Booking flight after disembarking from Vancouver

[4Fosters]

We just booked an Alaskan cruise in May on DCL! My question is regarding catching a flight after disembarking. If we book a flight leaving Vancouver at 12pm, would we be cutting it to close to disembark, get a taxi to the airport, then clear customs and security to make the flight? We currently have late seating which I believe means that we won't be able to disembark until 9 or 9:30 unless we can request an earlier time from guest services. Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We just booked an Alaskan cruise in May on DCL! My question is regarding catching a flight after disembarking. If we book a flight leaving Vancouver at 12pm, would we be cutting it to close to disembark, get a taxi to the airport, then clear customs and security to make the flight? We currently have late seating which I believe means that we won't be able to disembark until 9 or 9:30 unless we can request an earlier time from guest services. Thanks!

Just a thought - you can eat breakfast in Cabanas. They serve there until 8:00 usually.

How are you getting from ship to airport?

Since DCL recommends flights no earlier than 12 noon in Vancouver, you could be OK with a noon flight.

 

[BruinEd03]

We just booked an Alaskan cruise in May on DCL! My question is regarding catching a flight after disembarking. If we book a flight leaving Vancouver at 12pm, would we be cutting it to close to disembark, get a taxi to the airport, then clear customs and security to make the flight? We currently have late seating which I believe means that we won't be able to disembark until 9 or 9:30 unless we can request an earlier time from guest services. Thanks!

If you are going to do the 12 p.m. flight, I would suggest you do express walk-off. I would also have pre-paid transportation in place. The taxi lines can be ridiculous, especially if multiple cruise ships have debarked.

 

[DCL Repeaters]

My family of 9 had a 11:35am flight out of Vancouver this past May. Had breakfast at Cabanas and all were waiting in the atrium by 7:15 for express walk off. Caught the first DCL bus to the airport. Arrived at gate with plenty of time to spare.

 

[jrabbit]

Pre cruise we stayed out near the airport and did their park and fly package.

So on Disembarkation morning, our luggage tags were the LAST group called to leave the ship
We found our luggage and cleared customs / passport control (which was almost non existent - WOW!)
Rolled our luggage to Waterfront station and took the Canada Line out to the airport
Waited a about 10 minutes for the hotel shuttle to arrive
Were on the road by 11 am.

So if you did express walk off and took the Canada Line to the airport (about 35 minute ride) you should have no issues making a noon flight

 

[Luckymommatoo]

We were on a mid-July Alaska cruise this year. My B&SIL (and their two kids, ages 4 and 6) had an 11:30 flight. We all did express walk-off. My dad had pre-booked a taxi, which we caught in front of the hotel (we had to take an elevator up, but it was super easy). They made their flight easily. In fact, express walk-off was so much easier than disembarking our previous cruise, I'll probably do it again (if I ever manage another cruise, LOL!).

 

[cruiser21]

We just booked an Alaskan cruise in May on DCL! My question is regarding catching a flight after disembarking. If we book a flight leaving Vancouver at 12pm, would we be cutting it to close to disembark, get a taxi to the airport, then clear customs and security to make the flight? We currently have late seating which I believe means that we won't be able to disembark until 9 or 9:30 unless we can request an earlier time from guest services. Thanks!

No. We left the ship at 845.We were at the airport by 930. Take the sky train. The taxi line line will be huge.

 

[4Fosters]

Thank you for all your help! One more question.....
Our plan is to take Alaska Airlines from Vancouver to Seattle (12-12:55PM) then catch a SWA flight at 3:20PM. Since we are switching airlines, we will need to get our baggage then check it with SWA and go back through security. We have never flown to/from Seattle, so not sure if we are allowing enough time. I know it's not ideal to change airlines, but we have points with SWA.

 

[SteveMouse]

Seattle-Tacoma Airport is pretty big. You'll need to account for a concourse change at SEATAC as well, either D to B or from the north extension to B (Alaska Air uses both D and the north extension) See http://www.ifly.com/seattle-tacoma-international/terminal-map.

If you have to wait for a stroller or wheelchair to come up from the hold, that will add to time necessary to change. It may be 10 minutes before you get to the gate and maybe 10 minutes before you get off the plane. Bags could take 25 minutes or longer to get to baggage claim. Give 15 minutes to change terminals (could be less). If the arrival time holds, it would work out that you would be at Southwest at about 1:45- you'd need to check your bags and go back through security. If you have TSAPre/Global Entry, that would shorten your wait a bit.

 

[Yokelridesagain]

You can easily make it to the airport for a noon flight, BUT--you would be cutting it very close and at serious risk of missing your flight if your plan is to get a taxi from the cruise terminal.

The biggest delays are:

1) the cab stand at the cruise terminal--we waited an hour when we debarked in August.

and

2) Clearing US customs/security at the Vancouver airport--flying to the US from a Canadian airport is one of the most time consuming security procedures in aviation going, because US customs "helpfully" screens you for re-entry in Canada. Our global re-entry status got us in a (much) faster line at the airport, if we had not had that we would have been barely on time for a 12:30 departure.

If you are willing to skip breakfast and carry your own bags off; or take the train to the airport; or take your bags out of the terminal onto the street and get a cab from a hotel or pre-arranged transportation, you'll be fine.

 

[xlxo]

Thoughts...

• late feeding means you get the late breakfast at 8:15am. You get to relax in the MDR while the others wait throughout the trip for late debarkation.
• 12pm flight? I recommend express walk off right after the ship docks. You need to be at the airport by 9am for check-in, customs, and security.
  • 7:30am debarkation or earlier..... it takes 30 minutes for the ship to dock, then the massive crowds to get off the ship, customs, and potential taxi waits.
  • 8:20am is when I want to be in a cab for the 35 minute trip to the airport
  • 9am for check-in, customs, and complimentary searches (luggage, carry-on, liquids, electronics, WMD's, NFL's, medications, hand, body and the random complimentary secondary experience)
  • 12pm... wheels up with dreams on returning to Vancouver because you didn't budget enough time at your super bonus port.
• Vancouver is best explored post-cruise, especially when the weekend crowds are gone.