The vessel that would become the foundation for Burrard Queen Charters wasn’t meant to stay in Vancouver. It belonged to Ganeev Chug Sethi’s cousin visiting from Toronto, who planned to relocate the 225-passenger commercial boat east. Over a family dinner, Chug Sethi—then in her final year at SFU—pressed him to reconsider. Vancouver’s waterfront, she argued, was underutilized for large-scale private events. The next morning, the 28-year-old boarded the boat to walk through its potential, beginning the case for turning it into a private event space for marine hospitality.
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Fresh out of university with a BBA in human resources, Chug Sethi dove headfirst into one of the most regulated, male-dominated corners of hospitality. Marine charters demand fluency not just in events and sales, but also in Transport Canada compliance, mechanical inspections, crewing rules and safety protocols. That meant time in engine rooms, late nights studying regulations and showing up to meetings over-prepared in rooms where she was often the youngest person.
Two months after the company’s soft launch in early 2020, COVID shut Vancouver down. With events cancelled and no revenue forecast, Chug Sethi cut costs, skipped a salary for months and used the slower, capped-capacity season to learn the business at lower risk.
Today, Burrard Queen Charters runs a seven-vessel fleet and has hosted more than 1,000 sailings. The scenic cruise has served as the backdrop for everything from weddings to corporate events, cultural celebrations and funerals. A rare liquor-primary licence unlocked higher-margin corporate bookings, helping drive roughly 40 percent year-over-year growth.
Chug Sethi now leads a seasonal team that scales up to 30 staff at peak, manages persistent challenges around moorage and labour and is focused on expanding corporate partnerships while deepening their fleet’s role as a floating gathering place for Vancouver’s many communities.
Your role model
“Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo.”
