poss

Our cruise line says that anything after 11:00 A.M. is fine (we're due in port at 7:00). If we can be off the boat at 8:00, would I be safe with an 11:30 flight out? The cruise line says, "No problem," but if there's a problem, it'll be ours not theirs. I believe I'd need to overnight in Vancouver if I didn't take that 11:30 flight (11:40 actually), and it would be better if we could get home without the stay-over (though I love Vancouver and wish we could stay a while).
Thanks for input.

rkkwan

I don't see what the problem is, if you're using the cruise line's transfer. The cruise line has lots of experience in this, and many of their customers aren't the most mobile or experienced either.

They will all the passengers' flight details and get you off the ship in time.

pat

The ship will be docked on time, as they need to get the next group aboard. I wouldn`t worry about it. I have scheduled a flight after 1100am and got to the airport early enough to get an earlier flight. 11:40 sounds perfect.

DonTopaz

An 11.30 flight would be ok, but you won't have a huge amount of time to dawdle. If you are flying to the US, you will need to be at the airport earlier than for most flights, because you'll go through US immigration and customs at Vancouver, not in the US.

poss

Thanks for replies. I'm going to try hard not to worry about this. Btw, we're doing our own air, not through cruise line (though hope to be able to book their transfer to airport). It'd be so much easier if our cruise line participated in U.S. direct, but alas it doesn't. (I think that service must be only for very large lines.)

AAFrequentFlyer

Just some thoughts...

1. Is this Alaska Cruise?
If so, then you will also have to clear Canadian Immigration and Customs upon arrival at the port which may/may not prolong your embarkation.

2. If the flight is on your own ticket, I would forget the cruise line transfer and just get a taxi and tell them to hurry. The transfers are done by busses so you would have to wait until the bus gets full and all the luggage gets loaded and unloaded, etc...

3. As somebody pointed out, you need to go through US Immigration and Customs at the Vancouver airport so you need to get there little earlier than usual.

It may work but if I were you I would talk to the cruise line director or whatever they are called, and ask to be one of the first passengers to be let out in the morning.

Just a short story. Few years ago I went on an 11 days cruise that started in Vancouver, went up to Alaska and then came down and stopped in Vancouver Island before proceeding to San Francisco and ultimately ended in San Diego. Just because of the stop in Vancouver Island, we had to be processed by US Immigration and Customs in SF before we were allowed to get off the ship for the day. I had friends living in SF so I made plans to spend a day with them. They came to pick me up but it just didn't work out as well as we had planned. US I/C laptops did not work and they had to dispatch somebody to their downtown offices to pick up new laptops or software (not sure). It took about 3-4 hours before they could process us. I was on a cellphone with my friends and at some point I told them just to go home. I was finally able to get off the ship about 5 hours later and I took a train to my friends house and still manage to have some fun. The cruise line extended our stay in SF by few hours as well.

The point is, stuff like this happens. Sure the odds are VERY LOW and in my case, I really didn't care as we still had few more days of cruising so I didn't have to worry about my flight home on that day.

If the flight was arranged by the cruise line I wouldn't worry one bit, but since it's your own ticket, you need to be proactive and arrange early embarkation and and grab a taxi.

AAFrequentFlyer

I meant <b>disembarkation</b>

poss

Thanks, AA! Yes, the flight is in connection with an Alaska cruise, and I'm aware of all those customs checks. I think I'd be concerned about taxi because our experience has been that it's VERY difficult to get a cab on disembarking-- everyone is needing to do same and it's a mess. (That's been our experience in other ports and I've read same from other travelers.) Regent is always good about getting those in "need" off the ship as expeditiously as possible, but the taxi thing is a real problem; that's why I thought maybe signing up for ship transfer was safer/faster in the long run.
No doubt no one can really answer this question for me, I'll just have to take my chances (and worry a lot, alas). But I very much appreciate folks offering all these suggestions.

AAFrequentFlyer

You can always arrange a a private car/limo pick up....

poss

Gee, I'd never have thought of a private car service. I imagine it might be awfully expensive, but it might be a more or less necessity this once. If I can figure out how, I'll look into the possibility. Thanks for the suggestions.

Cruiseryyc

You must be at the airport at least two hours prior your flight departure - which means 9:30 a.m. The Vancouver airport is notorious for long line ups at security and US Customs/Immigration. If there is more than one cruise ship in town that day, that just adds more people to the mix trying to get taxis, etc. Last time we disembarked in Vancouver we took LimoJet Gold and it was no more expensive than a regular taxi. Don't want to add to you anxiety but personally I wouldn't book a flight home before noon (and I live in Canada and don't have to worry about US Customs)

poss

Thanks very much for your suggestion, Cruiser. I telephoned LimoJet and learned (to my disappointment) that one cannot make a reservation with it or with any other limo service. One telephones and next limo in line is sent to get you. That makes sense, but I'm afraid that the situation will be much like the taxi mess, i.e. long lines even to get to telephone, then the wait for the limo (along with many others who'll be waiting and in a hurry.) I think, though, that maybe there'll be fewer trying for the limo service, so I thank you very much. Mainly I wish our flight were later (though then, of course, we'd be getting home to the east coast of U.S. EVEN later).

AAFrequentFlyer

I believe you're missing a point. If, as you said, Regent is great about accommodating your request for early disembarking than you should not have many problems grabbing a taxi.

Also, don't you have a cellphone? You don't need to wait for public phone, just dial for a private car service as soon as you are cleared to disembark.

Dayenu

The night before you're filling out the disembarkation form, and you get a colored luggage tag depending on the time of your flight. Put your flight on that form an hour erlier, if you fly out at 11.40, put on that piece of paper 10.40 - you will make your flight.

They will not ask you for a proof of the time of your flight