Customs in Vancouver

[Tweedy]

I understand that we will be going through customs in Toronto..anyone have any experience with that???

 

Yes, you will be going through customs in Toronto. You'll then carry-on to the luggage carousels to collect your checked luggage. Follow the signs for connecting flights and just after you go through the door, you drop off your luggage and continue on to your gate. It's been a year since I did this and I'm pretty sure we had to go through security again after dropping off our checked luggage.

[usviking]

Canadian Customs Question For Smokers.

 

For our b2b on the Island Princess in September, 2012 from Vancouver to Whittier and back, we will be flying into YVR a couple of days prior to embarkation. I am a tobacco user (smaller filter-tipped cigars) and will be packing enough for the two week cruise. The amount I am planning to pack will exceed the visitor's allowance of 50 cigars as shown on the Canadian Border Declaration Card and it says "Special Duty may apply."

 

Does anyone have any experience with how the Canadian Border Services Agency deals with travelers bringing in more than the duty-free allowance and how much the Special Duty might be? I have done some research, but find some of the information confusing.

[martincath]

Canadian Customs Question For Smokers.

 

For our b2b on the Island Princess in September, 2012 from Vancouver to Whittier and back, we will be flying into YVR a couple of days prior to embarkation. I am a tobacco user (smaller filter-tipped cigars) and will be packing enough for the two week cruise. The amount I am planning to pack will exceed the visitor's allowance of 50 cigars as shown on the Canadian Border Declaration Card and it says "Special Duty may apply."

 

Does anyone have any experience with how the Canadian Border Services Agency deals with travelers bringing in more than the duty-free allowance and how much the Special Duty might be? I have done some research, but find some of the information confusing.

Sorry, no experience bringing cigars into BC - but you say 'we' above, so the other person(s) accompanying you can also have 50 cigars each as an allowance. There is no longer an age restriction on tobacco, so even if you're traveling with kids you can use their allowance.

 

If your companions are also smokers and maxing out their allowance with their own death-sticks, you could just contact CBSA by email or phone to ask them - part of the equation is dependent on actual value of the goods, part on how many you have for cigars, so without knowing exactly what you paid for the cigars it's impossible to run the calcs for you.

 

In general the hassles of paperwork mean the CBSA agents are unlikely to make you pay the duty if you are just fractionally over the allowance - we've come back from shopping trips with 5-10% extra a few times, declared that we have it, and just been waved through...

[martincath]

...Do we need to have prescriptions in original containers? Will they question the various vitamins that we usually put in baggies for each day? ...

 

Just read this post - saw others had replied about keeping your prescription containers etc. which is good. However, your vitamins in baggies could cause you major issues - I just head last week from a fellow diabetic traveling with their prescriptions, and even a medical letter confirming their status and need for drugs, glucose meter, stabs etc. who had done as you suggest, 'baggied up' each set of meds and supplements by meal and by day. They missed their flight because even with all of that evidence security insisted on having every tablet & gummy in the bags tested before they were allowed to board...

 

In short, never ever give any customs or immigration official any reason to make your life difficult!

 

Since you mention your prescriptions separately from your vitamins I'll assume you are taking the latter by choice rather than medical advice - if it's really that much of a hassle to bring the original bottles perhaps you could pick up a single bottle of broad-spectrum multi-vitamins in a pharmacy to last your vacation?

[usviking]

Thank you for your reply Martincath. I will contact CBSA.

[thecook]

Thank you all for taking the time to provide me with valuable information. I appreciate it!

[CMcG]

Just read this post - saw others had replied about keeping your prescription containers etc. which is good. However, your vitamins in baggies could cause you major issues - I just head last week from a fellow diabetic traveling with their prescriptions, and even a medical letter confirming their status and need for drugs, glucose meter, stabs etc. who had done as you suggest, 'baggied up' each set of meds and supplements by meal and by day. They missed their flight because even with all of that evidence security insisted on having every tablet & gummy in the bags tested before they were allowed to board...

 

In short, never ever give any customs or immigration official any reason to make your life difficult!

 

Since you mention your prescriptions separately from your vitamins I'll assume you are taking the latter by choice rather than medical advice - if it's really that much of a hassle to bring the original bottles perhaps you could pick up a single bottle of broad-spectrum multi-vitamins in a pharmacy to last your vacation?

 

I would probably have sat down & cried.:( Do they have equipment right there to test or did they have to send it off somewhere for testing? And how quickly can they test that stuff?

 

We buy many of the vitamins in bulk so the bottles are quite large - all of them together take up about 10x15 inch space in kitchen cabinet. And for some reason one brand uses glass bottles - they get a bit heavy even empty. I'll look to see if I can get smaller quantity bottles.

