2009 Vancouver Official Travel Planner Guide - (Page 64) Cruising Vancouver – Alaska & Beyond Photography: Cruise ship ©Tourism Vancouver; Cruise passengers ©Tourism Vancouver/VCEC Gateway to the thousand-mile Inside Passage, Vancouver serves as the point of embarkation and disembarkation for spectacular sevento 14-day Alaska cruise vacations and other adventures. Vancouver’s Cruise Ship Facilities For more than 30 years, Port Metro Vancouver has been the leading home port for Alaska cruises, offering passengers more ships and departure dates to choose from than any other port. For a complete schedule of sailings, visit portmetrovancouver.com. 1 Best Port in North America The Berlitz 2006 Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships voted Vancouver the “Best Port in North America.” Ports were evaluated for their embarkation and disembarkation experience, including hospitality, terminal user-friendliness, luggage handling, security personnel, ease of access to transportation, and immigration and customs clearance. Canada Place (999 Canada Place Way) and Ballantyne Terminal (655 Centennial Road) are located close to hotels and the city’s many attractions, galleries and designer retail outlets. From May to September vessels arrive and depart Vancouver’s harbour as part of the Vancouver-Alaska route, one of the most popular cruises in the world. ALASKA Anchorage Seward YUKON TERRITORY Whitehorse 1 NORTHW TERRITO 97 Skagway Juneau Sitka 37 Alaska Hwy BRITISH COLUMBIA Ketchikan Prince Rupert 97 16 Embarkation and Disembarkation Embarkation usually takes place from 1 to 4pm and disembarkation from 7:30 to 11am. All travellers must present a valid passport or other certified identification. Thus, embarking passengers should allow extra time for examination of travel documents. Prior to boarding, your clients will proceed through passenger screening where cruise ticket and identification will need to be shown. Passengers must also complete a declaration card and clear U.S. customs. Upon disembarking in Vancouver, passengers must complete a similar declaration card, clear Canadian customs, then proceed to baggage claim. Queen Charlotte Islands Ins ide Pas Prince George 97 sag e 20 Pacific Ocean Port Hardy qu ih a 5 99 1 ll a 3 Vancouver Island 19 Victoria 0 KILOMETRE 0 MILE 500 1000 1 Seattle 90 5 Co Whistler Vancouver fic ci Pa Rim 500 Portland WASHI US Direct and Onboard Check-in Make It Easy for Cruise Passengers The US Direct initiative allows passengers arriving at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to transfer directly to a same-daydeparting cruise ship, and the Onboard Check-in initiative allows passengers arriving on a cruise ship and flying out of YVR on the same day to transfer directly to YVR. Both programs require passengers to participate in an expedited immigration and customs clearance process and only apply to passengers who are not planning a preor post-stay in Vancouver. Passengers are able to participate in one or both initiatives. parking for passengers sailing out of both Canada Place and Ballantyne and can accommodate overheight vehicles. They provide shuttle service to both Canada Place and Ballantyne. Citipark (1.866.856.8080, canadaplaceparking.ca) operates a two-level parkade at Canada Place and offers long-term parking. They do not provide shuttle service to Ballantyne. Port M etro Vancou ver ©To urism Va ncouve r Cruising in British Columbia For decades, cruise ship passengers from around the world have been awestruck by the spectacular beauty of Canada’s Inside Passage, stretching from the southern tip of Vancouver Island northward along British Columbia’s coastline to the Canada–Alaska border. Cruise BC is an association of ports, destination marketing agencies and governments. Cruise BC’s goal is to transform British Columbia into a world-class cruise destination in its own right and to work with cruise lines to develop new British Columbia cruise itineraries. cruisebc.ca Other Passenger Services Ground Transfers At both terminals you will find connections to your post-cruise destinations via pre-arranged bus transfers and shore tours, taxi, limousine, airport and hotel shuttles with or without sightseeing, and bus service to Victoria. Nearby downtown terminal transfer locations include public transit, floatplane and helicopter service to Vancouver Island destinations and Seattle. Shuttle Service/Shore Tours MTR Western’s Sightline Tours is contracted to provide shuttle and tour ticketing on behalf of all licensed operators. Tickets can be purchased at their ground transportation desks, conveniently located at Canada Place and Ballantyne terminals. Regular shuttle service is provided from both terminals to Continued on page 66 Cruise Parking Both Canada Place and Ballantyne have short-term parking available for picking up and dropping off cruise passengers. Longterm parking facilities are also available at the terminals. CruisePark (1.800.665.0050, cruisepark.com) offers off-site long-term 64 t o u r i s m va n c o u ve r. c o m / t ra d e http://vancouver.weaverguides.com/clickthru.php?id=13524 http://vancouver.weaverguides.com/clickthru.php?id=13524 http://canadaplaceparking.ca http://cruisebc.ca http://cruisebc.ca http://cruisepark.com http://tourismvancouver.com/trade
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