US Direct in Vancouver -- Does HAL do it???

[marne-c]

According to the Vancouver Port Authority (http://www.portvancouver.com/vanAlaCruise/content/infoPassengers/usDirect.html), Holland America participates in their US Direct program where passengers arriving by air in Vancouver and boarding (or disembarking) a cruise ship that day can bypass most immigration formalities on their way to (and from) the ship.

I've used US Direct before (on our Diamond Princess cruise in '04), and it was great!

I'd like to use US Direct again this summer when my wife and I do another Alaskan Inside Passage cruise on the Zuiderdam. But I can't find any information on HAL's website about US Direct. My TA could get info from HAL on airport transfers, but nothing about US Direct either.

So, has anyone out there ever used US Direct on a HAL cruise? If so, how did you set it up?

Thanks in advance for any comments!!!!

--Marne

[King Neptune]

I don't know anything about coming in to Vancouver but leaving out we participated in a program that allowed us to go to special customs area as a bus load and we cleared very quickly. This was possible because the cruise line had already checked our luggage for us and checked us in for our flights. We went directly to the gate and never had to wait in line at airport check in.