Help from those who have used US Direct in Vancouver

[Sierra Fox]

We are disembarking in Vancouver and I'm trying to find out more about how this program works. The information listed on the YVR website says to contact the participating cruise line for more details.

 

I've called Princess twice and neither person I spoke with had ever heard of the program.

 

Do I need to book the airline through Princess or can I just do that on my own? Also, what time can I expect to get to the airport from the cruise ship terminal? Would I be able to make an 11:05 am flight using US Direct? Do we skip customs or just go through a separate line?

 

I really appreciate any help and hope everyone has a great day! - SF

[DJD-Houston]

We are disembarking in Vancouver and I'm trying to find out more about how this program works. The information listed on the YVR website says to contact the participating cruise line for more details.

 

I've called Princess twice and neither person I spoke with had ever heard of the program.

 

Do I need to book the airline through Princess or can I just do that on my own? Also, what time can I expect to get to the airport from the cruise ship terminal? Would I be able to make an 11:05 am flight using US Direct? Do we skip customs or just go through a separate line?

 

I really appreciate any help and hope everyone has a great day! - SF

 

 

I'm a first-time cruiser and I have the same questions regarding using this service on my Royal Caribbean cruise, round trip from Vancouver, in July of this year. Has anyone used this thru RCI? I've already booked my airline tickets thru Continental and I've sent a question thru the RCI website asking about US Direct but I haven't received an answer. Any help from the forum would be much appreciated!!

 

Thanks!

 

Deborah

[SOMBRERO6]

My email from Carnival said US DIRECT only works on Northbound sailings. I even called Carnival, just to make sure and I was told the same thing. I really wanted to use it. I am looking at a 12:20 pm flight out of Vancouver. Carnival said it is do-able...but I don't know???? Maybe other cruiselines work differently. Good Luck.

[Sierra Fox]

My email from Carnival said US DIRECT only works on Northbound sailings. I even called Carnival, just to make sure and I was told the same thing. I really wanted to use it. I am looking at a 12:20 pm flight out of Vancouver. Carnival said it is do-able...but I don't know???? Maybe other cruiselines work differently. Good Luck.

 

 

Well, I have no way of knowing whether or not that is just Carnival or applies to Princess as well since the customer service reps at Princess did not even know what I was talking about.

 

However, the information on US Direct from the YVR airport website states that it can be done both ways, for those who are embarking or disembarking in Vancouver. I just can't figure out how I would book it if the cruise line doesn't know about it. Maybe I just need to have the transfers through the ship and then it's booked once we get onboard. :confused: - SF

[gambit57]

No one answered? Do a search and you'll find plenty of threads about US Direct.

 

Ok, I'll try and sum up tho.

 

Each cruiseline is different (even tho they may share parent companies). Each year is different for some strange reason.

 

In 2007, I personally used US Direct arriving in at Vancouver to start the cruise (opposite of you guys). I was on Princess. The other half of the room was RCI people so those two lines participated at that time. The workers were waiting for some Holland people but I didn't see them show up before we all went onto our respective buses.

 

If you arrive in Vancouver to leave, you need to get transfers from your cruise line. You do NOT have to book air through them. Just let the purser's desk know you want to be on the US Direct list some time during your cruise (usually the day before debarking).

 

I can't remember if you can make a 11am flight or not. Check the old threads to see if someone mentioned times. I imagine you can, altho it's a bit risky b/c debarkation always gets delayed (you can't walk off since you need to use the line's transfer) and there's a ton of traffic in Vancouver now what with all the construction for the Olympics.

[wolfshadow]

Here's the site with all your answers.

 

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

[dmmorton]

I talked to a Princess representative about it three days ago and he knew all about it. You may want to try to call Princess again. We are using independant flight plans but I bought the ship transfer from Princess. As long as we are coming from the US and are in before 2pm we qualify. It is also written about in the Big Princess Alaska cruise book.

[txgweedo]

RCI only uses this program for those passengers arriving into Vancouver to start a cruise. I found this out because my cruise ends in Vancouver and I wanted to use the US Direct program to speed my way to my flight home. I spent over an hour on the phone with RCI for them to tell me this. If you decide to use it for the beginning of your cruise (since you said it was a roundtrip) you must also use RCI's transportation. I think this costs $25-35 per person.