help please.....transfers from Vancouver port to airport

It has been 7 years since last Alaskan cruise. Trying to book my next one today with TA and need some quick advise on whether or not to take Holland transfers from Vancouver port to airport for flight out at 1:00. I keep hearing about how airlines keep changing arrival and departure times for different routes and need to know options, approx. time (on a Sunday) and cost to get to airport. I know about the perils of going through customs which is why I am needing some update info. THANKS

Book the cruise line transfer. Taxi lineups on a weekend can

be very long. You will be there by 11:00 at the airport.

Try posting this on the Canada CC board. Looks of good information and helpful people there, including several who live in Vancouver area.

One option you MIGHT have is the Skytrain. It is quick (about 30 minutes) and inexpensive (about $5 pp). You have to be able to handle your own bags however.

Again, try the Canada board for more details.

We were on an Alaskan voyage out of Vancouver in May this year. We opted for the Holland-America transfer to try it out for the first time. It was about $30 per person if I recall correctly, and the bus trip is short.

When we disembarked the ship we proceeded to the luggage collections area and placed our bags on a free hand cart that was provided. Then we moved through customs/immigration with our passports and declarations cards. It was a breeze.

Next we followed the directions from many, many guides located in the terminal from customs to the buses. The guides were friendly and clear on directions. The bus queues (lines) were orderly and the waits not that long even though two ships were disembarking simultaneously. Passengers with special needs were given special treatment to make their waits shorter and more comfortable. When you were directed to your bus, you bring your cart with your bags with you to the bus and they unload your cart into your bus and get rid of the cart for you. There were plenty of busses. Traffic was very light as it was a weekend.

The bus dropped passengers and their bags off at the appropriate doors of the terminal, i.e., US-bound, Canada-internal, international-bound. All-in-all an easy experience.

On a side note, one of our bags was damaged by Holland and we had to find the HA representative in the baggage area to file a claim. This was easy to do and only took a few minutes. Later back home, I took my luggage into get repaired and paid for it myself. The claim was easy as all I had to do was scan in the luggage claim form (DO NOT LOSE THIS) and the receipt for the repair and email the scanned-in document to Holland. It was accepted the same day as a complete file, but the cheque took six weeks to arrive.

On a second note, our bus had lots of Carnival passengers and most of them were hacking and coughing. What bothered me was that none of them covered their mouths with a handkerchief or an elbow while coughing! Those that used their hands never cleaned them and then they grabbed all the hand-holds on their way in and out of the bus. As hard as we tried we must have touched something because after we got home we were sick for a week. (note to self, bring a small 'Purell' bottle with me next time).

Did the ship transfer to the airport this past July. HAL had a special arrangement with Canadian customs that allowed for passengers that had purchased the transfer to pre-clear immigration at the pier.

Flight had to be direct to the USA. The luggage was transferred inbond by truck to the airport. We were taken off by a separate gangway, direct to the motorcoach and taken to the airport.

Once at the airport we were taken to where the luggage was located on a secured area. Claim luggage and proceed to airline checkin.

I don't remember what the cutoff time was for the flight.

We got off in May on the Westerdam and I was very impressed with Canada Place. The porter took our bags right to the taxi line up and we were in a cab within 3 minutes. We disembarked around 9 a.m.

The whole thing was very smooth, but that may have been because we did Customs in Victoria? not sure.

We self disembarked when the ship cleared and took a cab to the airport. We were at the airport less than an hour after leaving our cabin 😀

It has been 7 years since last Alaskan cruise. Trying to book my next one today with TA and need some quick advise on whether or not to take Holland transfers from Vancouver port to airport for flight out at 1:00. I keep hearing about how airlines keep changing arrival and departure times for different routes and need to know options, approx. time (on a Sunday) and cost to get to airport. I know about the perils of going through customs which is why I am needing some update info. THANKS

If your cruise is next season you don't need to make a hasty decision -- you can always add the HAL transfer later if you decide that is the route you want to take.

Cab from port to airport is around $35-$40 in my experience. Plus tip. The sky train is another option and there are lots of threads on the West Coast Departures and Alaska boards about that.

I have not taken the HAL transfer, but some part of my brain says that it is only available if your flight leaves after a certain time. But I might be mis-remembering on that. I honestly am not sure if I am truly remembering something, or imagining something ;) Ask your TA, maybe.

