Transportation from the ship to Vancouver Airport

[UF G8R]

I am looking for advice on transportation from the Coral Princess to the Vancouver Airport. Because I am flying on Frontier airlines out of Vancouver, I am not eligible to participate in the US Direct program. Which is the better value, considering comfort and efficiency in addition to cost: cruise line airport transfer or regular taxi or some other method? My ship will arrive into the port in the morning of Monday June 9 and my flight out is not until 12:55 PM. Thanks

[Papaarchie]

I just finished researching the Vancouver area for our cruise in July. The Coral Princess comes in to the Canada Place pier and is the only ship on Mondays. The airport is only about 5 miles away and straight shot down Highway 99.

 

Everything indicates that getting off of Coral is very smooth and efficient but remember that you will have to go through the heart of Vancouver during a weekday during the morning drive to work timeframe.

 

BC Tourism had a really good interactive map to get familiar with the terrain. Also, there are some really helpful Vancouver resident cruisers that read these boards under the Canada site.

[nana nancy]

Can someone explain to me just what it is? We will be flying into Vancouver for the Sapphire from Seattle. Would US direct work for us? And how much is it?

[tylerdad]

There is no possible way to make it to the airport in 5 minutes. At least 30 min and probably more. A lot of major road construction and rush hour will make this a longer trip than you would think.

[c-to-sea]

Vancouver Airport is at least 20 miles from the cruise ship terminal, not 5 and,

yes, there is construction and traffic through city streets, no freeway.

Depending on how many people are in the party and how much baggage,

there are limos that charge just a bit more than a taxi and can be booked

in advance. They also have a holding area at the terminal and can be on

their way in just a few minutes after disembarking.

If anyone is interested, I can recommend a company (and driver).

e-mail me at c hyphen to hyphen sea at shaw dot ca . I have used this

limo personally and no, I do not have any commercial interest in the company.

[PennyAgain]

The real time killer is when you get into the airport and have to start waiting in lines!

[UF G8R]

Can someone explain to me just what it is? We will be flying into Vancouver for the Sapphire from Seattle. Would US direct work for us? And how much is it?

 

Look at http://www.portvancouver.com/vanAlaCruise/content/infoPassengers/usDirect.html

 

I have no experience with it but have read about it. Perhaps another poster can give additional information. The program does not cost anything but you have to use the cruise line transfer. Princesss is a participating cruise line but check and see if your airline is a participating member. Frontier airlines is not.

 

Can someone answer the following questions for me?

1. How much will a taxi cost from the port to the Vancouver airport?

2. How much will a limo be?

3. Will it be faster getting away from the port if we use the cruiseline tranfer bus?

Thanks

[c-to-sea]

1. Taxi - if there is one available - +/- $35

2. Limo - +/- $45

3. Princess Transfer - maybe - depends if everyone booked on it gets there when

they should.

[Budget Queen]

There is wrong information above, for clarification - it is about 9 miles between Canada Place and the International airport in Vancouver in Richmond. It can take up to 45 minutes by cab, since it is all stop and go congested city driving.

 

Without US Direct I recommend a 3 hour window here, especially cruise ship days- this airport is very busy. I was over 2 1/2 hours in lines 7-07.

 

Taking a cab there is probably best. Most do take credit cards, otherwise expect a poor US exchange.

[PennyAgain]

You have to wait in lines if you aren't coming off a cruise ship and want to fly out of this airport. I save a few minutes when I don't have a bag to check. They let down the barrier where they are feeding people into the baggage check lines and let the 'no checked baggage' people through one at a time.

 

I find it amazing the stacks of baggage some folks are hauling.

 

You clear US Customs and Immigration in the Vancouver airport. More lines!

[UF G8R]

Thanks Papaarchie for the info that the Coral Princess will be the only ship in port on the morning of June 9. Thanks C2C for the cost estimates and offer of a limo contact. Thanks BQ for the info about the lines. fPenny, we only have one bag each but they definitely have to be checked.

My ship docks at 7:30 and my flight isn’t until 12:55. I have no idea what time we might disembark-I have no status that would put me on a list of early depart-ers.

What is the latest that I can expect to get off the ship?

Will using the Princess transfer will get me off the ship any earlier?

 

Is there any chance that there might not be a taxi waiting for me to catch?

[Sierra Fox]

You may want to verify your flight info with Frontier. We were scheduled to fly out of YVR on 7/21 on Frontier at 12:55 pm and found out today that they have bumped the flight back to 11:30 am. - SF

[UF G8R]

You may want to verify your flight info with Frontier. We were scheduled to fly out of YVR on 7/21 on Frontier at 12:55 pm and found out today that they have bumped the flight back to 11:30 am. - SF

 

Gee Whiz Sierra, you are absoutely correct! Frontier did not notify us but I called after reading your post and they have moved the flight. We called Princess and they said that we were probably going to be OK. We reallly have no other choices at this point.

 

What are your plans? Are you going to change your flights? And how are you getting to the airpolrt from the ship?

[Sierra Fox]

Gee Whiz Sierra, you are absoutely correct! Frontier did not notify us but I called after reading your post and they have moved the flight. We called Princess and they said that we were probably going to be OK. We reallly have no other choices at this point.

