Disembarkation in Vancouver and time to get to airport...

[Jenhilmc]

We did no lifting or stairs. We walked off the ship, down the ramps, down Canada Place pier to the street. We then walked about two blocks to the Uber pickup spot. There was a slight upward slant to the ramps. We are 65 and 66. My husband pulled our 48 lb checked bag and I handled the carryon. 

[Desert Dawg14]

I know this is quite a bit after the last post but maybe someone with experience will see this and offer some advice.

 

Wondering if we can make an 11:20a flight out of YVR from our disembark off Holland Alaska cruise next year at Canada Place.  I already learned that we need to do our own disembark with luggage asap at 7:30a (or when first available) and we will take the SkyTrain from the Cordova St station to YVR as suggested above.  I estimated we would arrive at YVR at 8:15a or so, as long as there are no delays in docking etc of course.

 

So will this allow for enough time to clear security AND US Customs??  We are trying to hop a flight back to the east coast and trying to avoid long waits at the airport, BUT dont want to push it time-wise either if it's cutting it too close based on past experiences or delays.

 

Thanks for any help!

[martincath]

18 minutes ago, Desert Dawg14 said:

...I already learned that we need to do our own disembark with luggage asap at 7:30a (or when first available) and we will take the SkyTrain from the Cordova St station to YVR as suggested above.  I estimated we would arrive at YVR at 8:15a or so, as long as there are no delays in docking etc of course.

 

So will this allow for enough time to clear security AND US Customs?? ...

Even with 4 ships in port, SkyTrain can handle the traffic levels just fine - while there's no such thing as a 100% guarantee (ship might have a propulsion failure and arrive very late, SkyTrain does have very occasional failures, YVR had a massive power cut once in the last decade, another occasion the computer systems all went down causing multiple-hour delays) this is as close to a sure thing as you can plan for! Even if you had a flight at 1pm, any really disastrous thing going wrong could also mean you miss that.

 

The only time you ever really need more than two hours at YVR, even for US preclearance flights, would be on multiship days after the busloads of cruise transfer pax start rolling in which isn't until ~9:30am.

 

If you do much international travel - even literally one foreign trip a year - then NEXUS or Global Entry are money well spent, and both would expedite you through CBP and Security when heading south. If you don't already have an application under way it's probably too late for the 2024 cruise season - but there's also YVRs 'prebook your security slot' Express service which anyone can use, and just on the offchance that Something Unexpected Crops Up you can at least hedge your bets for the Security queue.

 

Of course, the best advice I can offer is always the same - stay overnight for as many days as your time and $ budgets can handle, as Vancouver is an outstanding place to visit, then book a flight in the first tranche of day before 9am. You'll likely be in the air then before the first same-day-disembarkers even arrive at YVR, fly home in daylight, and more often that not pay less for the flight too as everyone and their granny wants the 'no need to get up early, can get to it after a cruise' noonish to mid-afternoon flights so they usually carry a premium cost...

[Crew News]

22 minutes ago, Desert Dawg14 said:

I know this is quite a bit after the last post but maybe someone with experience will see this and offer some advice.

 

Wondering if we can make an 11:20a flight out of YVR from our disembark off Holland Alaska cruise next year at Canada Place.  I already learned that we need to do our own disembark with luggage asap at 7:30a (or when first available) and we will take the SkyTrain from the Cordova St station to YVR as suggested above.  I estimated we would arrive at YVR at 8:15a or so, as long as there are no delays in docking etc of course.

 

So will this allow for enough time to clear security AND US Customs??  We are trying to hop a flight back to the east coast and trying to avoid long waits at the airport, BUT dont want to push it time-wise either if it's cutting it too close based on past experiences or delays.

 

Thanks for any help!

Self Disembarkation BEGINS at 7:30, and in my experience, lasts for about 45 minutes because there are so many passengers choosing this option.  Add the time to get to the Skytrain and the train schedule (every 7 minutes).  The lines at the airport for airline check-in are very long as is the Security screening line, especially on cruise days.   The plane closes its doors about 10 minutes before departure.

 

An 11:20 AM flight is possible if all goes well.  I would not risk a flight before noon.

 

[Desert Dawg14]

Thanks martincath and Crew News.  Really appreciate the advice.

 

I hadn't factored in the time involved for other passengers who may also want to self disembark and realize that delay could really push our time schedule back if there is a large group.  Since the later flight departure times involve long connections, we are limited in our choices.

 

I think we will take martincath's suggestion and look into staying that extra night and fly out early the next morning instead.  It would definitely make for a less hectic disembark off the ship that last morning.  And save us from maybe having to run through the airport with luggage in tow and hurdling chairs to make the gate like in those old car rental TV commercials...'cause I know who would be carrying all the luggage...

 

Thanks again for your help.  I'm sure I'll be back with more questions about Vancouver as we get closer to the trip.

 

 

[Crew News]

34 minutes ago, Desert Dawg14 said:

Thanks martincath and Crew News.  Really appreciate the advice.

 

I hadn't factored in the time involved for other passengers who may also want to self disembark and realize that delay could really push our time schedule back if there is a large group.  Since the later flight departure times involve long connections, we are limited in our choices.

 

I think we will take martincath's suggestion and look into staying that extra night and fly out early the next morning instead.  It would definitely make for a less hectic disembark off the ship that last morning.  And save us from maybe having to run through the airport with luggage in tow and hurdling chairs to make the gate like in those old car rental TV commercials...'cause I know who would be carrying all the luggage...

 

Thanks again for your help.  I'm sure I'll be back with more questions about Vancouver as we get closer to the trip.

