cruiseryyc

Hey if you don't want to pay the prices, don't sail out of Vancouver.

Even though the ship is scheduled to arrive at 6:00 a.m., I doubt Canadian Immigration officials will be onsite until at least 7:00 a.m.  Everyone will have to go through Canadian Immigration getting off the ship.  

That flight time should be okay, it's the earliest I would suggest someone book a flight.  Its about a 45 minute cab ride from the port to the airport, then you'll be going through US Immigration at the Vancouver airport.  That's where being from the UK might slow you down.  As long as you are at the airport about three hours prior your flight, you should be okay.

So I guess its about your risk tolerance if you book a later flight or not.

Well Victoria Island is in the High Arctic, so you're going to need more than one day to get there.  

Vancouver Island, where the city of Victoria is located, is easy to get to independently.  You could rent a car and take the ferry over and back - but that is going to be a 14 hour day and ferry reservations must be made.  

There is the BC Ferry Connector bus which drives right onto the ferry and takes you into downtown Victoria. Then you'd have to taxi out to the Gardens, so another long day.

https://bcfconnector.com/

With only one day, the easiest would be fly Harbour Air there and back, expensive but an easier day with great views.

https://harbourair.com/tours/spend-the-day-in-victoria/

Or just spend a relaxing day in Vancouver visiting all the lovely gardens there.

If they're concerned, let them take a taxi and you take the Skytrain.  Four of you with luggage won't fit in a normal sized taxi anyway; you'd have to order a van.

I prefer taxis myself.

Or you could take their rapid transit system.

https://thecanadaline.com/

Presuming you will be staying at least one night prior the cruise in Vancouver, where are you staying?  Much easier to give you a wine store nearby if we know exactly where you'll be.

Even without Canada Day, a 1:19 departure does not mean a leisurely morning getting off the ship.  You should be at the airport 2.5 to 3 hours prior your flight.

Since you're staying at the Pan Pacific, I would just hang around there and have lunch, then go down to the ship.  Much nicer to be sitting in a nice lobby than standing in line with a bunch of tired disgruntled people trying to get on the ship.

21 hours ago, SbbquilterUT said:

We are on an 11:25 and I am fine with that.  We will walk off early, head to the train station and take that to the airport.  

Well good luck making that flight!

That's good news!  Remember since you'll go through US Border Services in the Vancouver airport, your connection in DFW will be considered "domestic" so no delays that way.

But because you'll go through the border in Vancouver, you will need to be at the airport 2.5 to 3 hours ahead of the flight.

Enjoy Vancouver; you'll be glad you made this decision.

16 hours ago, Kevin's girl said:

If we were to book the 1:30 flight, the connection will be in Chicago and only a 40 minute connection time. O'Hare had been our return airport for over 20 years and I know it is usual to spend 15-45 minutes holding on a taxi way waiting for our gate to open. If that were to happen on this flight we would miss our connection and not be back to the Indianapolis area until the next day.

I think we will do a pre-booked limo and self disembark as soon as we can. We will have our happy little faces in a waiting line for Canada Customs as soon as they come on duty, the hustle to YVR and get through Security and US Customs as quickly as we can. Fingers crossed for success.

I would seriously consider staying overnight in Vancouver and taking the early flight the next day.  Take your time getting off the ship, enjoy Vancouver for the day, have a nice dinner and then you have no hassles getting to the airport the next morning.

Best advice - do not book a flight before noon.

Who is Perry Grant????

You will clear Canadian Border when getting off the ship; then you will clear US Border at the airport; but once you land in Seattle, no more clearing to do.

So this is for post cruise returning to Seattle airport?

18 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Curious, if you haven't cruised in 10 years, what keeps you coming back to Cruise Critic? (Honest question, not trying to be snarky.)

 

I sometimes wonder that myself🤣

After 15 cruises, I gave it up totally about 10 years ago.  Once those awful huge mega ships started showing up, I was outta there.  I liked cruising and watching the ocean; not sitting on an amusement park on the water!

Just make sure whatever you are using to tell time (watch, cell phone) is set to SHIP time not port time.  Some cruise lines always change their time to port time; but some don't.

I would just meet in the Pan Pacific Hotel right at the cruise port.

Getting to Victoria for only one day is not worth it.  There is plenty to see in Vancouver to keep you happy.  Just wandering Stanley Park will keep you busy all day.

"Can anyone explain how that works?"

You line up with your passport in hand and when its your turn, you speak to the person manning that booth; give him your passport, answer their questions and then pass through to the departure gates.  Or you scan your passport at a terminal and answer the questions there; you get a receipt and then you still have to pass through a "human" to get in.  Same as going through border control in an US airport on arrival or crossing the border by car.

"And do US citizens need the eTA now?"

No.

I believe the YVR Express only gets you through security not US Border.  2.5 hours ahead of your flight should be plenty of time to get through Security and Border Control.

Your flight is at 6:00 p.m., your parents don't fly out until midnight.  You'll have to be through security/border services 5:00'ish.  I doubt that your parents will be able to get through security six hours prior their flight; they won't even be able to check in and drop their luggage until 2-3 hours prior the flight.

The prior poster is correct; US secured area and International are completely separate.

What does it include and how much?

Really you can walk through the public parts of the Empress without a tour; go into the lounge Q for a lovely drink.  If you want Afternoon Tea - there are lots of better (cheaper) places to have tea in Victoria.

Contact your cruise line, they would know better than folks on a message board.