vancouver disembarkation

[milo696]

First time cruisers on the golden southbound arriving in vancouver on July 13. Hoping someone can give a overview of how the disembarkation process works. Our TA said 

we'd receive a packet the night before with instructions on how and when to leave the ship. I'm a little bit more of a planner than that, so curious to the process. I thought

I read sometimes passengers are put in order of flight arrangements? The ship docks at 7:30AM and we have a flight at 2PM. I personally would rather be one of the first off the ship and wait around at the airport versus the other way around and cutting it close. Do we have to put our luggage outside the night before, or can we keep it with us and carry it off the morning of??

We do have a transfer booked via princess for the trip to the airport. Have no idea where to meet them, at what time..etc

Sorry for the rambling, just like to be prepared. Thanks for any help

[Ombud]

Great questions 1st Timer!

 

Milo696, the day b4 you will get a notice in your cabin as to where to go to wait for the transfer. Often it is the theater but maybe a lounge. Transfers to the airport are rather early and typically get you there 3 hours early. At any rate, you'll be off by 10 and the airport is 30 minutes away. If you want an earlier disembark (with those flying out at 12:30) just ask! The PSD person assigned to switching color coded luggage tags will reassign you

 

They ask that you put your luggage tags on and luggage out after dinner. Just don't pack everything or you'll get off in your pjs. Saw it once

 

Once off, you're in the terminal where the luggage is sorted by the color / number tags. It's amazing how easy it is to find yours!! FWIW: Others on the transfer will be getting their luggage so you don't save time by carrying off

Edited June 19, 2019 by Ombud

[WisCruiser2]

If you have a Princess transfer booked to the airport, you will get all the info in your packet, as you were told. If you want to leave at an earlier time than you are slotted, you may be able to change it with passenger services. Otherwise, you need to vacate your cabin by 8:00 and wait in your designated area until your group is called. Don't worry about not getting to the airport on time! Someone else may know whether or not you can do a walk off or need to let them handle the luggage.

[Pierlesscruisers]

12 minutes ago, milo696 said:

First time cruisers on the golden southbound arriving in vancouver on July 13. Hoping someone can give a overview of how the disembarkation process works. Our TA said 

we'd receive a packet the night before with instructions on how and when to leave the ship. I'm a little bit more of a planner than that, so curious to the process. I thought

I read sometimes passengers are put in order of flight arrangements? The ship docks at 7:30AM and we have a flight at 2PM. I personally would rather be one of the first off the ship and wait around at the airport versus the other way around and cutting it close. Do we have to put our luggage outside the night before, or can we keep it with us and carry it off the morning of??

We do have a transfer booked via princess for the trip to the airport. Have no idea where to meet them, at what time..etc

Sorry for the rambling, just like to be prepared. Thanks for any help

 

The latest that you'll be able to get off the ship will probably be around 10-10:30am because all the disembarking passengers must be off the ship before any of the embarking passengers can start getting on. I know that you're not asking about staying on board but the exact opposite but you'll be off in plenty of time. You can ask for an early walk-off and probably be off the ship well before 8am.  Good that you're planning ahead though!

 

Hope you have a safe trip to/from home and a great cruise!

 

Tom

 

[fishywood]

Self carry walk off and buying the Princess airport transfer are mutually exclusive.

 

You will receive the luggage tags and specific disembarkation time for your assigned transfer coach a few days before disembarkation. Just read and follow. It is pointless to want to be one of the first ones off the ship if that hour will be well before the first transfer is scheduled to leave. Let the mad rush of express walk off leave and have a leisurely breakfast before you make your way to the crowded and noisy underground garage at Canada Place (which you will be sharing with up to three other ships at the same time). 

 

YVR airport is not one of the better ones to want to "wait around" at. If you arrive before your flight is accepting luggage (I believe it is 3.5 hours prior to flight time for USA flights) there is absolutely nothing to do pre-security but park yourself in a hallway. And once you finish immigration pre-clearance into the USA (I'm just assuming that is where you are headed) you are limited to the corralled-in terminal your flight departs from. Prices of food and sundries there were beyond outrageous even after factoring in the favorable exchange rate.

 

If you truly wish to be as flexible as the other responses above seem to think is possible then cancel the Princess transfer so that you can leave the ship whenever you choose and make your way to YVR as quickly as you choose. Changing disembarkation time and luggage tag color is nowhere as simple as the others have implied because you are inexorably tied to the coach transfer dispatch.

Edited June 19, 2019 by fishywood

[Ombud]

There will be more than 1 bus to the airport and 2pm is late. EZAIR flights start at 12:30, so yeah it can be moved up (I've changed if not on a disembark tour). Buy why? I'm going to sit in an airport or onboard 

[milo696]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I doubt I'll change anything, just wanted a feel for how things work. While I don't enjoy sitting in airports, we usually err on the side of caution and are usually pretty early. As princess has done this millions of times before, we'll go with what they assign us more than likely.

A follow up question, since you set your luggage out the night before, can you keep a carry on or backpack or something in the room to carry out in the morning, or does "everything" have to be set out??

What do you do with toiletries and such that you need in the morning?

[Ombud]

I definitely keep a bag mostly bc I need a place to keep pjs, toiletries, ect the next morning. Also keep a change if you don't want to wear the same clothes 2 days in a row. I know, I know, seems obvious.  But as I said b4, saw a guy getting off in pjs. Hope he put something else on once he got his luggage --- trying to find that pic (yep took it to laugh at with my sister)

 

Added: the free blue bag they give everyone onboard is large enough for me. 4.5" deep

 

Edited June 19, 2019 by Ombud

[katisdale]

You keep a carry-on for meds, electronics etc. Save a space for your pjs and "use that morning" toiletries. Also do not pack the clothes and shoes you will wear home.