 

I'll have to show your message to my husband. I could probably get by with multivitamin & extra calcium - have to see what he thinks he must have. I guess I could also look into shipping a box to myself at the hotel in Vancouver or to the cruise ship.

 

Thanks for all your help - I still marvel over the walking maps you put together for me to get to Chinatown from Westin Bayshore!

Cheryl

[Putterdude]

Canadian Customs Question For Smokers.

 

For our b2b on the Island Princess in September, 2012 from Vancouver to Whittier and back, we will be flying into YVR a couple of days prior to embarkation. I am a tobacco user (smaller filter-tipped cigars) and will be packing enough for the two week cruise. The amount I am planning to pack will exceed the visitor's allowance of 50 cigars as shown on the Canadian Border Declaration Card and it says "Special Duty may apply."

 

Does anyone have any experience with how the Canadian Border Services Agency deals with travelers bringing in more than the duty-free allowance and how much the Special Duty might be? I have done some research, but find some of the information confusing.

 

I have been known to smoke the occasional cigar on the golf course and each spring bring back more than 50 cigars....I bring in 50 and DW brings the other 25 or 30, no problem. I probably shouldn't encourage you but there is a shop in Canada Place that sells Cuban cigars....you can do what you wish with that information.;) There are also a number of cigar stores in downtown Vancouver.

[usviking]

Thank you Putterdude for your input.

 

I appreciate all the input that you and others with first-hand knowledge regarding Vancouver have provided here on CC. This will be our first time through Vancouver and really looking forward to being there.

[em-sk]

I have been known to smoke the occasional cigar on the golf course and each spring bring back more than 50 cigars....I bring in 50 and DW brings the other 25 or 30, no problem. I probably shouldn't encourage you but there is a shop in Canada Place that sells Cuban cigars....you can do what you wish with that information.;) There are also a number of cigar stores in downtown Vancouver.

 

Canada has more open trade with Cuba than the US. The reason Cuban cigars are legal in Canada. Also the reason Cuba is a common (low cost) vacation resort area for Canadians.

The Canada customs/immigration people are more interested in people entering Canada illegally, trying to bring things illegally into Canada or goods to be re-sold. They not going to look that closely at the average vacationer getting on a cruiser ship. That said a lot of it depends on the person you get that does the first screening.

[kenish]

The Canada customs/immigration people are more interested in people entering Canada illegally

 

That's for sure, based on my last entry to Canada in October to visit a Vancouver friend for a few days. The immigration officer asked a lot of questions that seemed to reflect a concern that I might be seeking employment. It wasn't a "grilling" or anything, I've never experienced that many job-related questions entering any country.

 

The whole exchange was congenial...his last question was "So, your current job in the States is secure?" I answered, "Fortunately..." He chuckled and waved me through.

[Skiah]

Flying from Boston to Dallas to Vancouver for a Princess cruise in July. Any idea of average time to clear Customs at Vancouver International? Then there is another Customs check at Canada Place, is that right?

 

Thanks,

 

Murf

[cruising cockroach]

Flying from Boston to Dallas to Vancouver for a Princess cruise in July. Any idea of average time to clear Customs at Vancouver International?

 

Depends on time of day when you arrive. If it's the evening arrival, it shouldn't take too long.

[scottbee]

Flying from Boston to Dallas to Vancouver for a Princess cruise in July. Any idea of average time to clear Customs at Vancouver International? Then there is another Customs check at Canada Place, is that right?

 

You clear Canadian Immigration & Customs at YVR. Should be 15 minutes typically, as long as your flight doesn't arrive at the exact same time as 3 jumbos from Asia. and according to yvr.ca it doesn't look like too much else international arrives around that time.

 

At Canada Place, you will clear USA Immigration & Customs prior to boarding (so you don't have to when you get to Alaska). The time taken depends on the number of ships departing that day.

[zephyr17]

...There are flights between Toronto and Vancouver every hour.

Just an FYI, there are hourly flights from Toronto to Vancouver on both Air Canada and WestJet. I flew WestJet Toronto to Vancouver last year, and it was one of the best flights I have ever had. They are a great airline. I wish they could open up a US subsidiary to offer domestic US flights.

[Putterdude]

Just an FYI, there are hourly flights from Toronto to Vancouver on both Air Canada and WestJet. I flew WestJet Toronto to Vancouver last year, and it was one of the best flights I have ever had. They are a great airline. I wish they could open up a US subsidiary to offer domestic US flights.

 

They used SWA as their business model and a year or so ago SWA did announce they they were to start do some code sharing with WestJet in the eastern part of the contenent...but I have no knowledge of how that has worked out. I like both airlines but what I don't like are the seats in 737's for more than 2 hours.:eek:

[Putterdude]

Another factor of the delay with US customs at Canada Place is the number of officers CBP deigns to provide to Canada Place on any given day.

[Skiah]

Thanks for the info.

