Safe flight time from YVR after Alaska cruise?

[POA1]

Looking for some advice on what would be considered a safe flight time after a Vancouver round trip Alaska cruise that returns on a Saturday morning - early April if that matters. We'll be returning to the US, and our choices look to be 11:50 AM or 1:20 PM. There are earlier flights, but I don't think we'd make 9 AM. There are also some late, red-eye flights, but we avoid them if at all possible.

[DAllenTCY]

I would be comfortable with anything after 11:30 am.

David

[AZNative2000]

Early April??

 

Whatever the date, I'd pick 1:20pm. Ask for a late debark time. Relax a bit ... don't stress on your last day of vacation.:)

 

Of course, you could stay over, enjoy a beautiful city and depart on the 9am the next day and get to Florida while the sun is still up.:D:D

 

Cheers!

Edited January 7, 2016 by AZNative2000

[sppunk]

11:50 works fine if no delays but 1:20 gives more flexibility. Remember you pre clear at YVR and they also offe TSA PreCheck if you're a known traveler.

[cruz chic]

Early April??

 

Whatever the date, I'd pick 1:20pm. Ask for a late debark time. Relax a bit ... don't stress on your last day of vacation.:)

 

Of course, you could stay over, enjoy a beautiful city and depart on the 9am the next day and get to Florida while the sun is still up.:D:D

 

Cheers!

 

It's a rarity to get a direct, non stop flight to Florida. You'd probably have a hard time getting there before the sun goes down that time of year since Fort Lauderdale is 3 hours ahead of Vancouver.

 

POA, I'd be tempted to go with the 1:20 flight as the port is a fair distance from the airport. I think you meant early May, right? My Panama cruise ends on April 25 in San Diego on the NA.

Edited January 7, 2016 by cruz chic

[joepeka]

11:50 works fine if no delays but 1:20 gives more flexibility. Remember you pre clear at YVR and they also offe TSA PreCheck if you're a known traveler.

 

I agree. It's about a 20-25 minute cab ride from the port to YVR (which is a really nice airport BTW) and if there aren't delays at the port, 11:50 should be OK.

 

Edit: on the TSA pre-check, we were in that category last May flying back to Phoenix but it was basically useless in Vancouver BC.... unless we went to the wrong line??

Edited January 7, 2016 by joepeka

[POA1]

It's not a direct flight in either case. We have to connect through Dallas, Houston, or San Francisco. Sorry - I did mean May. The cruise leaves April 30. It's a little early in the season - first week of AK for the year - but friends of ours are going to be on as HAL guest chefs, so we decided to join that cruise. It'll give us a chance to pull out some of our "Maine clothes" which haven't gotten much use lately. It was 58 degrees (14C) the other morning, and while the Floridians were all bundled up, that temperature barely qualifies for fall in Northern New England. :)

Edited January 7, 2016 by POA1

[lettienets]

Have you been to Vancouver? I took a Hal Vancouver excursion with airport dropoff. Purposely booked afternoon flight so I could do that.

[1of4]

Last May 1, which was a Friday, our colour and number were about 40 minutes late being called so that put us smack in the middle of rush hour. But everyone was going the opposite way and we were at the airport in 15 minutes, possibly 20. We could have easily made an 11:00 flight with time for shopping in the airport. But we are Canadian so no US immigration or security.

[NOSaints1]

There's a train or something you can take to YVR from the port that's a lot cheaper than a cab

[POA1]

Thanks for the help everyone! While we enjoy Vancouver, we've been there quite a few times - but most importantly, we'd like to get home on Saturday night so that we have a day to relax before getting back to work. Our flight options get us home around 11 pm or midnight. That's not too bad considering the three hour time difference. We're not far from FLL, so we should be home at a reasonable time. I just didn't want to risk missing our flight.

[PirateShark]

I agree with the 1:20 flight. I fly through YVR regularly and customs can take anywhere from one to two hours depending upon how many U.S. departures total are taking place. I will say that last time only took 45 minutes but that is the exception and not the rule.

