Canada Place Parking Question

So, we plan on driving to Canada from Seattle area and parking at Canada Place. I have already called WestPark and we can certainly arrive as early as we would like to park for the cruise.

My question: If we get there early....Is the location as such so we can leave the car with our luggage in it and walk around the cruise port area for a few hours before checking in? Or is it in a location that this simply is not reasonable??

Any advise would be great. My mom is insisting on leaving at a crazy early time because she is afraid of missing the boat. Will likely arrive 8:30/9am

I would not leave any visible luggage at Canada Place, or any other downtown parking lot. Despite cameras and even actual guards walking around many lots, the entire downtown core is a 'hot zone' for property theft from vehicles.

The pier parking lot may be more secure than a random downtown street, but an exposed piece of luggage there is basically screaming "Hey, look at me, I'm packed with all sorts of stuff for a cruise! I could have expensive jewelry, formal wear, medication, you name it! Please take me!" and combined with how many people are coming & going with suitcases means if someone isn't spotted during the actual smash & grab itself, they're going to get clean away easily.

If your trunk is big enough to keep everything out of sight - I'd risk it. Almost all these type of thefts are 'smash glass, grab stuff, walk away' rather than a 'pick lock and open trunk' that requires skill. But just arriving a little later - 10am - means you could take your bags straight to the bag drop and then go a-wandering without concern.

Link to crime maps - NB: these are produced weekly, and CP looks just outside the zone last week, but then it's not cruise season yet... you can dig deep historically using the VPD GeoDASH tool though

OK.....Well, thank you for your concern about our luggage being left in our vehicle for a "smash and grab" I assure you our valuables will be taken with us in our back packs and not left in the vehicle. All luggage will not be in view for a smash and grab. If someone decided to take our luggage, they will be blessed with old lady clothes.

I would love to arrive at the pier at 10am. That was my original plan. But, like I said, my elderly mother is stressed and wants to leave at an ungodly hour which will put us at the pier between 8-9am depending on traffic. Making mom happy here.

So, My question, if someone has experience with the location of the Canada Place parking. Is it located in the proximity that we may park our vehicle, with our without luggage. And do a bit of walking around the port prior to departing on our cruise?

Thoughts....

• certain days like weekends can add significant time to the border crossing.
  
• weekday can add morning commuter traffic delays. Especially in the tunnel and/or bridges.
  
• you can unload heavy luggage into the baggage area after typically 10 or 10:30am. This reduces the theft concern.
  
• have you compared parking rates at the airport and Accent Inn? Have you researched stay and park operations? Coming into the city the night before is less stressful.... especially if you get randomly hauled into secondary for the VIP service.
  

Thoughts....

• certain days like weekends can add significant time to the border crossing.
  
• weekday can add morning commuter traffic delays. Especially in the tunnel and/or bridges.
  
• you can unload heavy luggage into the baggage area after typically 10 or 10:30am. This reduces the theft concern.
  
• have you compared parking rates at the airport and Accent Inn? Have you researched stay and park operations? Coming into the city the night before is less stressful.... especially if you get randomly hauled into secondary for the VIP service.
  

We are/have considered all the above. Our cruise is on a Sunday...April 30. We have about a 3 hr 15 min drive from our home. In theory we should have enough "padding" in our commute time (11hrs) that a delay in traffic/border crossing should not pose an issue in getting to the pier before the boat sails.

I originally planned to get there around 10am check our luggage and begin the boarding/check in process. However, the mom wants to leave at 5am.

I also called our cruise line and they insisted that there would NOT be anyone there to check our luggage prior to noon. AND once we checked our luggage we had to immediately go through the boarding process.

We are considering storing our luggage for a fee at the cruise terminal.

We are also considering a stay/park hotel. Actually found a good deal that included free shuttle. However, my sister, who is also traveling with us has to work the day before we leave. This puts us on the road at a very high traffic time (adding 1hr 30min!) and I am simply NOT a night person. lol. Really trying to avoid driving at night. But this is still an open option.

