Car rental Canada Place

Hi, we will be cruising from Seward, Ak to Vancouver, Bc July 2017. We are flying out of Seattle 10 days later so are looking to rent a car after disembarking at Canad Place. We will return the car at Seatac. Currently I don't seem to be able to book a car with National because the cruise ship location is shown as closed. Am I just too early? Hertz has a location nearby but since I have mobility issues I rather not walk there with our luggage. What do the experts recommend?

• National, Alama, and Enterprise have a very small fleet in the cruise terminal. They are preferred and if you want a luggage friendly minivan, you need to be persistent in trying to book months in advance.
  
• Hertz is located 3 blocks away you and they like to watch their customers drag their luggage their.
  
• Avis likes to see their customers wait for a shuttle from the cruise terminal.
  
• for $60.... Quick shuttle will take you to SeaTac.
  
• have you decided which hotel you are staying at? Downtown Vancouver hotel parking is not cheap.... it may be easier to skip the rental car until you are leaving Vancouver in the last days. Suburb hotels by the airport offer free or cheaper parking for rental vehicles.
  

Enterprise will pick you up. I would call their 800 number to get info. I've been happy with them in Canada.

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To clarify..... Enterprise does not have a desk inside the cruise terminal. You take the elevator up to the Pan Pacific hotel entrance to find the Enterprise desk for the mini cruise terminal fleet.

For the bigger Enterprise fleet, the Enterprise office is located a mile to the South...

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Enterprise+Rent-A-Car,+1250+Granville+St+%232,+Vancouver,+BC+V6Z+1M4/Cruise+Ship+Terminal,+999+Canada+Pl,+Vancouver,+BC+V6C+3E1/@49.2822157,-123.128784,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x548673d3d5bec91d:0x3953f48b8cad117c!2m2!1d-123.1267753!2d49.2764918!1m5!1m1!1s0x54867182d1b1ee03:0x586bef2fc335e218!2m2!1d-123.1130521!2d49.2879402!3e2

We won't be staying in Vancouver but rather head straight out. Enterprise is way more expensive than Hertz, as are National prices if I uses YVR as starting point. Maybe we should just take a shuttle to either YVR or SEA and rent a car there. We will be coming in on HAL's Ms Noordam. If we use their shuttle will we only see our suitcases at the airport?

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We won't be staying in Vancouver but rather head straight out. Enterprise is way more expensive than Hertz, as are National prices if I uses YVR as starting point. Maybe we should just take a shuttle to either YVR or SEA and rent a car there. We will be coming in on HAL's Ms Noordam. If we use their shuttle will we only see our suitcases at the airport?

 

 

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There is a Hertz counter in the Fairmount Pacific Rim Hotel (at 1038 Canada Pl) . It is across the street and next building over from the cruise ship terminal.

I haven't checked in a long time but the OW daily rates dropping across borers are probably very high and/or come with limited or no free mileage. You might consider, as you have already floated, taking out a local rental for the bulk of the 10 days + 1 day of transborder rental or bussing for getting from Vancouver to Seattle.

OW transborder rentals may not be possible at downtown Vancouver locations too, from what I've heard. You'l have to go to the airport for that.

Unfortunately you'll face very high car rental taxes and fees (think ~30% + $2/day) in the SEA area especially in the airport catchment area, and only slightly better in Canada (which has a ~15% surcharge on top of all charge and taxes) if renting at the airport.

Maybe we should just take a shuttle to either YVR or SEA and rent a car there.

Otherwise... Quick Shuttle can drop you off in Seattle or SeaTac....

http://quickcoach.com/schedule.htm (during cruise season, they pickup inside the cruise terminal).

I compared prices on Hertz, picking up at the Pacific Rim or YVR they are the same. Dropping off at SEA only adds 110 Cad so that isn't bad at all. Maybe Hertz is the best option after all. The way Em-sk describes it, it should be walkable.

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From cruise terminal....

1. after customs, continue past the car rental lines to exit cruise terminal
   
2. walk up the ramp to street level
   
3. drag luggage 3 blocks to the West to the Pacific Rim Hotel
   
4. drag luggage down elevator to the Hertz office
   

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Cruise+Ship+Terminal,+999+Canada+Pl,+Vancouver,+BC+V6C+3E1/49.2885399,-123.1169973/@49.2878884,-123.1163126,18z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m5!1m1!1s0x54867182d1b1ee03:0x586bef2fc335e218!2m2!1d-123.1130521!2d49.2879402!1m0!3e2

hmmm. sigh. or maybe not. then again, if we would take a cab or shuttle we are also dragging around luggage...

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Google maps states it's a 3 minute luggage drag. It's downhill after the first ramp out of the cruise terminal.

downhill huh, so just send the suitcases rolling and we are good to go ;)

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Google maps states it's a 3 minute luggage drag. It's downhill after the first ramp out of the cruise terminal.

It depends on your perspective. A few months ago, I dropped off a rental car at Frankfurt airport, dragged my luggage up/down ramps. It was at least a 5 minute luggage drag to get form the parking garage for the rental cars to the Lufthansa check in counter.

If I were to compare it to Vancouver airport, it is about the same luggage drag as it to get form the economy lot through the garage, up a ramp and to check in.

The Google map that was posted is using the farthest entrance into the Pacific Rim Hotel. The closest entrance is a 2 minutes drag.

If you use the Hertz counter you will clearly need to drag your bags with you from one building to the other. You have to feel comfortable doing that.