[Pierlesscruisers]

5 minutes ago, milo696 said:

A follow up question, since you set your luggage out the night before, can you keep a carry on or backpack or something in the room to carry out in the morning, or does "everything" have to be set out??

What do you do with toiletries and such that you need in the morning?

 

Yes, you keep whatever carry-ons you're going to have with you and don't set them outside your cabin. Make sure of 3 things: 1.) You don't forget to take everything out of the safe in your stateroom (passports,/travel docs etc.) ;  2.)You don't pack all of your clothes in the bags you set out in the hall (keep whatever you're wearing the next morning with you); and 3.) You keep your passport/travel docs in your carry-ons and NOT in the bags you set out in the hall.   (Don't laugh, they've all been done!)

 

Tom

[idahospud]

Here is some disembarkation paperwork that is pretty standard on Princess. It might help give you an idea of what to expect. This was for the Royal in Vancouver this year but don't pay attention to the disembarkation times, though. Our cruise arrival time was a one off. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-iqjhyO_bcQ1lWiKQM9SzEuZvQQIM_6L/view

 

Here are what Vancouver disembarkation times are closer to. This was for the Golden last season.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hEX9YlHJg69ztRwedufD6soqInIImX_5/view

 

Hope you find them helpful.

[milo696]

Thanks all..you've been great!!

[martincath]

I couldn't agree more with the posters indicating to cancel the transfers - they're not just horribly overpriced but also add no convenience. This isn't the US, so you have immigration/customs to do on disembarkation and again at the airport before boarding your flight - which means luggage out outside your door does not magically appear at your destination airport carousel. You have to collect it yourself in the terminal, take it to the bus, then at the airport drag it to bag drop yourself too (CBP link a photo of your bag on the conveyor belt to your boarding pass, so when you're making your customs declaration you see your bag displayed on a screen - if they don't like your answers/randomly select you for extra screening the bag is diverted to be opened, if it's all hunky-dory then the bag is released to the baggage handlers).

 

So you pay extra for absolutely nothing except delays waiting for buses to be loaded with other people & bags. Take a cab, take SkyTrain - heck take a limo as that works out cheaper with as few as three people!!! Spending the savings on porters in the pier and airport makes it even easier than the cruise transfer, and even with generous tipping 2 people in a cab will still pay less.

 

I do agree that too much time at YVR isn't particularly sensible, and that pricing of food & drink especially is jacked-up compared to same restos downtown, but it's a much more pleasant place to kill time than most airports. The public observation lounge is probably the easiest place to just chill with baggage if you're too early to check it (lots of seats, views of aircraft including free telescopes); we also have tons of artwork on display, many of which are before Security; ask in advance and you can even join a tour of the pre-security interesting parts of YVR...

[Ombud]

7 minutes ago, martincath said:

I couldn't agree more with the posters indicating to cancel the transfers - ...  take SkyTrain -

I might take SkyTrain but have just a 21" bag + the Princess tote. What if OP has more luggage? (Leaning on your input as you live there ..... local input is invaluable) As a solo I find that a single transfer is often the same cost as a taxi so just leave it up to the ship

Edited June 19, 2019 by Ombud

[martincath]

32 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I might take SkyTrain but have just a 21" bag + the Princess tote. What if OP has more luggage? (Leaning on your input as you live there ..... local input is invaluable) As a solo I find that a single transfer is often the same cost as a taxi so just leave it up to the ship

Unless they have so much luggage they're physically incapable of moving it by themselves they'll be fine. The Canada Line uses different rolling stock precisely because it was designed from the ground up as an airport service - fewer seats per carriage, massive legroom, and space under every seat for a large bag. Since one terminus is ~300 metres from the pier and the other is at the airport, there's also no risk of not getting a seat whichever direction you're traveling in. I'm 6'1", 250lbs, and can fit myself, a 28" roller and a carry-on or backpack into my seat without impinging on others and my knees aren't even close to touching the seat ahead of me.

 

I agree that there are ports where cruise transfers make sense - though I've yet to find anywhere that two people can't save money by taking cab/uber/private shuttle compared to cruise buses. But in Vancouver, with the airport and pier so close and with excellent transit connections it's always a ripoff, we're just talking about what degree you're being ripped off. Even solo travelers get screwed by cruise transfers - you can take a local shuttle for $18 or less into town from airport hotels, and even heading to YVR (which charges hefty fees to transport companies for access) it's $23 or less including booking fee, with discounts for seniors/kids too (and another ~25% off for Americans).

 

That's 'have a beer at the airport' level savings even for one person 😉 For folks in couples or family groups, the lack of any discount for bigger numbers just makes the pricing more and more egregious...

[milo696]

Thanks for the insight. As we already booked this as part of our package and paid for, I'm just going to go ahead and keep it as is.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Taxi fare was $24.27 USD just a few weeks ago.  Taxis were plentiful, super easy to use and all of them take credit cards.

[JSandage]

We were on the Coral Princess recently, disembarked on May 29 in Vancouver. About 4 days before disembarkation day, we got a notice in our cabin that we could do a quick disembark. We filled out the form and the immigration cards and took them to customer service desk. We were assigned to Red 1 group meaning 1st group off the ship. We walked from the ship to our bus and straight to the airport, super easy. Our bus beat the luggage truck to the airport so we had to wait there but we had a 12:30 flight and had plenty of time to get something to eat. Went through security and then US Customs at the airport, all very easy. Since we were 1st off the ship there wasn't too much luggage to look through to find ours at the airport. 

And Alaska was absolutely amazing!!! Enjoy your cruise