4 hours in Vancouver, Capilano Suspension Bridge?

[KIM448]

Hi, it was suggested on the Alaska board that I post here so...

 

We (6 of us including a 9 & 6 year old) are sailing southbound into Vancouver after a 12 night landtour/crusie with Princess this coming June/July. We dock at 7:30 am and our flight from Vancouver to Toronto is at 2pm.

 

I have read that you can apply for "early disembarkment" is this true is this easy? and how?

 

We would like to check out the Capilano Suspension bridge/park. It looks great and I know the kids would enjoy it before hopping on a plane for 5 1/2 hours.

 

I figure we need to be off the ship by 8am, take our luggage to CDS and have them take it to the airport for us and be at the airport by noon to pick up our luggage. Leaving 1 1/2 hours to transfer between cruise to the Capilano and back to the airport and 2 hours at the Capilano.

 

Is this realistic in the amount of time we have?

 

Does anyone know of a larger taxi that could accomodate all 6 of us? Any ideas of how much it would cost to taxi back and forth?

 

Thanks

[streger]

In my opinion, you should PLAN to go straight to the airport.

Ship arriving at 7:30am does not mean you will be on the curb at 7:30.

 

Granted our cruise experience thus far has been to Mexico and Carribean waters, but there is always some passenger that doesn't clear customs and hold up the disembarkation process.

 

If your flight is at 2pm, you should be there by noon and wait in the airport. I know that stinks, but better than missing the flight -- and realize there are thousands of other passengers from ships also descending on the airport, so security check lines can get long.

 

9am is a more reasonable expectation to be leaving the ship, plus time to locate your bags and exit the ship terminal area and get to a ride (bus, taxi, private car, etc.).

 

So, maybe that takes you to 10am.

 

If all this jumbling around doesn't upset your companions, then you do have a couple of hours to drive out and back. But I would plan to not do it, and see how the day goes -- if the opportuntity presents itself take advantage.

[Tweedy]

In addition to what the poster above said, you also have to take into consideration what day you arrive. If it is during the week, you will have rush hour traffic to contend heading to North Vancouver and then from North Vancouver to Richmond.

 

I don't think you'll have the time IMHO.

[KIM448]

In my opinion, you should PLAN to go straight to the airport.

Ship arriving at 7:30am does not mean you will be on the curb at 7:30.

 

Granted our cruise experience thus far has been to Mexico and Carribean waters, but there is always some passenger that doesn't clear customs and hold up the disembarkation process.

 

If your flight is at 2pm, you should be there by noon and wait in the airport. I know that stinks, but better than missing the flight -- and realize there are thousands of other passengers from ships also descending on the airport, so security check lines can get long.

 

9am is a more reasonable expectation to be leaving the ship, plus time to locate your bags and exit the ship terminal area and get to a ride (bus, taxi, private car, etc.).

 

So, maybe that takes you to 10am.

 

If all this jumbling around doesn't upset your companions, then you do have a couple of hours to drive out and back. But I would plan to not do it, and see how the day goes -- if the opportuntity presents itself take advantage.

 

Thankyou, that helps put the timeline into perspective. Will will be arriving on a Saturday (July 4th, if that makes a difference). We are Canadian and flying to Toronto so I believe we need to be at the airport 2 hours before our flight.

 

I am considering changing our flight time to later in the day, what would be the earliest flight you would recommend for this (visit the Capilano) to work and not stress us out?

 

Thanks in advance

[Putterdude]

As you do not have morning flight plans you will likely won't be off the ship much before 9 am and by the time you gather your luggage and clear customs you won't be on the "curb" until about 9:30 am. Transit to the CSB will take about an hour in either direction and you will want to spend about 1.5 to 2 hrs there. You could reduce your travel time to about 30 mins if you take a cab...cost about $25 in either direction. Drive time to airport from downtown is about 30/35 mins but in rush hour allow 45 mins and of course you need to be at YVR 60 mins pre-flight time for a domestic flight.

[KIM448]

Ok, we were able to change our flight to 4pm, flying Vancouver to Toronto, so we should be at the airport around 2:30pm.

 

So my plan is this....

 

Off ship as early as posible... on curb around 9am.

Drop off bags at CDS

Take the Sea bus across and then hop on a shuttle to Capilano Suspension Bridge

 

Question... What Shuttle???

 

Shoud be at the Capilano Suspension bridge around 10:30am - there until 12:30 and either take a cab or the free 12:45 shuttle back to Canada Place. (Taxi if we decide to stay later than free shuttle) And arrive at Canada Place, at the latest by 1:30pm.

 

Pick up our bags at CDS and take a taxi or Limo to the Airport by 2:30pm.

 

Does that sound reasonalbe in regards to timelines?

 

Questions....What shuttle from the seabus to Capilano Suspension bridge do we take?

How often do they depart, in case we miss it?

 

Backup is taking a taxi, will there be some at the otherside of the seabus shore?

 

Do I have to reserve a taxi or limo from Canada Center to take us to the airport? There will be 6 of us plus luggage.

 

Would 2 taxi's be cheaper than a limo?

 

Thanks in advance, you guys are so helpful.

[Urban trekker]

Don't know of any shuttle from the North Van Seabus side but the Cap Bridge shuttle goes from Canada Place so that is where you would want to pick it up.

 

Here's a link to the Shuttle schedule:

 

http://www.capbridge.com/rates_information/getting_here.html

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

Like Ut I know of no shuttle from Lonsdale Quay to the CSB so once at the SeaBus terminal at Lonsdale Quay you will need to transfer to a #236 or #246 bus which will take you to the bridge. Just tell the operator where you want to go and you will find the operator very helpfull. This will put you at the bridge about 10 am. If you you spend 2 hrs at the bridge then you have the option of their shuttle into town or doing transit again...either way you should not have any trouble getting back to Canada Place to pick up you luggage and getting to the airport by 2 or 2:30.

[NC-17]

If you choose to take a SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay

 

 

 

http://www.translink.ca/en/Schedules-and-Maps/Transit-System-Maps/~/media/Documents/Maps/stn_exch/LonsdaleQuay.ashx

 

All the bus stop designate by Number, using tripplanner to timing your trip at http://tripplanning.translink.ca/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning

 

"Waterfront" "Capilano Suspension Bridge" as search input.

[KIM448]

That is great, thank you!

 

From reading other post....taking the seabus is the quickest route, vs a regualr bus and going over the bridge, correct?

 

(It will be at 9:30am on a Sat morning)

 

 

Someone else in another post, said that the bridge can get very busy and slow, and unfortunately the free Capilano Suspension Bridge Shuttle doesn't start until 10:30.

 

Any other suggestions on how to get there or do I have it right?

We want the quickest route posible to save our time for sightseeing.

 

Thanks

[Putterdude]

You may want to do the SeaBus/bus route on the way over and the bus on the way back as it will take you over the Lions Gate Bridge and thru to town on the Stanley Park causeway which I think is likely one of the prettiest drive in Canada...I dorve twice a day for almost 40 years.:)