Vancouver: luggage locker/valet?

[NewCruiser-2023]

Our HAL cruise disembarks at 7am, but our flight home doesn't leave until late that night. We need a place to store our suitcases while we spend the day in Vancouver. My husband found a luggage locker, but it closes at 5pm...on a Saturday, really? We also found a service that contracts with local business to store your bags in their stores, but that gets terrible reviews.

A youtube cruise couple took their Alaskan cruise out of Seattle where a luggage valet works with the ships to take your luggage from the ship to the airport and checks it in for you. You put it outside your cabin door the night before you disembark and don't see it (or have to lug it anywhere) again until you line up at baggage claim at your home airport. Wowza. We don't need something THAT amazing, but we'd love to not have to drag our bags all over Vancouver with us that day. 

Anyone have experience with this??

[Northern Aurora]

The luggage valet program in Seattle is operated by the Port of Seattle.  I am not aware that the Port of Vancouver sponsors such a service.

 

 

[Amy G]

We are using the one at the port because the 5pm closing time works for us. However, I did look into Bounce and it seemed like a good option.  https://usebounce.com/city/vancouver/downtown-vancouver 

[Milhouse]

We used Bounce in Santa Monica after our cruise out of San Pedro/LA last November and had a good experience with the app and the local partner.  However, I can see the experience being very partner dependent though.

[NewCruiser-2023]

Thank you so much! I can't believe after weeks of off and on looking online, I get such a great recommendation from my new cruise critic friends! I just read the reviews for one of my many Vancouver partner locations, and they are good. And it's open 24 hours for easy drop-off and pick-up. I so appreciate the assist!

[Glaciers]

The Pan Pacific Hotel at the cruise terminal will store luggage for non-guests. The bellman is located near the street entrance. It's been $5US/bag in the past. We stored our bags there and went exploring before catching the train that evening. 

[NewCruiser-2023]

Thank you, Glaciers! I will look into this as well. Sounds like a really good option. 

[Glaciers]

@NewCruiser-2023    Don't lollygag as it can fill up early some days and they begin refusing acceptance of anymore bags. There are several other posts on this board regarding this dandy option.

[NewCruiser-2023]

That's interesting. I thought I searched it pretty thoroughly. It did seem strange that we were the only ones with this dilemma. I sent the hotel an email asking about this...how much they currently charge, if arrangements need to be made ahead of time, etc. We disembark at 7am. Hopefully that's early enough!

[BLH613]

@NewCruiser-2023  Curious if you received a response from the Pan Pacific Hotel about the post-cruise luggage storage? We are also taking a later flight after disembarking and looking into options. Bounce seems like a good option but the hotel would be more convenient.

[NewCruiser-2023]

@BLH613  So sorry for the delayed response! Yes, I heard back from the folks at the Pan Pacific hotel the very day I wrote to their general email. This is the response:

"Yes we can offer to store the luggage with our Bell Desk team at the front of the hotel.

 It is gratuity based please talk to them and they can help you

 

Regards

 Esy"
 
So no formal arrangements were made; we're just hoping the folks at the Bell Stand do have room, and I guess we'll plan to tip the person who takes it and the person who is there when we retrieve it. Having worked in the hotel business for many years, I do feel good about this option, and, agree that this would be most convenient.

When are you traveling? If I remember I'll let you know when we get back how it worked out.
Apologies again for the late response. So many things to get in order before the trip - two wks from now we'll be in the terminal waiting to check in!

[BLH613]

7 hours ago, NewCruiser-2023 said:

@BLH613  So sorry for the delayed response! Yes, I heard back from the folks at the Pan Pacific hotel the very day I wrote to their general email. This is the response:

"Yes we can offer to store the luggage with our Bell Desk team at the front of the hotel.

 It is gratuity based please talk to them and they can help you

 

Regards

 Esy"
 
So no formal arrangements were made; we're just hoping the folks at the Bell Stand do have room, and I guess we'll plan to tip the person who takes it and the person who is there when we retrieve it. Having worked in the hotel business for many years, I do feel good about this option, and, agree that this would be most convenient.

When are you traveling? If I remember I'll let you know when we get back how it worked out.
Apologies again for the late response. So many things to get in order before the trip - two wks from now we'll be in the terminal waiting to check in!

@NewCruiser-2023Thanks so much for the update! We're cruising in mid-August so probably just after you? Coincidentally our pre-cruise hotel (the Auberge) also replied to an email and confirmed we could store luggage storage for a few hours (a week after our check-out!) and we'll try to take advantage of that but I'm glad to have a backup plan just in case! Our flight doesn't depart until after 5 pm and we can't even check bags at the airport until two hours prior. Glad to have someplace to drop luggage and get in a little more exploring. 

