Vancouver pier to airport

[scottbee]

Is this for real???? They would rather have everyone have to go through Canadian Immigration then immediately back through US CBP to save $5/person!? The US direct program sounds like it would have saved at least an hour of time, plus paperwork, staff, and administrative overhead on both sides of the border to process everyone. I would have gladly paid $50 for this service.

 

Given the current situation, what do you think the earliest flight possible from YVR is if arriving at the port on a Wednesday? I don't mind it cutting it close, and have elite status, global entry, etc (although no Nexus) so should be able to use expedited queues. I assume 10:30am for intra-Canada would be ok? What about US?

 

And side note for those considering GE.. it is WELL worth it for the pre-check privilege alone if you travel through airports that offer it more then a few times a year. The $100 fee gives you GE for 5 years, and pre-check is better then any airline's elite line.

 

Given security is done by CATSA not the TSA, pre-check doesn't apply at YVR. However, there is an express line at security (like pre) for holders of Nexus cards. No need to pre-register or anything, just use the express line, and flash your Nexus. Not sure if GE cards are also accepted

[doctor15]

Given security is done by CATSA not the TSA, pre-check doesn't apply at YVR.

 

I know pre-check won't help at YVR, but was just pointing it as an aside that it makes the GE fee worth it.

 

Star Gold status though, will let me skip most of the CATSA/security line, and GE will let me avoid US CBP lines if immediately entering the US.

[shofer]

My GE card arrived today. About 3 wks or less from application to card. Jan is hoping to get a timely interview and finish the process before we leave on May 15.

 

Hoping it will give me a little breathing room to make that 10:30 AM flight out of Vancouver to Seattle.

 

Sue

[shofer]

Just got back home yesterday and wanted to let you know how well Princess handled our transfer to the airport for our 10:30 AM flight.

 

We were the first ones off @ 7:45 and it was only US citizens going to US destinations. It was an expedited transfer with Canandian customs meeting us at the pier. Our luggage was trucked to the American terminal where they were unloading it when we arrived.

 

Alaska Airlines went through the line and announced they would only check in those who were on the 10:30 or 11:15 flights. Which was fine since it was everyone on our bus.

 

Next through security and American Customs. Because we were so early, there were only 4 people in line for Customs. But Jan and I had gotten Global Entry cards so we went to the kiosk and and zipped right through.

 

Rather long walk to our gate, but arrived 1/2 hour before boarding. Turbo prop for 1/2 hour trip to Seattle and found out our flight had been changed to American at a different terminal.

 

No problem as our flight was not for 3 hours. Had lunch at Chili's right across from our gate and took the leftovers with us for our "dinner". Arrived early at O'Hare and DH picked us up.

 

Princess really has this transfer down well and we felt quite relieved to see this level of organization. I would probably not book such an early flight again but it did work out very well.

 

Sue

[Putterdude]

I am glad that things went so well for you.

You are the second person who has mentioned recently that Princess is again offering some type of luggage transfer from Canada Place to YVR...could you please share some details with us? I ask as for the past couple of years it was not available....thank you.

[shofer]

I am glad that things went so well for you.

You are the second person who has mentioned recently that Princess is again offering some type of luggage transfer from Canada Place to YVR...could you please share some details with us? I ask as for the past couple of years it was not available....thank you.

 

This was part of the Princess transfer process. I wonder if it is special for those early flights? Which details did I omit?

 

Sue

[simong]

what is the approximate fare from airport to cruise terminal and do they take us money?

[scottbee]

what is the approximate fare from airport to cruise terminal and do they take us money?

 

Weekdays, it's $9 airport to Waterfront Station (3 blocks from Canada Place). Weekends/evenings it's $7.75 including the $5 airport surcharge on single tickets.

 

US Cash, no. Credit Cards and Debit Cards, yes. The other option if there are more than two of you, or you plan to use any other transit in/around Vancouver is to visit the 7-11 inside the airport terminal, and buy a book of 10 two-zone tickets (called a faresaver) for $31.50 - and the 7-11 will take foreign currency. With tickets from a faresaver, you don't pay the airport surcharge.

[Putterdude]

what is the approximate fare from airport to cruise terminal and do they take us money?

 

No they don't but they will accept most US credit cards (Discover being one of the exceptions) and many US ATM cards. Because fares vary with day, age and time of day here is a link to the fares...to which you must add $5 to the 2 zone fare from YVR Station. http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Single-Fares.aspx

[dblane]

We returned two weeks ago from Hawaii to Vancouver on Radiance OTS. We were worried about making our connections at the airport also. We were off at 8:30a and grabbed a porter with our friends and he got us out thru to a taxi quickly. I think we were at the airport by 9:30a. We then got a porter once more, he told us their was a minimum charge of $10. He waited with our luggage and helped at check in. Then took our luggage to the security area for us to check it in, while we waited with our carryons. He then came back and told us where to go for immigration and security check for the US. He made it all so easy for us. We gave him a generous tip. We were sent to the immigration area where there were kiosks where we put our passport in and it checked us in. First time for that. Then on to customs and then to security and then onto our gate. From ship to gate about 2hrs. We also filled out a US customs form ahead of time.

[Putterdude]

We returned two weeks ago from Hawaii to Vancouver on Radiance OTS. We were worried about making our connections at the airport also. We were off at 8:30a and grabbed a porter with our friends and he got us out thru to a taxi quickly. I think we were at the airport by 9:30a. We then got a porter once more, he told us their was a minimum charge of $10. He waited with our luggage and helped at check in. Then took our luggage to the security area for us to check it in, while we waited with our carryons. He then came back and told us where to go for immigration and security check for the US. He made it all so easy for us. We gave him a generous tip. We were sent to the immigration area where there were kiosks where we put our passport in and it checked us in. First time for that. Then on to customs and then to security and then onto our gate. From ship to gate about 2hrs. We also filled out a US customs form ahead of time.

 

Glad to the hear that things worked out so well for you. The passport scanners at YVR are relatively new and are designed to things up for Americans returning home...sounds like they worked for you which is great news, yours is the first report on their usage that I have seen.

[shofer]

We returned two weeks ago from Hawaii to Vancouver on Radiance OTS. We were worried about making our connections at the airport also. We were off at 8:30a and grabbed a porter with our friends and he got us out thru to a taxi quickly. I think we were at the airport by 9:30a. We then got a porter once more, he told us their was a minimum charge of $10. He waited with our luggage and helped at check in. Then took our luggage to the security area for us to check it in, while we waited with our carryons. He then came back and told us where to go for immigration and security check for the US. He made it all so easy for us. We gave him a generous tip. We were sent to the immigration area where there were kiosks where we put our passport in and it checked us in. First time for that. Then on to customs and then to security and then onto our gate. From ship to gate about 2hrs. We also filled out a US customs form ahead of time.

 

What time was your flight and was there a transfer option from RCL? How many ships were in port with you? We arrived on a Monday and only saw a Disney ship so the terminal wasn't crawling with thousands of people trying to leave at the same time.

 

I was sweating it using the Princess transfer. Being 2 ladies with luggage we didn't want to deal with finding porters and taxis. So glad it worked so well for you.