YVR to ship ?

[oilbert]

We have just booked a Princess cruise from Vancouver to LA for September. Checking on line Princess has our flight arriving at YVR at 10:30 AM . Giving 20 or so minutes to find our baggage and the Princess "bus" , is about 11 Am . Check in is listed as starting at 1 PM. Please can anyone tell me about how long the drive is from YVR to the ship ? It is a Saturday . The main concern is standing around in a crowd , waiting and knowing Vancouver weather it could be a wet wait. This is our first Princess cruise after two on NCL , with another booked for 2009. Is there a possibility that boarding could start earlier than 1PM ? Thank you!

[CanuckCruizer]

oilbert - As you are going on Princess - your ship will be leaving from Canada Place. We have boarded several times at Canada Place as early as 10:15 - 10:30 am (even though your tickets will say otherwise - lol). The airport to downtown is approx. 30 minutes or so - depending on traffic (could be 25, could be 40 - Saturday traffic is better than week day - but depends on how many ships in port etc.). You are using the Princess transfers which will take longer than just jumping in a taxi as they are loading everyone's luggage on the bus - there could be slowpokes in the crowd - etc. Hard to guess - but you should be on your way by 11:30 am - so you will be at the Cruise Terminal before 1pm - but not to worry - as you will be allowed to board straight away. Oh - our September weather is usually pretty good, so don't worry too much about rain (although it IS Vancouver we are talking about!). We have left Vancouver twice near the end of September and it was high 70's/low 80's & brilliant sunshine. It was actually too hot to go out on our balcony while in port here.:)

 

Hope this puts you at ease,

 

Canuck

[Putterdude]

We have just booked a Princess cruise from Vancouver to LA for September. Checking on line Princess has our flight arriving at YVR at 10:30 AM . Giving 20 or so minutes to find our baggage and the Princess "bus" , is about 11 Am . Check in is listed as starting at 1 PM. Please can anyone tell me about how long the drive is from YVR to the ship ? It is a Saturday . The main concern is standing around in a crowd , waiting and knowing Vancouver weather it could be a wet wait. This is our first Princess cruise after two on NCL , with another booked for 2009. Is there a possibility that boarding could start earlier than 1PM ? Thank you!

 

The drive time from YVR to the Canada Place terminal that Princess uses is about 30 mins. I wouldn't worry about the 1 pm boarding time, they generally start boarding about 11:30 am so go aboard and have lunch. The terminal is completely indoors so you won't have to be concerned about weather. You may also want to participate in the US Direct program if you quailify. Here is a link:

http://www.yvr.ca/guide/around/onboard/index.asp

[oilbert]

Thanks to both of you ! You have been very helpful and Both my Wfe and I are relieved at your information.

[CanuckCruizer]

Oilbert - You will love Princess - nothing against NCL, but, personally, I feel Princess is a step above. Hope you have a great time!!!!!!!!!!!:D

 

Canuck

[CanuckCruizer]

Oilbert - Forgot to tell you that the customs/immigration lines at Vancouver can look extremely scary:eek: when you arrive - with hundreds of people in line - don't worry too much - they actually move pretty quickly and you will have LOADS of time to get to the ship.

 

Canuck

[Putterdude]

Oilbert - Forgot to tell you that the customs/immigration lines at Vancouver can look extremely scary:eek: when you arrive - with hundreds of people in line - don't worry too much - they actually move pretty quickly and you will have LOADS of time to get to the ship.

 

Which is good reason to use the US Direct program.

[Sally Forth]

I just had a funny conversation about Vancouver weather with a friend today. They are coming to visit from Ontario and have packed a ton of wet weather gear. I told her it rains much more in southern Ontario in summer than in Vancouver and that last night was the first rain we've had in almost a month. Most people don't know that. They also lump Victoria in as a rainy spot, which it's not. Yes, winters are dark and drizzly on the West Coast, but the summers are usually pretty dry.

 

Victoria has 26 inches of rainfall per year, Seattle has 36, and Vancouver has 44. In comparison, New York has 40 inches of rain per year and Boston around 44. That's right, Vancouver and Boston get the same amount of rain per year!

 

Viv

[Putterdude]

I just had a funny conversation about Vancouver weather with a friend today. They are coming to visit from Ontario and have packed a ton of wet weather gear. I told her it rains much more in southern Ontario in summer than in Vancouver and that last night was the first rain we've had in almost a month. Most people don't know that. They also lump Victoria in as a rainy spot, which it's not. Yes, winters are dark and drizzly on the West Coast, but the summers are usually pretty dry.

 

Victoria has 26 inches of rainfall per year, Seattle has 36, and Vancouver has 44. In comparison, New York has 40 inches of rain per year and Boston around 44. That's right, Vancouver and Boston get the same amount of rain per year!

 

Gosh I wish you wouldn't tell people in Ontario that.....they will all want to move out.;)

I think Vancouver measurement is taken at the airport and is much lower than other parts of the city. For instance I believe the measurement at the Upper Levels Hwy. and Londsdale Ave is closer to 150" and upper Lynn Valley is in the vacinity of 180". Rain fall also varies here on the Sunshine Coast from something in the region of 80" in Gibsons to 40" here in West Sechelt. Got to get out and pick that 4th crop of bananas; I just don't tell those kind of things to my former neighbours and friends in Upper Lonsdale.:rolleyes:

[kenish]

We spent time in Vancouver pre-cruise and had to clear immigration and customs. Our flight arrived around 2pm and the lines through immigration were long. It took exactly an hour from the plane to curbside in front of the terminal. Most of the time was the immigration line; after that you claim your luggage and hand your document to the officer as you walk out of the area.

[MszKitty]

The drive time from YVR to the Canada Place terminal that Princess uses is about 30 mins. I wouldn't worry about the 1 pm boarding time, they generally start boarding about 11:30 am so go aboard and have lunch. The terminal is completely indoors so you won't have to be concerned about weather. You may also want to participate in the US Direct program if you quailify. Here is a link:

http://www.yvr.ca/guide/around/onboard/index.asp

 

 

Isn't the US Direct program for cruise ship passengers that are LEAVING Vancouver? What about those ARRIVING in YVR?

Is there a quicker way for cruise ship passengers arriving in Vancouver to go thru Canadian customs prior to their cruise? I'm arriving in YVR at 9:45am on the same day of my cruise (RCCL Serenade of the Seas Sept 6, 2008).

 

EDITED: NEVER MIND. I found the info for passengers ARRIVING in YVR. Please disregard my original questions.

[CanuckCruizer]

Oilbert is Canadian (at least it says he is from Alberta) so he cannot do the US Direct Program.

 

Canuck

[Putterdude]

Oilbert is Canadian (at least it says he is from Alberta) so he cannot do the US Direct Program.

 

Canuck

 

You are asolutely correct, I just realized that when I click onto this link and went, oops!:o

Oilbert, ignore all of the discussion about US Direct. You will should find a Princess rep in the baggage claim area of YVR who will direct you to the bus. You won't have any trouble time wise.