Vancouver debarkation to airport timing

I want to know approximate time I can plan flight to Calif. after cruise that ends in Vancouver. Ship docks early AM. I booked transfer to airport. I am American so may need to go through more lines than citizen of Canada. My choices for flights are noon, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Any and all advice deeply appreciated. I have not booked a/p transfer before and not sure if this was wise. Not concerned about $, but timing .

Noon is doable and recommended for earliest same day debarkation flight. Your typical schedule.

• 7am dock
  
• 7:30am first passengers get to walk off
  
• 8:15am catch cab for the 30 minute trip to the airport
  
• 9am arrival for check-in, customs, security checks (hand, body, cavity, carry-on's, luggage, liquids, electronics, medications, weapons, WMD's and bonus time for random personalized secondary experience).
  
• 12pm wheels up with dreams on your return visit to Vancouver for all things you didn't have time for.
  

I like the 2pm or 4pm option to enjoy my final hours on the ship. Have breakfast and possibly put in some sightseeing.

I want to know approximate time I can plan flight to Calif. after cruise that ends in Vancouver. Ship docks early AM. I booked transfer to airport. I am American so may need to go through more lines than citizen of Canada. My choices for flights are noon, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Any and all advice deeply appreciated. I have not booked a/p transfer before and not sure if this was wise. Not concerned about $, but timing .

All three of those times would work. You will find the suggested arrival time at the airport for a trans-boarder flight to be between 3 hour and 2 hours. Air Canada lists 120 minutes (2 hours). The reason for the extra time is major Canadian airports (including Vancouver) operate on a pre-clearance system where you will clear US Customs and Immigration in Vancouver as part of your checkin process. When you arrive in the US you will arrive at a domestic gate.

Personally I would pick the 2 pm departure as the noon is around the time there is a large bank of flights to Asia and its is a bit more quite around 2pm. Your also less rushed.

A taxi from downtown (cruise ship terminal) to the airport is just over 30 minutes. I have no experience with pre-booked transfers, so others will need to comment on that.

The cruise ship terminal is right downtown. If you walk out of the terminal there are hotels and office towers across the street. That means if there is a long lineup for taxi at the terminal, just walk across the street to one of the other hotels (Fairmount for example) and there is another taxi stand that is likely less busy.

Skytrain (the subway system in Vancouver is also very efficient). The Canada line Waterfront station is about a block away from the cruise ship terminal and has trains to the airport every 5-10 minutes. Waterfront and YVR are the terminus stations. Travel time on the train is about 30 minutes.

P.S. Should also mention that Air Canada also flies to San Diego airport and San Jose in addition to SFO and LAX. So you do have options on the other end.

We've flown from YVR a number of times. Some of those flights were even after a cruise.

I'd be very comfortable with the 2 pm flight. You may have a little more time at the airport once through all the check ins but it will not be a hectic rushed episode.

Also some of the US carriers are quite a hike from the check in.

A cab would be far more convenient and probably less expensive than the cruise line transfer. The busses used to dump everyone and their luggage in one location which may or may not be very convenient to your airline's check in desk.

Cab ride is around $35 (USD$27) for the carload from the cruise terminal to the airport.

I've was on a couple of cruises in Vancouver earlier this year.

You can make a noon flight but you do need to get off the ship early.

However, if you don't want to be the first off the ship and just enjoy a less stressful morning the 2:00 PM flight is another option.

You didn't say what day you are arriving so we could see how many ships will be in port that day. The port does fine with one ship in port. If there are three it can get a bit crazy including getting a taxi. I believe you arrive on April 28. If that is the case you are in luck as you will be the only ship in port.

If it was me, I'd go with 2:00 PM just so I don't feel rushed but if you need to get home sooner rather than later Noon is certainly doable.

At the airport you will check in for the flight. You will then bring your checked luggage to an area to check that in.

You will then go through security.

Then you will go through USA immigration where you will use one of the Kiosks.

The security lines could be long. Just depends time of year, time of day and how many lines are open.

Keith

Unless you NEED to get home earlier, with $ not part of the equation later flight = always better. The 4pm will give you time to have breakfast, disembark late with light queues for CBSA and cabs 9-9:30am, and still have time for a little sightseeing before heading to the airport. Any one attraction in or around downtown, or a couple of smaller ones, can be done before lunch - then you can enjoy a good meal before heading to the airport.

Knowing that the bulk of cruise pax will be done with by then, I'd be very comfortable showing up at 2pm for that 4pm flight even if you don't have Global Entry/NEXUS to expedite security and CBP. You'll be nicely in-between the morning flights and the later red-eyes.

Thank you everyone for replies. I spoke with TA and she too felt 2:00 would be much less stressful than noon flight. I believe Alaska a/l will be better than Air Canada based on several reviews and fact T A said they are hard to deal with. Any more comments before I book greatly aporeciated. I will be flying to San Diego and really wanted to be home by 7:00 if at all possible.

Your bonus port of Vancouver has lots to offer for a first time visitor wanting to stay a few days.

Thank you everyone for replies. I spoke with TA and she too felt 2:00 would be much less stressful than noon flight. I believe Alaska a/l will be better than Air Canada based on several reviews and fact T A said they are hard to deal with. Any more comments before I book greatly aporeciated. I will be flying to San Diego and really wanted to be home by 7:00 if at all possible.

I think the 2:00 pm is a good choice.

There is not much of a difference between Alaska and Air Canada. I think you will do fine with either one.

If you do chose to do Alaska, your probably transferring in Seattle. The good thing is with pre-clearance you will arriving at a domestic gate and just walk over to the connecting gate without have to go through security again.

Good decision.

Now you can relax on disembarkation morning and not push to be the first off the ship.

Keith

I want to know approximate time I can plan flight to Calif. after cruise that ends in Vancouver. Ship docks early AM. I booked transfer to airport. I am American so may need to go through more lines than citizen of Canada. My choices for flights are noon, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Any and all advice deeply appreciated. I have not booked a/p transfer before and not sure if this was wise. Not concerned about $, but timing .

Should be no problem making any of those flights.

Taxi from Canada Place to YVR should be about C$35+tip

Skytrain (subway) to YVR which is almost always faster, is C$4/ea, but will involve a 3 block walk from the cruise terminal.

I almost always take the Skytrain. Easy walk from Canada Place. Only problem was last year my wife flew up to Vancouver to meet me after attending a seminar. Her flight ended up being 3 hours late and Skytrain closes around 1 am. Ended uo taking a cab.