is a luxurious experience disguised as a public service. Yes, we could talk about the price -- both financial and environmental -- but you should be so lucky as to go for a ride. BC Ferries: I kind of love it. read more

I'd rather swim to Vancouver! No local residents enjoy taking this trip, we actually loath it. For some reason "mainlanders" enjoy it though. Run to the cafeteria and save a seat, or you will wish you had. Have a fries and gravy, play a game of Pacman, and hit the massage chair, really live and enjoy the voyage. Be sure to locate life boats, and remember what floor you parked on in case you get to stoned like I have in the past. read more

These ferries are so expensive; two people + 1 vehicle is approaching $100. We had our puppy on the trip and dogs are only allowed on the vehicle deck. There's a pet room but it was stuffy and sad. While the bf and puppy sat in the car, I checked out the rest of the beautiful ferry. The view from the top was awesome and the inside was fancy and full of amenities. I just wish the price were a little bit more affordable and they would allow dogs to experience more than just the vehicle deck. read more

BC Ferries ROCK!! This is how a ferry line should be run. On time, clean, and helpful staff. We've ridden the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay run many times over the years. This is, in my opinion, the only way to travel to Victoria BC from the mainland. Take your car/truck/van and travel the island in comfort of your own vehicle, only down side is you'll need to convert Kilometers to Miles to figure out the speed limit! The ferries themselves are in great condition, comparing the Washington State line to this would be insulting! Decently price food options are available and they offer both restaurant and cafeteria style dinning. Can anyone say White Spot!!! OH YEAH!! Another really great item to note is the waiting/staging areas for your vehicle. While you wait for your ride, the Tsawwassen side has a very state of the art facility. A huge big screen, almost the size of a drive-in theater, keeps peeps entertained, updated on the boats and at the terminal itself, is wonderful. The market-style food and trinket vendors are well equipped to tickle your fancy! And there are plenty of restrooms! Online booking of sailing reservations is suggested during the busy summer months. Check this out for time schedules and reservation information: http://www.bcferries.com/ Oh, hey, during your trip, the views are not to be missed, enjoy the top-side ride and check out the Orcas and bald eagles, what a treat!! read more

Yup, I don't really care for this pseudo=govt-corp, a bunch of fat cats as to why we get charged these high fares: to pay their fat salaries. when the company's losing $$, fares shouldn't go up---logically! but other than my political rant, it's a nice view obviously, and plenty of over-paid workers guiding you where to park. And 1-star is actually merited for the limited food selection here. read more

Shout out to the excellent staff at Swartz Bay! We heard that the waits could be interminable so we got in line 1.5 hours before our ferry. We somehow forgot to unplug our GPS and ipod so right before our ferry started boarding, our lovely, trusty hybrid engine was no go. Bummer was we obviously didn't need the GPS and the ipod wasn't even being used. It kind of hurt to see our ferry leave the dock without us. Hubby ran back to the toll booth to let them know we'd need a jump, but secretly I thought it would be a no go due to the hybrid. Sure enough, minutes later BC Ferries arrived to assist. Right away I asked if they'd be able to jump the hybrid and they couldn't. I'm not blaming them in any way whatsoever. They had a handy card at the ready explaining that they can't be liable for hybrid jump starts. Sounds like in the past, major electrical damage has been done to hybrid cars due to an improper jump. BC Ferries gave us the number to a local CAAA (AAA to US users) and we got our jump in time for the next ferry. While we got our jump, another BC Ferry staff member came out to check on us. He reassured us that this has happened numerous times to Honda and Toyota hybrids. I chatted with him later outside the terminal during our wait for the second ferry. Sounds like other people have drained their battery just by watching dvds while plugged in. This somehow causing the hybrid battery great problems. Since we were totally weirded out by the experience, we hung out in lane 13 next to all the big rigs. We didn't want our car not to start a second time and didn't want to be in the way again if there was failure. The staff was completely understanding and reassuring during this glitch. Thanks BC Ferries! The amenities on board rock. I'm sad that I didn't partake of the buffet but glad that the view from the cafeteria's eating area was better than the buffet (forward vs aft). The sundeck was an amazing place to catch the views. We'll be back! First we will trade in the hybrid, ha! read more

