Vancouver airport transfer?

I just signed up for a quickie repo from SF to YVR on the Eurodam. It's been a few years since I disembarked there...

• How soon before departure should we leave the pier for a 1:45 PM flight from YVR?
  
• Should sufficient taxis be available, or would you recommend a car service.
  ...and if the latter, do you have a recommendation?
  

I also have a couple of other questions that I think I know the answer to:

• Can I use OBC for tips/HSC? (I believe the answer is yes)
  
• Is there an email address I can use rather than fax my statement for shareholder's credit
  (I believe the answer is no)
  

If there are two or three ships in ports there can be a holdup on getting a taxi as they limit how many they allow in the garage at one time.

If that happens you can walk next door to the Pan Pacific Hotel or across the street to the Fairmont to get a taxi there.

A 1:45 PM flight time is great. It will allow you a lot of time so you won't feel the pressure of getting off the ship.

Do get to the airport two to two and 1/2 hours before the flight. The drive is about 45 minutes. Sometimes less depending on traffic.

At airport you will:

Check in for flight

Walk over to another area to check in your suitcases other then those you are taking on the flight

Go through security

Go though USA customs/immigration

Keith

You should be at YVR about 2 hours preflight, and it's a 30-35 minute trip from the pier. Most of downtown is a similar drive time away for cabbing - you'll have been booted off the ship by 9:30am, so unless you ride FlyOver Canada several times you'll probably be somewhere other than the pier when you get to your 'we should leave now' time of ~11:15am. Even on a 3 ship day there shouldn't be much of a risk you'll still be waiting for a cab by then if you plan to go straight to YVR after disembarking.

Using SkyTrain the total travel time is most dependent on how close to a Canada Line station you are, as the train takes no more than 26mins from terminus to terminus. From the pier it's generally about the same as a cab if there's no queue for the latter - 300yards walking, ticket buying time, and a train every 6-7 mins adds 10mins or so to the ride. If it is a 3 shipper, you'll find cab queues are long so SkyTrain will be by far the fastest end to end travel option - and a short repo cruise usually means not much luggage, making it trivially easy to use the train.

Thanks all for your prompt and helpful replies!

- Mark

Mark you are very welcome.

Keith

We have done those repo cruises on HAL and typ use HAL transfers, they have nice buses they use, you get off ship and get you bags and head to he buses, about same price as cab, less hassle, and since it’s HAL service, you get if ship faster.

Great time you have your flight for. Enjoy your cruise,

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We have done those repo cruises on HAL and typ use HAL transfers, they have nice buses they use, you get off ship and get you bags and head to he buses, about same price as cab, less hassle, and since it’s HAL service, you get if ship faster.

 

Great time you have your flight for. Enjoy your cruise,

This is simply not accurate - transfers are the same PER PERSON as an entire cab (~CAD$35 for the latter, with US$24-29pp charged for the former). If it's a three ship day and you're not among the first folks off, cruise bus transfers can be quicker - but that's the only circumstance they are. Because they fill the bus before leaving you will get away quicker in your own cab unless the cab queue has gotten long; and walking to SkyTrain will always be faster unless you are the last few folks onto the bus.

Just to illustrate how over-priced all the cruiselines make this <10mile ride: 2 people can spend the same amount on your own towncar as cruise transfers; 4 of you can enjoy a stretch limo. Car services charge a fixed fee, so there's not even any flex on the fare for traffic like with a cab - you know exactly what you'll pay to the penny - and there's much lower demand than for the even-cheaper cabs so you never have to wait long. Even with the expected 15% tip, you'll pay the same as sharing a bus - and if you put a 3rd or 4th in the towncar, or a 5th-8th in the stretch, you can save up to half the cost of the cruise bus on top of the qualitatively better experience!

Unused unrefundable OBC making it 'free' is the only truly rational reason to use a cruiseline transfer; in my experience folks who take them actually do so because they are simply unaware of how much cheaper and/or better the alternatives are, and how incredibly easy it is to make your own arrangements in Vancouver (no language barrier; credit cards accepted by cabs/limos/SkyTrain, you can even use USD cash if you want to pay cabbies). Even nervous solo travelers can jump on the independent shuttle to YVR for $18pp instead of taking the cruise bus if you don't want to risk a cabbie driving the long way or getting lost using public transit - the savings allow you to pay a porter to schlep your stuff to the bus and from the curb at YVR and still have enough left to buy a coffee!

I think you are arriving on May 7th..... it's a solo ship in Vancouver.

