Vancouver embarkation

[Midwest Sunseeker]

Thank you for the link.  Just what I need. 

[RuthC]

3 hours ago, mermamasailsagain said:

Sailing on the Koningsdam in 3 weeks and now, I’m worried! Just short points for priority so we’ll be in the longest lineups and though I have tons of patience, I can’t stand in one spot for more than 15 minutes without a lot of pain. Is there anywhere to sit if my husband stands in the line so I can join him as he nears the check in? Quite a change from 2012 when I seem to recall one of our most efficient boardings!

Have you considered asking for wheelchair assistance to board? It may or may not shorten your time in line, but it will make it more comfortable. 

[mermamasailsagain]

9 minutes ago, RuthC said:

Have you considered asking for wheelchair assistance to board? It may or may not shorten your time in line, but it will make it more comfortable. 

Thanks for this suggestion which I have done for flights and to OlSalt for the Porta seat. I can walk and stand in short spurts but have trouble walking the sometimes incredibly long way through airports to luggage areas or slow customs lines. I guess I have to get over the embarrassment and wondering what people think when I appear capable and have not yet reached a walker stage. Knee replacement is in my future!

[RuthC]

24 minutes ago, mermamasailsagain said:

I guess I have to get over the embarrassment and wondering what people think when I appear capable and have not yet reached a walker stage. Knee replacement is in my future!

I'll spill a little secret: no one is paying attention to you just because you are in a wheelchair, unless they are wondering 'Why didn't I think of that'.
I have been boarding in one for years now. Had to do it---and that's before my back joined the pain brigade. Nothing to be gained in suffering. 

Added bonus: you will be so sorry you didn't do the knee replacement sooner! I canceled a cruise to get the second one done sooner. 

[mermamasailsagain]

Thanks for your kind support. I’ll be happy to share my chair to waiting line neighbours who’ll need a break to sit!
Yes, I was in line for a replacement after I got into an exercise regime but during Covid years lost my place, so back to referrals and waiting in the long Canadian waiting list for surgery (at least for that wait I can choose to sit! 😉)

[JeffElizabeth]

On 5/9/2023 at 4:41 AM, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

I would wait do a late check out from your hotel.

Great advice! Everyone normally wants to get on board as fast as possible, we prefer a leisurely breakfast on land, and love the way the Pan Pacific takes care of our luggage. Checking in an hour after the rush can save you so many lines. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

9 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Great advice! Everyone normally wants to get on board as fast as possible, we prefer a leisurely breakfast on land, and love the way the Pan Pacific takes care of our luggage. Checking in an hour after the rush can save you so many lines. 

And a start to a great vacation.

[Cruising-along]

19 hours ago, itrstno1 said:

we were pinnacle suite guests on this day and you are not escorted to your room until after you boarded. The problem wasn't with hal it was port of vancouver. this was the only person throughout the entire day who got on less than 2 hours. it took us three hours, get ready for a cluster.

I agree with you that the problem wasn’t with HAL but the port of Vancouver.
Since you quoted me and then said “this was the only person throughout the entire day who got on less than 3 hours” I’m not sure if you meant me in that statement. If you did, it isn’t true. Obviously everyone in the priority line with me got on about the same time that I did. 
I told about our experience only to help the OP so they would know to look for that line. It was there when we arrived around noon. If it wasn’t there other times, that’s terrible. 
I’m sorry you and so many others had such a bad experience. Especially since you had the PS. 
 

In the 3 times we have sailed from Vancouver it hasn’t been a good experience. This time we just got lucky (as I said in another post). But we still will avoid sailing from that port if possible. 

[terrydtx]

On 5/8/2023 at 10:59 PM, Cruising-along said:

There will be a sign indicating the line for 4 & 5 star Mariners, Neptune Suites, Pinnacle Suites, and (I think) Club Orange.

I thought anyone in these categories could board anytime the terminal opens and didn't need a boarding time.

[RMLincoln]

22 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

 

Magellan's Travel Catalogue - "Walking aids"

Have friends that now never go anywhere, without carrying of of these seating aids. 

 

https://www.magellans.com/ShopCategory.aspx?ID=119,3694

 A few years ago I bought one of those!  $10 at a big box sporting goods store, maybe Cabelas. Mine has a shoulder strap, very lightweight. And we use it in the cabin as a footstool. Love mine!  
m—

[OlsSalt]

16 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Great advice! Everyone normally wants to get on board as fast as possible, we prefer a leisurely breakfast on land, and love the way the Pan Pacific takes care of our luggage. Checking in an hour after the rush can save you so many lines. 

 

Loved breakfast at the Pan Pacific - Terrace Restaurant lets you look directly at the top decks of the waiting HAL ship - the Zuiderdam for us at the time. Best hash browns ever.

[Crew News]

That is true for when the ship boarding time opens sometime between 11:30 and noon . It is getting to the HAL boarding area that is the issue.

[vino100]

I once again thank everyone for the info. I’m hoping that by the end of May the port officials will have improved. Either way, my family of 16 are going to have a fantastic cruise. 

[Colorado Klutch]

Just pulled into Vancouver this morning aboard Koningsdam. When we embarked last week we arrived via cab at 10:00 AM. We dropped our luggage right by the cab drop off area.

