Vancouver stopover?

[CruisinMama7]

We disembark in Vancouver at 7:30 am - flight doesn't leave until 2:30 pm. We were going to use the US Direct program, but don't want to waste time sitting at the airport. Is the time too tight to see something in VYR? If not, what to do?

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

Cruisin'Mama

[Putterdude]

If you are going to use the US Direct Program you will be transfered directly from the ship to the airport, you cannot get off the ship and tour...sorry. However if you do want to tour a bit, you could get off, clear Canadian cusotms, check your luggage with Priority Baggage Service at the pier (they will even transfer it out to YVR for a fee) and then start a bit of a walk-about. With the time you have you could walk into historical Gastown, go up on Lookout at Harbour Centre and then a walk around town. You need to get back to Canada Place and pick up your luggage and then start walking over to Waterfront Station for the Canada Line trip out to YVR by about 11:30. It wiil take you about 30 mins to get out to YVR via the Canada Line and you need to be out there a full 2 hours pre flight time to clear US customs and security.

[scottbee]

We disembark in Vancouver at 7:30 am - flight doesn't leave until 2:30 pm. We were going to use the US Direct program' date=' but don't want to waste time sitting at the airport. Is the time too tight to see something in VYR? If not, what to do?

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[i']Cruisin'Mama[/i]

 

If you're using USA Direct, you cannot see anything in Vancouver, as you're transported "pre-customs" at the dock to "post USA customs" at the airport(YVR), in a sealed bus. If you want to get out and get around, you'll need to enter Canada, and then clear US Customs prior to getting on your flight (the YVR airport has a completely segregated set of gates for USA only departures called the 'transborder wing')

[CruisinMama7]

Thank for the responses. Yes, I was aware when using US Direct you are in a sealed bus all the way to the airport (and then some). I didn't want to sit hours in the airport waiting for our flight if I had time to enter Canada, do something, then clear US Customs before departure time. Vancouver is such an interesting city and I hate to miss the opportunity to see something like Grouse Mtn or the suspension bridge. Even taking a drive through Stanley Park again would be nice, if time allowed.

 

Would it be worth the hassle of clearing Customs twice?

[Putterdude]

If you walk off the ship with your luggage ie. selfdisembark, you should be off and thru Canadian customs by about 8 or 8:30. This will allow you about 3 to 3.5 hrs to see the things I have described above and if you want, take a quick taxi tour of Stanely Park. In my view you are pushing the envelope to go over to the North Shore as you simply don't have the time to really enjoy the Capilano Suspension Bridge or Grouse Mtn... plus you risk the possiblity of an traffic accident on one of the bridges. So is getting of and doing some or all of these things worth it...well I think so but only you can decide that.

[CruisinMama7]

The YVR airport has a completely segregated set of gates for USA only departures called the 'transborder wing'

Does the "transborder wing" have access to restaurants or shopping while we wait to board our flight?

 

Cruisin'Mama

[Putterdude]

Does the "transborder wing" have access to restaurants or shopping while we wait to board our flight?

 

Cruisin'Mama

 

Yes it does including a duty free store' date=' here is a link for your conveience: [/size']link