boarding time question

[MNLIvin]

We sail May 20 out of Vancouver and all I see about boarding is Blue Line. Can anyone tell me what time we should get to the terminal. Not in a rush but want to avoid getting there and standing outside forever. Thanks to all ( I tried on my app thing and am still in the "have to idea line")

[cr8tiv1]

You will have over 7000 passengers boarding on May 20th (Viking/HAL/Princess).

 

It will be a zoo.  Everyone has to go through the same check/choke points.  You have 2 choices.  Brave the crowds without an assigned arrival time, or board after 1 pm.

 

https://cruisedig.com/ports/vancouver-canada

[startedwithamouse]

Vancouver is a mess.

 

If you're not in a rush, get there around 1pm. 

[martincath]

1pm is still right in the thick of it unless it's a single ship day - historically it's been crappy until at least 2pm on a three ship day; this early in the season with new staff still finding their feet, the only way I'd show up much before 3pm is if the ship departs earlier than 5pm (manifests MUST be submitted to CBP, so there's a hard cap of 2 hours pre-departure to get yourself 'in the system' without problems...)

 

Latest port schedule shows Grand/Konigsdam both leaving at 4:30pm, Orion at 5pm; so I'd be looking to arrive just before 2:30pm or 3pm respectively. Nothing to stop you dropping your bags much earlier then just walking away, so you can go sightsee/do lunch unencumbered. Just don't stray far from the pier in the afternoon, do any out-of-downtown-core sightseeing in the morning, you do not want to be at Capilano when some idiot runs out of gas in the middle of Lion's Gate bridge!!!

[MNLIvin]

Thanks to all-apparently they do not have "assigned check in times" like Carnival. We will look at a later arrival, at least it should be better the second week as it is a B2B. I just do not understand at this point what difference  "blue line" has over say green line or red line. Been many many years since Princess.

[nini]

As I understand it, the blue line indicates that you have not yet supplied all of the needed information to board. You want the green line.

And actually, they board you according to if you are disabled, Elite/ Platinum/ Suite; and not necessarily in that order.

Yes, Vancouver is nuts.

[TheRabbit]

57 minutes ago, MNLIvin said:

Thanks to all-apparently they do not have "assigned check in times" like Carnival. We will look at a later arrival, at least it should be better the second week as it is a B2B. I just do not understand at this point what difference  "blue line" has over say green line or red line. Been many many years since Princess.

Update your medical info. I have heard from a few cruisers lately that got them back into the Green Line.

[memoak]

It may be you haven’t ordered the medallion or left something out. Check all the arrows in the app and see if anything is blanking 

[cr8tiv1]

On the b2b, are you planning on leaving Canada Place (which would mean that you had to go through security again)? If you are just in-transit, you will be fine.

 

There is a lot to do around the area if you want to drop and go.  

[MileHighAko]

If I were you, I'd arrive at 10:30 AM and go get in line. When we departed out of there a few weeks ago, the line grew long quickly, and one of our group spent almost 90 minutes in line when he arrived at 1:45 PM. He was one of the last to board the ship.  Those of us that stayed at the Pan Pacific the night before had it easy as we sent our luggage down with the bellman directly from our room (totally worth the extra expense of that hotel). We were able to line up at 10:30, and despite some chaos at the US customs check point, we sailed through relatively easily. 

[Nicole&Pete]

Just now, MNLIvin said:

We sail May 20 out of Vancouver and all I see about boarding is Blue Line. Can anyone tell me what time we should get to the terminal. Not in a rush but want to avoid getting there and standing outside forever. Thanks to all ( I tried on my app thing and am still in the "have to idea line")

Blue lane as opposed to green lane is not a boarding lane it is how complete you are with the check in process both on the personaliser and app, I would fill in all the stuff and then you will move to green lane.

 

You also need to book an arrival slot, by going to the app, personal info and documents and then arrival groups. You select a half hour slot in which to arrive at the terminal, if you don’t do this they will allocate you a slot. 
 

Once you have a slot you will get your QR code that will have your boarding time on to show to the check in staff.

 

The purpose of the arrival groups is to even out the passengers and traffic getting to the port. 

[caribill]

8 hours ago, nini said:

 

And actually, they board you according to if you are disabled, Elite/ Platinum/ Suite; and not necessarily in that order.

 

 

That is only if you arrive before boarding starts.

 

If you arrive once the early arrivals have boarded, you will board as soon as you finish checking in, no matter what your Captain's Circle status

.

[nini]

2 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

That is only if you arrive before boarding starts.

 

If you arrive once the early arrivals have boarded, you will board as soon as you finish checking in, no matter what your Captain's Circle status

.

 

Correct. So, again, the color of lane means nothing in either scenario.

[MNLIvin]

OK folks, messed with it and after some frustration (read I will have a couple hours in the confessional) I got it switched to blue. They should have a box right at the start that asks "are you a crabby old guy" and if you check it they switch it to an easier path.