Although the passenger areas provided for an enjoyable travel experience for the general public, she was much maligned by the crews that worked on her, and the Queen of the Islands quickly garnered a reputation as being one of the most unloved ships ever to have operated with BC Ferries.

Her career got off to an inauspicious start when she suffered a mechanical failure en route to her inaugural celebrations at Ganges, Salt Spring Island, and had to be towed into port, far behind schedule.

Given the nature of Route 9, with cars getting off and on at multiple ports, and always at opposite ends of the ship, loading the vehicle deck often became a nightmarish jigsaw puzzle for the crew.

[1] Following her removal from Route 9, she found temporary work with the Ministry of Highways ferry system, providing additional sailings between Comox and Powell River during the summer months.

Between 1979 and 1982, she could also be found providing additional service on Route 3 between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale during the busy summer months, or when the regular vessels went in for refit.