 

Another option is to take the HAL bus ($79) from the Vancouver cruise terminal to the Seattle airport (arrive around 3:00 PM), utilize a nearby hotel 's (Marriott) free shuttle, spend the night at a lower cost (Marriott), and fly home in the morning at a lot cheaper airfare (Southwest).  A few years ago, staying in Seattle for two nights cut the Southwest Airlines fare nearly in half.

 

The same process also works on cruise day:  Catch the HAL bus ($79) at the Seattle airport at 8:30 AM and arrive at the Vancouver cruise terminal around 1:00 PM.  Cheaper airfares to Seattle as well as hotels.

[MickleC]

On 3/3/2023 at 8:58 PM, diekmanj said:

We are sailing on the Volendam in mid-June from Vancouver on a round trip through the Inside Passage. We've never been to either the Vancouver port or the airport, so are unfamiliar with either one.  We will be arriving back in Vancouver at the end of the cruise on a Wednesday. It appears that we arrive at 7:00am. How early can we expect to be able to disembark? And how long will disembarkation take? Can we request to disembark in an earlier group?

It appears that there is only one other ship scheduled in port that day-the Norwegian Spirit (2414 passengers). What should we expect about getting out of the port and over the the airport? We would like to take the SkyTrain if possible.

We would like to catch a flight to Anchorage that departs at 1:20pm. Since we're all U.S. citizens, we'll have to go through immigration/customs at the Vancouver airport. Since we don't know what to expect, I'd appreciate any information you can share with me. How long does it generally take to get through immigration/customs at the Vancouver airport? I know the recommended time used to be to allow at least 2 hours. But I also know that things have been unpredictable and different at airports more recently, so I assume it may be longer.  How long do you think we should plan for? We haven't booked the flight yet, but are hoping to very soon if it looks like it will work and we will have enough time. I'll appreciate your advice and suggestions.

I'm keen to know the answer to this as we are cruise virgin's and also want to catch an international flight on day of departure in Vancouver. 

[Crew News]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Booking a flight before noon is possible but risky.

 

The first group of passenger who are pulling their own luggage off the ship will be allowed to depart beginning at 7:30 AM.  The next groups to depart are those who are taking the HAL bus to the airport (highly recommended).  Other passengers can select the time they wish to depart the ship through 9:30 AM.  Note that passenger luggage is moved to the cruise terminal in the order that the passengers will depart the ship.

 

HAL buses begin arriving at the airport around 10:00 AM.  Taxi fare is $41 CAD and takes about 40 minutes.

 

While onboard, you will be given the chance to choose your time of departure from the ship.

 

The only Canadian Customs is handing your Customs form to an agent just before leaving the terminal.

 

I like the Volendam and especially the Taco Bar by the indoor pool for lunch on Embarkation Day,

 

Hope this helps.

Edited August 23 by Crew News

[diekmanj]

Thanks, Crew News, for the great response and info. I'm the one who originally asked about this last year prior to our Alaska cruise/land trip and you and other Cruise Critic members helped me with so much great information and advice. I really appreciated it! I thought I'd share how it was for us. We ended up disembarking the Volendam around 8:30 or so if I recall correctly. We decided not to take the SkyTrain and took a taxi instead-too much luggage to wrestle and we opted for the easier option. It took a while to get through the line in the cruise terminal for a taxi, but then we made it to the airport with plenty of time for our 1:20 pm flight to Anchorage. From what I recall, getting through the Vancouver airport wasn't bad at all-pretty quick and no problems. We were at our departure gate with a lot of spare time.  

[Crew News]

2 minutes ago, diekmanj said:

Thanks, Crew News, for the great response and info. I'm the one who originally asked about this last year prior to our Alaska cruise/land trip and you and other Cruise Critic members helped me with so much great information and advice. I really appreciated it! I thought I'd share how it was for us. We ended up disembarking the Volendam around 8:30 or so if I recall correctly. We decided not to take the SkyTrain and took a taxi instead-too much luggage to wrestle and we opted for the easier option. It took a while to get through the line in the cruise terminal for a taxi, but then we made it to the airport with plenty of time for our 1:20 pm flight to Anchorage. From what I recall, getting through the Vancouver airport wasn't bad at all-pretty quick and no problems. We were at our departure gate with a lot of spare time.  

Thanks for posting your experience to explain the taxi option. 

 

For many years, I took a taxi to the airport.  In 2021, I waited nearly an hour for a taxi.  On all of my previous taxi rides, I remembered seeing passengers dragging/pushing their suitcases up the steep ramp as they headed to the train.  I erased that option from my Disembarkation Day planning.  In 2022, with HAL Excursion personnel in the terminal pointing me to the HAL bus exit doors, I gave the HAL bus a try and waited only five minutes to board the bus.  I was hooked and this year experienced the bus again.  I was at my airport departure gate (after airline check-in and US Immigration) on both bus trips before 11:00 AM.
 

[diekmanj]

On 8/22/2024 at 11:35 PM, Crew News said:

Thanks for posting your experience to explain the taxi option. 

 

For many years, I took a taxi to the airport.  In 2021, I waited nearly an hour for a taxi.  On all of my previous taxi rides, I remembered seeing passengers dragging/pushing their suitcases up the steep ramp as they headed to the train.  I erased that option from my Disembarkation Day planning.  In 2022, with HAL Excursion personnel in the terminal pointing me to the HAL bus exit doors, I gave the HAL bus a try and waited only five minutes to board the bus.  I was hooked and this year experienced the bus again.  I was at my airport departure gate (after airline check-in and US Immigration) on both bus trips before 11:00 AM.
 

Wow! That sounds great! If we are disembarking from a HAL cruise in the future, we may try that bus. Sure sounds like a good option-better than the taxi line. It's likely that we may find ourselves back there sometime as we all loved the HAL cruise and Alaska and have been talking about what we would like to do if we go back to Alaska.