 

Murf

[zephyr17]

They used SWA as their business model and a year or so ago SWA did announce they they were to start do some code sharing with WestJet in the eastern part of the contenent...but I have no knowledge of how that has worked out. I like both airlines but what I don't like are the seats in 737's for more than 2 hours.:eek:

I don't like any airline coach seat for more than 2 hours, and Toronto to Vancouver is like a 5 hour flight! Personally, I think WestJet has improved on the SWA model. Better inflight entertainment and on my flight, better inflight service (although SWA's is better than most others). And they assign seats.

 

Not an SWA basher by any means. Also, my last long flight before my WestJet one was on AA, so WestJet's service looked light years better than AA's. Which is miserable.

[Putterdude]

I don't like any airline coach seat for more than 2 hours, and Toronto to Vancouver is like a 5 hour flight! Personally, I think WestJet has improved on the SWA model. Better inflight entertainment and on my flight, better inflight service (although SWA's is better than most others). And they assign seats.

 

Not an SWA basher by any means. Also, my last long flight before my WestJet one was on AA, so WestJet's service looked light years better than AA's. Which is miserable.

 

Interesting, I have flown both airlines a couple of times since November and I don't find a whole lot to choose between the two...but I kind of like SWA's 2 pieces of luggage fly free policy and a slight nod toward their in-cabin service. I will also admit that I have been much less inclined to turn up my nose at coach since my retirement and I started to pay for my own tickets.;) However, on a longer flight given the choice between a 737 and some larger equipment like Airbus, providing they are price competitive, I'll take the larger equipment. I have been flying 737's since the very early 70's and to me they have a place but that is under a 2 hour flight or less....ouch.

[em-sk]

Interesting, I have flown both airlines a couple of times since November and I don't find a whole lot to choose between the two...but I kind of like SWA's 2 pieces of luggage fly free policy and a slight nod toward their in-cabin service. I will also admit that I have been much less inclined to turn up my nose at coach since my retirement and I started to pay for my own tickets.;) However, on a longer flight given the choice between a 737 and some larger equipment like Airbus, providing they are price competitive, I'll take the larger equipment. I have been flying 737's since the very early 70's and to me they have a place but that is under a 2 hour flight or less....ouch.

 

The codeshare with SWA never materialised. I think that was for the better....

 

WestJet now codeshares with American Airlines, and Delta out of the US and with a host of overseas airlines (Cathay, British Airways, KLM, etc.). I did a flight last month where my first lag was on WestGet and second leg on American (with a WestJet code). They apear to be adding new flights connecting their hubs with American and Delta hubs; from Vancouver and Calgary into Chicago daily and from Toronto into Laguardia with Delta several times per day as examples.

[scottbee]

I don't like any airline coach seat for more than 2 hours, and Toronto to Vancouver is like a 5 hour flight! Personally, I think WestJet has improved on the SWA model. Better inflight entertainment and on my flight, better inflight service (although SWA's is better than most others). And they assign seats.

 

Not an SWA basher by any means. Also, my last long flight before my WestJet one was on AA, so WestJet's service looked light years better than AA's. Which is miserable.

 

In today's airline world, you're going be stuck in a relatively tight seat pitch on a 3+3 (B737, A32x) or 3+2 (MD80/90) on a domestic flight in North America. The only wide-bodies left in domestic service are a few Boeing 767; and zero wide-body Airbus (except as positioning flights). As the range of the 737NG and latest A320 series have increased, North American airlines have all but eliminated wide-body service on the continent; and even shifted their largest single-aisle aircraft (B757) into trans-oceanic service.

 

Chances are in the next 5 years that you'll see an increase back to prop aircraft on stage lengths under 750 miles due to the superior fuel economy vs jets. Airlines like Alaska have deployed Q400s on longer routes like SEA-RNO, and it's a change that's likely to continue.

 

As for WS vs other airlines? I just get the impression they're trying to do one thing, and do it well. Starting next year, we see the introduction of WS Express flying Q400s, and I would expect to see them on a lot of shorter routes replacing 737s.

 

Longer term, expect WS to become another mainstream carrier, offering

• business class seats
  
• more lounges (already exists as outsourced in a couple of airports)
  
• more traditional FF plan
  
• joining one of the global alliances (likely Skyteam given the tight integration already with DL/KL/AF)
  
• trans oceanic service (apparently there's already an RFP out there for long-haul aircraft); it wouldn't surprise me to see WS as an early customer of any potential 757 replacement
  

[Putterdude]

The codeshare with SWA never materialised. I think that was for the better....

 

 

Evidently the deal was put together in 2009 and I guess I read about on a SWA flight in early 2010 (it was probably a December 2009 in-flight magazine). However after the deal was struck WS wanted a number of changes that SWA didn't want to go along with and finally in April 2010 the whole deal went "poof".