Pretty good for public transportation! While they've gotten more and more expensive over the years, they've very rarely stranded us on Vancouver Island (nope, not Victoria Island). And they're almost always running on schedule - while growing up very close to where the ferries let you out (in Sidney), and working in the visitor information center a couple summers that caters to the ferry users, you can almost set your watch by the PCL busses that lead the "ferry traffic" down Pat Bay Hwy. You are always sure to commute to Victoria down 17 outside of the ferry traffic. That aside, the ferries -- they're clean and they have white spot burgers in the cafeteria. Must try (get the BC burger), and worth suspending a diet for - they are pretty awesome and just as good as White Spot proper. Although I'm not sure they have the Sunshine Breakfast anymore. What a shame. The view is nice, and on rare occasions you may see a whale, which may be noted over the PA system by the crew. It's a very "west coast" experience with the salt air and forested islands. Oh yeah, the last time I was on a BC ferry a few years ago I saw that comic steven wright. That was cool. And finally, if you've never been to Vancouver Island, you can't drive around it in a day. It's about 6 hours to Tofino, and a full day to drive end to end. And yes, the roads are paved and we have electricity :) (this may seem ridiculous, but I did work in the visitor info centre and answered these regularly) read more

You've got me trapped on an island and you privatized my only way off. What a surprise - the prices keep climbing "due to oil prices" even when the price of oil goes down. The service itself is alright and if the price was better (or at least if they stopped jacking it up or perhaps gave a discount to people on an island who have no other way to get to the rest of the world) I'd be much happier. read more

Specific to the Mill Bay - Brentwood Ferry (north of Victoria, BC): I find it hard to believe I am posting a 5 star rating for a 25 minute ferry ride (car and passenger). Hear me out....if this route works into your travels, hopefully you will be equal in praise. This ferry run is advertised as the most picturesque, perhaps, of the BC Ferry offerings. We found it, indeed, to be that, and more. Personable, attentive, fortunately on time, and a great way to break up a road trip from Nanaimo into Victoria. Cost: modest ($26.25) for one vehicle and 2 adults. Wished, if anything, the on-the-water time was more than just 1/2 hour. Pay as you board or purchase in-advance your fees at a local convenience store a short distance prior to arrival at the Mill Bay landing. Bravo BC Ferries. read more

Wonderful and high-end ferries with impressive amenities like wi-fi, stores, a cafeteria, and a coffee shop on board. Tons of varieties for seating to see the view or even hold a conference in one of their conference rooms. There's even an area that's only about $12 and allows for a more upgraded experience with reclining chairs, etc. There's even a restroom and food court off the waiting area for vehicle loading since you have to get there 45-30 minutes early. Additionally, the whole system is incredibly efficient with loading and unloading easy and timely. The BC Ferries customer service is helpful, and I highly recommend BC Vacations if you're planning an overnight trip. read more

It's funny that we can review public services, hmm like anyone has a choice to come on a Ferry. Why I love them - well they let me get all over our amazing islands, and happens I will be getting on one in 48 hours for the Sunshine coast. Not many places in the world offer the consistent, classy, working, on time, nice staff, roomy and safe ride our Ferries do. If it wasn't for them, nobody would live on Gambier? etc, lol.... My buddies will be scarfing back whitespot and we can all get some sunshine and wind on the decks. The massive humm of the engines is easy to sleep outside to. I have been on boats on Thailand where we get lost and the captain jumps off and swims to shore, boats in Mexico with waves nearly capsizing us. Most excitement you get on a Ferry is the horn to goto your Car, that's right most these beasts allow you to friggin drive right on and off. "'And then, we get on the ferry and they made us sit there, for 40 minutes. We had to sit there.' Oh? Really? What happened next? Did you sail through the sea in your car, incredibly, like a whale? Did you partake in the miracle of human sailing, you non-contributing zero?" "People, like, they say there's delays on ferry's. Delays? Really? Vancouver to Victoria in 2 hours. That used to take 30 years. Plus, you would die on the way there." read more