Flying in the day of cruise - Vancouver

We are trying to decide if we need to come in the day before the cruise, or if we will be safe flying in the day of the cruise. We are flying into Vancouver on a Friday and will arrive at 11:47 a.m. Not sure how long the lines are trying to get through customs and how far the airport is from the pier. Appreciate any feedback.

-you always assume some risk in doing this. In Vancouver immigration can take up to one hr but they are usually really efficient. From airport to Canada Place is only about 30 minutes so if your on time I'd think you'd be fine. Me personally I'd be too worried so for my sanity I'd want to be there the day before.

As DanG mentioned, you've got to allow time for customs/immigration at the airport - but really that's not a huge deal. Arriving 2 hours before you need to be at the pier is enough, IF (big if) your flight is on time...

Frankly though, since you've already indicated that arriving a day early is possible for you I think you'd be silly not to come in the day before! Less stress, more vacation, and while I might be biased the multitudinous lists of Best Cities To Visit/Live In etc. can't all be wrong - Vancouver is one of the best cities in the world to spend time in.

We are trying to decide if we need to come in the day before the cruise, or if we will be safe flying in the day of the cruise. We are flying into Vancouver on a Friday and will arrive at 11:47 a.m. Not sure how long the lines are trying to get through customs and how far the airport is from the pier. Appreciate any feedback.

Just an FYI. Ships rarely get held in Vancouver because they must move out with the tides. In addition, if for some reason you miss the ship, you probably missed your entire cruise. Due to PVSA rules, you generally WILL NOT be allowed to board the ship at another port. And trip insurance will rarely cover missing the ship due to a late airplane arrival UNLESS you are delayed 6 or more hours (check your policy).

Happened last year to an entire group (IIRC, it was 11 people) from Texas. Plane was delayed out of Dallas about 4 hours (thunderstorms and wind shears). Their plane was also supposed to arrive just about noon. They were told in Texas that they would miss the ship and there was no way to join the cruise without being in violation of the PVSA rules. Their trip ended at DFW and they got none of the money back.

Really think about flying in a day early.

If your plane is on time you will be just fine, once you are thru Canadian Customs and are out of the terminal just grab a cab...the flat rate is $35. Having said all that you are traveling a long way to take this cruise....my first rule in traveling to a port is "if I have to fly or drive more than 4 hours. I will go the day before the cruise". I fully appreciate that peoples' work skeds do get in the way of vacations but your risk here is pretty big.

Thanks for all your responses. We will fly in the day before!

Just an FYI. Ships rarely get held in Vancouver because they must move out with the tides. In addition, if for some reason you miss the ship, you probably missed your entire cruise. Due to PVSA rules, you generally WILL NOT be allowed to board the ship at another port. And trip insurance will rarely cover missing the ship due to a late airplane arrival UNLESS you are delayed 6 or more hours (check your policy).

 

Happened last year to an entire group (IIRC, it was 11 people) from Texas. Plane was delayed out of Dallas about 4 hours (thunderstorms and wind shears). Their plane was also supposed to arrive just about noon. They were told in Texas that they would miss the ship and there was no way to join the cruise without being in violation of the PVSA rules. Their trip ended at DFW and they got none of the money back.

 

Really think about flying in a day early.

Thanks for all your responses. We will fly in the day before!

Good idea. What Greatam posted was exactly what was going through my head before I got to his post.

We are trying to decide if we need to come in the day before the cruise, or if we will be safe flying in the day of the cruise. We are flying into Vancouver on a Friday and will arrive at 11:47 a.m. Not sure how long the lines are trying to get through customs and how far the airport is from the pier. Appreciate any feedback.

• 11:47 arrival
  
• 12:30 get in taxi
  
• 1:15 arrive at cruise terminal
  

Now imagine if there is a mechanical or weather delay for 1 hour or more.... congratulations... you get to spend a week in Vancouver without a boat.

I think this thread paints a really good picture ;) http://forums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2210055

This wasn't a Seattle departure but Vancouver and fortunately a couple a several others had paid for transfer, we had a 4 PM departure, their flight arrived at 3 PM, they walked on board at 3:45. It is to risky to come in the day of a cruise. We are in So Calif and 2.5 hrs from San Diego and will come in the day before a cruise.

If your plane is on time you will be just fine, once you are thru Canadian Customs and are out of the terminal just grab a cab...the flat rate is $35. Having said all that you are traveling a long way to take this cruise....my first rule in traveling to a port is "if I have to fly or drive more than 4 hours. I will go the day before the cruise". I fully appreciate that peoples' work skeds do get in the way of vacations but your risk here is pretty big.