It has been 7 years since last Alaskan cruise. Trying to book my next one today with TA and need some quick advise on whether or not to take Holland transfers from Vancouver port to airport for flight out at 1:00. I keep hearing about how airlines keep changing arrival and departure times for different routes and need to know options, approx. time (on a Sunday) and cost to get to airport. I know about the perils of going through customs which is why I am needing some update info. THANKS

When we (a group of four) took a round trip out of Vancouver in August we took a cab from the port to the airport. We were one of the later groups off the ship (around 9:30), we had a 1:00 departure time and we got to the airport with sufficient time to have lunch there. There appear to be plenty of cabs available on these days, and they seem to do a decent job of ferrying people and their luggage to the cabs. And the cab fares in Vancouver are regulated. I believe that the total fare for the four of us was about $40 (Canadian). Very inexpensive compared to a cruise line transfer.

We self disembarked when the ship cleared and took a cab to the airport. We were at the airport less than an hour after leaving our cabin

I agree that a taxi is the way to go.

There is a taxi stand right there by the major hotels lining the port. In all the years I lived there, I rarely saw it empty except at Xmas (you can't get a cab in holiday season for love or money after 5 pm). If you are travelling alone, the transfer is the same price range as a taxi. Otherwise, taxi is the way to go. The sky train is super easy, much cheaper and deposits you at the entrance to the airport. If you are travelling light THAT is the only way to go!

As mentioned by others, the Skytain is close by and inexpensive. If you are travelling light and your luggage is on wheels it shouldn't take more than seven minutes at a leisurely pace to walk around to the Waterfront Station. If it is a Saturday, Sunday or Holiday the zone system is not in effect so the fare will be only $2.75. It was our intention to take the train but, as we had plenty of OBC and a lot of time before our flight, we booked the HAL coach transfer. We booked this on board; there is no need to make any decision before the cruise.

The advert handed out on board suggested passengers book the transfer because the queue for taxis can be long. We noticed there was no queue, but the Noordam was the only arrival that morning.

Did the ship transfer to the airport this past July. HAL had a special arrangement with Canadian customs that allowed for passengers that had purchased the transfer to pre-clear immigration at the pier.

Flight had to be direct to the USA. The luggage was transferred inbond by truck to the airport. We were taken off by a separate gangway, direct to the motorcoach and taken to the airport.

Once at the airport we were taken to where the luggage was located on a secured area. Claim luggage and proceed to airline checkin.

I don't remember what the cutoff time was for the flight.

We had similar experience with Princess at end of cruise tour last year. Easiest disembarkation ever.

There is a taxi stand right there by the major hotels lining the port. In all the years I lived there, I rarely saw it empty except at Xmas (you can't get a cab in holiday season for love or money after 5 pm). If you are travelling alone, the transfer is the same price range as a taxi. Otherwise, taxi is the way to go. The sky train is super easy, much cheaper and deposits you at the entrance to the airport. If you are travelling light THAT is the only way to go!

Just a note to clarify - the taxis are right there in the terminal, no need to go outside to the hotels. There are clear signs and guidance from the port agents and they will call the next cab over for you, depending on if you need a car or a van taxi.

Take the Canada Line to airport on sky train. There are kiosks that take VisaMC, you have to insert card for each ticket (twice). Very easy, takes about 45 min to get to YVR, then can take awhile to get through security, entry and customs.

Sandipalms

I agree that a taxi is the way to go.

Taking the taxi is the best way ..

I know this is too late but in case it helps anyone else here is our experience. We have done this twice. The first time as a family of 4 on a Wednesday and the second time this past May 1, a Friday, as a family of 3 (DH got off in San Diego). Both were so fast and easy and much less expensive than HAL transfers. Both times we were not within the first groups to disembark and both times we were in the airport, including collecting our luggage and walking to the taxi line, in less than 30 minutes.

We will never pay a per person charge for HAL in Vancouver.

Another vote for taxi when you have luggage...

• taxi is $35 for the carload... trip is done around 35 minutes depending on traffic.
  
• if the terminal taxi queue is long and you are considering the subway/train/Skytrain/Canada Line.... look at the Pan Pacific and Fairmont Waterfront entrances on your way to the subway. If the queue is shorter... board the taxi at hotels as they share the taxi services with the cruise terminal.
  
• train is an extra 10 minutes to.....
  
  • drag luggage 4 blocks from terminal to train station platform
    
  • figure out how to feed the ticket machine.... ticket machine can sometimes be busy with other cruisers trying to figure out machine
    
  • remembering to take the right train and not end up in the Orient (Richmond).
    
  • getting a good spot on the training where the general public sharing the train with you are not climbing over your luggage to get from one end of the train to the other.
    

I live 20 minutes from Vancouver Airport. Take a taxi from ship to airport. Enjoy your cruise when the time comes.:)

Just a note to clarify - the taxis are right there in the terminal, no need to go outside to the hotels. There are clear signs and guidance from the port agents and they will call the next cab over for you, depending on if you need a car or a van taxi.

