Vancouver terminal - a nightmare????

I was just reading a thread on the HAL board and it sounded like the Vancouver terminal is a real nightmare for embarkation. Was this just someone whining, or is it really a problem. Sounded like 2 - 3 hours waiting time before they could board the ship. Just trying to get some feedback. If it's a long wait, I may need to have wheelchair assistance. Any information would be appreciated....

I was just reading a thread on the HAL board and it sounded like the Vancouver terminal is a real nightmare for embarkation. Was this just someone whining, or is it really a problem. Sounded like 2 - 3 hours waiting time before they could board the ship. Just trying to get some feedback. If it's a long wait, I may need to have wheelchair assistance. Any information would be appreciated....

Having boarded here in Vancouver, and in other ports it seemed pretty average. One thing to check is how many ships are in town that day, the more, the slower it's likely to be. Last couple of departures were probably in the 20-30 min range from arriving to walking on the ship, vs 3 hrs in New Orleans, so that's still bottom of my list.

Yes, it's totally dependent on the number of ships in port. Currently we are seeing mainly repo cruises, which are typically short hops with lots of locals who like to show up early to make the most of their cruise ship time. Many days this week there have been 3 ships in port - one day there was a 2 hour line up just to get into the terminal!!!!!!!! Vancouver is often more difficult than other ports since you are leaving Canada and required to pre-clear for the US - this is where line ups occur, not at check in. However, if you go with the same expectations you would have if you were going to an airport for a flight, it's really not so bad!

There will only be one other ship in port that day, the Celebrity Mercury, which holds about 1800 passengers. I'll be embarking on HAL's Rhyndam, which holds about 1200. So maybe it won't be so bad. Both ships are heading up to Alaska, not 1-2 day cruises.

Scottbee - did you arrive early at the terminal for the 20 - 30 minute waits? Are there places to sit if you get there early, before customs is ready to start? I wouldn't mind waiting if I have a place to sit.

It shouldnt be too much trouble, last year with 3ships in port we were on the ship by noon. If you can be there that early there wasnt much of a line, for some later it was a different story. On the west side of Canada place HAL had their own lines seperate of the other ship, so watch for the HAL people to direct you.

I'll be staying in Vancouver the night before, so I can get to the terminal in plenty of time in the morning. And I'll watch for the HAL folks. That's a great tip!

Like all cruise ports there are some quirks.

There are better times to get there and here's my thoughts If you want to beat the lines.

Early..be the first and then you only have to wait for USA C& Immigration to arrive.

In between. The Late early guys and the masses that arrive around 12:30-2 off planes, trains and buses. Say about 11 or so.

Late: Like said earlier in another thread by someone that works there. 3 PM or later and the places is almost empty.

Everyone goes through Security before you get separated into your various cruise lines.

My experience has been if you arrive with the mob between 10:30 and 11:30 you will experience waits but iif you wait until after 11:30 or better still...noon your waits should be quite minimal. As pointed out in a previous post, you do have to clear US customs before boarding the ship which does add a few extra minutes to the process.

I will say that on Friday with 3 ships at Canada Place the disembarkation process was flawless ...it only took moments and there was no wait at all for a cab at 8:30 am.:)

I was just reading a thread on the HAL board and it sounded like the Vancouver terminal is a real nightmare.

I must have sailed on the same date (05/08/10) as the person that wrote that thread because nightmare is an understatement. 3 ships in port, 1 of them doing the 1nighter. The line for embarkation weaved though the parking garage, up the ramp and out to the front of the pan pacific. 4 hours in line for embarkation. Everyone blamed it on U.S. immigration only having a handful of screeners.

Sailed on NCL Star out of Vancouver on May 8th. It was a total mess. Heard some buzz about one of the cranes being broken, so getting luggage off the ships for those disembarking started this off with that. Also, the lines were completely disorganized. We were on one to drop off luggage, and were then told to go to the back of the SAME line we were just on to go through customs. Lines wove through other lines. Guess this was one of the first big days for the terminal... to say they have some kinks to work out is an understatement!

I have to say, for the most part, people embarking were handling it pretty well, considering the situation and lack of communication. I guess we all kept thinking about how we were going on vacation so we shouldn't stress about things we can't control. Can't speak for those disembarking, must have been a drag to walk off the ships into that mess!

We had one of those awful embarkations two years ago. We got off a Princess ship and on NCL. The terminal was a nightmare. At one point the lady in charge of the port got on a bullhorn and yelled at everyone to sit down or she would call the police and have everyone thrown out.

