Embarkation in Vancouver Question

[mhb1757]

We board this week (Wednesday) in Vancouver. I was sure I had read somewhere on this board that HAL had a luggage drop near the check in area that you could enter from the street level so you didn’t have to go down the big ramp and wait in that long line and then go back up to street level to check in. 
I can’t find that info anywhere now so was that just wishful thinking on my part?  Any info from folks that have departed from Vancouver recently would be appreciated. 😁

[everbeentoseabilly]

19 minutes ago, mhb1757 said:

We board this week (Wednesday) in Vancouver. I was sure I had read somewhere on this board that HAL had a luggage drop near the check in area that you could enter from the street level so you didn’t have to go down the big ramp and wait in that long line and then go back up to street level to check in. 
I can’t find that info anywhere now so was that just wishful thinking on my part?  Any info from folks that have departed from Vancouver recently would be appreciated. 😁

We have embarked 3 times in Vancouver and had to drop bags in the parking area down the ramp. There are elevators as well. 

[SilvertoGold]

1 hour ago, everbeentoseabilly said:

We have embarked 3 times in Vancouver and had to drop bags in the parking area down the ramp. There are elevators as well. 

Thanks for this info: I was wondering myself.  However, at one time in the past you had to go down another level to the parking garage (smelly!) in the one sole elevator and drop off the bags there, then go back up, so this year's method is better than that was!!

 

To OP:  the Zaandam is scheduled to be in port with only one other ship: this will help your embarkation move along more quickly. Canada Place is a pain, but think about the cruise, get through it and enjoy!

Edited May 27 by SilvertoGold

[Crew News]

5 hours ago, mhb1757 said:

We board this week (Wednesday) in Vancouver. I was sure I had read somewhere on this board that HAL had a luggage drop near the check in area that you could enter from the street level so you didn’t have to go down the big ramp and wait in that long line and then go back up to street level to check in. 
I can’t find that info anywhere now so was that just wishful thinking on my part?  Any info from folks that have departed from Vancouver recently would be appreciated. 😁

I posted this information for my Nieuw Amsterdam May 5 roll call.  After two Vancouver Embarkation Days in the last 30 days, I observed the additional luggage drop off option. 

 

Skip the underground luggage porters and walk down the left side of the Convention Center where you will see guides holding signs (Just past the Harbour Cafe entrance).  You may also just enter the Convention Center from the street entrance, keep left to the cruise ship hallway, and proceed down the hallway with your luggage.  Holland America is hallway Entrance C.

 

As you enter the Holland America doorway, to the right will be a well-marked luggage collection point with the check-in lines on the left.

 

Canada Convention Center

 

 

 

Entrances on left side of the Convention Center

[SilvertoGold]

3 minutes ago, Crew News said:

I posted this information for my Nieuw Amsterdam May 5 roll call.  After two Vancouver Embarkation Days in the last 30 days, I observed the additional luggage drop off option. 

 

Skip the underground luggage porters and walk down the left side of the Convention Center where you will see guides holding signs (Just past the Harbour Cafe entrance).  You may also just enter the Convention Center from the street entrance, keep left to the cruise ship hallway, and proceed down the hallway with your luggage.  Holland America is hallway Entrance C.

 

As you enter the Holland America doorway, to the right will be a well-marked luggage collection point with the check-in lines on the left.

 

Canada Convention Center

 

 

 

Entrances on left side of the Convention Center

We were there taking a look at the ships in port last weekend around 9;30 am and saw the guys with the signs, exactly as you say. This is a big improvement! We saw a few passengers around having a coffee at the Harbour Cafe so assumed check-in had not started. 

Is it going to be a hassle to keep our two medium-sized wheeled carry-ons with us, as we usually do? We really prefer to unpack immediately on the ship and not have to wait and wait for delivery.

 

Thanks, Roger, for your input! Great info as usual 🙂

 

 

 

[mhb1757]

34 minutes ago, Crew News said:

I posted this information for my Nieuw Amsterdam May 5 roll call.  After two Vancouver Embarkation Days in the last 30 days, I observed the additional luggage drop off option. 

