Time in Vancouver/Getting to the Airport

Our Alaska cruise will arrive in Vancouver at 7am on Sunday July 2. Our flight to Seattle leaves at 7:14 PM. While we are in Vancouver, we would like to spend some time at Granville Island and The Granville Public Market.

Questions;

Is there a place to check our luggage, so that we don't have to wrangle it around?

What's the best way to get to Granville Island?

What time do we need to leave for the airport to get through traffic, check luggage, get through customs and Security?

Is it better to skip Granville Island and The Public Market? ...too far/too much time?

Thanks for any advice that you are willing to share with me! 😁

Thoughts...

• when you exit customs.... look to your left for CDS baggage next to the car rental booth. They will hold your luggage for a fee at the cruise terminal for afternoon pickup.
  
• 7:15pm flight? Here's a general recommended timeline.
  
  • 3pm pickup luggage
    
  • 3:30pm subway to airport
    
  • 4:15pm arrive at airport for 3 hours of check-in, US customs, security searches, and the random complimentary VIP "secondary experience".
    
  • 7:15pm wheels up with dreams on returning to Vancouver as you did not budget enough time.
    

  [*]most days the above schedule works very well. However, July 2nd will be traffic Armageddon. In addition to being a national long weekend, a massive parade is planned adjacent to the cruise terminal from 5pm to 6:30pm. While the parade starts after you are at the airport.... I expect road closures begin at 1pm (to be confirmed closer to the date).

  http://www.straight.com/listings/events/916236

  to give yourself some sanity.... you may choose to retrieve your luggage at 2:30pm and then make your way to the subway which travels below the congestion to the airport.

  [*]You have lots of time for Granville Island after debarkation. It's a 10 minute cab ride. Note, the market opens at 10am and the island comes alive at lunch.

Our Alaska cruise will arrive in Vancouver at 7am on Sunday July 2. Our flight to Seattle leaves at 7:14 PM. While we are in Vancouver, we would like to spend some time at Granville Island and The Granville Public Market.

 

Questions;

Is there a place to check our luggage, so that we don't have to wrangle it around?

What's the best way to get to Granville Island?

What time do we need to leave for the airport to get through traffic, check luggage, get through customs and Security?

Is it better to skip Granville Island and The Public Market? ...too far/too much time?

 

Thanks for any advice that you are willing to share with me!

Yes there is a place at Canada Place to store your luggage, CDS Baggage Services. They charge per piece and are open until 4:30 pm. They also have a luggage transfer service that will transfer the bags to the airport (YVR) for you. http://www.cdsbaggage.ca/

Easiest way to get to Granville Island is by bus see http://www.translink.ca/ for trip planning. The bus will drop you off a short walk to the market. You could also walk across the downtown core to get to false creek and then take one of the "ferries" (very small boats, very short trip) directly across to the Island and the market - http://www.granvilleislandferries.bc.ca/

Ideally allow 2-3 hours to be at the airport before your flight, as you have to go through security and US immigration (presuming you are returning to the US) at the airport.

Also be aware that that weekend of July 1 through July 3 is going to be a big celebration for Canada's 150th birthday. (I'm not sure of the details as I'm going to be out of town for that week, so haven't looked into it.) But at some point there's going to be a big celebration at Canada Place, fireworks and probably a parade, so you should allow for traffic delays through out those 3 days.

Granville Island is probably going to be packed with both locals and tourists as it is a long weekend for the Canada Day celebrations.

I also see that the Sunday (and the Saturday before and the Monday after) are all 3-ship days at Canada Place, so think of about 7,000+ passengers getting off the ships, and 7,000+ more getting back on, for each day, so be prepared for crowds.

That being said, don't let me put you off heading over to the market for a few hours, you should have time and it's a lovely place to look around - just be mentally prepared for many people and allow a bit extra time to get around! If the crowds get too much, take a walk along the seawall, you can head in either direction, heading east will take you back into town, and heading west will get you (eventually) to a very nice beach.

Edited to add: The skytrain (our rapid transit) will probably be your best bet for actually getting to the airport (it's an easy trip there's one line that runs from near Canada Place to the airport), expect taxis to be few and far between (and we don't (yet) have Uber.)