Southbound Star Questions

Just booked for end of August, Southbound Star. I haven't been on Princess for about 3 years and of course things change. I have been researching and found a lot of answers to my questions but have found limited or outdated answers to the following.

I usually bring back about 4 bottles of liquor from the on board gift shop. Much cheaper for good stuff than here at home. However, never had to disembark and deal with Canadian Customs. So...

1. What will they allow w/o charging me duty since I am a US Citizen? Are they as lenient as US customs is on a few bottles or since we are now the foreigners do they charge duty?

2. Trying to plan trans back to Seattle but we live north about 40 miles. One shuttle drops us off close to home but only stops there on the 945 P/U Shuttle at Canada Place. Is that too early to expect to be off the ship and through Customs?

3. BTW Canada Place is right off the pier and easy to get to dragging luggage correct?

Wondering if Northern Lights can be seen from the ship at night. Only been on one other Alaskan cruise (NCL RT Seattle) and forgot to look for them. I guess I am asking if there is a dark area on the top of the ship that we could go??? RCL Navigator had a top deck that was dark and we watched meteors one night but had to be late.

Trying to plan transportation from Anchorage. Leaning toward a shuttle/tour over the Train. Any recommendations from recent cruisers? ( Been on Tripadvisor and the Ports of Call on CC). I assume you can board the ship at noon and cabins are ready by 1:30?

Do they offer reduced rates for the Crown Grill on the first night or a late port night?

Also wondering about the Lifeboat drill. Read that it was around 7:45, Really? Doesn't that mess up dinner for assigned seating or watching Sail Away? Maybe I read it wrong, if so when is it?

We have an Outside Guarantee. I know they can assign it anytime and there is no way to guess when. Will the assigned cabin show in our "Manage Booking" page when they do or will it always show Outside Guarantee and I would have to go to some other screen to see it?

Thanks for any info, I am a bit of a planner.

 

Do they offer reduced rates for the Crown Grill on the first night or a late port night?

 

Also wondering about the Lifeboat drill. Read that it was around 7:45, Really? Doesn't that mess up dinner for assigned seating or watching Sail Away? Maybe I read it wrong, if so when is it?

 

We have an Outside Guarantee. I know they can assign it anytime and there is no way to guess when. Will the assigned cabin show in our "Manage Booking" page when they do or will it always show Outside Guarantee and I would have to go to some other screen to see it?

 

Thanks for any info, I am a bit of a planner.

Some information: No standard discounts in the Crown Grill on boarding day. If you find a coupon book in your cabin look through it. There could be a boarding day coupon special. By the way full suite passengers get free specialty restaurant on boarding day, so expect limited seating.

Exact information regarding the time of the muster will be in the Princess Patter, and there will also be ship wide announcements. 7:45 sounds about right for an 8:30 sailing. No dinner will be served during muster. First night dinner will likely be open seating, not assigned seating. If you want to watch the sail away you will have to adjust your dinner to maybe before the muster or grab something at the Horizon Ct. before or after sail away. It's your choice.

Cabin: Go to the Princess home page. Select 'Booked Guests' and then 'Cruise Personlizer Login.' Login and select your cruise. On the first page you will see

Booking Details' and your assigned cabin will be shown. Check daily and you will notice a change if there is one.

No need to look for the Northern Lights - on a cruise 2 years ago theatre was full and the Captain came on the PA apologising for the interruption but if anyone was interested the Northern Lights were visible. It is to be hoped that the theatre empties that fast if there was a fire. The upper decks were crowded but it was spectacular. Captain also said in all the times he had cruised Alaska it was the first time he'd seen them. As we were doing a B2B there was a similar announcement but this time it was later (had to get out of bed and scramble into appropriate clothing) not as many people and it also wasn't as impressive but I'd say there is no need to be watching as the crew know it is something that people want to see so if they see them they let the ship know.

I boarded Golden southbound at Whittier on May 26.

Was on the Alaska Railway train that arrived Whittier at 12:15. Check in had not started yet, apparently we (the 200 or so who go off the train in Whittier) were the first embarking passengers to arrive. A couple check in agents appeared about 15 minutes later, and I was aboard mere moments after. Cabins were ready.

But as you do not wish to use the train, you will find lots of recommendations for coach tour transfers here and on the Alaska ports board. Need to know if you are starting from the airport (flying in early the morning of the cruise) or staying at a hotel the night before. Be sure to get on the tour that ends in Whittier (where Princess embarks) rather than Seward (where every other cruise line does).

Patter said that dinner seatings would be 5:15 and 8:15 for that night, with muster in between. When I went down to the Canaletto Dining Room (the one used for traditional fixed seating) after the drill they refused to show me to my assigned table, said it was open seating for all. And fixed seating times were 5:15 and 7:30 the remainder of the cruise, despite the welcome aboard letter in the cabin stating 5:30 and 7:45.

There are persistent reports of a TA coupon book that offers two-for-one specialty dining on embarkation night. Whether it is given out on southbound Alaska sailings (as you would need go early enough to finish before muster) I've no clue.

Canada Place is the port but I don’t know the location of the shuttle pick up point.