 

Edited to add: time frame above includes waiting to check in with the agents, get boarding passes, etc plus doing security and customs

Edited January 7, 2016 by PirateShark

[john2003]

The "train or something" is the Canada Line. The station is a shortish walk from the pier but not everyone would want to do it with luggage. You need the Canada Line not the Skytrain which is a different line. On Canada Line you need a YVR train not a Richmond train.

[cruiser64093]

The "train or something" is the Canada Line. The station is a shortish walk from the pier but not everyone would want to do it with luggage. You need the Canada Line not the Skytrain which is a different line. On Canada Line you need a YVR train not a Richmond train.

 

This is correct. I've taken the train from the port to the airport in Vancouver, and it is great. $4.00 CAD last time I rode (you have to buy two tickets, at 2 dollars per, as it's considered a transfer zone) . Sure beats a $50 cab ride, and it's almost as fast. The train drops you right at the airport terminal.

 

I also vote for staying an extra day in Vancouver. Granville Island and the back bay is very pretty, with great hotels and superb restaurants all over. Vancouver is such a great city, why rush past it to get home? :)

[xlxo]

The "train or something" is the Canada Line. The station is a shortish walk from the pier but not everyone would want to do it with luggage. You need the Canada Line not the Skytrain which is a different line. On Canada Line you need a YVR train not a Richmond train.

fyi... "Skytrain" refers to both Expo and Canada Line by Translink.

 

Yes the Canada Line takes you to the airport.... just don't board the train to Richmond-Brighouse where you might find yourself in China. Also don't board train at the closest entrance to the cruise terminal. That might take you to Surrey (India).

[xlxo]

This is correct. I've taken the train from the port to the airport in Vancouver, and it is great. $4.00 CAD last time I rode (you have to buy two tickets, at 2 dollars per, as it's considered a transfer zone) . Sure beats a $50 cab ride, and it's almost as fast. The train drops you right at the airport terminal.

 

I also vote for staying an extra day in Vancouver. Granville Island and the back bay is very pretty, with great hotels and superb restaurants all over. Vancouver is such a great city, why rush past it to get home? :)

I agree...

• plan for extra post cruise days in Vancouver.
  
• take the later 1:20pm flight. Enjoy that final debarkation breakfast that you paid for.

 

$50 cab ride??? You were either long-hauled, caught in traffic, got limo service, or an awesome tipper.

 

In general, the cab ride is $35 a carload (or USD $25) between the cruise terminal and airport.

 

I like the train at $4 a person. But with luggage, I prefer the door to door convenience. If the cab line is long.... walk up to the Pan Pacific or Waterfront hotel entrance. The cab line may be shorter if you are on the way to the trains.

 

Yes the train is $9 airport to downtown, but $4 without the airport surcharge leaving the cruise terminal.

[martincath]

I agree. It's about a 20-25 minute cab ride from the port to YVR (which is a really nice airport BTW) and if there aren't delays at the port, 11:50 should be OK.

 

Edit: on the TSA pre-check, we were in that category last May flying back to Phoenix but it was basically useless in Vancouver BC.... unless we went to the wrong line??

There is no TSA Precheck in Vancouver, nor has there ever been - since there is no TSA in Canada to be PreChecked by.

 

CBP staff are onsite for US immigration/customs, but security is handled locally. We do have 'fast track' security lines, but you can only use them if you have an actual Trusted Traveler card, i.e. one of the programs operated by CBP/CBSA, rather than the TSA-only version.

 

As to your flights - while 11:50am should be plenty of time, early in the season tends to have a few more delays as new staff get familiar with the location (our cruise pier is not a 365 day operation). I'd also therefore go with 1:20pm just for a little extra buffer.

[POA1]

Thanks for the advice. Extra time in Vancouver isn't in the cards for this trip. We have to get back home and back to work. We've been in Vancouver a number of times before, and we don't really have time to spare on this trip.

