Vancouver Help Please - What to do with luggage?

We have a 3:30 flight after our cruise out of Vancouver International Airport. Normally, we drive to and from our port, so luggage isn't an issue. If we want to explore the city, what do we do with our luggage if we don't take an excursion through the cruise line?

We have a 3:30 flight after our cruise out of Vancouver International Airport. Normally, we drive to and from our port, so luggage isn't an issue. If we want to explore the city, what do we do with our luggage if we don't take an excursion through the cruise line?

In 2016 we stored luggage at CDS Baggage located in Canada Place between the info counter & car rentals. Their telephone is 604-683-3696. The cost was $7 for carry-on and $8 for luggage and their hours were 7:30am - 4pm. I also think that they will transport your luggage to the airport but I don't know any particulars.

^Pizzalady's info remains relevant (even the pricing, unless that changes when they open for the first time this season in April).

Unfortunately a 3:30pm flight is too early to make use of their 'transfer bags to YVR' service, so you will need to come back for them. A cheaper option is to use the Pan Pacific hotel's bell desk to store your bags - going rate there is $5 per bag from all reports. No need to actually re-enter the terminal proper (the hotel sits on top, with front door on sidewalk) would also shave a minute or two off your bag-collecting time.

YVR recommends being there 3 hours pre-flight for US & international departures - I personally feel that's overkill except during the peak '3 ships disgorge their complement of pax and many head straight to YVR for flights late AM/early PM' phase. If you aim to be there 2 hours early (i.e. leave downtown c. 1pm) you'll probably still end up hanging around at your gate for an hour. If you have Global Entry or NEXUS you can short-circuit both Security and Immigration queues so even an hour preflight becomes minimal risk.

Thank you for the info. That's very helpful! We're struggling with what to do after we get off the ship in mid-May until our flight, which is around 3:05ish. Princess offers morning excursions, but they don't really specify what a safe flight time would be to do the excursion.

^Pizzalady's info remains relevant (even the pricing, unless that changes when they open for the first time this season in April).

 

Unfortunately a 3:30pm flight is too early to make use of their 'transfer bags to YVR' service, so you will need to come back for them. A cheaper option is to use the Pan Pacific hotel's bell desk to store your bags - going rate there is $5 per bag from all reports. No need to actually re-enter the terminal proper (the hotel sits on top, with front door on sidewalk) would also shave a minute or two off your bag-collecting time.

 

YVR recommends being there 3 hours pre-flight for US & international departures - I personally feel that's overkill except during the peak '3 ships disgorge their complement of pax and many head straight to YVR for flights late AM/early PM' phase. If you aim to be there 2 hours early (i.e. leave downtown c. 1pm) you'll probably still end up hanging around at your gate for an hour. If you have Global Entry or NEXUS you can short-circuit both Security and Immigration queues so even an hour preflight becomes minimal risk.

Thoughts...

• 3:30pm flight does not leave you much time to explore the city....
  
  • 11:30am make your way to CDS to retrieve luggage
    
  • 11:45am make your way to the train or getting a cab. Trip takes around 35 minutes. Train may be a little faster, but you still need to navigate your way to the station to purchase your tickets.
    
  • 12:30pm arrive at airport for your 3 hours of check-in, customs and complimentary searches => luggage, carry-ons, WMD's, liquid's, ULU's, NFL's, hand, body, and the random VIP secondary experience.
    
  • 3:30pm wheels up with dreams on returning to your bonus port as you didn't budget enough time
    

  [*]Looks like you may have 3 or 4 hours if you are the first 7:30am walk offs. How do you plan to spend your 3 hours to explore the city?

  [*]what day are you arriving in mid-May. If it's a three ship day (eg May 12/13)... the CDS and cab line can get very interesting with a multi-ship dump on the services at one time.

3 hours is almost certainly about an hour more than necessary

Such great info on this thread! I hope no one minds if I ask a related question?

I just booked our flights for our Alaska cruise and our return flight doesn't leave until 11pm, so that leaves a lot of time.

I'm leaning towards the Pan Pacific bell station and then sightseeing for the day. The question I have is about transportation from the Pan Pacific to downtown and then back to the hotel and then on to the airport. I'll be traveling with my elderly parents (they'll be 84 and 87 at the time, but they get around pretty well) and I don't want to push it. Are cabs/uber/lyft fairly affordable for a party of 4 to use?

Thanks for your help and thanks to the OP for having a similar situation to my own!

Such great info on this thread! I hope no one minds if I ask a related question?

 

 

 

I just booked our flights for our Alaska cruise and our return flight doesn't leave until 11pm, so that leaves a lot of time.

 

 

 

I'm leaning towards the Pan Pacific bell station and then sightseeing for the day. The question I have is about transportation from the Pan Pacific to downtown and then back to the hotel and then on to the airport. I'll be traveling with my elderly parents (they'll be 84 and 87 at the time, but they get around pretty well) and I don't want to push it. Are cabs/uber/lyft fairly affordable for a party of 4 to use?

 

 

 

Thanks for your help and thanks to the OP for having a similar situation to my own!

I did Vancouver last year with my dad at Canada place cruise terminal u have an attraction called fly Canada it’s a flight simulator over Canada . Also from there u can get the hop on hop off bus around Vancouver the Stanley park route is very picturesques during the city route u visit Granville island which is great for food. Vancouver it’s self is very hilly and my 70 year old Dad found it tough going with his asthma.

