May 4 Vancouver Taxi Fiasco

[I don't do coach!]

Just wondering how many others were caught up in the chaos at the Vancouver Cruise Terminal on May 4, 2007. I arrived on the NCL Star and waited in line from 10:35 AM until 1:15 PM for a Taxi. My flight back to the U.S. departed at 1:40 PM, so needless to say I missed it. I finally got to the airport a little after 2:00 PM. Luckily there were still 2 American Airlines agents still there, even though the counter was closed. There were no more flights out so I had to wait until the next morning for a flight at 7:00 AM, which meant arriving at the airport at 5:00 AM. The hotel cost me $114.00 CAD plus tax not mention meals etc., on top of that my car was sitting in the parking lot at the airport at home, $$$ that was adding up, my dog’s are still stuck in the kennel because they were closed were closed by the time I got home, ( I just got home this afternoon ) that place is expensive also. This has really turned into an expensive and frustrating situation. If you were also caught up in this, were you warned? Had you any idea that they were going to have 4 cruise ships arriving on the same morning? I know the city of Vancouver was aware because there was a television news crew there taping the story and I watched the interviews last night. It was very obvious that those interviewed felt the same way I do. They were in shock and could not believe that any company or city would allow 7000-8000 people offloaded at the same time and put so many in such a predicament. I'm sure the cruise lines had to be aware and it sure would have been nice if they had passed this bit of information along to their passengers. Although I am finally home and typing this it’s still not, the expenses and frustrations are still rising.

[Fblack]

Sorry to hear about your problem. I have been on 4 Alaska cruises. Three times I took taxi's with no problems. But..I made sure I was off very early. I am not sure why it took you until 10:30AM to get to the taxi line. In each case there were two ro 3 ships in port.

 

On my last RCCL cruise, I paid for their express airport service wherein you pay a fee to speed through the whole process and take a special bus.

 

I also usually check on the number of ships in port on debarkation day. I will be in Ft. Lauderdale later this year and I think there will be 4 or 5 in port.

 

Try this site next time. http://www.cruisecal.info/portal/MainCalendar/tabid/36/Default.aspx

[TCF]

We live in Vancouver...we also cruise...and Vancouver is the only port that I would advise people to make use of the cruise line transfer programs to the airport!

This is not an anomaly! Every time we get 4 or 5 ships hit town at roughly the same time the raxi shortage will hit too!! We just don't have enough cabs in this city and while "they" have asked for 115 more licenses the news says the government is only goling to approve 64...which will barely dent the problem.

And the answer is "yes" the cruise ships...the terminal and the city knew there would be a cab shortage May 4 because the news media was warning the locals that cabs would be very scarce that day and to plan on using public transit.

Use the cruise lines transer program in Vancouver!!!

Tom

[weathermom]

the news media here played it as being a bit of an anomaly that happens at the very beginning of the cruise season ...watch for problems next weekend too as the repositioning cruises get in & the alaska cruise season gets into full swing. I work right downtown & it was a nightmare getting around on friday...I really feel sorry for you!

 

you were cutting it really close for making your plane even if you'd have gotten a taxi right away though...YVR is a big & busy airport at the best of times... they recommend 2 hours ahead for flights within canada & 3 hours ahead for international. as well repositioning cruises don't always arrive on time (i think they all did on friday though)

 

within a couple of weeks more people arrive/depart by bus than do it on their own as "independent travellers" & the whole business settles down.

here's a news article on it http://www.cknw.com/news/news_local.cfm?cat=7428109912&rem=64478&red=80110923aPBIny&wids=410&gi=1&gm=news_local.cfm

 

and here's a link to the port calendar so you can see how many ships are in town any given day. http://www.portvancouver.com/vanAlaCruise/content/schedule/index.php

 

at least it looks like you got a deal on your hotel! prices on most are up now that cruise season has started & the tv reported that there wasn't a room to be had on friday night.

[puli]

Sorry to hear about your delay in getting from the terminal to the airport and the resulting mess and cost you experienced.

My DH and I arrived that same morning on the Mercury planning to go from that ship to the one you just disembarked. We thought it would be fun to take the one night sail back to Seattle and fly home from there rather than fly from Vancouver, especially since the savings in plane fare was about the same as the cruise cost.

Little did we know what was awaiting us. Leaving the Mercury was extremely easy and we stored our bags in the terminal so we could walk around Vancouver before it was the normal time to board the ship. We returned to the terminal @ 11:30 AM. and got in line to board the Star. Over three hours later we boarded having been given no reason for such a wait and having no place to sit during the entire ordeal.

This was our third cruise for Vancouver and it will definitely be our last. Of all the cruise terminals on the West Coast this one should be the most experienced in dealing with both the number of ships and number of passengers using the terminal this time of year. For Shame!

[cruznut1111]

We were trying to get onboard while you were getting off. This was the third time we've had to cope with a 3-4 hr wait to get through screening (4 stations open, thousands waiting). Each time they said the zoo was "unusual"- uh-huh.

 

Once through security US customs was fast and so was check-in by the cruise line. Lots of idle checkers waiting for passengers.