 

We have Global Entry, which includes TSA-Pre Check. According to the Customs & Border Patrol site, Vancouver is on the list of participating airports. Here's a little write up from Fodor's if you aren't familiar with the programs.

 

http://www.fodors.com/news/global-entry-vs-tsa-precheck-which-one-is-right-for-you-10744

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree with others, if you aren't able to stay over a night and take the 9 AM flight home, then book the 1:20 PM flight. I have read here too many times about immigration and security taking quite a while at the airport.

[Jade13]

Looking for some advice on what would be considered a safe flight time after a Vancouver round trip Alaska cruise that returns on a Saturday morning - early April if that matters. We'll be returning to the US, and our choices look to be 11:50 AM or 1:20 PM. There are earlier flights, but I don't think we'd make 9 AM. There are also some late, red-eye flights, but we avoid them if at all possible.

 

 

11:30am should be fine and what we would book. It was an easy transfer when we cruised into Vancouver.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Jade13

[Jade13]

I agree with others, if you aren't able to stay over a night and take the 9 AM flight home, then book the 1:20 PM flight. I have read here too many times about immigration and security taking quite a while at the airport.

 

 

They have Global Entry and TSA Pre-check or a trusted traveler number.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Jade13

[joepeka]

There is no TSA Precheck in Vancouver, nor has there ever been - since there is no TSA in Canada to be PreChecked by.

 

CBP staff are onsite for US immigration/customs, but security is handled locally. We do have 'fast track' security lines, but you can only use them if you have an actual Trusted Traveler card, i.e. one of the programs operated by CBP/CBSA, rather than the TSA-only version.

 

As to your flights - while 11:50am should be plenty of time, early in the season tends to have a few more delays as new staff get familiar with the location (our cruise pier is not a 365 day operation). I'd also therefore go with 1:20pm just for a little extra buffer.

 

I think we realized this after we got through security in YVR - Pre-check is not for international flights into the U.S. so basically it was useless to us that day. It was the first time we had flown since getting Pre-check and hadn't stopped to think it was for domestic U.S. flights only. :o I mentioned TSA Pre-check only because an earlier poster in this thread mentioned it in VYR but perhaps they meant Global Entry, not Pre-check.

Edited January 7, 2016 by joepeka

[AZNative2000]

We have Global Entry, which includes TSA-Pre Check. According to the Customs & Border Patrol site, Vancouver is on the list of participating airports.

Having done Alaska in September, I can tell you that they, indeed, were set up for Global Entry and it did work. However, only a few of the kiosks were working and there WAS confusion (new system I'm sure) but by the time you get there, it should be much better.

 

Cheers!

[solocanadian]

I would opt for the 1:20. The airlines ask you to check in 3 hours ahead of departure time for non-domestic flights. There are many good places to eat in YVR at city prices. Beats airline food.

[Aegis1984]

fyi... "Skytrain" refers to both Expo and Canada Line by Translink.

 

Yes the Canada Line takes you to the airport.... just don't board the train to Richmond-Brighouse where you might find yourself in China. Also don't board train at the closest entrance to the cruise terminal. That might take you to Surrey (India).

 

One could take the Richmond-Brighouse train, but you would have to get off at the Bridgeport station (River Rock Casino & Hotel), and wait for the next train. They alternate, with one going into Richmond, the second going to YVR. Lather, rinse, repeat as necessary.

 

Also, I would count on around at least 1/2 an hour to get from the Waterfront station to YVR. It is totally easy to do, but it just takes time.

 

To sum, if you exit the Canada Place terminal and see the Skytrain entrance, by all means proceed down that escalator but do not get onto that train. Walk the length of the platform, follow the herd and proceed up the escalator at the end of the hallway. At the top of the escalator, make a right turn and you will be in a large atrium. At your 2:00 (Forward right), there will be an escalator/elevator/steps down. Go down there and you will go around a left corner. You will be on the platform for the Skytrain to YVR.