And that's from someone who cruises and not a novice like me! I'm just a former vancouverite...

Book the cruise line transfer. Taxi lineups on a weekend can be very long. You will be there by 11:00 at the airport.

I agree 100% - all 3 times that our cruises ended in Vancouver, we used HAL transfers and never have had any problems. We also use HAL's "Luggage Direct" service, which I believe facilitates matters.

We took the SkyTrain last time we cruised out of Vancouver BC. The SkyTrain might sound low-rent, but it was fine and many of the people on the train were cruise passengers so you won't look odd with your luggage.

The SkyTrain is very fast and of course there is no line to board (there was a very long line for taxis when leaving the ship) or waiting for a HAL transfer bus to fill up. We were walking into the airport terminal less than an hour after walking down the ship's gangway. This travel time included retrieving our luggage and going through customs.

You do have to know which station to use (there are two train stations near the ship) and which train to catch (every other train goes to the airport). Traveling on the SkyTrain from the airport to the ship is easier as there is only one station and one train. The fare is higher traveling from the airport to the ship, but still very low for two people.

igraf

Try posting this on the Canada CC board. Looks of good information and helpful people there, including several who live in Vancouver area.

 

One option you MIGHT have is the Skytrain. It is quick (about 30 minutes) and inexpensive (about $5 pp). You have to be able to handle your own bags however.

 

Again, try the Canada board for more details.

The Canada Line is certainly an option to get from Canada Place to YVR but it does mean schlepping you luggage some 3 blocks to Waterfront Station, jostling with other passengers, having the right change in CAD or using a credit card which may or may not work in the ticket machine and is no faster than taking a cab.

The Canada Direct program did not operate this year and who knows if it will next year.

For my money I would take a cab for about $35 CAD and the driver will take USD or credit card. You will be dropped off at the curb at YVR almost in front of your airlines check-in counter. If there is a line for cabs at the pier just walk over to the Pan Pacific which forms part of Canada Place and take a cab from the cab line there.

Jostling with other passengers??? We never experienced jostling of any sort while riding the SkyTrain. Don't you know that Canadians are famous for being nice? Perhaps you are thinking of the taxi line that stretched all the way across the parking garage in Canada Place.

Seriously, I timed the SkyTrain at 35 minutes. I don't think that a taxi will do any better if one considers the time in the taxi line. The SkyTrain station at the airport is just across the street from the airport terminal. No big deal.

The pier and the Pan Pacific are co-located at Canada Place. The Pan Pacific is simply up a few floors. Not sure what you mean by a different taxi line.

Call me curious. Why the rah-rah for taxi cabs? I personally don't care for them.

igraf

The Canada Line is certainly an option to get from Canada Place to YVR but it does mean schlepping you luggage some 3 blocks to Waterfront Station, jostling with other passengers, having the right change in CAD or using a credit card which may or may not work in the ticket machine and is no faster than taking a cab.

 

The Canada Direct program did not operate this year and who knows if it will next year.

 

For my money I would take a cab for about $35 CAD and the driver will take USD or credit card. You will be dropped off at the curb at YVR almost in front of your airlines check-in counter. If there is a line for cabs at the pier just walk over to the Pan Pacific which forms part of Canada Place and take a cab from the cab line there.

Jostling with other passengers??? We never experienced jostling of any sort while riding the SkyTrain. Don't you know that Canadians are famous for being nice? Perhaps you are thinking of the taxi line that stretched all the way across the parking garage in Canada Place.

 

Seriously, I timed the SkyTrain at 35 minutes. I don't think that a taxi will do any better if one considers the time in the taxi line. The SkyTrain station at the airport is just across the street from the airport terminal. No big deal.

 

The pier and the Pan Pacific are co-located at Canada Place. The Pan Pacific is simply up a few floors. Not sure what you mean by a different taxi line.

 

Call me curious. Why the rah-rah for taxi cabs? I personally don't care for them.

 

igraf

I don't own a cab or know anyone who drives one I merely expressed the view of preferring a cab. Quite frankly I don't like transit and I dislike schlepping my luggage even more. Now if you like doing all those things then good on you. I am not rich but after spending thousands of dollars on a cruise and more on airfares I think I can afford a $35 35 minute cab ride and see a bit of Vancouver rather than the dark walls of a subway tube....but maybe others can't

As for the trip on the Canada Line taking 35 minutes, the actual travel time between Waterfront Station and YVR station is 24 mins, to which you need to add the time it takes to walk to Waterfront Station, pay your fare, find the platform, wait for the train, wait for the elevator at YVR station, walk into the terminal.....now if you did all that in 35 mins, that's a new best.