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I did Vancouver last year with my dad at Canada place cruise terminal u have an attraction called fly Canada it’s a flight simulator over Canada . Also from there u can get the hop on hop off bus around Vancouver the Stanley park route is very picturesques during the city route u visit Granville island which is great for food. Vancouver it’s self is very hilly and my 70 year old Dad found it tough going with his asthma.

 

 

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"Vancouver it’s self is very hilly" Thank you for that information. I like the idea of the hop-on, hop-off bus because my parents are pretty spry, but hills are very hard on my stepdad's knees and my mom's lungs. It's been so very long since I was in Vancouver and it was just for a night, so I really don't remember much about it, except, oddly a steam clock!

Such great info on this thread! I hope no one minds if I ask a related question?

 

I just booked our flights for our Alaska cruise and our return flight doesn't leave until 11pm, so that leaves a lot of time.

 

I'm leaning towards the Pan Pacific bell station and then sightseeing for the day. The question I have is about transportation from the Pan Pacific to downtown and then back to the hotel and then on to the airport. I'll be traveling with my elderly parents (they'll be 84 and 87 at the time, but they get around pretty well) and I don't want to push it. Are cabs/uber/lyft fairly affordable for a party of 4 to use?

 

Thanks for your help and thanks to the OP for having a similar situation to my own!

The Pan Pacific (and pier) ARE downtown! Unlike most ports, you (dis)embark slap bang in the heart of the city here. While the above poster isn't wrong that there are hills, the most popular walking path (the Seawall) is, as you'd expect, nice & flat and runs all the way around the outside of Stanley Park. Yes, if you head to the park interior or cut across the 'thumb' of the downtown peninsula you go up then back down - but perhaps as little as 50 feet elevation gain. Google Maps are useful for routes to & from any spots you're considering - and if you flip to Bike mode they actually list the elevation gains & losses on the route.

Strategically using cabs around downtown for 4 of you is probably a great deal (one end of downtown core to the other should be no more than $10 if you're not caught up in rush hour traffic, and transit tickets are $1.85 for seniors/$2.85 adults so short hops are often cheaper in a cab; if you plan to do lots of little transit hops though, a Day Pass becomes the best deal after a few trips as they're $10 or less apiece).

Using cabs or transit you can save your energy for the bits you want/need to walk (e.g. no motorized vehicles on the seawall or most of the park). If everyone can ride, consider bike rentals too - tandems might be ideal so a younger person can share a bike and the lion's share of pedalling with one of your seniors. Bikes or walking are the only way to see all of the Seawall - and the loop around the park is 5 miles+ so the time & energy saved by biking is worthwhile if you consider doing that.

HOHO bus obviously cuts out the walking between sights too - and you can get on it right outside the Pan Pacific.

Edit - whoops, to airport part. Cab from downtown will run approx $35 but it is metered so that will vary a few bucks each side depending on traffic. No Uber/Lyft etc yet, though talks are happening so it's possible they will be around when you are visiting especially if it's late in cruise season.

The Pan Pacific (and pier) ARE downtown! Unlike most ports, you (dis)embark slap bang in the heart of the city here. While the above poster isn't wrong that there are hills, the most popular walking path (the Seawall) is, as you'd expect, nice & flat and runs all the way around the outside of Stanley Park. Yes, if you head to the park interior or cut across the 'thumb' of the downtown peninsula you go up then back down - but perhaps as little as 50 feet elevation gain. Google Maps are useful for routes to & from any spots you're considering - and if you flip to Bike mode they actually list the elevation gains & losses on the route.

 

Strategically using cabs around downtown for 4 of you is probably a great deal (one end of downtown core to the other should be no more than $10 if you're not caught up in rush hour traffic, and transit tickets are $1.85 for seniors/$2.85 adults so short hops are often cheaper in a cab; if you plan to do lots of little transit hops though, a Day Pass becomes the best deal after a few trips as they're $10 or less apiece).

 

Using cabs or transit you can save your energy for the bits you want/need to walk (e.g. no motorized vehicles on the seawall or most of the park). If everyone can ride, consider bike rentals too - tandems might be ideal so a younger person can share a bike and the lion's share of pedalling with one of your seniors. Bikes or walking are the only way to see all of the Seawall - and the loop around the park is 5 miles+ so the time & energy saved by biking is worthwhile if you consider doing that.

 

HOHO bus obviously cuts out the walking between sights too - and you can get on it right outside the Pan Pacific.

 

 

Edit - whoops, to airport part. Cab from downtown will run approx $35 but it is metered so that will vary a few bucks each side depending on traffic. No Uber/Lyft etc yet, though talks are happening so it's possible they will be around when you are visiting especially if it's late in cruise season.

I don't think my parents can handle a bicycle and I doubt I'm capable enough to handle a tandem, but I really appreciate the information. I didn't realize that the cruise terminal was right in the heart of downtown! That just makes my life so much easier.

We'll drop the luggage off at the Pan Pacific and start with the HOHO bus and then figure out which sights we want to see for longer than a drive by. With such a late departure, it seems like we'll have no trouble seeing Vancouver and getting back to the airport with plenty of time!

Thank you for your help!