 

Skip the underground luggage porters and walk down the left side of the Convention Center where you will see guides holding signs (Just past the Harbour Cafe entrance).  You may also just enter the Convention Center from the street entrance, keep left to the cruise ship hallway, and proceed down the hallway with your luggage.  Holland America is hallway Entrance C.

 

As you enter the Holland America doorway, to the right will be a well-marked luggage collection point with the check-in lines on the left.

 

Canada Convention Center

 

 

 

Entrances on left side of the Convention Center

THANK YOU!  This was exactly what I was looking for!

[biffrulz]

Hi, we embarked May 18 on the Koningsdam and we told not to go down the ramp but to enter street level to Hall C. 
We had received an email earlier in the week letting us know that the check in started at 10:00 am and to avoid check in between 11:30 and 1:00 as that was busy time. We arrived at 10:00 and were sitting at the Dutch Cafe at 10:50. Longest wait was after customs where we sat for about 15 before boarding. 
Hope your embarkment goes as smoothly. 

[Crew News]

19 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

We were there taking a look at the ships in port last weekend around 9;30 am and saw the guys with the signs, exactly as you say. This is a big improvement! We saw a few passengers around having a coffee at the Harbour Cafe so assumed check-in had not started. 

Is it going to be a hassle to keep our two medium-sized wheeled carry-ons with us, as we usually do? We really prefer to unpack immediately on the ship and not have to wait and wait for delivery.

 

Thanks, Roger, for your input! Great info as usual 🙂

 

The escalator down to the Security Checkpoint does not allow roller bags.  Those with roller bags are directed to an elevator that holds only a few passenger which delays the whole process.

[biffrulz]

22 minutes ago, Crew News said:

The escalator down to the Security Checkpoint does not allow roller bags.  Those with roller bags are directed to an elevator that holds only a few passenger which delays the whole process.

Interesting about having to take elevator down to security, the 4 of us had carry on roller bags and were allowed to use the escalator. Maybe because it wasn’t busy they allowed us to do this. 

[Crew News]

1 minute ago, biffrulz said:

Interesting about having to take elevator down to security, the 4 of us had carry on roller bags and were allowed to use the escalator. Maybe because it wasn’t busy they allowed us to do this. 

On April 27, the escalator was OK to use but on May 5th, we were told that the escalator was not capable of handling them.

[Cruisepucks]

We embarked on Sunday May 12. On the Thursday after arriving in Vancouver, we took a walk around Canada Place. The embarkation was as @Crew News stated, left side of the convention centre, main floor was luggage drop off and cruise line check in.

To our surprise, when we arrived on the Sunday, we were directed down to the parking area where we dropped off luggage, checked in with the cruise line and cleared security and US border services. The only line up including at the elevator to go down to the parking area, was at security and US border service but both lines moved very quickly and we were on the ship within 30 mins. Way better than 2 years ago when we last were in Vancouver. Would have been 5 mins faster had we gone directly to the parking area instead of where luggage drop off had been 3 days previously. 

 

There was staff everywhere directing passengers to the correct cruise ship.

I wonder if they change procedures up based on the number of ships in port. There were 3 in port on the day we embarked.

Edited May 27 by Cruisepucks

[Thetideishigh2021]

5 hours ago, Crew News said:

On April 27, the escalator was OK to use but on May 5th, we were told that the escalator was not capable of handling them.

We also boarded on May 5,  someone had fallen down one of the escalators just before we arrived to check in .  The individual was injured and an ambulance etc was called . ( I understood the person was not too seriously injured but I don’t know if they made the cruise) which slowed the embarkation process considerably as that escalator was locked off for at least an hour.  This was at approximately 11:30am.  All it takes is one mishap…we did have one largish roller case for which we lined up at the elevator it took about 10 minutes to get on it,  better a little late…. IMHO.