Flight Times Okay? Air Canada RT SFO to Vancouver

[LAnn]

We are booked for a 14 day b2b from Vancouver to Alaska at the end of July. If I could get input from those familiar with travel to and from Vancouver on our flight ideas, I'd appreciate it. Also, we're planning on taking Air Canada -- I've never flown this airline before -- is it a good one?

 

We're thinking of flying into Vancouver from SFO on the day of our cruise and then, on the return day, spending a few hours in the afternoon exploring Vancouver before heading back to the airport for our return flight.

 

I'm actually a little nervous about flying in on the day of the cruise, but it's only a two hour flight. We could catch a 6:00 am flight (which would be painful!) or an 8:10 am flight. I'm thinking the 8:10 am flight should be fine -- we'd arrive at 10:12 am. The ship leaves at 5:00 pm.

 

On the return trip, we were thinking we could store our luggage somewhere (any suggestions? :) ) and walk around Vancouver in the afternoon, and then catch a flight back that leaves either at 6:45 or 7:55. So that would give us about 5 hours to tour the city; if there are any "must-do" things you know of that would fit into that timespan, could you please let me know?

 

Does all of that sound reasonable? Are there potential "roadblocks" I'm not aware of that I should take into consideration?

 

Thanks very much.

 

LeeAnn

[Acey]

If possible budget wise, I would stay the previous night in Vancouver - that way there is no stress the morning of the cruise and you have a day to explore Vancouver before the cruise and head to port relaxed. This would be ideal if you don't have trip insurance. In all likelyhood you probably won't have trouble getting to Vancouver same-day as SFO is relatively close - but I guess for me the peace of mind is worth the extra $100-200.

As for Air Canada - I think they are fine but with any airline opinions differ greatly depending on past experience.

Vancouver is one of the world's most beautiful cities - if you can somehow swing it I would try to get a day or two in there. Stanley Park is a must.

 

Andrew

[sultan_sfo]

There are many flights from SFO to YVR. So flying the same day is OK because there would no problem with rescheduling if it is needed. 8:10 am out of SFO will be quite safe. Return 6:55pm is better because there is still daylight when you land. In May 07, after disembarking, we walked over the bridge to Granville Island not knowing we were supposed to take the ferry near the bridge! It was exhausting but we had fish and chips there. We then walked back to Canada Place and then to Gas Town. Not the best way to see Vancouver. The Airporter Bus stops right outside Pan Pacific at Canada Place and was $13 one-way.

 

Baggage Storage: Canada Place has baggage storage (another well-informed poster said it closes at 4pm). We used that in May 07 and they asked us until when and we just happen to want it till 4pm. It was $5cdn per bag and they accepted US$.

 

Our return flight Air Canada was at 7:45pm. On some flights Air Canada is using the E90 (Embrarer) and it had comfortable seats. But watch out for the weird seat numbering on that plane. /Sultan

[Cruise Junky]

I'm in Vancouver and flying to either LA or San Fran, I usually do the day of. There are so many flight options that unless all airports were closed down, you'd be fine. Air Canada aren't bad.

[LAnn]

Thanks very much for your responses! It was very good to hear from others who have done this trip. I feel better about flying in on the day of the cruise.

 

Andrew, I thought very seriously about flying in the day before as you advised and started researching hotels; this would give us more of an opportunity to see Vancouver. But my husband would have to cut a previous trip short, and I'm already taking so many days off work I'm hesitant to take one more.

 

LeeAnn

[Sopwith]

Air Canada aren't bad.

 

 

I agree with the posts above about being okay regarding the times, as long as you go early in the day.

 

I am an Elite flier with Air Canada, and fly with other airlines occasionally as well. My experience is that there are no good airlines these days. There are bad, worse and really bad. On that scale I would rank Air Canada (known locally as Mapleflot) as bad.

 

What that really means is that if everything goes okay, they're fine. If things start to go wrong (mechanical, weather, oversold, etc) they're just as bad as most of the other mainstream airlines. At least there are numerous flights from SFO, so the chances of not making it the same day are low.

 

I don't mean that to be unsettling, just couldn't resist the chance to editorialize. I would stick with the early flights.

[Cruise Junky]

I'm an Elite too, but I still think Air Canada aren't that bad. After flying US Airways a lot lately, they are the poster airline of Sucking. I was stuck in Toronto during the black out years ago and have had other problems including missing Lufthansa connections in Frankfurt and Air Canada always has stepped up. So as much as I'm a old Canadian Airlines fan, I still think compared to what's out there, they're not bad.

[BCHappyGal]

I agree with CruiseJunkie

 

Air Canada compared to other airlines do an OK job. As for flying in the same day just make sure it is a direct flight and I would go with the earliest flight I could get just in case there is a problem. with the early flight you still have time to reschedule on a later flight & not miss the boat.

 

Plus that early flight would get you to Vancouver in time to be among the early birds boarding the ship - I am always there early to aviod the lineups that occur later.

 

For your retunr flight check on US Direct - I think you can send your luggage direct tot he airport - flight and then do your sightseeing before heading off to YVR. I have had friends that did that.

[LAnn]

Thanks so much for all of your input on Air Canada and recommendations on the flight time. I went ahead and booked the flight departing at 8:00 AM. As you pointed out, there are flights leaving hourly from SFO to Vancouver so we should be able to make it out there in time. BCHappyGirl, your suggestion about airport transfers motivated me to purchase transfers from the cruiseline to the ship from the airport, which will enable us to participate in the US Direct program. If this works the way it's said to it would alleviate some of my concerns about time.

 

This won't work for us upon our return, though, because if we purchased transfers we'd be taken immediately to the airport upon our return, and we want to spend the afternoon in Vancouver. I wonder how your friends arranged to send their luggage ahead without them?

 

LeeAnn