Disembarkation advice needed!

I'm cruising Alaska in June, via Vancouver B.C. by way of CA USA. This is my first time to Alaska, my first cruise overall, and my first time to Canada. I'm having a bit of an issue making return flight reservations. The ship docks at 8:00 A.M., the cruise line (Norwegian) page says disembarkation usually starts about 2 hours after docking. If I booked a 1:45 P.M. departure out of Vancouver International, do you think that's enough time to disembark, collect bags, get to airport, clear customs and airport security and make it to the departure gate?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

1:45 PM is perfect.

It will give you plenty of time to get to the airport, check in for the flight. walk your checked bags to another area, go through security and then go through USA customs/immigration.

If you take a taxi and there are three ships in port it can be very challenging to get a taxi. You can just walk a short distance over to the Pan Pacific Hotel and get one from there.

We have disembarked from Vancouver many times so I know this time is perfect.

Keith

Do Uber or Lyft operate in Vancouver?

Do Uber or Lyft operate in Vancouver?

Not at this time. Taxi is about $50 plus tip.

I wonder if the cruise line offers transfers to the airport (Norwegian)...

Most cruise lines do.

Roz

I wonder if the cruise line offers transfers to the airport (Norwegian)...

Probably do.

I wonder if the cruise line offers transfers to the airport (Norwegian)...

Not necessary at all and over priced per person. You should have no trouble getting in the taxi line then getting to YVR. We've done this several times.

Do Uber or Lyft operate in Vancouver?

Don't think so.

I wonder if the cruise line offers transfers to the airport (Norwegian)...

Yes they do.

Did you see my original pretty detailed response?

Keith

Yes they do.

 

Did you see my original pretty detailed response?

 

Keith

Yes, I have read all of the replies. I didn't see anything about Uber, Lyft, or about cruise line airport transfers though until after I posed the question(s). It's okay though.

You'll clear US immigration before boarding your flight out of Vancouver. Don't dawdle en route.

I'm cruising Alaska in June, via Vancouver B.C. by way of CA USA. This is my first time to Alaska, my first cruise overall, and my first time to Canada. I'm having a bit of an issue making return flight reservations. The ship docks at 8:00 A.M., the cruise line (Norwegian) page says disembarkation usually starts about 2 hours after docking. If I booked a 1:45 P.M. departure out of Vancouver International, do you think that's enough time to disembark, collect bags, get to airport, clear customs and airport security and make it to the departure gate?

 

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

That is plenty of time. You should be off the ship and on your way to the airport no later than 10:00 a.m., as NCL will start boarding th next cruise by 11:00 or so. Clearing customs in Vancouver is easy. You will clear US customs at the airport, but as long as you are there by 11:30 you will have more than enough time.

I wonder if the cruise line offers transfers to the airport (Norwegian)...

Unless you are traveling solo it will be less expensive to take a cab.

Unless you are traveling solo it will be less expensive to take a cab.

I most likely will be traveling solo...my cruise partner is not able to go and I have not found a replacement yet.

Unless you are traveling solo it will be less expensive to take a cab.

I found this to not be true. I came into Vancouver via Amtrak from Seattle, our hotel was out by the airport on Cambie Rd (Richmond)...the tax was $33.

By contrast, the ship to airport transfer through NCL was only $15 per person.

Do Uber or Lyft operate in Vancouver?

Negative, Vancouver does not yet permit Uber or equivalent to operate. In addition to taxis and private limos you also have the Skytrain (if you don't have much baggage), which is a short walk from the cruise terminal.

I found this to not be true. I came into Vancouver via Amtrak from Seattle, our hotel was out by the airport on Cambie Rd (Richmond)...the tax was $33.

 

By contrast, the ship to airport transfer through NCL was only $15 per person.

Taxis charge in Canadian dollars while cruiselines charge in US dollars - CAD$33 is quite a bit cheaper than US$30!

But if NCL are now actually charging $15pp, even in USD that's a HUGE improvement over their (and everyone elses') consistent rate of $29pp for several years...

Taxis charge in Canadian dollars while cruiselines charge in US dollars - CAD$33 is quite a bit cheaper than US$30!

 

But if NCL are now actually charging $15pp, even in USD that's a HUGE improvement over their (and everyone elses') consistent rate of $29pp for several years...

The exchange rate didn't occur to me until after we had arrived at the hotel and paid the cabbie...$35 USD. And he dutifully accepted it and drove away. Based on my currency converter app. we paid $35 USD for a $24 USD ride LOL. I guess I should've asked prior to payment, but it had been a long day already.

As for the $15 pp for the airport transfer from NCL, initially the cruise consultant on the phone told me it was $25 pp...which I was willing to pay just to avoid the mess of disembarkation and all the people outside also waiting to catch a ride somewhere. But when I got my account statement right before final cruise payment, it said $15 pp. Who am I to argue? :D:D:D

The exchange rate didn't occur to me until after we had arrived at the hotel and paid the cabbie...$35 USD. And he dutifully accepted it and drove away. Based on my currency converter app. we paid $35 USD for a $24 USD ride LOL. I guess I should've asked prior to payment, but it had been a long day already.

 

As for the $15 pp for the airport transfer from NCL, initially the cruise consultant on the phone told me it was $25 pp...which I was willing to pay just to avoid the mess of disembarkation and all the people outside also waiting to catch a ride somewhere. But when I got my account statement right before final cruise payment, it said $15 pp. Who am I to argue? :D:D:D

Just think of it as a very, very generous tip to the cabbie;-)

I've actually seen that cruise transfer pricing on some other lines is up to $30 on paperwork posted by this season's cruisers, so I really doubt NCL is undercutting their fellow mainstream lines by half. You must have gotten some kind of special rate - big gambler maybe? - regardless, don't complain. You'd have paid about the same as you did in a cab (assuming it was two of you), but depending on your disembarkation time might well have waited longer for a cab than for your bus to fill.