Sorry to kinda hijack but…..the $35 flat rate, is that to the cruise dock? We are trying to explore options for next summer. TIA

Last year we flew from Los Angeles to Vancouver on the day of the cruise on a flight arranged by Princess. We were delayed an hour and 35 minutes leaving due to mechanical problems. When we arrived in Vancouver, we had almost 45 minutes in line for immigration. We then had the Princess transfer to the ship. We arrived at 3:20 for a 4:00 departure.

Because most of the people on this flight were on the cruise, Princess held the ship for us and we departed st 5:00. Still this was too close for my taste. Next time I will arrive the day before so as not to have a problem.

Sorry to kinda hijack but…..the $35 flat rate, is that to the cruise dock? We are trying to explore options for next summer. TIA

Yes - C$35 to (not from, only to) the pier or hotels in the immediate vicinity. metered fares apply in all other circumstances; same in all cabs, and ballpark C$35 to airport from downtown is usually pretty accurate anyway.

Virtually all downtown hotels are in the fixed C$31 zone if you're coming in the day before or earlier though. With luggage, or group, taxi can be cheaper than transit (C$9pp peak, C$7.75pp Offpeak - though check back about that next year, as our new ticketing system should be working so there may or may not be a way to lop C$5pp off those fares...)

Just an FYI. Ships rarely get held in Vancouver because they must move out with the tides. In addition, if for some reason you miss the ship, you probably missed your entire cruise. Due to PVSA rules, you generally WILL NOT be allowed to board the ship at another port. And trip insurance will rarely cover missing the ship due to a late airplane arrival UNLESS you are delayed 6 or more hours (check your policy).

 

Happened last year to an entire group (IIRC, it was 11 people) from Texas. Plane was delayed out of Dallas about 4 hours (thunderstorms and wind shears). Their plane was also supposed to arrive just about noon. They were told in Texas that they would miss the ship and there was no way to join the cruise without being in violation of the PVSA rules. Their trip ended at DFW and they got none of the money back.

 

Really think about flying in a day early.

I believe that you are in error about the PVSA. The cruise departs from Vancouver so it shouldn't be subject to PVSA. Even if they boarded at a port in Alaska, they would debark form the ship in Vancouver not a US port. No different than the overnight cruise at the end of the season from Seattle to Vancouver or the one at the start of the season from Vancouver to Seattle.

As to the flight from Dallas, I would guess that they were do to get on the ship in Seattle, not Vancouver.

But in the end, I certainly agree with you that they should arrive a day early. The stress of worrying about making the flight in case of any sort of delay is just not worth the cost of a hotel room. Why start out a vacation cruise all stressed out over an almost-missed cruise...much less a completely missed one! :(

Tom

Sorry to kinda hijack but…..the $35 flat rate, is that to the cruise dock? We are trying to explore options for next summer. TIA

Also consider the Canada Line, which is about $8pp. It's right across the street from the airline terminal and the terminus is Canada Place, so if you're departing from there (as opposed to Ballentyne Pier), it's a great option.

I believe that you are in error about the PVSA. The cruise departs from Vancouver so it shouldn't be subject to PVSA. Even if they boarded at a port in Alaska, they would debark form the ship in Vancouver not a US port. No different than the overnight cruise at the end of the season from Seattle to Vancouver or the one at the start of the season from Vancouver to Seattle.

 

As to the flight from Dallas, I would guess that they were do to get on the ship in Seattle, not Vancouver.

 

But in the end, I certainly agree with you that they should arrive a day early. The stress of worrying about making the flight in case of any sort of delay is just not worth the cost of a hotel room. Why start out a vacation cruise all stressed out over an almost-missed cruise...much less a completely missed one! :(

 

Tom

If it's RT Vancouver, then you are correct but many, if not most, cruises that start in Vancouver end in Seward or Whittier and all of the ports in between are US ports. If your miss embarkation in Vancouver, then you would miss the foreign port that PVSA requires.

And I'm glad to see that OP is going to minimize the risk by coming in a day early.:)

Also consider the Canada Line, which is about $8pp. It's right across the street from the airline terminal and the terminus is Canada Place, so if you're departing from there (as opposed to Ballentyne Pier), it's a great option.

• It's $9 for a weekday daytime trip from the airport to the Waterfront Station the Canada Line.
  
• I would budget an 8 minute walk from the train station to the cruise terminal, while dragging your luggage through elevators and sidewalks.
  
• I prefer the $35 taxi carload when travelling with luggage. It's door to door.