BTW: I am the one doing the driving and simply prefer an early AM drive.

With getting there potentially between 8:30-9am. I just really need to know if there is something we can do close to cruise parking to kill time prior to checking in????.....

So, if anyone knows if the parking at Canada Place is within walking distance to "tourist" activities/shopping/eating. That would be great!

We are/have considered all the above. Our cruise is on a Sunday...April 30. We have about a 3 hr 15 min drive from our home. In theory we should have enough "padding" in our commute time (11hrs) that a delay in traffic/border crossing should not pose an issue in getting to the pier before the boat sails.

 

I originally planned to get there around 10am check our luggage and begin the boarding/check in process. However, the mom wants to leave at 5am.

 

 

I also called our cruise line and they insisted that there would NOT be anyone there to check our luggage prior to noon. AND once we checked our luggage we had to immediately go through the boarding process.

 

 

We are considering storing our luggage for a fee at the cruise terminal.

 

We are also considering a stay/park hotel. Actually found a good deal that included free shuttle. However, my sister, who is also traveling with us has to work the day before we leave. This puts us on the road at a very high traffic time (adding 1hr 30min!) and I am simply NOT a night person. lol. Really trying to avoid driving at night. But this is still an open option.

BTW: I am the one doing the driving and simply prefer an early AM drive.

 

With getting there potentially between 8:30-9am. I just really need to know if there is something we can do close to cruise parking to kill time prior to checking in????.....

 

So, if anyone knows if the parking at Canada Place is within walking distance to "tourist" activities/shopping/eating. That would be great!

You will be right downtown in the main restaurant/shopping area of Vancouver, and it is all very "walkable" as long as your party is reasonably mobile. However, depending on your definition of "tourist activities" such as Stanley Park, Granville Island, etc, etc, not so much as far as walking distance goes. Transit and taxis readily available.

...VTX-AL

You will be right downtown in the main restaurant/shopping area of Vancouver, and it is all very "walkable" as long as your party is reasonably mobile. However, depending on your definition of "tourist activities" such as Stanley Park, Granville Island, etc, etc, not so much as far as walking distance goes. Transit and taxis readily available.

 

 

...VTX-AL

Excellent! Thank you, that is what I needed to know. Mom will be happy with just a little shopping and eating. Hopefully it will just be a couple hours. ;)

With getting there potentially between 8:30-9am. I just really need to know if there is something we can do close to cruise parking to kill time prior to checking in????.....

 

So, if anyone knows if the parking at Canada Place is within walking distance to "tourist" activities/shopping/eating. That would be great!

My apologies - I neglected to confirm that Canada Place is slap bang downtown, where most tourist attractions are. You would even have time to visit the North Shore attractions - free shuttles start running at 8:30am for Capilano from right outside Canada Place. The FlyOverCanada ride is also located at Canada Place and has become very popular (like Soarin' at Disney).

Gastown is a pleasant walk - gives you our most historic area, the Steamclock and Gassy Jack statue for photos, and many opportunities to eat (but NB: apart from fastfood or restos inside hotels, almost nothing opens before 9am in Vancouver if you do arrive very early).

As mentioned above, depending how far you can walk you certainly have the time to go all the way around Stanley Park on foot before your cruise - at least 7-8 miles though if you walk from the pier and back to loop around the Seawall even if you don't go to the interior spots like the Rose Garden. Bike rentals, assuming you can all ride, make for a very efficient way to see the park and are available very close to the pier.

My apologies - I neglected to confirm that Canada Place is slap bang downtown, where most tourist attractions are. You would even have time to visit the North Shore attractions - free shuttles start running at 8:30am for Capilano from right outside Canada Place. The FlyOverCanada ride is also located at Canada Place and has become very popular (like Soarin' at Disney).

