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Assuming all goes well next June, we will be departing YVR on a 9:25 AM flight to SEA.  We will be staying the night prior to our flight at the Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel (Richmond) and will probably take the shuttle to YVR.  What time should we arrive at the airport for processing; our flight will be on a Thursday.  Normally, we depart YVR at 6 AM so we are familiar with those processing times; this time it will be different for us and not sure how long it will take.  Thanks in advance for the help.

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If things are back to normal, then showing up 2 hours preflight will be ample - but realistically nobody can tell you what it will be like at that time as 'normal' seems likely to be 3+ years away when it comes to air travel...

 

Two key unknowns: how many other folks flying (if numbers stay low, then in theory you should most likely be able to shave the margins closer - even if there are CBP staffing cutbacks, the fact that the vast majority of flyers are processed by the kiosks at YVR means much less impact on processing time even when e.g. CBP agents were shifted to Mexican border from here); and what if any extra Covid checks will be carried out (e.g. if you have to show a clean test/proof of vaccination that will add at least a little bit of extra time, checklists and temp screenings likely at least a few minutes extra per person).

 

Right now I'd be tempted to play it safe, assume you will have to be at the airport 3 hours early per YVRs standard recommendation, and then wait to see what reports come back from folks who travel in May - maybe you'll get lucky and be able to lie in until 8am. No matter how quiet the airport gets though, a minimum 1 hour preflight will likely always be needed for checked bag drop given the requirements of CBP prescreening.

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Thanks martincath, I appreciate the feedback.  I kinda figured that we might have to allow at least 3 hours.  Waiting for May cruiser comments might be a little tight for us as we will be flying into Vancouver on May 17, 2021 for our pre-cruise followed by a 14-day cruise to Alaska.  Not sure if there will be enough comments posted to let us know what we will be in for.  Keeping fingers crossed that 2021 Alaska cruising is a go and tourism in both Vancouver and Alaska can resume and thrive.

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Wish I could have given you something more tangible - but until we see what happens with vaccines, tourist sector recovery rates etc. it's all just theory! Fingers crossed that next year's AK season will be viable, but between waiting until we see how winter flu season & Covid coexist and what comes out of the various vaccine trials in terms of efficacy and logistics of distribution, I really would not be surprised if cruising to small communities remains off the table in 2021 as well, even if cruises around the Med and to Caribbean islands manage to run...

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We are still optimistic that our Alaska cruise - R/T Vancouver will take place - August 2021 !

 

Starting to look at air travel possibilities - as far as arriving into YVR - it looks like we can take a flight that arrives at about noon the date of departure - and head directly to the ship (wonder if Celebrity will still offer "USA DIRECT")

 

For returning home - it looks like a flight that departs YVR at about 1:00 PM would work ???? - Or do we need to allow MORE time 

 

(Have been to Vancouver many, many times - so really don't want to spend "additional" time there this time !)

 

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, GreenValleyDogWalker said:

We are still optimistic that our Alaska cruise - R/T Vancouver will take place - August 2021 !

 

Starting to look at air travel possibilities - as far as arriving into YVR - it looks like we can take a flight that arrives at about noon the date of departure - and head directly to the ship (wonder if Celebrity will still offer "USA DIRECT")

 

For returning home - it looks like a flight that departs YVR at about 1:00 PM would work ???? - Or do we need to allow MORE time 

 

(Have been to Vancouver many, many times - so really don't want to spend "additional" time there this time !)

1pm for going home should be OK - but given possible extra delays at the port for Canadian immigration on top of whatever happens at YVR, I'd be inclined to err on the side of caution and bump that later.

 

Noon arrival even pre-Covid times is a recipe for disaster - unless you have a direct, non-stop flight from your home airport that shows a very consistent on-time % and minimal delay time when it is late. There's just way too much scope for things to go wrong - and even though an RT Vancouver cruise means it would be legal to fly onward and meet the ship in the first AK port, missing embarkation would mean missing out on ~48hours of time on the ship.

 

Even if you're not worried about missing out on touring time locally, a pre-cruise hotel night is cheap insurance - and given you then have total flexibility in what time the flight arrives or route taken you can very possibly save more on flight costs than the price of the hotel...

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+1 to Martincath's advice on arriving the day before your cruise.  Arriving at noon for a same day cruise departure is absolute madness!

 

At this point in time no one knows what extra check in procedures are going to be required to get on a ship (or off a plane in Canada) so giving yourself extra time might be a godsend!

Edited by cruiseryyc
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