US Direct and Luggage Direct from Vancouver Discontinued

[Cbears]

I called Holland America Ship Services today to ask about Luggage Direct for our cruise out of Vancouver. The HAL website says it is available in Vancouver (on selected dates only). So I asked her if our cruise qualified as a 'selected date'. She was confused at first, had to look at the website and said hers did not say anything about Vancouver being an available port. Then she put me on hold for about 15 minutes while she asked about it.

When she came back on she said both Luggage Direct and US Direct services are no longer available in Vancouver, as of this year. She said 'it wasn't working out well'. Whatever that means.

She said they are looking into it further because I am apparently the only person who noticed that their website is incorrect, and they will be updating it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the information

[CowPrincess]

The port of Vancouver website is still showing HAL participating in the US Direct service

 

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/en/about/cruiseandtourism/usdirectprocess.aspx

 

... so if the info you got is correct, not just HAL needs to update their website. Personally, I'd try phoning the Port and see if you get a different answer. Phone #s are on the linked page.

[jdmss]

What is US Direct and Luggage Direct service?

[jhannah]

The service provides check-in for your flight (with boarding passes delivered to your stateroom) and delivery of your checked bag(s) directly to your airline. You place the bag out the night before disembarkation and don't have to handle it again until you reach your destination.

 

We just disembarked in Vancouver and there was no service available.

[jdmss]

Thanks Jhannah !

[alcpa1]

It would be a real shame if this service is discontinued. We have used it before in several ports but it always saved so much time in Vancouver.

When embarking on a cruise and flying into YVR you would go from your arrival gate to a holding area within the departure level of the airport without going down (in YVR's case) to Customs and Immigration. Your docs would be checked and you would eventually be led to a bus. Once the bus approaches the airport boundry the bus would be sealed. This is nothing more than a paper seal of the exterior door. You would depart the bus at the pier and be led to check in and then onto the ship. Your luggage would be transported separately.

The reverse process works for disembarkation. Your air boarding passes would be provided onboard, usually the evening before disembarkation. You would be required to tag your luggage and set it out the night before disembarkation. There is no provision for self disembarkation with this service. The only luggage you would be permitted to carry off would be your acceptable cabin luggage according to the airline. You would save at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours not having to go through C & I at YVR.

The only caveat is the timing of your flights both inbound and outbound.

The cost was certainly worth it.

[John Cruise]

The official reason the service has been cancelled in

Vancouver is because there were not enough passengers

purchasing the US Direct or luggage direct to make the

program worthwhile for the airport and transit authorities.

It wasn't only HAL that had small numbers. It is unfortunate

because Vancouver airport spent alot of money on a special

terminal for this program.

[Cbears]

It would be a real shame if this service is discontinued. We have used it before in several ports but it always saved so much time in Vancouver.

When embarking on a cruise and flying into YVR you would go from your arrival gate to a holding area within the departure level of the airport without going down (in YVR's case) to Customs and Immigration. Your docs would be checked and you would eventually be led to a bus. Once the bus approaches the airport boundry the bus would be sealed. This is nothing more than a paper seal of the exterior door. You would depart the bus at the pier and be led to check in and then onto the ship. Your luggage would be transported separately.

The reverse process works for disembarkation. Your air boarding passes would be provided onboard, usually the evening before disembarkation. You would be required to tag your luggage and set it out the night before disembarkation. There is no provision for self disembarkation with this service. The only luggage you would be permitted to carry off would be your acceptable cabin luggage according to the airline. You would save at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours not having to go through C & I at YVR.

The only caveat is the timing of your flights both inbound and outbound.

The cost was certainly worth it.

 

The above description is for US Direct, which is no longer available in Vancouver.

 

Luggage Direct was a separate service when not using US Direct.

jhannah describes Luggage direct in his post above.

 

HAL offers it in the following ports:

Fort Lauderdale

Los Angeles

Seattle

San Diego

Tampa

Only Vancouver is discontinuing this service.

The cost is $19 per person, maximun of 2 bags each. You still pay the airline baggage fees on top of that, which they charge to your onboard account.

 

The decision to cancel these two programs must have been made very recently, as no one has noted it on their websites.

 

We were looking forward to using this service. We used Disneys luggage service out of Port Canaveral and it was wonderful. Leave your checked bags outside your door and don't see them again until you get to your home airport. Very helpful especially if you are disabled.

Edited May 13, 2011 by Cbears

[Cbears]

Here is what a HAL rep emailed me today. So I guess its offical.

 

 

 

 

We regard to tell you that Luggage Direct from Vancouver and US Direct is no longer available. We are in processing of removing the information from our website and we are apology for the inconvenience.

 

 

Regard,

Nivanh

[zentraveler]

On 5/13/2011 at 6:07 PM, Cbears said:

Here is what a HAL rep emailed me today. So I guess its offical.

 

We regard to tell you that Luggage Direct from Vancouver and US Direct is no longer available. We are in processing of removing the information from our website and we are apology for the inconvenience.

Regard,

Nivanh

 

So it is 2018 now; does anyone know if this service is available again? It would be helpful!

Edited May 27, 2019 by zentraveler

[zentraveler]

sorry; mispost

[1025cruise]

You pulled up an 8 year old thread?

[zentraveler]

1 minute ago, 1025cruise said:

You pulled up an 8 year old thread?

 

Yes I did  1025cruise. Quite intentionally.  There are other forums that I use a lot and completely respect that consider posting a new thread rather than doing to work to find an existing one and updating really rude. A previous thread which gives context and history to the question, cuts down on multiple posts asking the same question on different separate threads on the same topic which is considered lazy, impolite and on the order of posting in all  caps. 

 

Is there an issue about this?  If Cruise Critic has different morals for posting I would appreciate knowing about them since I have a mere 84 posts. (And a related question, do these forums have moderators?) It would help to know why you posted this shaming response. 

[RuthC]

23 minutes ago, zentraveler said:

It would help to know why you posted this shaming response. 

Maybe because many posters tend to read the OP, don't notice the date, and reply to it. They don't even see the new question. 1025cruise might have just been trying to clue you in.
Search and read old posts, fine. But if you have a question based on what you find, it is generally better to start a new thread to ask it.

[1025cruise]

As Ruth said, regular posters will see this as a new topic (since it hasn't been a recent thread) and start replying to the OP (or replies) with information from today, not realizing the thread is that old. 

 

My flag was also to other readers to see before they reply that this thread is old. Again, as Ruth said, rather than resurrecting an old thread it is better to just post again.

 

In terms of your question, it appears the service has not been brought back.

[ChinaShrek]

This thread should be locked.

[catl331]

1 hour ago, ChinaShrek said:

This thread should be locked.

Threads are not locked simply for being old. If that was true most threads would be locked.

[ChinaShrek]

56 minutes ago, catl331 said:

Threads are not locked simply for being old. If that was true most threads would be locked.

But old threads add to confusion and flaming comments. . .

[catl331]

1 hour ago, ChinaShrek said:

But old threads add to confusion and flaming comments. . .

How old is old? One year? Two? Three?  There's one sticky thread that's 13 years old and another that's 5 years old that still get activity.  IMO it would be good if threads were locked after of a period of inactivity of 3 years or so. 

[billbunger]

On 5/26/2019 at 6:56 PM, zentraveler said:

 

It would help to know why you posted this shaming response. 

No one posted a shaming response to you message. If you think that some one making a valid response to your post is shaming you, I think it is time you stopped using social media, it seems there are some filters lacking here.