I think the rough times happen when they are doing the repositioning cruises. Lots of newbies-working checkin as well. They probably don't have the system refined for the first cruise or so.

I've been there other times and it just fine.

We left from Vancouver on May 15th and it was a nightmare. 3 ships in port, 2 Princess and 1 Holland America. All passengers were in one line for U.S. immigration, there were 13 stations and only 4 workers. Then we were sent to a holding room to wait and when the room was full, they processed passengers that arrived after us first. Total time before boarding the ship was over 3 hours. On the ship we spoke to passengers that were in lines for 4 hours. Vancouver needs to get their act together.

Dennis

"All passengers were in one line for U.S. immigration, there were 13 stations and only 4 workers."

It would seems to me that the DHS or whatever you call the Customs and Immigration folks these days are the ones that need to get there act together. 4 workers for 6000 - 8000 folks wanting to board the ships - mind you everyone myself included - wants to be the first on the ship and the first into the restaurants or first to get in line to make restaurant reservations for the week.

Lack of customs staff is hardly the fault of the Vancouver port and cruise people.

Let see it takes 2 - 3 hours to board a cruise ship - two to three hours to cross the border from Canada to the US and 2 to 3 hours to board a US flight - anyone see the pattern here.

Sorry about the delay but the blame is being placed in the wrong area.

Cheers

Dennis

"All passengers were in one line for U.S. immigration, there were 13 stations and only 4 workers."

 

It would seems to me that the DHS or whatever you call the Customs and Immigration folks these days are the ones that need to get there act together. 4 workers for 6000 - 8000 folks wanting to board the ships - mind you everyone myself included - wants to be the first on the ship and the first into the restaurants or first to get in line to make restaurant reservations for the week.

 

Lack of customs staff is hardly the fault of the Vancouver port and cruise people.

 

Let see it takes 2 - 3 hours to board a cruise ship - two to three hours to cross the border from Canada to the US and 2 to 3 hours to board a US flight - anyone see the pattern here.

 

Sorry about the delay but the blame is being placed in the wrong area.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Couldn't have put it better myself, Dennis! I am so sick of everyone sailing from Vancouver blaming the port or the cruise line for the waits when, in fact, neither one has little control over anything that goes on prior to US immigration. If you have a 3 hour wait from the point you are handed your health declarations, then yes you should blame the cruise line. Otherwise, it's all security and pre-clearing the US. What gets me is that if you were going to the Vancouver airport to fly to the US you would expect to get there 3 hours ahead of time for the entire screening, customs, check in procedure. The process is exactly the same when cruising from vancouver to the US yet folks expect to be through and onboard without a wait!??! I just don't get the logic....

I have to chime and agree, no one has control over what the US DHS people do or how many people they send to clear pax at Canada Place or for that matter at YVR. Exactly the same set of circumstances can occur when a ship arrives from the Caribbean in Fort Lauderdale or from Mexico in San Pedro. Might I suggest the poster write Janet Napolitano as this is where the problem lies. You may be assured that neither the people at Canada Place or the the cruise lines want people standing in line for 3 hours. I have provided Ms. Napolitano address for convenience:

Secretary Janet Napolitano

Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Washington, DC 20528

I had some friends that took Quick Shuttle down to Seattle last Friday and the wait for the buses at the Truck crossing was 4 hours - that 4 hours for a regularly schedule bus to clear the US border - they were going down a day early so they didn't miss the boat but for one of the friends it was to be her first time in Seattle so she got considerably less time to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Emerald City. Wonder who is to blame for that long wait - did someone forget to tell DHS that it was a holiday weekend in Canada and there is likely to be more traffic than usual or is the US so bankrupt that they can't afford to hire or give overtime to their border agents.

Cheers

Dennis

For those that may not know I believe that Ceilidhi 1 is a casual employee at Canada Place so they see first hand what might be causing delays etc.

Americans as a whole need to remember that the same waits that they are getting for returning to their own country are just as long for those of us who want to visit the USA and many put up with it several times a year. The days of coming up to a border agent and stating your name, citizenship and where you are going or where you have been are over - KAPUT - GONE FOREVER!!!

Even with a passport and an enhanced Driver's License the questions are getting longer and more personal with each visit - IE - why are you traveling alone to LA to take a cruise? Have you ever been fingerprinted - to get an enhanced driver's license you undergo a criminal record and a US security check so why the need for those kinds of questions - I had the second highest Olympic security clearances and didn't have anywhere near the hassle getting it that I get crossing the border to the US.