The 3 minutes is a ballpark....

• you need to add additional time navigating the cruise terminal and Pacific Rim interiors. I would say 5 minutes for that additional time compared to the rental desks inside the cruise terminal.
  
• don't think the front Pacific Rim doorman will take your luggage to the basement Hertz counter, you need to drag your luggage yourself
  
• while downhill... the surface is not smooth like an airport interior. It's sidewalk bumpy on those spinner wheels.
  

We rented from Alamo at Canada Place. It was a great experience. We had a one way from Canada Place to Seatac. We could drive on our own time, stop when we wanted, etc. The cost for 2 of us was much less than what a shuttle would have been and much more convenient. The Alamo agent actually took us to our car, instead of saying it was in a particular stall, and have us find it on our own.

We are also looking to book a car for Aug 2017 from the cruise terminal (and then drop off at Vancouver Airport). When I checked Alamo and National, the websites say they are closed. Do I just need to wait until closer to the summer to book a car? Or are they permanently closed? If I wait, will it be too late to get a full size car?

I was able to find a car with Avis, but it looks like it might be a mile away (and with two kids and a lot of luggage, I am not sure about that) Or do they have a shuttle from the cruise port to get the car? (About how long will that take)

Thanks!

We are also looking to book a car for Aug 2017 from the cruise terminal (and then drop off at Vancouver Airport). When I checked Alamo and National, the websites say they are closed. Do I just need to wait until closer to the summer to book a car? Or are they permanently closed? If I wait, will it be too late to get a full size car?

I was able to find a car with Avis, but it looks like it might be a mile away (and with two kids and a lot of luggage, I am not sure about that) Or do they have a shuttle from the cruise port to get the car? (About how long will that take)

Thanks!

Rental car agency web sites seem to have "issues" from time to time that are beyond explanation. Maybe what you see online is accurate and perhaps it is not! So in order to verify the truth, it is best to simply call the rental car companies (they all have toll free lines). Their staff can quickly check and also tell you the offices that are closest to the port. As to Avis, they generally do not offer shuttle service. We sometimes rent a car from an agency that is some distance from a port...and I will often walk to the agency...while leaving DW at the cruise terminal. I get the car and drive back to pick up both DW and our luggage. Otherwise, one can always use a taxi.

Hank

When you look at the Alamo site and put in Vancouver - the pop up will show - Vancouver- Pan Pacific and Vancouver Cruise terminal.

The Pan Pacific is located above the cruise terminal in the lobby of the hotel and the kiosk there operates year round while the cruise terminal I believe is only a reference point as the cars would be located in the same location.

Some of the other locals should be along with there take on this but you could do also do as the previous poster said and phone the company direct.

Hope this helps

Cheers!

Dennis

^What they said. Seasonal operations are tricky, so it's best to call and verify. The franchisees at the pier have changed in the past too, so might do again. That said, Avis' permanent office is pretty convenient at 750metres (under 1/2 a mile) from Canada Place - and straight up Hornby Street, so very easy to find! By the time you waited for a cab you'd already be there...

Since you seem to be at least a little picky about minimum car size, I suggest booking a refundable rate you're happy with ASAP, and if a better price/more convenient location doesn't appear you can do as suggested above. Leave your party with the suitcases (NB: don't wait downstairs - go up to street level and wait in the Pan Pacific lobby instead, or even walk along to the other Convention Centre building for even easier driving back) and walk to the rental office - the much quieter rental office than the one at the pier! - to collect the car, then go back for your peeps.

When you look at the Alamo site and put in Vancouver - the pop up will show - Vancouver- Pan Pacific and Vancouver Cruise terminal.

 

The Pan Pacific is located above the cruise terminal in the lobby of the hotel and the kiosk there operates year round while the cruise terminal I believe is only a reference point as the cars would be located in the same location.

• one Alamo office is at the cruise ship terminal next to CDS baggage, operating with limited hours with the cruise season.
  
• second Alamo office is just above at the Pan Pacific lobby next to Enterprise.
  

As to Avis, they generally do not offer shuttle service.

Hate to be dragging luggage 1/2 mile for 15-20 minutes.

I contacted national, this was their response:

"I recommend contacting this number (604) 609-7160 if possible. It looks like the Cruise Ship location is associated with the Vancouver Pan Pacific location. They would likely have the information. I might also recommend contacting the cruise company you are taking. They may also have information. All that I can see is that the location is only open during the cruise season, and that it is serviced by the Vancouver Pan Pacific location. I hope this information is helpful. "

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I just tried booking a minivan online at National to be picked up at the Pan Pacific for tomorrow when no cruise ships are around. It allows me to make a reservation!

I believe National has two offices in the building like Alamo. A permanent year round office at the Pan Pacific street level lobby. A second seasonal office at the cruise ship level. Both using the same tiny fleet.

The Pan Pacific office lists the (604) 609-7160 number as the contact number for my reservation tomorrow. Calling the number right now... It says Enterprise rental car (I think they code share). The automated message has no mention about being open only during cruise season.

I recommend you calling (604) 609-7160 tomorrow morning to speak to National when they are open.

If you know you need a vehicle and know which date.... book it now at the Pan Pacific. The debarkation line might even be SHORTER at the Pan Pacific level with a simple elevator ride up.

Thank you everyone. I was able to see rental car options for Pan Pacific. And after pricing out Alamo, National and Enterprise...it looks like Enterprise has the best deal.