 

What are your plans? Are you going to change your flights? And how are you getting to the airpolrt from the ship?

 

I'm not sure what to do because I'm not exactly comfortable with this time frame. If Frontier participated in US Direct then I wouldn't be worried about it.

 

If I pack light and do the self debarkation, I wonder if I could be off the ship and into some sort of transportation (express limo maybe) by 8 am? If it takes between 45 - 60 minutes to get to the airport through rush hour traffic on a Monday morning, then that gives me just over 2 hours to check in, clear customs and security and all the rest. I don't know. The Coral is the only ship scheduled in port on the 21st but I still don't know. There's not much room for error there. - SF

[UF G8R]

I'm not sure what to do because I'm not exactly comfortable with this time frame. If Frontier participated in US Direct then I wouldn't be worried about it.

 

If I pack light and do the self debarkation, I wonder if I could be off the ship and into some sort of transportation (express limo maybe) by 8 am? If it takes between 45 - 60 minutes to get to the airport through rush hour traffic on a Monday morning, then that gives me just over 2 hours to check in, clear customs and security and all the rest. I don't know. The Coral is the only ship scheduled in port on the 21st but I still don't know. There's not much room for error there. - SF

 

My DH and I will have one rolling bag and one carry on each. Can you do self debarkation with that much luggage?

[bellebaby]

Hello

 

Last year we chose self-disembarkation from the Zaandam in Vancouver. We walked off with our luggage, caught a cab, checked-in/cleared customs and security and were at the gate by 9:15. Everything went smoothly - no traffic jams, excessive check-in lines, etc.

 

The risk is there is no room for error if you have an early flight. If there is a "bump in the road", you may very well miss your flight.

 

Yes, it is feasible to do self-disembarkation with one roll-on and one carry-on if you can manage them without assistance of any kind.

 

Hope this helps - Good Luck!!

 

B

[Coreopsis]

You are missing the point. What is the rush? Hurrying out of Vancouver is a major mistake -take your time, spend the day.

 

It is a beautiful city with world-class dining opportunties!

 

Better yet, now that Frontier changed your flight- you've got reason to modify at no cost to you!

 

Taxis are a-plenty at Canada Place, but I have a better idea. Walk across the street and check into the Fairmont. Spend another night before heading back to the real world.

 

You will thank me later. I promise. You know you've got the sick days, PTO, personal holidays - whatever, and it would never be put to better use. Savor the end of your holiday in one of the world's most beautiful and friendly cities.

[bellebaby]

You are missing the point. What is the rush? Hurrying out of Vancouver is a major mistake -take your time, spend the day.

 

It is a beautiful city with world-class dining opportunties!

 

 

I totally agree with you. We spent several days pre-cruise enjoying Vancouver. At the end of our cruise we were ready to get home, unpack and unwind.

 

B

[Sierra Fox]

You are missing the point. What is the rush? Hurrying out of Vancouver is a major mistake -take your time, spend the day.

 

It is a beautiful city with world-class dining opportunties!

 

Better yet, now that Frontier changed your flight- you've got reason to modify at no cost to you!

 

Taxis are a-plenty at Canada Place, but I have a better idea. Walk across the street and check into the Fairmont. Spend another night before heading back to the real world.

 

You will thank me later. I promise. You know you've got the sick days, PTO, personal holidays - whatever, and it would never be put to better use. Savor the end of your holiday in one of the world's most beautiful and friendly cities.

 

We do not have a bunch of sick days, PTO days, personal holidays etc. We have a set amount of vacation time for this cruise with 3 extra days that we decided to spend pre-cruise in Alaska rather than in Vancouver.

 

I would like to spend time in Vancouver one of these days but it won't be this trip so we are disembarking and heading for the airport like the rest of the masses I'm sure. I was just looking for an honest opinion of what to expect and now that I know, I'll figure out whether or not to try to change our flight. Thanks everyone and have a great day! - SF

[Budget Queen]

Hello

 

Last year we chose self-disembarkation from the Zaandam in Vancouver. We walked off with our luggage, caught a cab, checked-in/cleared customs and security and were at the gate by 9:15. Everything went smoothly - no traffic jams, excessive check-in lines, etc.

 

The risk is there is no room for error if you have an early flight. If there is a "bump in the road", you may very well miss your flight.

 

Yes, it is feasible to do self-disembarkation with one roll-on and one carry-on if you can manage them without assistance of any kind.

 

Hope this helps - Good Luck!!

 

B

 

This is the ideal and not a given. There is no way to predict, IF you are going to run into delays- which are likely.

 

I've self disembarked too and was at the airport by 8:30am. I ended up in over 2 1/2 hours in lines. Add, time walking to the last gate. :) Cab time of 30 minutes etc. etc. Nope, I would not have made an 11:30am flight.

[Budget Queen]

My DH and I will have one rolling bag and one carry on each. Can you do self debarkation with that much luggage?

 

Self disembarkment means just that- YOU have to manage all your own luggage without any help. Only you can answer that.

[c-to-sea]

I stand corrected on the distance to the airport. It only seems like 20

miles through city traffic. Guess I was thinking of the distance to the ferry

terminal. Sorry.