Edited July 29, 2023 by BLH613

[NewCruiser-2023]

17 minutes ago, BLH613 said:

@NewCruiser-2023Thanks so much for the update! We're cruising in mid-August so probably just after you? Coincidentally our pre-cruise hotel (the Auberge) also replied to an email and confirmed we could store luggage storage for a few hours (a week after our check-out!) and we'll try to take advantage of that but I'm glad to have a backup plan just in case! Our flight doesn't depart until after 5 pm and we can't even check bags at the airport until two hours prior. Glad to have someplace to drop luggage and get in a little more exploring. 

@BLH613 Glad you have options and that I hadn't reached you too late. We had the same issue with the late flight...ours leaves shortly before midnight. We would have loved to drop them at the airport early, but yeah, the two-hour limit definitely wouldn't work for us, nor would the luggage lockers in the port that close at 5pm (really, on a Saturday?). Thankful for these hotels!
We leave Aug 12, return Aug 19. Do you set sail then Aug 19? We are taking the Koningsdam to the Inside Passage. First cruise and hoping for a fun time and peeks of sunshine.

[BLH613]

20 hours ago, NewCruiser-2023 said:

We leave Aug 12, return Aug 19. Do you set sail then Aug 19? We are taking the Koningsdam to the Inside Passage. First cruise and hoping for a fun time and peeks of sunshine.

@NewCruiser-2023Yes, hubby and I will be boarding after you disembark! We've sailed HAL before, but our first time on Koningsdam and the first time to Alaska. I hope you have a wonderful cruise! 

[NewCruiser-2023]

Thank you! We'll try to make sure we leave the ship in good condition for you, ha ha!

[jayally1968]

On 7/29/2023 at 3:53 PM, BLH613 said:

@NewCruiser-2023Thanks so much for the update! We're cruising in mid-August so probably just after you? Coincidentally our pre-cruise hotel (the Auberge) also replied to an email and confirmed we could store luggage storage for a few hours (a week after our check-out!) and we'll try to take advantage of that but I'm glad to have a backup plan just in case! Our flight doesn't depart until after 5 pm and we can't even check bags at the airport until two hours prior. Glad to have someplace to drop luggage and get in a little more exploring. 

@blh613 - We are staying at the Aubrege pre-cruise and have a 4:30pm return flight after our 11 night cruise and need luggage storage so we can explore the city a bit before taking the skytrain to the airport. Did you end up using the Auberge after your cruise to hold your bags? If not, what did you do? How long a walk was it to and from Canada Place? I will be traveling with my 82 and 78 yr old parents. Thank you for any answers!! 

[BLH613]

5 hours ago, jayally1968 said:

@blh613 - We are staying at the Aubrege pre-cruise and have a 4:30pm return flight after our 11 night cruise and need luggage storage so we can explore the city a bit before taking the skytrain to the airport. Did you end up using the Auberge after your cruise to hold your bags? If not, what did you do? How long a walk was it to and from Canada Place? I will be traveling with my 82 and 78 yr old parents. Thank you for any answers!! 

Hi @jayally1968! We were able to leave our luggage at the Auberge and explore a little more of Vancouver post-cruise. The staff were extremely helpful and professional, even getting us a taxi to the airport when we returned to pick up our bags. I emailed the hotel in advance to confirm it was a possibility and then asked again at check-in and they were very accommodating. We did tip when we picked up the bags. Canada Place is not a far walk from the hotel, Google Maps shows just a four-minute walk to the very front of the area, but there is a lot more walking once inside the building. If your parents have mobility issues that might be a consideration. We walked down to Canada Place the evening we arrived in Vancouver just to look around, and had breakfast at De Dutch while watching seaplanes come and go from the harbor. It's a pretty area to explore if the weather is nice. Have a wonderful cruise!!

 

[NewCruiser-2023]

@jayally1968 I don't imagine you will have any problems with luggage storage at the Auberge, but consider the Pan Pacific as a back-up location. You probably saw from previous postings in this thread that we didn't even stay at the hotel (we came up from two nights in Seattle the morning of embarkation), but I emailed ahead and was told we could store our bags with the Pan Pacific bellmen after disembarking. The only thing was the person who emailed me said it was "gratuity-based," and when we got there the bellman on duty said it was "$8 a bag," as if they charged a set rate. We paid it willingly, because it was a fair price for being able to sightsee in Vancouver all day without being burdened by our bags. It was $8 a day Canada dollars, but we only had American, which they happily accepted. My husband gave a tip on top of what came to $40 for our 5 bags, but I don't think that was necessary, since that was basically tipping on top of a tip.

Enjoy your cruise and your time in Vancouver!  Cruise Critic was a huge help in our pre-trip planning, so you're in the right place.

 

@BLH613 Hope you enjoyed your trip to Alaska on the Koningsdam! I hope to leave a review of our experience soon. I can't believe we've been back for 4 months, and I'm just getting back to Cruise Critic. Our trip was a true adventure, but real life catches up with you really fast after getting back home.