Vancouver - Embark, Drop off luggage, and Get Off to Walk Around?

[potsticker1]

We are departing on Discovery Princess from Vancouver next week on a California Coast trip. I haven't cruised in several years so I don't remember this is possible. Can we board the ship in the morning, get settled, and then get off the ship to walk around? We have a 2-year old so we'd like to ideally get on the ship to get things situated. We've never been to Vancouver before so thought it'd be nice to walk around the area in the early afternoon. Is this possible? Or just a complete pain given the check-in lines?

[blizzard44ca]

Unfortunately not for this cruise, as you pre-clear US Customs and Immigration before boarding. 
 

Edit to add: You could drop off your luggage, and then tour around a bit.

Edited September 19, 2022 by blizzard44ca

[potsticker1]

Got it, thank you. Maybe we'll do that. It seems like a nice area to walk around for a bit.

[Urban trekker]

It is an excellent area to walk around - leaving Canada Place and heading west you can walk all the way to Stanley Park but with a little one that might be too much - lots of ocean, mountain views and you can also get some get photos of Vancouver's downtown glass towers. 

If you walk the other way - eastward you will be in Gastown which is where Vancouver was born - this is more historic - lots of old buildings and restaurants and shops selling souvenirs but no Diamond International.

Just inside the entrance to Canada Place - there is a staffed Tourism Vancouver kiosk which has lots of info on things to do.

Hope this helps

Dennis

[VibeGuy]

Yes, you can do this - and I have, in Vancouver.   
 

When you return to the ship, proceed directly to the cruise level (aka, one floor below ground level) and keep to the left of the main security line.  There should be signage for transit passengers and crew - you’re a transit passenger at this point.   If there’s any discussion, ask one of the Port employees.  In *general*, they use the X-ray scanner to the far left and it dumps you out behind the US CBP desks, and then you proceed to the ship. 

[Mike45LC]

We did our walk-about BEFORE we boarded. The bellmen at our hotel took care of getting our luggage checked in, so we didn’t have to deal with that at all.

 

There is a wonderful attraction right at Canada Place called Fly Over (or Soaring Over?) Canada that my wife and I loved.  Nice cafes, and Gas Town.  

I don’t know about boarding and then visiting the city.

[arizonaperson]

On 9/19/2022 at 3:25 PM, potsticker1 said:

We are departing on Discovery Princess from Vancouver next week on a California Coast trip. I haven't cruised in several years so I don't remember this is possible. Can we board the ship in the morning, get settled, and then get off the ship to walk around? We have a 2-year old so we'd like to ideally get on the ship to get things situated. We've never been to Vancouver before so thought it'd be nice to walk around the area in the early afternoon. Is this possible? Or just a complete pain given the check-in lines?

 As others have said it’s probably definitely possible. But it just really depends on when you’re able to get on the ship timewise ( i.e. how early. )Sometimes you can get on the ship early ,but sometimes you can’t go to your cabin and drop off hand luggage . Sometimes the fire doors are closed and they don’t allow you into your cabin until a certain time. 

  Check back and let us know what actually transpired. Seems to me the earliest I’ve ever seen anybody get on is around 11:30 AM on most cruises that depart at either 4 PM or 5 PM .

 

 While it’s not the Discovery P.,there is a live from the Royal P.that left out of Vancouver September 17 and there’s lots of great step-by-step information from the author/OP .

Edited September 21, 2022 by arizonaperson

[Potstech]

You could just drop off your luggage then go walk around before actually checking aboard the ship.  As long as you check on board about 90 minutes before departure you should be OK. 

[brucedodge]

FWIW, I've done this in the past.  And not just in Vancouver, but in many places.

Perhaps times have changed, but once you have your medallion, getting back on board should be no different than any other port.  I'd ask at the exit of the ship when you want to get off.  They'll know.

In Vancouver, we needed something at a pharmacy.  Another time, I bought some wine and brought them back with me.  No confiscation as we hadn't brought any on board originally.