• enjoy your morning breakfast and say your goodbyes to the crew
  
• 9:15am get in line for debarkation
  
• 9:30am out the plank/gangway to search for luggage and customs
  
• 10:15am latest time you want to get in a cab for the 30 minute trip to the airport.
  
• 10:45am arrive at YVR to enjoy your 3 hours of check-in, luggage, and complimentary security searches
  
• 13:45pm wheels up with dreams on returning to Vancouver as you didn't budget enough time
  

@MarkBearSF: Can you double-check something for me? What TIME are you Eurodam docking in Vancouver?

Most ships dock around 7am at the cruise terminal, and the above timeline is workable.

However, one of my sources say the May 7 Eurodam is docking later at 11am or so. That would make your same day 13:45pm flight unrealistic. You shouldn't try a flight until after 6pm in that situation.

@MarkBearSF: Can you double-check something for me? What TIME are you Eurodam docking in Vancouver?

 

Most ships dock around 7am at the cruise terminal, and the above timeline is workable.

 

However, one of my sources say the May 7 Eurodam is docking later at 11am or so. That would make your same day 13:45pm flight unrealistic. You shouldn't try a flight until after 6pm in that situation.

Just check Port of Vancouver website and it show Eurodam arriving at 11am. If that the cruise your, then later flight would be needed

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Uh, oh. :o

Even nervous solo travelers can jump on the independent shuttle to YVR for $18pp instead of taking the cruise bus if you don't want to risk a cabbie driving the long way or getting lost using public transit - the savings allow you to pay a porter to schlep your stuff to the bus and from the curb at YVR and still have enough left to buy a coffee!

I am a solo cruiser so either a cab or the ship's bus would work for me. But I would much rather pay half and use an independent shuttle. I have tried finding the independent $18 shuttle to the airport but have been having difficulty finding one in YVR. Do you have a name for one of these independent shuttles in Vancouver. When I Google it there doesn't seem to be any shuttles. Only towncars and limos.

I am a solo cruiser so either a cab or the ship's bus would work for me. But I would much rather pay half and use an independent shuttle. I have tried finding the independent $18 shuttle to the airport but have been having difficulty finding one in YVR. Do you have a name for one of these independent shuttles in Vancouver. When I Google it there doesn't seem to be any shuttles. Only towncars and limos.

Unfortunately the only remaining bookable shuttle company that was operating (VancouverShuttle) closed their doors - after the Canada Line opened it killed the market almost dead, because it's faster than a shuttle and much, much cheaper. VS hung around doing seasonal shuttles only for cruisers, on top of their charter business and Whistler shuttles, but still folded ~2 seasons ago.

Someone else took over the seasonal cruise-to-airport shuttles from the pier all last season - it was folks posting here on CC that confirmed their presence, but nobody mentioned a name. They were a simple 'walk up and pay at the desk' service, rather than a 'book your seat in advance' like VancouverShuttle used to offer - my best guess is they're keeping overheads down by not offering any kind of web-based booking. You won't find any mention of it in relation YVR, because the costs of picking up passengers there makes the service impossible to run at a profit - even VS stopped picking up at the airport, only collecting incoming pax from airport-area hotels, but it obviously wasn't enough to maintain their profit margins. YVR cannot prevent people being dropped there though - so a cruise-season-only 'pick up at pier, drop at YVR, then drive around the airport hotels collecting incoming people' model still works.

I've seen a few posts from folks who have booked hotel & shuttle packages this season, so SOMEONE is running those shuttle buses again in 2018 - I'm guessing one of the local charter bus companies, but unfortunately I cannot say which. If you feel you need to make a booking in advance to feel comfortable, your only option is a limo service or cruise transfer - I'd find some fellow-cruisers and split the former!

As a fellow-Canadian though you're even better-set than most to use SkyTrain - no currency conversion issues on your cards, and you'll likely even have Canadian cash money on you. It truly is the quickest way - especially on busy cruise days when cab queues build up - and if you plan to walk your own bags through the airport without a porter, you can manage to walk them to the train (it's less than a quarter mile away). You can roll bags right onto the trains and there is ample room for even large luggage at every seat (I fit a 28" roller and a carryon or backpack comfortably and I'm 6'1"/250lbs).

@MarkBearSF: Can you double-check something for me? What TIME are you Eurodam docking in Vancouver?

 

Most ships dock around 7am at the cruise terminal, and the above timeline is workable.

 

However, one of my sources say the May 7 Eurodam is docking later at 11am or so. That would make your same day 13:45pm flight unrealistic. You shouldn't try a flight until after 6pm in that situation.

