Alaska out of Vancouver

[a.madruga]

flying from Miami FL to Vancouver 

Need some input on hotels in Vancouver two days early and flights to YVR

should we go on our own or use Flight ease with HAL?

thanks for your choices

[Coquitlam Cruiser]

In most cases have to change either at Dallas/Ft Worth or Houston or Atlanta onto YVR.  These are the least travel times so American or Delta.  Flights leave early in the AM.   You definitely want to stay close to Canada Place.  It is pricey but so convenient.  We like  the Fairmont directly across the street from Canada Place.  

[a.madruga]

will an 1100 am departure be possible two ships at port or not enough time? First time to Vancouver 

[saskacruiser]

I wouldn’t chance it. You would need to be at the airport by at least 9, the drive from the port to YVR is approx 30 minutes. 

[julia]

This question is asked frequently... assuming you are flying to the US, you will need to clear US Immigration at YVR, which can be time consuming (depending on the lines and # of agents working). Also, just exiting the port at Canada Place can be very slow, as they will not allow luggage on the escalators (only elevators).  I personally would not consider an 11am flight.

[CruiserBruce]

This topic is discussed on the West Coast Departures board almost daily. As mentioned, you need to clear Canadian Immigration and Customs at the port, and US Immigration and Customs at the airport. 11am is pretty tight.

[LetItSnow]

I chose to fly through Calgary because there were no direct flights home later in the day.  The upside is, we are booked on the hop-on, hop-off tour which eventually takes us (and luggage) to the airport for an early eveing flight to YYC.  The downside is we have a long layover.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

I agree with other posters. It's too risky. Two years ago, there was a huge ship with us, and our ship (Queen Elizabeth) had a luggage glitch that had us leaving the ship a bit late. By the time I was out, the taxi queue stretched forever. I stood in that queue for almost an hour. I didn't get to the airport until 11 AM. 

 

This year, I would have made an 11AM flight, just barely. BUT I had priority disembarkation (Queen Elizabeth again, this time better organized!) and there was no queue for a taxi, even with a second ship in port. AND I was traveling business class AND I have Global Entry. If any one of those four "advantages" hadn't happened, no way would I have made a flight that early. I had a 2PM flight, so I wasn't at all worried. If I'd had an 11AM flight, even with the easy exit at the port, I'd have been a nervous wreck.

[SilvertoGold]

OP : can you disembark with your luggage?  If so you can do Self Assist and disembark starting at 7:45 am. How do you plan to get to YVR?

Edited August 6 by SilvertoGold

[AACJ]

It depends.  If you are going directly from YVR to a US airport, I wouldn't chance it as you have to go through customs at YVR.  If you go to another Canadian airport, such as Edmonton to connect to your US flight, you would have to go through US border secuity there instead of YVR.  Going from one Canadian airport to another is basically a domestic flight.

[Sharon in AZ]

I wouldn’t do it. Along with all the other reasons there are also the other glitches that can happen. We checked in with our bags and went to the baggage drop off (which I wasn’t familiar with at all) and but one of our bags didn’t scan no matter how many times we tried. The line kept getting longer and longer. DH went back to the airline desk with the offending bag, finally came back but so much time wasted. Fortunately we weren’t under a time constraint. So….. all that said, you just never know what will happen and delay your plans. 

[Haljo1935]

I wouldn't do it, either, with all the variables and customs. 

[a.madruga]

thanks to all for your help

[RRFan]

I think the answer really depends on your ability to handle your own luggage and walk fast.  Last week, we got off the Zaandam in Vancouver at 7:30.  We had to wait in line on deck 2 for probably 30 minutes or more and the line got long and many rude people thought it was fine to just "merge in" with us who got up and got there extra early to catch an early flight.  Anyway, we got off the ship with custom form and passport in hand.  We speed walked through the terminal and only had to pause briefly to hand out customs form to the officer who looked at it and nodded us on through.  Never needed to show our passport.  We took our luggage out the door and up the ramp out of the parking garage to the street level and crossed the street.  We took the sidewalk for about 3 blocks and entered the Skytrain station.  We used our credit card to purchase a Zone One ticket (because another cruiser there told us that was what we needed).  Our credit card converted the Canadian charge to US $8 each.  We boarded the train and rode it to the end of the train, about 20 minutes.  We exited the train at the airport where we found that we had needed a two zone ticket because our tickets were rejected at the entry gate.  There were several of us there and I was watching another person add on to their ticket (needed $1.04 more).  Suddenly my hubs said come on, let's go.  A security guard was opening the gate for us to enter so we ended up not having to add the extra charge.  Anyway, we didn't need to check luggage (carry-on only) so we headed to security about 8:30.  We had no issues at all and were sitting in our gate terminal before 9 am.  The train is cheaper and much faster than a taxi or uber, but you have to handle your own luggage.  Do self assist off the ship.  Do NOT turn your luggage in the night before. Take it with you and go early to line up to get off the ship.  If you aren't able to do all of that, do not try to make a flight that early.  Your day will be ruined.    I will add that not every experience is like this.  It really depends on the border/customs people and how sticky they want to be that day and same at the airport too.  Each time can be a unique experience so no guarantees that your experience will be like ours.

Edited August 7 by RRFan

[ArmchairQB]

You could stay near the airport and take the Skytrain to the port.  The Skytrain / Canada Line is also a good way to get downtown to site see.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

If you can afford it either the Fairmont or Pan Pacific would be my choice.  Good thing about your flight is the time change is very favorable going west.  I would track flights on one of the search sites and just keep checking.  I have been tracking our planned flights to Europe for 2025 over the last four months and find schedules and prices change constantly.  I have seen the fares vary as much as $500 each for business class and as much as $200 just by booking on a different day of the week.    

Edited August 11 by ATSEAMYLIFE

[Oscar13]

Last time we got off the ship at Canada Place the disembark was delayed by about 1 1/2 hours due to a customs issue.  We missed our bus to the ferry as it left at 9 am.  We finally got off at 9:45 am.  Everyone was delayed including the self disembarkers.

 

K2