Question about Vancouver Pier

[mattmike6972]

Why does the Millenium leave from Ballantyne pier instead of Canada Place which is conveniently located downtown?

[W5KAP]

Why does the Millenium leave from Ballantyne pier instead of Canada Place which is conveniently located downtown?

 

If you can tell the date of your sailing, I can tell you. I printed out the schedule for the Port of Vancouver a few hours ago and I go the whole season. Just let me know the date and I will get right back to you. I can tell that a quick look shows her at the Ballantyne pier.

 

Cheers, Kenn

[W5KAP]

Oops Sorry about that OP. I didn't answer the question did I? I honestly don't know the answer. I guess I read too fast

 

Sorry, Kenn

[Napi's Mom]

Why does the Millenium leave from Ballantyne pier instead of Canada Place which is conveniently located downtown?

Wonder if this pier might be cheaper?? Port fees do run high for cruise companies, and if you must economize, this is one way to do it. I did read up om this pier yesterday and discovered they have done major upgrading to that terminal. Actually in 04 we left from Canada Place on Hal...it wasn't much inside...big empty area, perhaps that also changed:confused:

[LeftcoastBC]

My understanding is that's it's a combination of things. Pecking order with HAL and Princess at Canada Place on the preferred sailing days (weekends) Both of those Companies ,all be it really just Carnival now were well ahead of =X= in the Ak. business. Horizon was their first ship in '96.

also of course is the cost of the various berths as someone else mentioned.

 

Other than the convenience of being closer to downtown and having a little more covered area prior to getting inside the actual cruise business end of the terminals Ballantyne is not all that much different anymore.

[leoandhugh]

Pecking order is essentially the right answer. Other cruise lines like HAL and Princess were in the Alaska cruise business before X and some others, so they were given preference. And since, at the height of the Alaska cruise season, there may be as many as 4 or 5 ships departing Vancouver on the same day, X does not have priority. Now if you notice just a day or two ago when Mercury was in Vancouver and the only ship that day, she was at Canada Place.

The same sort of pecking order exists at the Alaska ports, and when there are more ships than there are piers available, the tail end of the donkey gets to anchor and tender. This sort of preference applies in many ports worldwide and is evident in the Caribbean where more piers are being built in places like Sint Maarten to preclude tendering.:)

[scottbee]

If you can tell the date of your sailing, I can tell you. I printed out the schedule for the Port of Vancouver a few hours ago and I go the whole season. Just let me know the date and I will get right back to you. I can tell that a quick look shows her at the Ballantyne pier.

 

Volume. There's more ships than capacity at Canada Place (despite having 3 cruiseship sized berths). The big boys get 1st shot, so Carnival Corp lines (Carnival, Princess, HAL, Regent) get the prime space; that leaves RCCL corp, who can use it occasionally (early and late season) when it's not fully used, but it probably makes more sense for all of RCCL (Royal Caribbean/Celebrity) to be at Balantyne and not have to shuffle back and forth.

[hondorner]

...so Carnival Corp lines (Carnival, Princess, HAL, Regent)...

Regent is not part of Carnival. Regent and Oceania are owned by Prestige Cruise Holdings, a division of Apollo Management, which also owns NCL as a separate company.

[CelebrityMan]

Hi,

 

Last year when we sailed out of Vancouver on Millennium in mid-September, and from Ballantyne, I loved it.

 

There is the literary romance of using the historic pier with it's beautiful bricked, false-front facade. And there is the added benefit of getting to see the majority of the city waterfront and harbor as you sail from Ballantyne.

 

And I also noticed that we were the first ship to leave, giving us an even better view of the workings of Canada Place with its' three berths in use and the lovely view of seeing other ships get into position to follow us out to sea.

 

Yes, Ballantyne is a bit 'industrial' in location, but it's a fine terminal, updated well inside, very easy to navigate and I don't believe something that should negatively impact one's departure or arrival.

 

 

 

 

CM

[barbh]

Yes, it's in a not so good area of town but it's just a quick cab ride away from Canada Place. IF Vancouver was a stop on a cruise (VS departure port) then I can see that it would be nicer to be "downtown" but I don't think it matters as much when it's the embarkation port. I pick up some friends who work on the ships (this year, Radiance). it would be horrendous to pick them up at Canada place (traffic & parking can be evil) so I'm happy they will be at Ballentyne. Would I go for a walk from Ballentyne? No thanks:) Would I feel safe? Yes. Vancouver is a lovely city. I hope you enjoy your time here.

[RodPat]

We left from Canada Place when we sailed on Infinity. I think it's just a matter of how many ships are in port at one time. It was wonderful staying at the Pan Pacific because the port is just a elevator ride away.

 

Pat

[GeriatricNurse]

Why does the Millenium leave from Ballantyne pier instead of Canada Place which is conveniently located downtown?

 

 

 

Here is the website:

www.portmetrovancouver.com

[LeftcoastBC]

and here is a web cam trio that shows the ships at Canada Place (well two out of three) and Ballantyne in the distance. Right now 10 AM PST MAY 9 you can see the Millie there. It's been there for several days now.

http://www.vancouver.com/webcam

 

Click on North East web cam on left side of main page for the Ballantyne shot