 

It took one hour to go through security and customs. Then we followed signs to “Koningsdam” where we were directed to sit in a large area for another hour. 
 

I never saw a single sign for priority, Club Orange or anything else.

 

That was my experience. I talked to others on my cruise who arrived later. They all said it took over three hours.

Edited May 13, 2023 by Colorado Klutch

[Colorado Klutch]

On 5/11/2023 at 2:37 PM, RuthC said:

Have you considered asking for wheelchair assistance to board? It may or may not shorten your time in line, but it will make it more comfortable. 

 

My dad requested a wheelchair for my mom. He asked multiple times about a wheelchair, but nobody knew anything about it. Eventually, we got through the entire check in process and my mom said not to worry about it. She has a bad, but it wasn’t bothering her vey much that day.

[cattman]

Aboard the Koningsdam now.

Arrived Canada Place at 10:45am

Aboard and in our Neptune Suite at 11:15am.

 

Easy Peasy. Previous poster was correct, there are no signs for Priority, but when asked we were directed to separate lines for Priority at check-in and boarding. 

 

Two ships in port, Majestic & Koningsdam. Seems each ship had its own security line, determined by the colored tags we received before scanning passports. Lots of kiosks and customs agents

 

This was one of the easiest boardings of our ten sailings out of Vancouver. Just remember to drop off your bags at P4(we were dropped off by taxi) first, then you work your way up the levels. There were at least 75 people waiting in the general boarding area, in the Priority area, maybe 30.

 

YMMV of course, but having Priority - either with a Suite or CO - made a big difference.

Edited May 13, 2023 by cattman

[vino100]

8 hours ago, cattman said:

Aboard the Koningsdam now.

Arrived Canada Place at 10:45am

Aboard and in our Neptune Suite at 11:15am.

 

Easy Peasy. Previous poster was correct, there are no signs for Priority, but when asked we were directed to separate lines for Priority at check-in and boarding. 

 

Two ships in port, Majestic & Koningsdam. Seems each ship had its own security line, determined by the colored tags we received before scanning passports. Lots of kiosks and customs agents

 

This was one of the easiest boardings of our ten sailings out of Vancouver. Just remember to drop off your bags at P4(we were dropped off by taxi) first, then you work your way up the levels. There were at least 75 people waiting in the general boarding area, in the Priority area, maybe 30.

 

YMMV of course, but having Priority - either with a Suite or CO - made a big difference.

 

Thank you so much for these encouraging words. Enjoy your cruise. 

[cabland]

It is good to check not just how many ships are in port that day, BUT also WHICH ships they are.  As an example, there are only two ships when we embark on the Koningsdam...but the other is the darn Majestic Princess with 3560 passengers...so that is still 6200+ people!  As a comparison, if it had been the Grand Princess, that ship is comparatively tiny with only 1300 passengers.  Heck, in May there were 4 ships in port one day, but they were the Grand Princess, Ocean Victory (a super yacht), Voldendam and Koningsdam...a little over 5000 passengers.

 

The SHIP matters.

 

[Waxer]

I think Canada Place pier is starting to get its act together. We embarked Kongingsdam on May 13th. Due to our taxi showing up early at the hotel, and not much traffic, we arrived at luggage drop-off at 9:45AM. We took our time, got upstairs to the HA check-in at 10:05, and walked right through.

 

The only hiccup was the officious Canadian customs or immigration person who was intercepting PAX as they got in line for HA check-in, who choose to interrogate me about my "eSTA" (not needed for me) and demanded to see a printed copy of my boarding pass when I showed her my pass on my phone. She eventually got distracted and wandered off.

 

In the US customs/immigration section, there were what looked like 2 dozen passport-scanning kiosks in operation. Because I have a foreign passport, I had to see the US customs/immigration person face-to-face, but that line went quickly. There were about 5 humans behind the desk. There was a separate NEXUS line but it, and its sign, were so small I think it would be impossible to find if you didn't know it was there. The guy who got in the rear of the NEXUS line when I got into the "human" line, and I, got out to the other side at the same moment.

 

We were then seated in the waiting hall to board the ship. There was a clearly marked set of seats for Suite and Club Orange PAX. The ship wasn't ready to board yet, but there were frequent updates by the staff. We were on-board at 11:15am. There was no time spent "standing still" in line. The lines all moved continuously. It was like a long slow walk until we got to the seating area.

[Haljo1935]

On 5/11/2023 at 1:31 PM, itrstno1 said:

we were pinnacle suite guests on this day and you are not escorted to your room until after you boarded. The problem wasn't with hal it was port of vancouver. this was the only person throughout the entire day who got on less than 2 hours. it took us three hours, get ready for a cluster.

@vino100 Itrstno1 nailed it, unfortunately. 

We saw priority signs in random places, but as we entered the tangled maze, nobody asked us if we had priority, were Mariners/PS/NS... so we were not directed to the priority line. Eventually HAL rep heard husband say something to me about us waiting for priority and they directed us to a shorter priority line.

With that said, that is only for boarding  - you still have to get through the customs cluster first.

I would not wait but would go early - better to wait on the ship rather than in the hall.

Enjoy your trip - safe travels!