 

Gastown is a pleasant walk - gives you our most historic area, the Steamclock and Gassy Jack statue for photos, and many opportunities to eat (but NB: apart from fastfood or restos inside hotels, almost nothing opens before 9am in Vancouver if you do arrive very early).

 

As mentioned above, depending how far you can walk you certainly have the time to go all the way around Stanley Park on foot before your cruise - at least 7-8 miles though if you walk from the pier and back to loop around the Seawall even if you don't go to the interior spots like the Rose Garden. Bike rentals, assuming you can all ride, make for a very efficient way to see the park and are available very close to the pier.

Excellent!! Wow, thank you so much. That is most helpful. Even if we decide to drive up the night before, we can make our way to Canada Place early....pay to store our luggage and walk around. Great information. Again, thank you!

Excellent!! Wow, thank you so much. That is most helpful. Even if we decide to drive up the night before, we can make our way to Canada Place early....pay to store our luggage and walk around. Great information. Again, thank you!

We used this "Cruise and Stay" package for our last cruise and recommend it. Includes one night hotel, restaurant voucher, free underground parking for duration of your cruise and one-way taxi from hotel to cruise terminal.https://www.coasthotels.com/hotels/bc/vancouver/coast-plaza-hotel-and-suites/package/cruise-package/

...VTX-Al

Our cruise is on a Sunday...April 30. We have about a 3 hr 15 min drive from our home. In theory we should have enough "padding" in our commute time (11hrs) that a delay in traffic/border crossing should not pose an issue in getting to the pier before the boat sails.

 

I originally planned to get there around 10am check our luggage and begin the boarding/check in process. However, the mom wants to leave at 5am.

 

I also called our cruise line and they insisted that there would NOT be anyone there to check our luggage prior to noon. AND once we checked our luggage we had to immediately go through the boarding process.

 

We are considering storing our luggage for a fee at the cruise terminal.

• I've dropped luggage there before 10:30am and then double backed to the hotel to get the passengers. If the cruise terminal refuses to accept luggage, just drag it 100 feet to CDS for storage. Note, the CDS line may be long with debarking passengers, but it should be quiet by 10:30am.
  
• You should be fine crossing the border that early Sunday morning. But expect delays after 9am around Mt. Vernon for the annual Tulip migration. http://www.tulipfestival.org/. As you approach the cruise terminal.... you might want to skip Oak in the morning..... Vandusen is holding it's annual plant sale... http://vandusengarden.org/events/vandusen-plant-sale-2/
  
• due to the weekend Tulip migration.... I expect Saturday afternoon I5 traffic to be heavy around Mt. Vernon and the border crossing to be busy in the evening. Check Google traffic the weekend before to plan your departure time.
  

Thoughts....

• I've dropped luggage there before 10:30am and then double backed to the hotel to get the passengers. If the cruise terminal refuses to accept luggage, just drag it 100 feet to CDS for storage. Note, the CDS line may be long with debarking passengers, but it should be quiet by 10:30am.
  
• You should be fine crossing the border that early Sunday morning. But expect delays after 9am around Mt. Vernon for the annual Tulip migration. http://www.tulipfestival.org/. As you approach the cruise terminal.... you might want to skip Oak in the morning..... Vandusen is holding it's annual plant sale... http://vandusengarden.org/events/vandusen-plant-sale-2/
  
• due to the weekend Tulip migration.... I expect Saturday afternoon I5 traffic to be heavy around Mt. Vernon and the border crossing to be busy in the evening. Check Google traffic the weekend before to plan your departure time.
  

THANK YOU! you have wonderful information and advise. I found Holiday Inn has a cruise/park package for $229 that includes parking, breakfast and free shuttle both ways! Really is a crazy good deal.

Talked with my sister yesterday and we are both leaning towards leaving early the "day of" but we will keep in mind going a day early if the mom gets too stressed. lol

Again, love the information you have provided us and very much appreciate all you help. :)