snoopaloopa

As someone from Vancouver who just got off a ship this week at Canada Place with two very young children, I would say the following:

-getting out of Canada Place is quite easy with all of your baggage as it's well marked, flat, and calm

-having lived in Vancouver for a long time, I can tell you that the taxi's in this city are horrible, mostly because there are not enough of them and the traffic can be unpredictable at times

-when we disembarked we were the only ship arriving, however if you arrive on a day where there are 4-5 ships, your wait for a taxi will be horrible.

-the SkyTrain (Canada Line) to and from the airport is very convenient and cheaper, however you will have to be prepared to lug you bags up and down and deal with the hassle of crowds and such

-arranging a private car service before hand to wait for you would be by far the best option. I've never had to deal with the transfers provided by the cruise line, but I imagine that would be a good option also.

We just got off the Pearl from LA to Vancouver, and my 5 year old son loved the Splash Academy. The staff there really made him feel at home there and encouraged him and all the other kids to participate and make friends.

It was really neat to see other kids come up to him when he was with us, just to say hi.

I agree that being there the first night is where they make the most friends and get comfortable. I would also recommend getting him/her signed up early in the day (I think they do two sign ups 1-3 and 5-7?) as it is definitely less busy during the early one.

If you want to get on their good side, try to pick up your child when they ask you to... I could see them getting irritated when the same parents were always late picking up (it cuts into their break and meal times), although in the evening session they are there later so its not so important.

My son loved the program overall.