Vancouver Disembarkation Option

[baseballmom]

This new option was mentioned on another thread by someone who had recently been on Serenade of the Seas (special thanks to "2DisneyCruzrs):

 

New disembarkation option available only to US residents who are returning to the US on disembarkation day: If you're flying Alaska, American, Air Canada, United or Continental, you can pay $15 per person to have your baggage checked all the way to your hometown and to receive your boarding pass on board. You would not have to handle your baggage when getting off the ship -- no schlepping it to the airport! After leaving your luggage outside your stateroom on Saturday evening, the next time you see it is on the baggage carousel at your home airport. There is a $5 fee for each bag over 2 per person.

 

Boarding passes are issued by the airline representative who boards the ship on Sunday morning. Those choosing this option report to the Tropical Theatre around 7:30 on Sunday morning, where you receive your boarding pass. They then call folks off alphabetically to disembark and you're off no later than 8 a.m. After that, you can go straight to your gate at YVR airport. Currently, this option is only available at YVR.

 

I asked my TA to confirm this. His RCCL rep said that this is a test program that they hope to roll out in other departure points at a later date. I definitely would take advantage of this option, and I hope this program is still in effect when we sail next June!

 

Laurie

[42trvl]

There was a similar program on the Celebrity Summit this summer when we arrived in Vancouver. While we did not participate because we were spending a few days in Vancouver, friends/relatives cruising with us did and said it was a great way to go. And after our flight home a few days later, I would have to say it seems well worth a small fee. In Vancouver, you clear US Customs there at the airport before flying home (to the US). That means that after checking in you wait on long, snaking lines with all your luggage to go through Customs, then finally get to check your bags - you need to have your luggage with you when you go through Customs. The check-in line was fairly long, but then another hour with our luggage to get through Customs (3 ships came in that day). So, if you have a lot of luggage and a couple of kids in tow (as we did), it can be a pain. I would gladly pay to do the whole check-in/Customs process through the cruise line if offered.

[baseballmom]

You bring up an interesting question: If you do choose this option, how is the customs process handled if your luggage has been sent on ahead of you? The way I understood it is that we (my son and I) would simply walk off the ship, go to the airport, and hop on the plane sans any luggage. I've never been out of the country (except for the stop in Ensenada in June on Monarch), so customs is a whole new procedure for me.

 

Laurie

[BarbO1999]

We recently were on the Serenade and did opt for this disembarkation. We left our luggage outside on Sat night and didnt see it until we got to New York. We did however stand in line at the airport in security/customs for approx. 1 1/2 hours but we did not have to deal with the luggage. So in my opinion it was worth the extra 15.00/person. I hope they do this at all the ports...great program. I didn't know this was only in Vancouver. By the way Alaska and Vancouver were awesome.

 

Barbara

[Cruiser62]

We returned from the Radiance in July and also opted for the new disembarkation procedure. It's well worth the extra $15! Not sure what happened to you, Barbara. It only took us 15 minutes to get through customs.

[42trvl]

Baseballmom,

 

Not sure about the technicalities, but since the Customs is done on the ship and the luggage is with you on the ship you are making your declarations then before you get off the ship. You are then taken directly to the airport. I'm not really up on Customs laws, but I guess the assumption is that you are not really spending any more time in the "foreign" country after going through Customs and checking into your flight home.

 

And as others have said, you're in for a great trip! If you are spending time in Vancouver, we absolutely loved the city - even if we had to forego the convenience of "on-ship" check-in and Customs. A few days in Vancouver was worth the airport hassle, and the Vancouverites are so nice that it didn't seem half as bad as what we encounter at many U.S. airports, even when moving more quickly. BUT, I do think that next time I will definitely opt for the earliest flight home before all the other cruise ship passengers make it to the airport...

[mohavemommy]

I think this sounds like a great idea! It would be so nice not having to tow luggage all over. :)

[pelletib]

Wish they would have rolled out this option the 1st week of June when we were on the Radiance. I would have gladly paid it!!!

[baseballmom]

I hope this program is successful enough to institute at RCCL's other departure points, because I will scrimp and save as much as I can to keep on cruising! I just love the idea of not having to carry anything with us!

 

We'll be flying up to Vancouver the day before we sail, and I'm hoping we'll be able to see some of the city -- I've heard it's beautiful. As my name implies, baseball rules our lives, and we'll be flying home the same day we disembark in order for my son to start his summer league the very next day.

 

Laurie

[wblynch]

Our friends exercised this option to have their luggage forwarded. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

Well, it turns out their flight didn't leave Vancouver till 4:30 pm, but since they had used the luggage transfers, they couldn't get an earlier flight because they had to travel on the same plane as their bags. And even if they got to Los Angeles earlier, they would be stuck waiting in the baggage claim area because there's no way to get back in once you leave..

 

So, as it turns out, their plane was late leaving Vancouver and arriving at L.A. then the luggage carousel was messed up and they still had to wait almost 1 1/2 hours to clear customs and security at Los Angeles.

 

We arrived at home by 4:00 and our friends finally got home at 11:30 the same evening.

 

so... think carefully about using the luggage transfers as once you've committed you're also "stuck".

[Happy ks]

When you disembark the ship in Vancouver, you go through Canadian Customs to enter Canada, when you arrive at YVR, you have to go through US Customs to fly back to the US. Reverse this when you are arrivng in YVR, Canadian Customs to enter Canada, US Customs to board the ship.

 

Unfortunate for wblynchs' friends that they had a problem with it, it sounds like a great program otherwise. If I were travelling home the same day, I would love to step off the ship and have no luggage to be dragging around, kind of like the "old days".

[42trvl]

The Canadian Customs at Canada Place was a breeze (maybe 2 or 3 people on line ahead of us) compared to the lines for US Customs at the airport...

[BarbO1999]

We opted for this option but there were other crusie ships at the airport for US customs. And that made the line long. Actually a HAL, princess ship, and Serenade were there at the same time.

 

Barbara

[critterchick]

Do you have to go straight to the airport once you disembark if you use this service? We have a 1:00 flight, and if we get into Vancouver early enough, we'd like to poke around for an hour or two before we head out there. Not having to lug a suitcase would be a major plus.

[baseballmom]

Do you have to go straight to the airport once you disembark if you use this service? We have a 1:00 flight, and if we get into Vancouver early enough, we'd like to poke around for an hour or two before we head out there. Not having to lug a suitcase would be a major plus.

Hi Jean,

I was wondering the same thing. I'm also thinking about booking a 1:00 flight, just to give us a time cushion in case there are any delays along the way, although I'd really like to move that up a bit if possible.

 

Laurie

[42trvl]

On our particular cruise, my understanding was that this option was only available to those who were using the ship's transfers or doing an excursion through the cruiseline that day in Vancouver and then being taken to the airport by them, so you really wouldn't be on your own much. I know that on some of their tours you have a little time on your own in a particular area for a short time, but eventually have to get back on their bus. Of course, being a "trial" program, it could be run differently next year.

[BarbO1999]

Yes You can just do not buy transfers from the cruise ship. Yuo can have independent transfers. We happened to have transfers with the cruise ship. Use a taxi. The papers given to you will have an area to say you have independent transfers or that you wish to buy them. We had a 1:30 flight and did not sit that long at the airport. after the lines.

 

Barbara