 

I'm really rethinking my fall cruise from this port. The departing ships were running close to 2 hrs late while they waited.

[Fblack]

I have done 4 cruises out of Vancouver. Except for the time we paid RCCL for special expedited service, the airport has been a mess. One time I was on crutches and waited in that first long line at the airport. After an hour I finally got to the head of the line. They told me to go back to the end of the line because my flight was still over two hours away. I strongly objected and asked to speak to a supervisor who "bent" the rules and let me through.

 

I now tell everyone who will listen to take an Alaska cruise through Seattle. It's a lot easier to deal with and many air flights are cheaper too.

[LeftcoastBC]

Ouch..

 

I have never flown into Vancouver to get onto a cruise but I have left from Canada Place on several occasions.

 

Compared to other ports Miami.Ft. Lauderdale, San Juan I'll stiill stick with Vancouver.

 

It's never fun getting on and I think that a lot has to do with the timing when you pass through the "Mess" at each of those facilities.

 

We have always been early at Vancouver for obvious reasons, we live close by. The only delay I have experienced was for US Immigration to get set up. So I'm sure it's timing. The numbers are large on weekends and that's a given for lines at some time of the day or other.

 

Arriving with the masses at any Port I think is just brutal.

 

The original comment on the TAxi's is very true. The Industy has been trying to get Vancouver to issue more licences for quite a while now.

[GBRBEB]

Does anyone know if the same situation would occur at Ballantyne Pier....we are leaving 6/23 and returning 6/20 on Serenade of the Seas and am taking Quick Coach to Seattle on the 30th would I have to budget extra time on the return///

[LeftcoastBC]

Does anyone know if the same situation would occur at Ballantyne Pier....we are leaving 6/23 and returning 6/20 on Serenade of the Seas and am taking Quick Coach to Seattle on the 30th would I have to budget extra time on the return///

 

I'm guessing you are off on the 23rd and back on the 30th ??

 

Ballantyne has only one ship per day scheduled.

 

It does not have the newer facilities of Canada Place but it should be able to handle the one ship quite well. Maybe even better. It's been a while since I watched the traffic of pax here but I don't think that it will have changed.

 

Taxi's will be a problem here also for sure and maybe even worse than Canada Place as it's harder to get to.

 

Do you have to get to somewhere else to get on your Quick Coach ?? If it's right there you should have no delays at all other than unplanned by ship.

[GBRBEB]

I'm guessing you are off on the 23rd and back on the 30th ??

 

Ballantyne has only one ship per day scheduled.

 

It does not have the newer facilities of Canada Place but it should be able to handle the one ship quite well. Maybe even better. It's been a while since I watched the traffic of pax here but I don't think that it will have changed.

 

Taxi's will be a problem here also for sure and maybe even worse than Canada Place as it's harder to get to.

 

Do you have to get to somewhere else to get on your Quick Coach ?? If it's right there you should have no delays at all other than unplanned by ship.

 

 

 

oops yes 6/23 to 6/30 and thanks... according to Quikcoach they p/u at the terminal...

[Langley Cruisers]

Yes, so sorry for your frustration and expense. I'm sure you were upset and rightly so.

 

Sadly, it's true... we simply don't have enough cabs here to handle a rush of 8000 people. More licenses have been applied for but have not been granted.

 

My only suggestion is for passengers with a relatively early flight (like yours) to get off the ship early. With added airport security procedures these days and so many people disembarking at once, it certainly pays to try and get ahead of the game by getting off the ship as early as possible.

 

I hope you will come back to Vancouver some day; it's absolutely beautiful here and we welcome our U.S. neighbors.

 

God bless.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't do coach!

 

So sorry to hear about your problems and extra expense.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I had heard that many times (and read it on various boards) that getting taxis in Vancouver to go from the cruise terminal to the airport can be bad.

 

We were thinking about flying directly to Vancouver but now will rethink this.

[eclipsefan]

I can vouch for a similar problem just this past Friday in Vancouver getting off the NCL Pearl. It took an hour to get off the ship through customs, and an hour and a half to get a taxi. There were 4 ships in town and no where near enough taxis.

[Virginia Zees]

We just got off Serenade this past Saturday and it took us over an hour and a half :mad: to get a taxi to take us to the rental car location.

 

We drove to Seattle and took redeye home.

[jadejay2]

We just got off Serenade this past Saturday and it took us over an hour and a half :mad: to get a taxi to take us to the rental car location.

 

We drove to Seattle and took redeye home.

 

Is there a shuttle run by the rental car company that can take you to their lot?

[Virginia Zees]

Is there a shuttle run by the rental car company that can take you to their lot?

 

Hertz does not provide shuttle service they reimburse for cab fare.

[Terpnut]

We just got off Serenade this past Saturday and it took us over an hour and a half to get a taxi to take us to the rental car location.

 

We drove to Seattle and took redeye home.

Hertz does not provide shuttle service they reimburse for cab fare.

Just so nobody on this thread gets confused, Serenade and Radiance sail out of Ballantyne and not Canada Place. I don't think we can really compare and generalize the taxi situation between two different cruise terminals.