Embarkation in Vancouver

[cruisingberger]

12 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

What are you asking? Cunard and Princess all dock at the same place. What do you need to walk to?

According too the Port Authority, Cunard will be ported at the North Berth and Princess will be ported at the East birth. My question is, how far is the walk, approx. and will we need to pass through any gates with documents if we are already in the port?

[ceilidh1]

1 minute ago, cruisingberger said:

According too the Port Authority, Cunard will be ported at the North Berth and Princess will be ported at the East birth. My question is, how far is the walk, approx. and will we need to pass through any gates with documents if we are already in the port?

The berths are opposite one another - very close BUT you will need to completely disembark your first ship, pass through Canadian CBSA (which rarely warrants more than a glance) and then start the process for embark. You can't just go directly from one ship to the other so, yes, it will involve some walking and you will need to show all documentation required to disembark (usually only passport) and to embark (passport, vax proof, test proof, ArriveCan). 

[Crystabel]

15 hours ago, dog said:

are you familiar with Vancouver?

I did a tour a few years ago & we got into a lot of traffic after the lunch hour.

 

I would move the tour to post cruise or the day prior. 

After reading the responses about taking a tour the day of the cruise, we decided to cancel the tour and do one the day before. Since our flight arrives in the morning, it gives us ample time to do a half day tour. Thanks to everyone for your advice. 

[Potstech]

1 hour ago, Crystabel said:

After reading the responses about taking a tour the day of the cruise, we decided to cancel the tour and do one the day before. Since our flight arrives in the morning, it gives us ample time to do a half day tour. Thanks to everyone for your advice. 

Sounds like a much better plan. Enjoy yourself.

[Senga]

We sail on the Grand tomorrow.  I have to use a cane IF I’ll be standing around for a long time or have to walk a distance and, since it’s a “3 ship hurricane day, that sounds very possible.  Is there seating where I might go and hubby lines up?  We have NEXUS so, hopefully, that helps.

[ceilidh1]

2 hours ago, Senga said:

We sail on the Grand tomorrow.  I have to use a cane IF I’ll be standing around for a long time or have to walk a distance and, since it’s a “3 ship hurricane day, that sounds very possible.  Is there seating where I might go and hubby lines up?  We have NEXUS so, hopefully, that helps.

Request wheelchair assistance. You will be fast tracked through…

[nini]

On 5/23/2022 at 4:55 AM, VibeGuy said:

Calling the situation on the Cruise level at Canada Place a “zoo” is offensive to adorable animals and hard-working zookeepers.   The problem is entirely on CBP and Port Management - there isn’t enough space to keep security flowing when CBP gets backed up, and *most of the time*, the CBP backup is not for US nationals - I’ve seen plenty of days where some lines are empty but the queue for foreign nationals has bogged down and blocked access. 
 

If you have NEXUS or Global Entry, bring the card.  There *should* be priority security access to the left of the nightmare queue, and this *should* drop you in to the NEXUS/GE lanes to the far left of the Wall of CBP.   If there’s no priority security queue, as soon as you get out of the X-ray area, ask staff for the NEXUS/GE line, which usually starts just as you enter the CBP area, to the left.  It is historically not well signed or evident, and staff may have it cordoned off to open on request.  

I had no clue that Global Entry would make a.difference. Thank you!

[Senga]

22 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

Request wheelchair assistance. You will be fast tracked through…

Thank you SO MUCH ceilidh1!  The lines weren’t bad when we arrived at 1 but there is so much retracing steps going from check in to security to customs I would definitely have had issues.  Staff were all wonderful.

[DandDM]

Have a few minutes so thought I'd share my recent experience (not bad) at Canada place boarding the repositioning cruise on Discovery Princess.  

 

Had a super early flight and efficient trip on the sky train from the airport, so arrived at around 7:30 AM.  Learned that the porters taking bags wouldn't be ready for us until 8AM, and at that time found them down at a parking area two floors down (a very nice port worker helped us figure that out). Wandered around and loitered in the hotel lobby until a little after 10 AM and then got in line outside a large conference room a floor up and across from the security area.  Would guess that there were about 50 people in line in front of us and maybe another 100 behind when boarding started.