Great catch xlxo - most recent port sched does indeed say arriving at 11am. Personally I wouldn't feel the need to push the flight as late as 6pm, but certainly 3pm or later would be a sensible change. Anything before 2pm is very risky even with just one ship in port.

OP - if you have Global Entry or NEXUS to expedite getting through the security and immigration lines at YVR you might feel the risk of a 1:45pm flight worthwhile if it's a lot cheaper than later ones; not many fellow cruisers to worry about but you would 100% need to self-disembark, and be ready at the gangplank to ensure you were among the very first folks off the Eurodam. Then jump right in a cab or hustle to SkyTrain.

I can guarantee that HAL will not allow you to book a transfer with them for a flight that early - they usually require 12:30 or 1pm, and that's with an expected arrival of 7am in port, so earliest HAL transfer slots would be for flights at 4-5pm if you're scheduled for an 11am arrival.

As a fellow-Canadian though you're even better-set than most to use SkyTrain - no currency conversion issues on your cards, and you'll likely even have Canadian cash money on you. It truly is the quickest way - especially on busy cruise days when cab queues build up - and if you plan to walk your own bags through the airport without a porter, you can manage to walk them to the train (it's less than a quarter mile away). You can roll bags right onto the trains and there is ample room for even large luggage at every seat (I fit a 28" roller and a carryon or backpack comfortably and I'm 6'1"/250lbs).

I am nervous about wandering around hoping to find a booth to sell me a shuttle ride with a noon flight to Calgary. lol

I have always walked by the stairs that go down to the sky train and was very intimidated about getting my huge suitcase down all of those stairs. Is there an escalator to take me down?

Ah I think I answered my question. https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2868905,-123.1133073,3a,75y,250.64h,76.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3tLsXDpkH8XPru_InrPHdw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This is the enterance right?

I am nervous about wandering around hoping to find a booth to sell me a shuttle ride with a noon flight to Calgary. lol

 

I have always walked by the stairs that go down to the sky train and was very intimidated about getting my huge suitcase down all of those stairs. Is there an escalator to take me down?

 

Ah I think I answered my question. https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2868905,-123.1133073,3a,75y,250.64h,76.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3tLsXDpkH8XPru_InrPHdw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

This is the enterance right?

That's actually the worst entrance you can use - It's also annoyingly tempting since it's right outside Canada Place! It leads straight down onto the platform for the wrong SkyTrain lines (Expo/Millennium, which head out to the 'burbs in the south east). While you can get from that platform to the correct one (Canada Line, which goes south to airport) it's a real hassle of going up and down levels inside the station.

Simplest way is to walk straight past that entrance, take the next left onto Cordova, and keep walking until you see a bunch of huge columns - go in these doors and you'll find ticket machines right in front of you, and clearly marked stairs and elevators down to the Canada Line platform.

Once on the platform, there will be trains on both sides - and arrows will show which is leaving next and where it's going. The line is the same until the very end - it splits just before the airport with every second train going down each leg of the Y. Trains have their destination right on the front - look for YVR - and worst case if you get on the wrong train there are verbal and visual announcements throughout the trip, so you can simply step off at any station and get on the next train (they always alternate).

That's actually the worst entrance you can use - It's also annoyingly tempting since it's right outside Canada Place! It leads straight down onto the platform for the wrong SkyTrain lines (Expo/Millennium, which head out to the 'burbs in the south east). While you can get from that platform to the correct one (Canada Line, which goes south to airport) it's a real hassle of going up and down levels inside the station.

 

Simplest way is to walk straight past that entrance, take the next left onto Cordova, and keep walking until you see a bunch of huge columns - go in these doors and you'll find ticket machines right in front of you, and clearly marked stairs and elevators down to the Canada Line platform.

 

Once on the platform, there will be trains on both sides - and arrows will show which is leaving next and where it's going. The line is the same until the very end - it splits just before the airport with every second train going down each leg of the Y. Trains have their destination right on the front - look for YVR - and worst case if you get on the wrong train there are verbal and visual announcements throughout the trip, so you can simply step off at any station and get on the next train (they always alternate).

Thank you thank you thank you.

I'm farmiliar with the train station building as I've eaten in the pub there.

I am definitely going to try it.

Uh, oh. :o

I wonder if HAL is trying to save gas by delaying the Eurodam instead of wandering the waters into nearby Seattle. Then again, anyone on that cruise is may be getting an bonus free lunch that the Seattle cruisers are going to miss with a late embarkation.