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Canada Place is the port but I don’t know the location of the shuttle pick up point.

When I disembarked in Vancouver I walked out of the terminal dragging all my luggage after wasting nearly an hour in a line that barely moved for the bag service to the airport. Those who were walking out were directed up a elevator to the exterior of the convention center in order to bypass the area where the coaches for the ship's transfers are parked. Private car pick ups were being done at the hotel street entrance, not in the garage.

Thanks for all the answers, still wondering if a 9:45 pickup at Canada Place is too early for a shuttle back home.

We haven't ruled out the Train from Anchorage to Wittier just was hoping for opinions on which was better Bus/tour or Train. Money wasn't a big consideration but getting to Wittier by mid afternoon was.

Again, thanks for all replies.

We used Alaska Cruise Transfer to go from Anchorage to Whittier. They have a website that provides information regarding transfer times and tours. We went on the transfer that included the Wildlife Conservation Center and enjoyed it. They have buses leaving several times during the day.

Just booked for end of August, Southbound Star. I haven't been on Princess for about 3 years and of course things change. I have been researching and found a lot of answers to my questions but have found limited or outdated answers to the following.

 

I usually bring back about 4 bottles of liquor from the on board gift shop. Much cheaper for good stuff than here at home. However, never had to disembark and deal with Canadian Customs. So...

 

1. What will they allow w/o charging me duty since I am a US Citizen? Are they as lenient as US customs is on a few bottles or since we are now the foreigners do they charge duty?

 

You are entering Canada as a foreign citizen. Thus you will be subject to the customs limits for all visitors to Canada.

This link may help you

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/atl-lat-eng.html

We are sailing the Star in late August SB as well. This will be our 3rd time departing from Whittier to Vancouver. Both times prior (and for this upcoming cruise) we have booked the train direct from Alaska Railroad. I find it a hassle free way to get the part and relaxing start to the first day.

When you check in at the depot, they will take your luggage and deliver it to the ship for you. You won't see it again until it's in your room. The train arrives around noon and before the buses start arriving (about an hour later, it seems). It's nice to be the first ones onboard. Many people check-in and then take a Prince William Sound cruise. That has always sounded great, but after traveling inland for days prior, it is really nice to get on a quiet ship and relax for a bit.

We've always experienced open dinner seating on the first night because of the muster drill being held so late. I think the evening train arrives around 6:30ish, which has A LOT of passengers on it coming from Denali and Mt. McKinley lodges. It takes them some time to check-in, get to their rooms (maybe a snack) before muster starts.

I really can't recall how long it takes to get through customs in Canada. I don't recall it being quick, but it seems if we dock at 7:30am, you could self disembark (carry your own luggage) and should be fine to be outside for pick up by 9:45am. Of course, that's if the ship is on time and you're able to be in the initial wave of people. Maybe best to hear from someone who has recently gone through the process in Vancouver. Even my experiences from the last SB cruise in 2014 could be different than this season.

I'm REALLY hoping for a chance at seeing the northern Lights since we'll be sailing so late in the season. In all my previous Alaskan cruises (including the NB one), it's always been too light outside at night. I don't expect it this trip, but it would be great to see!

I really can't recall how long it takes to get through customs in Canada. I don't recall it being quick

It has been several years, but when we disembarked in Vancouver we had purchased the Princess transportation to the Seattle airport.

As I remember it, we filled out the Canadian customs form in advance and turned it in before disembarkation morning. Thus, for us, no problem at all. Also, Princess had our luggage pre-loaded onto the bus. After putting it out the last evening, we next saw it when it was taken off of the bus at the Seattle airport.

Thanks for all the answers, still wondering if a 9:45 pickup at Canada Place is too early for a shuttle back home.

 

If you are able to walk off with all of your luggage you could request to be in the first walk off group, as early as 7:15am! Providing there are no delays with the ship being cleared, the shuttle at 9:45am would be fine for you! Customs into Canada at the port is now a breeze - you simply hand in your declaration card and walk through. Obviously, if you are bringing in additional items that are subject to duty, this may be a different story (no idea of the process for that). If the shuttle leaves from street level, simply walk all the way through to the very end of the terminal and either take the elevator under the Pan Pacific Hotel or walk up the ramp. It will leave from outside the Pan Pacific. There is a Quick Shuttle that will come down to terminal level at 9am. You should make that if you are able to walk off with luggage...

Anyone have copies of the Patters for the southbound cruise?

Please post if possible, many have asked and are hoping to view them.

Thanks for the replies. Never done the Walk off early option, always looked like a mob scene trying to get through a small door. Might be the best way to go, maybe Princess does it better than NCL. Really want to take that early Shuttle then I don't have to go all the way to Seattle.

We will be on the Aug. 25th cruise.

Copies of the Patters would be great. Hope someone posts them.

We took the QuickShuttle bus at 9 AM out of one of the bus bays in Canada Place. Stops a couple of times in Vancouver and then at least once more before the border. Did have to get off bus at US border and take all luggage through scanner. Bus stopped at a casino/shopping center something like 40 miles north of Seattle, so might be perfect for you.

In your case you are bringing alcohol both into Canada and US. Might wind up paying duty at both locations.