Can I board princess ship in Vancouver & then leave ship?

We like to board early in Vancouver and then get off and walk around. Will we be able to do this? Do u go through customs first?

I do not see why not just be back onboard at the time specified

usually 90 min prior to sailaway

You would go through security

We like to board early in Vancouver and then get off and walk around. Will we be able to do this? Do u go through customs first?

You could drop your suitcases, wander around, then come back check in and board.

The problem is that after checkin, but prior to boarding in Vancouver, you clear USA Immigration & Customs. so you don't have to in your 1st Alaskan port.

To get back off the ship, you'd have to re-clear Canadian Customs & Immigration; and it's not set up for that.

Thanks for your answers, but they seem to be conflicting .???

hsmcruise.

Boarding an Alasakan cruise in Vancouver is unique in that as Scott mentioned once you enter the secure area and go through US Custom and Immigration you are deemed to be on American soil so to leave the ship you normally and legally have to clear Canadian Customs to re-enter Canada. Therefore it is legally not permitted if there is no Canada Customs officer to admit.

Whether this is enforced in Vancouver I don't know as once on the ship I am just happy to be able to sit back and relax, have and adult beverage and admire the views of my home and native City.

You can drop your bags with the porters as this area is outside the secure area and then go explore the area.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

Dennis

Thanks for your answers, but they seem to be conflicting .???

Like most cruise ports, you

1. drop your bags outside the door,
   
2. then go inside and check in,
   
3. clear security,
   
4. and board your ship.
   

In Vancouver, in order to make life easier in the 1st Alaskan port, you clear US Immigration/Customs prior to boarding. So if you arrive at the port, drop your bags, and then leave and come back later to check in, you should be OK.

We like to board early in Vancouver and then get off and walk around. Will we be able to do this? Do u go through customs first?

I was with Princess's Alaska cruise embark from Vancouver last year and was told, we better stay on the ship, as re-boarding would be a hassle.

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Thanks! Now it makes sense. It seems like the best scenario is to drop off our bags, but like others I usually like to start and enjoy the ship even before it leaves port.

I was with Princess's Alaska cruise embark from Vancouver last year and was told, we better stay on the ship, as re-boarding would be a hassle.

 

 

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Same thing happened to us last Fall. Our departure was delayed by almost a full day but we were told that we could not leave the ship (in Vancouver).

DaveOKC

When I was going on a cruise from Vancouver to Alaska some years ago, I got on the ship, dropped bags in my room, had lunch then got off to keep a manipedi appointment at spa utopia at Canada Place. I Don,t recall it being any hassle at all, just made sure I had my passport and cruise card with me. This was in 2007 and the ship was celebrity Mercury. My first cruise and it was very exciting.

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We just got back from our NZ Cruise and our daughter and SIL dropped off their luggage then visited the Rocks in downtown Sydney for a couple hours before boarding. Since this was their first cruise, I was like a mother hen worrying about her babies and their going thru the boarding process, but they had no problems and we met up again later on.