That's my rant for tonight - see what happens when there is no hockey to watch.

Cheers

Dennis

I Wonder who is to blame for that long wait - did someone forget to tell DHS that it was a holiday weekend in Canada and there is likely to be more traffic than usual or is the US so bankrupt that they can't afford to hire or give overtime to their border agents.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Hey Ut, this is something that seems to happen every Victoria Day weekend and Good Friday which our American cousins don't observe and DHS couldn't care less about.

Everything old is new again! I recall last year here on CC that we had to explain that lineups to get to a US bound flight were not the fault of YVR, and I know that I was not believed at first!:rolleyes:

People believe what they want to believe not necessarily what is fact that is why I pointed out that the waits at Canada Place are no different than other modes of travel to the US.

Canadians have long complained about the slowness of the US border officials to no avail - perhaps if all US Politicians and senior bureaucrats had to wait in the same line as the rest of us the matter would get some attention but I doubt it.

Cheers

Dennis

I know that I have posted numerous times about the process at Canada Place and what causes the delays - no one that uses CruiseCritic (and does their research) would be blaming either the cruiseline or the port for 99% of the line ups (even on 3 ship days!!!) if they just read and took notice of all the advice that us locals give. Believe me, we dislike the lines as much as the passengers (and it gets wearing having to smile and apologize over and over for something that is out of your control) but we don't get to enjoy a cruise at the end of it all!

I didn't mean to start a rant, or to disparage the folks at Canada Place. I was only looking for information so I would know how to plan my embarkation day. I admit, the subject line definitely had a biased tone to it, but, it did get the attention and information I needed. Again - apologies to any who were insulted by my question, or the responses to it.

One last, I hope, question. Are there benches or chairs to sit on, and restrooms available, should I decide to get there early? May sound a little silly, but, I've been in terminals where it was standing only, and restrooms were all outside of security.

Thanks.

I didn't mean to start a rant, or to disparage the folks at Canada Place. I was only looking for information so I would know how to plan my embarkation day. I admit, the subject line definitely had a biased tone to it, but, it did get the attention and information I needed. Again - apologies to any who were insulted by my question, or the responses to it.

 

One last, I hope, question. Are there benches or chairs to sit on, and restrooms available, should I decide to get there early? May sound a little silly, but, I've been in terminals where it was standing only, and restrooms were all outside of security.

 

Thanks.

No offence taken - your original post was appropriate and didn't start a rant...I just wish more folks would do their research, as you are doing, so they know what to expect!

There are washrooms and places to sit both pre and post security at Canada Place. If you are thinking of going early, bear in mind that security doesn't open until 10:45 so you won't get any further than the terminal before that time. Once through security and US immigration you will go to your cruise line for check in. Boarding usually begins at 11:30-12:00 so if you are through prior to this time, they will just have you sit in the check in area to wait. The busy times with the longest line ups for security and immigration are typically 12:00-2:30pm. Avoid this peak time and you should be fine!

If it's a long wait, I may need to have wheelchair assistance. Any information would be appreciated....

We're dealing with this issue also. From other threads I got the impression that even getting to a point where you can request a wheeelchair may be a long wait. I know that on our last cruise, the Coast Guard pulled a surprise inspection of the ship. Nothing could come off the ship until they released it. The people in front of us had one wheelchair but another member of the party needed one also because of the wait. But the cruise line couldn't get anything to her. They ended up alternating who got to sit in the wheelchair and who stood. Luckily my walker has a seat so I could sit while we waited.

Of course this was an American homeport, but similar scenerios could always happen, even if it's just lines so backed up that you're waiting on the sidewalk outside for awhile.

I'll be renting a wheelchair for use during the cruise. One solution we thought of is getting the wheelchair delivered to our hotel room rather than having it delivered to our cabin. If you have trouble standing in lines, you may want to consider renting a wheelchair (manual and foldable) for the cruise because there are often waits where seating is very limited and long walks both on shore and on board.

DW has MS and walks with a cane, leg brace and walker (rollater). For long distances and waits, she needs a wheelchair but doesn't travel with one. So we request a wheelchair assist for embarkation and disembarkation through the cruise line. At Canada Place or any other cruise terminal we arrive at, after checking luggage we walk up to a cruise line representative and request a chair which they send for. If we have to wait a bit for the wheelchair to arrive, DW has always been offered a chair to sit on while we wait at Canada Place or elsewhere.