Boarding time , Vancouver , Sapphire Princess to Alaska

[LynnSD]

What time does the boarding begin?

Thanks. 

[georgetheblue]

I hope someone can answer your question.  I have a pre cruise transfer from the Fairmont Waterfront and would love to know what time they do my transfer.  I know Canada Place is literally across the street.  Once i get them to take my luggage I may just walk over.  With 3 ships in port it will be a cluster anyway.  

[wallyj]

2 hours ago, LynnSD said:

What time does the boarding begin?

Thanks. 

Boarding will not commence till the ship has reached ‘zero count’, so it can vary.

In my experience, boarding in Vancouver has varied from 11:30-12:30. Will be different for Royal class ships because of the timing of the tides.

 

Checking in for the cruise at Canada place usually starts a few hours earlier. Depends on if you want to do the queues and how many other ships are in port. 

 

After completion of check in, there may or may not be segregated holding areas for the different ships. My last sailing, we were grouped with Holland America passengers who were also waiting to board.

[cr8tiv1]

This is the waiting/seating area at Canada Place for Princess passengers.  The first couple of rows were for priority boarders and in-transit.  When I was there several years ago (post pandemic), I did not see any lounge or beverages.  

 

[cruisingrob21]

Step 1: check your embarkation day and see how many other ships are in town: https://www.portvancouver.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-Cruise-Schedule-as-of-May-15-2024.pdf

 

Step 2: If the Sapphire is the only ship or accompanied by a HAL or Disney ship or an exotic brand, arrive when its convenient.  If there are larger RCCL/X/NCL ships, go to step 3

 

Step 3: Arrive around 2 or 230 at Canada Place.  Or, drop off bags on the upper level on the north side of the pier around 10am (don't go down into the garage part), enjoy a few leisurely hours in Downtown Vancouver, Stanley Park, or take the Seabus to North Vancouver.  That picture above is what it usually looks like on a day with 3 ships or 2 large ships - you're better off enjoying your time around Vancouver than sitting in the cruise terminal waiting to be called.

[cr8tiv1]

15 minutes ago, cruisingrob21 said:

That picture above is what it usually looks like on a day with 3 ships or 2 large ships - you're better off enjoying your time around Vancouver than sitting in the cruise terminal waiting to be called.

 
That photo was with just the Grand Princess at Canada Place.  There were over 100 in transit passengers (Vancouver/LA/Australia).  

We left the Pan Pacific at 10 AM.  Embarkation was easy but lots and lots and lots of walking and level changes (who designed this terminal ?).  This photo was taken around 11:30 ish, just before they started boarding.  
 

The day before had 4 ships in town.  We lucked out nicely.

 

Once, a long, long time ago, I had a half day tour that picked us up at Sheraton with our luggage and dropped us at Canada Place around 1:30.  Getting through security with multiple ships in town was a zoo, but the rest was easy.

[mattR]

1 hour ago, cruisingrob21 said:

 

 

Step 3: Arrive around 2 or 230 at Canada Place.  Or, drop off bags on the upper level on the north side of the pier around 10am (don't go down into the garage part),

What do you mean by north side of the pier?  I am hoping to drop off my bags at 9:30am on Jul 13th. 

[cruisingrob21]

8 hours ago, mattR said:

What do you mean by north side of the pier?  I am hoping to drop off my bags at 9:30am on Jul 13th. 

 

When you approach canada place, stay to the left and either enter the convention center and ask for directions or follow the exterior stairs on the left (north) side to the exhibition halls where check-in is.  I hope they have a better system for luggage drop because everyone was lugging suitcases up the stairs or waiting for an elevator.  See the image below and follow the green arrow.

 

Canada Place has changed its boarding procedure from before COVID (and maybe in 2022) - previously one used to go through security, then customs, then check in.  Now its reversed, do the check in/luggage drop on level 2, accessed from the north side of the pier.  My experience in may was I had to do 2 loops in that procedure, once to check in, and a second time to do the luggage drop.  It was the first 3 ship day of the season so maybe some kinks were being worked out.

 

Anyways, after checking in and dropping luggage, then you head down to security and customs.  I did check in at 10am, did a ship tour for travel agents on the Ruby, then had lunch nearby, and returned around 2 to go through customs, security, and a very quick boarding of the Noordam.  Once I got through the customs and security lines, I didn't stop walking until scanning my card while boarding.

 

 

[memoak]

We always wait to embark until 1:00 or so. That way we avoid all the crowds.   

[LynnSD]

Thanks all for the information.

We actually have the cruise package at PanPacific, so luggage is easy.

 If it were just us, I’d wait until afternoon; but our kids & grandkids are with us and are eager to get aboard. 

[JimmyVWine]

18 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

This is the waiting/seating area at Canada Place for Princess passengers.  

 

 

Vancouver is the only terminal that I have been in where I felt like it was 1920 and I was being processed through Ellis Island.  Medallions and app check-in was not a thing back then and I had no preferred status.  So perhaps it would be better now.  But back then, it was pretty miserable and perfectly captured by this photo.

[memoak]

40 minutes ago, LynnSD said:

Thanks all for the information.

We actually have the cruise package at PanPacific, so luggage is easy.

 If it were just us, I’d wait until afternoon; but our kids & grandkids are with us and are eager to get aboard. 

The only thing the cruise package gets you is breakfast as I recall. We just pay $20 to have luggage sent

[mattR]

8 hours ago, cruisingrob21 said:

 

When you approach canada place, stay to the left and either enter the convention center and ask for directions or follow the exterior stairs on the left (north) side to the exhibition halls where check-in is.  I hope they have a better system for luggage drop because everyone was lugging suitcases up the stairs or waiting for an elevator.  See the image below and follow the green arrow.

 

Canada Place has changed its boarding procedure from before COVID (and maybe in 2022) - previously one used to go through security, then customs, then check in.  Now its reversed, do the check in/luggage drop on level 2, accessed from the north side of the pier.  My experience in may was I had to do 2 loops in that procedure, once to check in, and a second time to do the luggage drop.  It was the first 3 ship day of the season so maybe some kinks were being worked out.

 

Anyways, after checking in and dropping luggage, then you head down to security and customs.  I did check in at 10am, did a ship tour for travel agents on the Ruby, then had lunch nearby, and returned around 2 to go through customs, security, and a very quick boarding of the Noordam.  Once I got through the customs and security lines, I didn't stop walking until scanning my card while boarding.

 

 

Thank you for this info.  It seems like most people are still reporting that they proceed to the parade to drop off luggage?  Is the area you highlighted only used in early am or do they accept luggage at both locations? 

[cruisingrob21]

When I was there in May, they took my luggage and processed me checking in at 10ish.  There was a line down in security already.  I assume that if you are dropped off down below, they will take your luggage there as well - but that wasn't my experience so I can only comment on what I experienced.  I just had a small roller bag (5 nt alaska cruise).