Early flight in Vancouver

[shofer]

We are booked on the Island next May for a Land/Cruise in Alaska. Our TA booked the flight from Vancouver to Seattle at 10:30 AM which is the same one that Princess uses for their air choice.

 

Is this going to be a problem getting there in time? I know we can request to be off first and also to carry our own luggage. (Not really a choice as we are 2 girls) Just concerned with making the flight on time.

 

 

Sue

[Bookworm1971]

Having stood in security and customs lines in Vancouver on numerous occasions it seems tight to me.

 

You're at least 30 minutes from the airport depending on traffic.

[GweninTX]

My sister and her husband made their flight at this same time, but they used the Princess bus to the Vancouver airport and were in the first group to leave.

[snoodqueen]

We are booked on the Island next May for a Land/Cruise in Alaska. Our TA booked the flight from Vancouver to Seattle at 10:30 AM which is the same one that Princess uses for their air choice.

 

Is this going to be a problem getting there in time? I know we can request to be off first and also to carry our own luggage. (Not really a choice as we are 2 girls) Just concerned with making the flight on time.

 

 

Sue

 

I wouldn't book a flight before 11:30 a.m. You just never know what is going to delay you along the way.

[cruiseryyc]

I can't believe that Princess is booking flights that early out of Vancouver! It's 30 to 45 minutes to the airport; you should be there two hours prior your flight, which means 8:30 a.m. Getting a bus load off and loaded by 7:30 - not going to happen. I would suggest something after noon would be a better choice.

[Putterdude]

The ships are alongside Canada Place shortly after 0600. If you are able to handle your own luggage and can self-disembark that will begin about 0700. With that you should be thru Canadian customs and on the curb by 0800. You are then a full 35 mins to YVR by cab and a similar amount of time if you walk over to Waterfront station and take the Canada Line out to YVR. You need to be at YVR a full 2 hours before flight time as you clear US customs there and need to clear security. You could make it....but it's to tight for my liking....one small hiccup and you are going to be paying for flight change. You would be OK with something around 1130.

[PunkiC]

The fastest, and IMHO, the easiest way to get to YVR is the light rail. It is just a couple of blocks from the ship and is very inexpensive and very, very fast.

 

Beats the heck out of battling Vancouver traffic, which can be a nightmare.

[shofer]

My sister and her husband made their flight at this same time, but they used the Princess bus to the Vancouver airport and were in the first group to leave.

 

We have purchased the Princess transfers and hoping not too much traffic at 7 AM. Princess Air uses this flight and the next flight is more expensive. I guess they must know what they are doing. We did purchase the flight thru our TA and not Princess.

 

We do have a 2 hour layover in Seattle but need to get there first. I would never book one myself this early.

 

Coming home from Hawaii in LA, we were delayed by US Customs, the buses to the airport, security, etc. Able to purchase a hamburger at Burger King and walked right on the plane. And that was a noon schedule!

 

Sue

[Putterdude]

We have purchased the Princess transfers and hoping not too much traffic at 7 AM. Princess Air uses this flight and the next flight is more expensive. I guess they must know what they are doing. We did purchase the flight thru our TA and not Princess.

 

We do have a 2 hour layover in Seattle but need to get there first. I would never book one myself this early.

 

Coming home from Hawaii in LA, we were delayed by US Customs, the buses to the airport, security, etc. Able to purchase a hamburger at Burger King and walked right on the plane. And that was a noon schedule!

 

Sue

 

I really think you have got some bad advice from your TA, there is no way that a Princess Air flight is supportable before 1200 with a Princess transfer. I would urge you to have a further conversation with your TA once you have had a chance to review Princess's website on this topic.

[snoodqueen]

The first Princess buses do not even arrive at YVR until 8:45/9:00. If you are booked on that flight, you'll have to walk off with all your luggage to ensure you make it. I'd pay a little more to take the later flight and save myself the stress. The Island won't be the only ship in port.

[Cruise Junky]

Well I have to say, your TA was right. Princess says 10:15 for this sailing which I find really surprising. Be prepared to take your own luggage off.

[Putterdude]

In the itinerary, I see the Island alongside in Vancouver at 0730 which we both know it means it's just short of impossible to make a 1030 flight. Am I missing something or is there a miss-puff on the Princess website?

[caribill]

From the Princess web site (Alaska Cruise Answer Book):

 

Vancouver Pier to Vancouver Airport -- No earlier than 11 AM domestic/ 12:30 PM international on disembarkation day

 

I would ask Princess why the web site says one thing and the EZAir sells flights that conflict.

[Cruise Junky]

And booking flights on Princess's site for this sailing it says 10:15. Crazy - isn't that the time they usually give for lauderdale?

[Pam in CA]

From the Princess web site (Alaska Cruise Answer Book):

 

Vancouver Pier to Vancouver Airport -- No earlier than 11 AM domestic/ 12:30 PM international on disembarkation day

 

I would ask Princess why the web site says one thing and the EZAir sells flights that conflict.

"Domestic" means flying elsewhere in Canada, not to anywhere in the US. Getting to YVR is only half the journey. Checking in, going through US Immigration and Customs, and then Security can take a very long time because you essentially go through the US "border" before even boarding your flight.

[Budget Queen]

My sister and her husband made their flight at this same time, but they used the Princess bus to the Vancouver airport and were in the first group to leave.

 

WHEN was this??? If not this year, a whole different story as they were on a US Direct flight, which they no longer have available. It meant they did NOT go though US customs at Vancouver Airport and were on a "sealed" bus. This cut out of lot of time, this current poster WILL be involved in. I have personally been in 2 hour lines at Vancouver airport.

[Putterdude]

The US Direct program ceased operation at the end of the 2010 Alaska cruise season so it would have pre-dated that.

