Disembarkation - Radiance of the Seas

[Leslaf]

We are on ROS and I have a question about disembarkation in Vancouver.

 

We have friends who will be picking us up at the cruise port and the ship arrives there at 7 a.m. I'm filling out my cruise documents and we answered that we will be picked up at the cruise port. Then it asks what time will we be picked up.

 

Our friends said they will pick us up at 8 a.m. I don't want to put 8 a.m. as our pick up time if there's no chance that we will be off the ship by then and I don't want to make our friends wait. Obviously people with early flights will be given priority. As well since it's an Alaska cruise, we will have to go through customs.

 

I'd like to hear people's thoughts about this or if anyone has had any experience with being picked up, I'd like to hear from you!

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

[easyboy]

You can put 8am as your pick-up time. It's just a guide.

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

[Ashland]

You can put 8am as your pick-up time. It's just a guide.

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

Have you considered going upstairs to the Pan Pacific Hotel and having your friends pick you up there?...Might be less congested.

[Leslaf]

You can put 8am as your pick-up time. It's just a guide.

 

Exactly it's a guide, so just wondering if I should just get my friends to come to get us at 9 a.m. instead?

[Leslaf]

Have you considered going upstairs to the Pan Pacific Hotel and having your friends pick you up there?...Might be less congested.

 

I've never been to the cruise port in Vancouver so I'm not sure what to expect. I know that I've heard about it being crazy for the people embarking in Vancouver. That sounds like a good idea as I want to make it easy on them since they're picking us up.

[Ashland]

I've never been to the cruise port in Vancouver so I'm not sure what to expect. I know that I've heard about it being crazy for the people embarking in Vancouver. That sounds like a good idea as I want to make it easy on them since they're picking us up.

It's an easy quick walk through the arrival parking lot and into an elevator and up to the main lobby of the hotel. We've arrived that way so assuming it would be easy to do this on the return. This would definitely be easier than the congested mess.

 

I'm sure someone who has done this will offer up some advice...even if you have to walk outside to get to the front of the hotel.

[Leslaf]

It's an easy quick walk through the arrival parking lot and into an elevator and up to the main lobby of the hotel. We've arrived that way so assuming it would be easy to do this on the return. This would definitely be easier than the congested mess.

 

I'm sure someone who has done this will offer up some advice...even if you have to walk outside to get to the front of the hotel.

 

Thanks very much for the advice of going to meet our friends at the hotel! I will make note of that!

 

What do you think about disembarking at 8 a.m.? Is it realistic to think we will be able to get off at that time or are we better to have our friends come for 9 a.m.?

[Ashland]

Thanks very much for the advice of going to meet our friends at the hotel! I will make note of that!

 

What do you think about disembarking at 8 a.m.? Is it realistic to think we will be able to get off at that time or are we better to have our friends come for 9 a.m.?

I would opt to have my friends come closer to 9:00am...would rather wait for them than have them wait for me....not sure there is actually any place they could wait in front of the hotel...such a busy area...better to be standing out there and hop in as they drive up. Best of luck...I'm sure this will all work out easy for you and your friends. Enjoy your cruise.

[reallyitsmema]

I've never been to the cruise port in Vancouver so I'm not sure what to expect. I know that I've heard about it being crazy for the people embarking in Vancouver. That sounds like a good idea as I want to make it easy on them since they're picking us up.

 

Vancouver can be crazy depending on how many ships there are in port. I just checked the schedule, you are the only ship in port that day, so that helps a lot.

 

https://www.portvancouver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2017-Cruise-Schedule.pdf

 

You should talk to your friends about where they are going to meet you. There is no place in front of the Pan Pacific for them to park. There are spots across the street, but who knows if they can get one of those. They won't be able to park on the hotel side of the street since that is where the hop on/hop off buses operate from. If they are familiar with the area, they can just wait somewhere close and you can call them when you get to the street. They can then drive over and get you quick.

[Leslaf]

Vancouver can be crazy depending on how many ships there are in port. I just checked the schedule, you are the only ship in port that day, so that helps a lot.

 

https://www.portvancouver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2017-Cruise-Schedule.pdf

 

You should talk to your friends about where they are going to meet you. There is no place in front of the Pan Pacific for them to park. There are spots across the street, but who knows if they can get one of those. They won't be able to park on the hotel side of the street since that is where the hop on/hop off buses operate from. If they are familiar with the area, they can just wait somewhere close and you can call them when you get to the street. They can then drive over and get you quick.