 

While waiting in line, a worker announced a few times that everyone must show evidence of a 10:30 check in before being allowed in.  Of course, when I pulled up the Medallion app, my green lane check in at 10:30 was not there.  I got it back to green but was unable to bring up the 10:30 check in nor have it show my boarding pass.  My buddy's app was working fine.  Soon after 10:30, the line started to move, and when we got to the door, I started to explain that the app wasn't working, and the nice lady just waved us through.

 

Steered to the right for the Elite line and only a minute or so wait to get to a person to check in. We had our medallions ready and covid tests printed and were checked in in less than five minutes.  This is where it got a little weird.  They steered us around the room, then right back into the hallway.  After a little confusion, figured out that we were to walk back through the complex, down the escalator, and back to the security area.  When we got there, it wasn't open yet, but after another few minutes, that line started moving.  There were maybe 20 people in front of us at that point.

 

I was wondering how they knew that we had already checked in...if I hadn't known any better, very possible that we would have immediately lined up at security when arriving, expecting to check after.  Anyway, got through security, went through customs, then to the waiting area.  Very few people were waiting, and there was a small section reserved for suite and elite guests (I think) behind a curtain wall.  They had coffee and other drinks with fancy glassware waiting for us.  Grabbed seats in the front row and by the time I went to the restroom and got a cup of coffee (didn't even get to finish it!), saw some people headed for the gangplank.  Joined them and by walking past the photo trap, was surprised to find that we were one of the first to board! Time stamp on the boarding photo I took was 11:08, so 38 minutes from start of check in to being on board (not including the three hours we lurked around the terminal and hotel before that).

 

While a bit of an odd morning, have no complaints about the process and found everyone at the port to be very helpful and friendly. 

 

Cheers,

[ceilidh1]

3 hours ago, DandDM said:

Have a few minutes so thought I'd share my recent experience (not bad) at Canada place boarding the repositioning cruise on Discovery Princess.  

 

Had a super early flight and efficient trip on the sky train from the airport, so arrived at around 7:30 AM.  Learned that the porters taking bags wouldn't be ready for us until 8AM, and at that time found them down at a parking area two floors down (a very nice port worker helped us figure that out). Wandered around and loitered in the hotel lobby until a little after 10 AM and then got in line outside a large conference room a floor up and across from the security area.  Would guess that there were about 50 people in line in front of us and maybe another 100 behind when boarding started.

 

While waiting in line, a worker announced a few times that everyone must show evidence of a 10:30 check in before being allowed in.  Of course, when I pulled up the Medallion app, my green lane check in at 10:30 was not there.  I got it back to green but was unable to bring up the 10:30 check in nor have it show my boarding pass.  My buddy's app was working fine.  Soon after 10:30, the line started to move, and when we got to the door, I started to explain that the app wasn't working, and the nice lady just waved us through.

 

Steered to the right for the Elite line and only a minute or so wait to get to a person to check in. We had our medallions ready and covid tests printed and were checked in in less than five minutes.  This is where it got a little weird.  They steered us around the room, then right back into the hallway.  After a little confusion, figured out that we were to walk back through the complex, down the escalator, and back to the security area.  When we got there, it wasn't open yet, but after another few minutes, that line started moving.  There were maybe 20 people in front of us at that point.

 

I was wondering how they knew that we had already checked in...if I hadn't known any better, very possible that we would have immediately lined up at security when arriving, expecting to check after.  Anyway, got through security, went through customs, then to the waiting area.  Very few people were waiting, and there was a small section reserved for suite and elite guests (I think) behind a curtain wall.  They had coffee and other drinks with fancy glassware waiting for us.  Grabbed seats in the front row and by the time I went to the restroom and got a cup of coffee (didn't even get to finish it!), saw some people headed for the gangplank.  Joined them and by walking past the photo trap, was surprised to find that we were one of the first to board! Time stamp on the boarding photo I took was 11:08, so 38 minutes from start of check in to being on board (not including the three hours we lurked around the terminal and hotel before that).

 

While a bit of an odd morning, have no complaints about the process and found everyone at the port to be very helpful and friendly. 

 

Cheers,

You described the process perfectly - that is EXACTLY how it works at Canada Place! You should come work for us!