Cruise transfers or DIY

So, what are your thoughts on cruise transfers from ship or DIY(train), to/from airport. We are a party of 8, who will self-disembark, ages 12-85.

I have read so many conflicting reports, but $58 pp, for HAL transfers sound too expensive.

$58pp is pricey, anything else would def be cheaper such as shuttle, taxi/uber, train. How I guess it depends on what port your referring to...

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Sorry, that would be Vancouver.

Just take 2 cabs. There is a cab line, right on the lower level (where you enter/exit) of Canada Place.

We are doing northbound Vcr to Anc on Hal late May. Travel agent told us we can get a taxi much cheaper than Hal's shuttle in both Vancouver and anchorage so that's what we are doing. We are a group of 4.

We’re leaving from Vancouver as well and taking the sky train to Waterfront station. It’s like CAD $9.10pp and 25 min.

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I'm not sure about these conflicting reports you mention OP, as there are vanishingly-few posts recommending HAL or other cruiseline transfers and frankly even the ones which do are from folks who obviously did not research the alternatives very well. You have no language issues, USD cash is taken by cabbies if you are one of the few people with no credit cards useable outside the US, so there really isn't a 'safety factor' for the cruiseline transfers.

In the days of 'sealed bus' transfers direct to YVR there was an argument in favour of them since they avoided two sets of customs/immigration. Otherwise though they are hugely overpriced, usually the slowest option (except leaving the pier on a 3-ship day when cabs become the slowest), and add zero real convenience. For the folks who say "But my bags, they get taken from the ship to the bus and I do not need to carry them, so I have to take the transfer as I have too many bags to schlep around myself" - pay a porter to take them to your cab! Bingo - you now have all of the 'features' of a cruiseline transfer and have still saved a fortune...

You could rent a limo on both trips that will take your whole group - even if you pay the $50 'meet & greet' fee you'll still save well over a hundred bucks - two stretch limo transfers @ $103 ea, $100 in fees, 5% tax and a 15% tip total CAD$367.20 (under $300 US) vs. 8x$58 = $464. That's plenty of padding to hire porters on both ends if needed and still buy a round of cocktails for everyone to celebrate your savings - and if you use the walk-up limo queue, which is often faster than a prebooked one as the latter have to wait behind-the-scenes so there's a delay while your driver pulls the car up after meeting you, you save another ~US$40 each way...

SkyTrain, if you can all handle your bags for ~3 blocks walk, is the most consistent travel time (train is virtually always 26mins end to end, only time waiting for train varies to at most 20mins but usually 6-7mins) but not really any cheaper than a cab inbound for your group - 2 cabs @ $35 each vs. 8 tickets @$6.85pp - $9.10pp (the 12 year old, and over 60s, can use Concession rates and cheaper rates apply evenings and weekends - not knowing all ages of your group or the day you'd be arriving/departing it's impossible to give the exact price). Outbound though all SkyTrain tickets are $5 less as the AddFare only applies coming FROM the airport, so this would be cheaper than a cab to get back to YVR.

Personally I'd do the cab on the way in, and also on the way back if the wait time is short at the pier - with at least one very elderly traveler, unless you have younger fitter folks who can handle schlepping bag(s) for their elders SkyTrain might be more hassle than the savings justify. Although sending one cab with the bigger bags while the other half take SkyTrain could work I guess.

We are doing northbound Vcr to Anc on Hal late May. Travel agent told us we can get a taxi much cheaper than Hal's shuttle in both Vancouver and anchorage so that's what we are doing. We are a group of 4.

The port for Anchorage is Seward, which is approx. 120 miles south of Anchorage. No taxis. Make sure you have a transfer arranged. I've seen some very confused people when they get off the ship only to realize they aren't actually in Anchorage and some idiot agent told them they could just take a taxi.

Sorry. Should have mentioned we are doing a cruise/tour ending at Anchorage after Denali. So we do need to hail a cab to get to airport from hotel.

Great information everyone. Will definitely nix the HAL transfers. Thanks everyone again!!