As has been noted. They now have arrival scheduled for 2:30 and recommend no flights before 6:30.

When I booked the original 1:45 flight, I had assumed the typical early AM arrival. Now I realize that we'd have never made it anyway. Rescheduled for a 7:15 PM departure.

- Mark

Rescheduled for a 7:15 PM departure.

• 2:30pm scheduled docking time
  
• 3pm first walk-off
  
• 3:30pm catch a cab. Hopefully afternoon congestion won't be too bad
  
• 4:15pm YVR arrival for customs, security, and check-in
  
• 7:15pm wheels up
  

Hope they allow you to dock earlier. Thankfully it's a solo ship day.

Wondering what the "operational delay" is for such a late docking. Oh well, you get a free BONUS lunch out of it. Likely paid for by the embarkation to Seattle group as they won't be able to eat it.

That's still going to be tight.

• 2:30pm scheduled docking time
  
• 3pm first walk-off
  
• 3:30pm catch a cab. Hopefully afternoon congestion won't be too bad
  
• 4:15pm YVR arrival for customs, security, and check-in
  
• 7:15pm wheels up
  

Hope they allow you to dock earlier. Thankfully it's a solo ship day.

Wondering what the "operational delay" is for such a late docking. Oh well, you get a free BONUS lunch out of it. Likely paid for by the embarkation to Seattle group as they won't be able to eat it.

I'll take that chance (especially if they gave a time of 6:30) - We're flying business, have no checked baggage and have Global Entry, so YVR isn't likely a problem.

Also - we're willing to grab a SkyTrain, if there's a hangup for cabs.

All along, I was planning on giving our room steward an extra tip. With this afternoon debarkation, I think I'll give it to him (or her) at the start and see if we can get any flexibility on Monday when the room needs to be empty.

- Mark

For those following the thread. The Eurodam late docking was blamed on potential whale activity in San Francisco and the route to Vancouver. In the end, the ship docked around the lunch hour.

Side note: CDS baggage and cruise terminal car rentals were NOT operating. Their kiosks were not seen in the terminal. I guess it's too early in the season. I'll assume car rentals were handled at street level.

I also posted this on the west board, my experience with CDS on Sunday 6 May.

We docked the morning of Sunday 6 May on Westerdam. I had called CDS on Saturday 28 April to check the service would be running and was told it was and that transfer of our bags to YVR was straightforward, all we had to do was find them in the terminal.

So we had a leisurely start to the day and walked off the ship around 9 am, customs and border controls took only a few minutes and we looked for CDS counter. Was very busy as 3 HAL ships in but could find no signs, eventually a kind person led us to it. Was tucked away on the very LHS of taxi queue with only an A4 paper sign stuck on wall behind the counter. Longish queue and so got to the front after about 15 minutes. Was appalled to be told that they were not doing transfers to YVR! They were full and we should have pre-booked. Complained that I had called and was not told about this, also that I had sent three emails but had no replies. Counter staff apologetic but said they could do nothing!

The couple behind us also wanted a YVR transfer and they acomplained to staff as well, they had got no replies to emails either. At this the staff said they would get their manager to see us. We waited over 10 minutes and no one turned up. Luckily the lady from the other couple insisted that she was taken to see the manager and after another 5 minutes she returned to tell us we could have the transfer! We had been getting very anxious so this was a relief. Paid the $40 fee, filled out the form. A numbered tag was attached to one bag and sticky labels with same number stuck on the other three cases and given stub with number on it. Staff gave us directions to the pickup point at the airport.

When we arrived at YVR found the CDS counter easily enough although it is downstairs in the arrivals hall. Gave our stub to assistant who quickly got our two large bags but had to ask for descriptions of the other two. He went and found them quickly enough but not impressed as the sticky labels were not present. Not sure if this because my small samsonite has Teflon in the material! (Note to self - take pictures)

All in all it is not a service I can recommend as I expected a much more professional approach.

If I return through Vancouver again I will look for alternatives.

Thanks for that info Number34. I also have not had replies to emails so it seems either the email is no longer monitored or just ignored. I have tried to find alternatives in Vancouver but cannot. I travel in a few days but don’t need to use the service until May 26th, however, when I arrive in Vancouver I think I’ll call ahead and pre-book. It will be interesting to see if they will pre-book, which was the subject of my emails.

Do you happen to know if they accept credit cards or if it’s cash only as that might be a problem for me.

Many thanks

Hi credit cards or cash are fine. Good luck.