 

Thanks so much for that link and for checking that!! Yes that's a bit more reassuring that it'll only be our ship there! Yes I'll talk to them about where we'll meet!

[reallyitsmema]

Thanks so much for that link and for checking that!! Yes that's a bit more reassuring that it'll only be our ship there! Yes I'll talk to them about where we'll meet!

 

You're welcome.:) We sailed from Vancouver before so I have all sorts of bookmarks for that area since we came in early to be able to see the area.

 

We are doing a southbound on Radiance next May, so post after your cruise and tell us how it goes. Have a great cruise!

[Leslaf]

You're welcome.:) We sailed from Vancouver before so I have all sorts of bookmarks for that area since we came in early to be able to see the area.

 

We are doing a southbound on Radiance next May, so post after your cruise and tell us how it goes. Have a great cruise!

 

I will! We are also doing a pre-cruise trip from Fairbanks down to Seward, stopping at Denali, Girdwood and Anchorage along the way. Then traveling in BC for a week after the cruise! Busy busy!

[SA71]

If the ship docks at 7 then no one is getting off until 8 I would think as the ship has to clear customs.

 

As mentioned there is nowhere for private vehicles to park on the street, or wait for free. The area is right in the middle of downtown and quite unlike the typical US port which opens up onto massive parking lot.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Forums mobile app

[Hoopster95]

There is a passenger private pick-up/drop-off area on level P2 marked in green with benches/seating, same level as taxis & transfers,etc. Passengers awaiting rides can wait in that area and there's plenty of space to stop car and pick-up. Your friends need to go down the ramp at Canada Place "Cruise Ship Terminal" (see photo below) and read the signs as they go down. They'll grab a ticket to get in, but pay nothing on the way out if you load up and leave.... it's free. It's very easy, I picked up a cruising buddy there just a month ago to show her around Vancouver for the day. I arrived just after 9am (on a normal Radiance Friday, only ship in town) and it was a ghost town, not busy at all.

 

 

Photo here is at front of Canada place at street level. Can't miss it.

Edited July 6, 2017 by Hoopster95

[Leslaf]

If the ship docks at 7 then no one is getting off until 8 I would think as the ship has to clear customs.

 

As mentioned there is nowhere for private vehicles to park on the street, or wait for free. The area is right in the middle of downtown and quite unlike the typical US port which opens up onto massive parking lot.

 

Yes that's what I thought! So I'm just going to get them to come for 9 a.m.! Thanks for the info!

[Leslaf]

There is a passenger private pick-up/drop-off area on level P2 marked in green with benches/seating, same level as taxis & transfers,etc. Passengers awaiting rides can wait in that area and there's plenty of space to stop car and pick-up. Your friends need to go down the ramp at Canada Place "Cruise Ship Terminal" (see photo below) and read the signs as they go down. They'll grab a ticket to get in, but pay nothing on the way out if you load up and leave.... it's free. It's very easy, I picked up a cruising buddy there just a month ago to show her around Vancouver for the day. I arrived just after 9am (on a normal Radiance Friday, only ship in town) and it was a ghost town, not busy at all.

 

 

Photo here is at front of Canada place at street level. Can't miss it.

 

Thanks so much! This is great info! I appreciate it!

[birdylady]

We just got off Radiance in Vancouver on 6/17. We did a group tour thing, but even then it was fast and easy. so much so, that when we showed our customs paper to the agent, he asked one question and said welcome. He didn't even ask to see the passport.

 

 

I do agree, if possible, it might be easiest to wait at the hotel. You have to walk by the elevator to get to the street. As far as parking, that I couldn't help you as we just walked up to the street and took the tour bus. This was a very easy disembarkation process.

 

Enjoy your trip. It was amazing.

 

 

Erika

[Leslaf]

We just got off Radiance in Vancouver on 6/17. We did a group tour thing, but even then it was fast and easy. so much so, that when we showed our customs paper to the agent, he asked one question and said welcome. He didn't even ask to see the passport.

 

 

I do agree, if possible, it might be easiest to wait at the hotel. You have to walk by the elevator to get to the street. As far as parking, that I couldn't help you as we just walked up to the street and took the tour bus. This was a very easy disembarkation process.

 

Enjoy your trip. It was amazing.

 

 

Erika

 

Thanks Erika!