Vancouver Debarkation

[Djaye]

We have always waited for our group to be called to debark the ship. However, we have a noon flight out of Vancouver this time. I have read about "walking off early". How does one go about this? We plan to use the luggage valet service, so will only have one overnight bag to deal with.

[Putterdude]

The arrangement for walk off will vary from line to line, however our experience is that information re disembarkation will appear in the cabin about 5 days before the end of your cruise. One of the options listed for disembarkation 'is walk off' which you may tick off and return the form to the passenger services desk. However, in order to walk off normally you need to take all of your luggage with you, in other words you can't use the luggage valet and walk off.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Putterdude

[Djaye]

Not what I wanted to hear, but thanks for the helpful info!

[creel5857]

Is it ok to use the "walk off" option if you are taking Holland transportation to airport? I assume this is saving time by not having to wait on staff to get all the luggage out for everyone and avoids having to look for your luggage in the big piles of bags?

[Crew News]

We just disembarked in Vancouver last Saturday. Some bureaucrat decided to move the taxi pickup to in front of the hotel and only buses are now allowed at the terminal gate. Waiting on one of the very few elevators to go upstairs to street level or pulling all of your luggage up the steep incline, was madness. The taxi waiting line was several hours in length.

 

If you are one of the first regular disembarking passengers, you should be ok unless you are competing with other ships that arrived earlier on your Disembarkation Day.

 

The HAL bus should leave for the airport when full.

[Djaye]

I looked at the port schedule and it appears we are the only ship in port that day. That should help matters.

[Putterdude]

I looked at the port schedule and it appears we are the only ship in port that day. That should help matters.

 

Baring something unforeseen, you should not have a problem at all.

[Keith1010]

You will hear the words should because it's not 100% certain as some things are just out of everyone's control.

 

When you board the ship I would talk through your options for being the first off.

 

If it was me I would arrange for private transportation to take you to the airport to be on the safe side for a noon flight.

 

Keith

[Osborn Cox]

What would be a good strategy to use when there are 3 ships in port? Walk off early? Wait for our turn to be called? We are not flying out until the next day, so under no harsh time constraints other than the touring we want to do around Vancouver for the day. We have a car rented from Canada Place, so at least it sounds like we will avoid the taxi line. I don't believe we can get our car until 9am, but being there when they open or before would be beneficial I suppose.

 

Thanks.

[jskinsd]

Last May 6th on a Saturday I disembarked with two ships at Canada Place. I left my luggage out the night before like most people. Made arrangements with guest services to be in the first group off who needed to pickup luggage. I was off the ship with my luggage (no big piles because my luggage was the first off the ship) and out of terminal by 8:15. I used Vancouver shuttle whose stand is a short walk when you leave the terminal on the left side. Waited about 30 minutes for the shuttle to fill. We were at the airport before 10am. It seemed so easy. Maybe I was just lucky.

[Djaye]

Last May 6th on a Saturday I disembarked with two ships at Canada Place. I left my luggage out the night before like most people. Made arrangements with guest services to be in the first group off who needed to pickup luggage. I was off the ship with my luggage (no big piles because my luggage was the first off the ship) and out of terminal by 8:15. I used Vancouver shuttle whose stand is a short walk when you leave the terminal on the left side. Waited about 30 minutes for the shuttle to fill. We were at the airport before 10am. It seemed so easy. Maybe I was just lucky.

Did you reserve a spot on the shuttle, or is available for walk ups?

[jskinsd]

Did you reserve a spot on the shuttle, or is available for walk ups?

I reserved but I think they do walk ups. I found out about it through a stay, park and cruise package.

[xlxo]

We have a car rented from Canada Place, so at least it sounds like we will avoid the taxi line. I don't believe we can get our car until 9am, but being there when they open or before would be beneficial I suppose.

The car rental lines can be slow too.... I remember waiting 20 minutes to speak to an Alamo/National rep on my debarkation.

 

It does not take me 20 minutes to walk to the Waterfront or Pacific Rim hotels for a taxi.