Vancouver airport transfer?

[MarkBearSF]

FYI - When we grabbed a cab yesterday, I told my driver that I just got off the ship and I had US currency and plastic, and which would he prefer? He quickly replied "cash" although both were fine. He then explained since it can take up to three months for him to ultimately get the payment from a credit card.

 

If I recall correctly the fare was about $38 CAD when I asked him how much in US, he said it's up to me and then said $30 or so would be fine. I paid the CAD amount in USD, effectively giving him a 25% tip for excellent service. (and in these days of Uber, I try to tip cabbies well)

 

A pleasant end to a wonderful trip.

 

(Also, for what it's worth, we had a wheelchair aide help my husband through the terminal and she said that the taxi rank was on the other side of the area this year, and there had been a separate queue for wheelchairs and other special situations that was now gone - but it was still new and likely to be adjusted. We were the fourth ship of the season.)

 

- Mark

Edited May 9, 2018 by MarkBearSF

[MarkBearSF]

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.

 

FYI - while I did tip our cabin attendant because of the quick turnarounds, ultimately our debarkation instructions said we could remain in our cabin - which was no biggie anyway, as we also were with the first "Expedited" group since we just had a carryon.

 

(Nothing to make you get off a ship like cooling your heels stuck in a public room for a couple of hours waiting for your color to be called. Hopefully being allowed to remain in the cabin is now a standard HAL practice.)

 

- Mark

[bigwally]

Just off Volendam on Independent Brown 2 (9:30-9:45am) was very, very quick through customs - all they were interested in was getting the customs form. Off the ship at probably 9:20am and on the street by 9:45am. Had to wait until the originally booked time of 10:30am for our private transport but he was bang on time and we were at YVR by 11am, where we currently sit waiting on a delayed AA flight.

[Bretty]

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.

An update on this for anyone interested. I’m in Vancouver now and board Nieuw Amsterdam on 19th returning on 26th. I called CDS baggage today and spoke to someone who I can only describe as dumb. “Hi I’m calling as I’ve been advised I need to pre-book to store my bags on leaving a cruise”.

She asked what airline I was flying with and I told her, and then she asked if this was a missing baggage claim! So I explained again and she said they don’t accept advance bookings, it’s a walk-up service only.

 

So there you go. YMMV. I don’t put much faith in them but it’s the only service available so I’m going to go with it as we don’t fly until 8:20pm so can have a leisurely day in Vancouver before heading to YVR.

Edited May 17, 2018 by Bretty
Correct spelling mistake

[Bretty]

A further update to the CDS baggage service between the cruise port terminal and YVR. When we used this service at the end of our cruise in May 2018 we walked up, checked our baggage in (I took photos as per previous advice) and paid the fee by card. We filled in a form with our flight details and contact details (we were not flying until around 21:00 so were glad to leave our bags and have a whole day in Van). We were told to pick up the bags in the International terminal.

 

However, on arrival at YVR international terminal, we were met by a young female employee, maybe 18-20 with an “I don’t give a sh*t” attitude and told our bags were at the domestic terminal. When I challenged this as the ticket we had clearly said international, she said she’d had all bags transferred there earlier with no explanation why and why she hadn’t contacted customers to advise them. I asked for my bags to be brought to me, and she just told me to go to the domestic terminal. I asked to speak to a manager and was told no, there was no one else here (it looked like she was shutting up shop so I did wonder afterwards if anyone turned up to find the place shut with no idea where their bags were!).

 

So off we walked to the far reaches of the domestic terminal, adding about 25-30 minutes. A bit annoying, certainly frustrating, since for them it’s a licence to print money for $10CAD per bag.

[Schooner-ca]

A further update to the CDS baggage service between the cruise port terminal and YVR. When we used this service at the end of our cruise in May 2018 we walked up, checked our baggage in (I took photos as per previous advice) and paid the fee by card. We filled in a form with our flight details and contact details (we were not flying until around 21:00 so were glad to leave our bags and have a whole day in Van). We were told to pick up the bags in the International terminal.

 

However, on arrival at YVR international terminal, we were met by a young female employee, maybe 18-20 with an “I don’t give a sh*t” attitude and told our bags were at the domestic terminal. When I challenged this as the ticket we had clearly said international, she said she’d had all bags transferred there earlier with no explanation why and why she hadn’t contacted customers to advise them. I asked for my bags to be brought to me, and she just told me to go to the domestic terminal. I asked to speak to a manager and was told no, there was no one else here (it looked like she was shutting up shop so I did wonder afterwards if anyone turned up to find the place shut with no idea where their bags were!).

 

So off we walked to the far reaches of the domestic terminal, adding about 25-30 minutes. A bit annoying, certainly frustrating, since for them it’s a licence to print money for $10CAD per bag.

 

 

 

I am sorry you had a bad experience. I would encourage you to complain to the airline and copy YVR. Bad employees are everywhere.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Bretty]

Schooner-ca I appreciate the sentiment but ultimately see no point. Four motnths have passed and also the airline wasn’t involved in the arrangement. I was posting the update really as more evidence that CDS baggage seems rather hit and miss in their service. Certainly, trying to contact them is difficult. I explained up thread that several emails had been ignored, which matches others’ experiences, and phoning them didn’t fair much better. They just seem like a shoddy firm well aware of the monopoly they hold.