BC Ferries has apologized to a disabled Vancouver Island woman for the problems she recently encountered on the Northern Adventure, the replacement vessel now serving the North Coast.

Yvonne Kafka, who is recovering from knee-replacement surgery, had checked with the ferry corporation about her planned trip on the new ferry, and was told she wouldn't have to climb stairs.

But when she boarded the ship earlier this month, she found the elevator was out of service, and there were technical problems with the motorized platform designed to carry people up stairs.

As a result, she had to slowly and painfully use the stairs with the support of her husband.

"If they cannot provide the service, they just have to be truthful, and say, 'OK, right now it's not working, we cannot accommodate you.' I would not have put myself in that predicament," said Kafka.

BC Ferries spokesman Mark Stefanson said the elevator won't be working for the next month.

"We apologize to the customer that she wasn't given the service we certainly expect her to get. I've been in touch with our customer service department and made sure that they are well aware that people should know for the next month we won't have the elevator operating on the Northern Adventure

"The challenge with this vessel, we've been in a rush to get it into service; as people are well aware, this is the replacement vessel for the Queen of the North."

The Northern Adventure was purchased in Europe, and then refitted to serve the northern runs along the B.C. coast following the sinking of the Queen of the North in March 2006.