[caribill]

My sister and her husband made their flight at this same time, but they used the Princess bus to the Vancouver airport and were in the first group to leave.

 

WHEN was this??? If not this year, a whole different story as they were on a US Direct flight, which they no longer have available. It meant they did NOT go though US customs at Vancouver Airport and were on a "sealed" bus. This cut out of lot of time, this current poster WILL be involved in. I have personally been in 2 hour lines at Vancouver airport.

 

It is an assumption that this was part of the US Direct Flight program.

 

Poster does not indicate if the relatives had to go through US customs at the airport or not. It is always possible that the first bus made it to the airport in time and that lines were short that day.

 

However, just like the stock market, past performance is no prediction of what will happen in the future.

[GweninTX]

It is an assumption that this was part of the US Direct Flight program.

 

Poster does not indicate if the relatives had to go through US customs at the airport or not. It is always possible that the first bus made it to the airport in time and that lines were short that day.

 

However, just like the stock market, past performance is no prediction of what will happen in the future.

This was August last summer - 2011 and they did go thru customs Budget Queen! No special program other than a Princess transfer bus.

We too zipped thru customs the same day - we took a taxi and had short lines. YMMV!

[Cruise Junky]

Just an FYI, I contacted Princess on their website saying 10:15 and they called me back today. It's not a mistake. They're changing all the Vancouver departure info to 10:15. Nuts if you ask me, but then, they didn't ;)

[cruiseryyc]

Absolutely nuts!! Wonder how long it will be before they switch back to a later flights when their passengers start complaining about missing flights!

[ceilidh1]

WHEN was this??? If not this year, a whole different story as they were on a US Direct flight, which they no longer have available. It meant they did NOT go though US customs at Vancouver Airport and were on a "sealed" bus. This cut out of lot of time, this current poster WILL be involved in. I have personally been in 2 hour lines at Vancouver airport.

 

The first Princess transfer bus leaves the dock at approximately 7:45am assuming the ship is not delayed arriving (rarely happens). This is not the US Direct program which is discontinued, but is similar in that passengers are taken via a "sterile" routing straight to the coach, which is dockside (unlike regular transfers which are in the busbays). The passengers in these transfer groups do not need to collect any luggage as bags are trucked separately to the airport and collected there when they leave the bus. Prior to boarding the bus, passengers show their passport and hand in their customs form to Canadian CBSA officials. Once at the airport, they must check in and pre-clear US customs as any other traveller would, BUT the joy of this transfer is that it arrives at the airport in time for those 10:30am flights! Now, in order to be eligible for this priority group, there is strict criteria - you must be a US citizen or perm. resident, flying directly to the US that day (no connections in Canada), with a flight prior to 4pm. Additionally, you must have purchased the Princess transfer at least 67 hours prior to the ship's arrival in Vancouver and have submitted complete and accurate flight information for all members in your party. This program has been in place for at least the past 5 years (as long as I have worked shoreside for Princess) and I see no reason why it should change for next year. Having said this, if it were me....I wouldn't want the stress and would opt for a later flight!

[cruisequeen4ever]

I read the whole thread, and though apparently Princess is allowing that early flight, I would highly recommend you switch yours to a later time and pay more. I have paid more many times to avoid the stress of worrying about missing your flight on disembarkation day. We just did this cruise and from the time our color tag was called to disembark to the time we were through customs and security at the Vancouver airport was about 1 1/2 hours. It is a 30 min. drive to the airport on low traffic days and can be substantially longer on weekdays during rush hour, which we encountered on a cruise there a few years ago. Err on the side of caution and rebook on a later flight.

[shofer]

The first Princess transfer bus leaves the dock at approximately 7:45am assuming the ship is not delayed arriving (rarely happens). This is not the US Direct program which is discontinued, but is similar in that passengers are taken via a "sterile" routing straight to the coach, which is dockside (unlike regular transfers which are in the busbays). The passengers in these transfer groups do not need to collect any luggage as bags are trucked separately to the airport and collected there when they leave the bus. Prior to boarding the bus, passengers show their passport and hand in their customs form to Canadian CBSA officials. Once at the airport, they must check in and pre-clear US customs as any other traveller would, BUT the joy of this transfer is that it arrives at the airport in time for those 10:30am flights! Now, in order to be eligible for this priority group, there is strict criteria - you must be a US citizen or perm. resident, flying directly to the US that day (no connections in Canada), with a flight prior to 4pm. Additionally, you must have purchased the Princess transfer at least 67 hours prior to the ship's arrival in Vancouver and have submitted complete and accurate flight information for all members in your party. This program has been in place for at least the past 5 years (as long as I have worked shoreside for Princess) and I see no reason why it should change for next year. Having said this, if it were me....I wouldn't want the stress and would opt for a later flight!

 

Appreciate all the info and this explains how it works. We do have time to think about this as our cruise is next May. The air charge is high enough and sure don't want to be paying even more to change the flight. I guess we will have to count on Princess to be the experts in this.

 

Sue

[WpgCruise]

Hope it works out for you, but you may want to develop a "Plan B" in case...........

 

Several years ago we were on Princess, supposed to dock at Canada Place @ 7:00 am. We had 12:00 pm flights

Well........the Pilot was an hour late

Then a docking problem, lining the ship up properly, another hour

Then a Customs problem, another hour

Then as a HAL ship was already docked ahead of us, a real problem getting a Cab to the airport.

Then, a freak spring blizzard hit Calgary that morning, the hub for Westjet who our flights were with.

Anyhow, what with one thing and another we got out of Vancouver at 8:00 pm. that evening.

 

I'm sure hope this won't happen to you, but a "Plan B" has always been part of our planning since this experience.