Anyone boarding in Vancouver lately?

[Caroldoll]

I would love to hear your experience and the exact process. I am getting different scenarios (all kind of scarey)! LOL

[crusin7]

We were on the May 18 Alaskan cruise. I read Rachael's comments and our experience was not as bad. It was still long. We arrived at 1:00 and were directed to sit and wait. We were there about 15 mins when we were moved into the check in line. This took about 15 more mins. Then we were told to go to customs. This is when we mixed with passengers from HAL. The line was long but moved quickly. I think 40-45 mins total from the time we entered the building.

Unlike others our disembarkation could not have been faster! We walked off the ship in Vancouver got our luggage and into a waiting taxi. It took less than 5 minutes.

[Caroldoll]

Things are lookin' up!

[poss]

I telephoned the Regent shoreside rep the day before embarkation because boarding time was listed for 2:00; I wondered whether there might be earlier boarding than the original material suggested. I was told it would be best to get there around 11:30. Our experience was similar to what cruisin7 describes. We had to wait a bit longer for the taxi upon disembarkation, but it wasn't a problem.

 

Btw, this was the first time we used Luggage Free, the ship-ahead company. Everything went smoothly on the way out, but the Vancouver rep wasn't there when we disembarked. Another waiting couple telephoned Luggage Free and the rep appeared in about 10 min., so no big deal; but we were definitely waiting around for about 15 minutes before that, whereas we'd been told that he'd be there waiting for us.

 

Vancouver! We love that city! (More later.)

[beauty123]

We boarded in Vancouver on May 18 after a very stressful night caused by the fact that Regent provided us with no info whatsoever about how / when / if we were being picked up from our hotel. I ended up giving the consierge $20 to try and find out, it took him about 2 hours because the phone number on my supplied paperwork was for a transport company that Regent stopped dealing with last season!

Anyway eventually we found out (the next morning) that a limo would come at 11.30 (or rather my consierge did after a million phone calls). Boarding took ages which I was very surprised about as on a very much cheaper cruise with RC we just walked straight up and went through the whole procedure in a few minutes. At the Regent boarding we kind of sat in a big hanger like refugees for what seemed like forever, it must have been well over an hour before we started the process, I was surprised and expected better.

[Caroldoll]

I am definitely worried. Probably Regent took you at the worst time...and possibly there is no good time. I am hearing stories all over the board, but sadly the bottom line is the USA and not having enough agents to screen the passengers, like TSA. I am plenty worried!

 

C

[Living Life Large]

We just completed the Anchorage to Vancouver trip a few days ago. I know you are asking about Vancouver boarding, but when we boarded the Mariner at Seward, it was effortless. We literally walked into the terminal, zero wait time, produced a credit card and ID, placed our carry on into the scan machine, walked through the metal detector and onto the ship. It literally took five minutes. Lunch was waiting for us and then up to our suite. All of our luggage was on the bed, and our butler and two stewards were waiting. The smoothest and organized boarding you could ever ask for. It was an absolute piece of cake and made for the start of a wonderful, wonderful Alaska cruise. Not sure what your concerns are with Vancouver are, but hopefully my experience will ease your anxiety. I would do this trip again in a heartbeat.

[Travelcat2]

Getting back to Vancouver - we visited friends that had just disembarked from the Mariner last week. The traffic getting to the ship was horrendous and it was worse leaving (this was mid-day - perhaps it was easier in the morning). We will be visiting other friends mid-June and will join them for lunch on embarkation day. To be honest, we are dreading the traffic in downtown Vancouver but will see what it is like to go through immigration in Vancouver (which we actually should not need to do since we are not sailing anywhere).

 

Having been in NYC a couple of weeks ago, we never would have thought that Vancouver's traffic could rival NYC but it did.

 

The point of my discussing traffic in Vancouver is for those of you hoping to embark at noon. Please take into consideration how long it will take you to get to the ship. It took well over an hour to go 6 1/2 miles........

[Living Life Large]

@TC2, I agree on the traffic. We were in Vancouver last week We'd-Fri, I was surprised at the go-home traffic around 5PMish. On the upside, the taxi ride from the hotel to the airport was a piece of cake.

[Troban]

We did Alaska on Navigator last year. We stayed at Delta Suites by Canada Place and we simply walked over bags in tow. Cab would have prob been about 5.00. We too were in line with another ship not long lines at all. Total time from walking up ramp to walking on ship about 30 min.

 

 

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[vlinbin]

I had been dreading embarkation in Vancouver based on my readings on Cruise Critic and elsewhere. On June 1st, we left the Four Seasons on the first bus (around 11:30 a.m.) and the lines were quite short. The process took no more than thirty minutes.

[bigmac1av]

March 28 - 11:00 at terminal- 30 minutes onto ship. There were lines but the moved quickly

[Travelcat2]

As mentioned, we will be visiting the Mariner in Vancouver tomorrow and were trying to find a good meeting spot. The concierge at the hotel said that the area was "a zoo" and therefore we will met them at the hotel. IMO, plenty of time should be allowed to board the Mariner when it is docked in Vancouver. While it could be only 30 minutes, it could also be 2+ hours.

[bigmac1av]

Sorry, the date was May 28.

Edited June 15, 2016 by bigmac1av

[bigmac1av]

Sorry, the date was May 28.

[paluni]

I am definitely worried. Probably Regent took you at the worst time...and possibly there is no good time. I am hearing stories all over the board, but sadly the bottom line is the USA and not having enough agents to screen the passengers, like TSA. I am plenty worried!

 

C

We disembarked at 9:30 a.m. on May 6. I remain appalled they designed their terminal with one elevator to take a thousand people with luggage up one floor. This had nothing to do with TSA, as we did that at the airport. This was a three-ship day. This apparently always breaks the system. So if you are the only ship in port that day, I guess it will be better. There are about 300 ship stops during their summer season. Check and see what it is likely to be for your day.