Pacific Coastal customs question

[NayRN]

Just curious..

 

On the Pacific Coastal cruise this fall, we'll be leaving from Vancouver and ending in LA....with Astoria and San Francisco in between. When will we be going thru customs; in Astoria, our first US stop after Canada? I can't see waiting until LA or goinv thru in both Astoria and LA! I'm thinking Astoria....but I've thought incorretly before!;) If we don't have to go thru in LA, it sure will make getting off the ship much easier/quicker!

[Urban trekker]

Yes it should be Astoria as it is your first US Port but if there are any weather related problems and you can't dock there - then you will clear in San Francisco.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[NayRN]

Thanks! :D I figured that would be how we would do it....and it SHOULD make disembarking in LA easier....right?:o

[CapeCodCruiser]

Just thinking out loud here...

 

Are you talking customs or immigration? What if you don't get off the ship in any ports - you would then have to clear customs & immigration in the final port. It would be very difficult to keep track of who cleared where. Also if the first US port is just a port stop you won't be debarking with your baggage so how do you clear customs without your luggage?

[bonvoyagie]

I believe it is like all of the one way cruises out of Vancouver - you go through US customs before you board the ship.

 

You already cleared Canadian Customs at the airport - or wherever you entered Canada.

[CapeCodCruiser]

I believe it is like all of the one way cruises out of Vancouver - you go through US customs before you board the ship.

 

You already cleared Canadian Customs at the airport - or wherever you entered Canada.

 

Very clever of them! That makes perfect sense! Thanks

[jdvmd]

Just thinking out loud here...

 

Are you talking customs or immigration? What if you don't get off the ship in any ports - you would then have to clear customs & immigration in the final port. It would be very difficult to keep track of who cleared where. Also if the first US port is just a port stop you won't be debarking with your baggage so how do you clear customs without your luggage?

 

I believe it is like all of the one way cruises out of Vancouver - you go through customs before you board the ship.

 

You already cleared Canadian Customs at the airport - or wherever you entered Canada.

 

Less than two weeks ago, we had to go through U.S. Customs and Immigration on the ship when we arrived in Bar Harbour, ME. We were on a seven-night Canadian cruise (Holland America Maasdam) and Bar Harbour was the first U.S. port. Whether you were going ashore or not, EVERYONE had to present themselves to the officers with their passports. The ship is not cleared until everyone has gone through the line. There were four people whom they kept announcing so I guess they finally went. We were taken one floor at a time and given a set window, i.e. 8:15 to 8:45 a.m.

[valleyvillage]

You get on the ship in Vancouver, no customs no immigration. (At least this is how it was on our September PC cruise to L.A.)

 

At the first US port (it was supposed to be Astoria but the seas were too rough so it was SFO) everyone had to clear immigration while still on the ship. So even if you were not getting off the ship you would clear it there.

 

Arriving in Los Angeles we went through customs and handed over our forms.

 

At least that is how I remember it, I may be suffering from cruise deprivation. I'm sure Dennis remembers!

[camz]

You get on the ship in Vancouver, no customs no immigration. (At least this is how it was on our September PC cruise to L.A.)

 

At the first US port (it was supposed to be Astoria but the seas were too rough so it was SFO) everyone had to clear immigration while still on the ship. So even if you were not getting off the ship you would clear it there.

 

Arriving in Los Angeles we went through customs and handed over our forms.

 

At least that is how I remember it, I may be suffering from cruise deprivation. I'm sure Dennis remembers!

 

Valleyvillage, you always give the best detailed information in your posts. I was wondering, if you don't mind; How many cruises have you been on? I am thinking it must have been alot. :D

[slidergirl]

When I did my PC trip back in 2008 on the Star, we did no C&I in Canada at the dock (DID have C&I at the train station after training it from Seattle to Vancouver). The first US port for us was Astoria. We had to go to one of the public rooms and present our documents and a Customs declaration form to a CBP officer. He gave back my passport and the declaration form (which he had stamped with the "Admitted" CBP stamp AND a green slip of paper (also stamped "Admitted") that said that I had completed US Immigration inspection. It also says I am supposed to present this paper at the gangway when I was leaving the ship. So, I guess I did BOTH Customs and Immigration in Astoria. Never had to present luggage - it's like what happens 99% of the time in airports.

I'm positive about the paperwork because I still have it. I keep it in my passport holder

[Redheel Girl]

Very good question! But I am still confused because when I did the same Repo on the Pearl..San Francisco was the only Port that we stopped at and we did not have to go through Customs until we arrived at San Pedro. We went through Customs when we arrived in Vancouver by Train.:confused:

[Urban trekker]

Valley Village - your recall is fairly accurate but if you remember if we had cleared in Astoria they have an expedited system that once you clear you can leave the ship while in SF they have a different system and no one is allowed to leave the ship until everyone has been cleared - that is what was repeated told to us on that cruise - even if they weren't being truthful and letting those on ship tours off while still advising that others who had cleared couldn't go ashore because some were not cleared.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[valleyvillage]

Hi Dennis, oh yes I remember that snafu in SFO! I also remember getting up early and meeting Patrick and others down on deck 6 for the early access in Astoria...then the phone rang! LOL :D

 

@ camz I've only been on 8 cruises in the last 10 years, I would love to increase that frequency!:D

[bonvoyagie]

I suppose they do things differently on the first and last of the season cruises -it is done that way because there are no provisions for customs in the AK ports.

 

I know that when you return from the RT cruises out of Seattle you go through customs when you return to Seattle and on the Vancouver RTs you go through customs whenever you re enter the US - via train, plane, or automobile.

 

With as few ships that cruise through Astoria I am suprized that they would have you go through customs there - but it would make sense.

[mtwingcpa]

I've been on two PC cruises from Vancouver to Los Angeles. In both cases I went through US IMMIGRATION at the dock in Vancouver before boarding the ship, and US CUSTOMS in Los Angeles when I got off the ship. (And, of course, I had previously gone through Canadian IMMIGRATION when traveling from Seattle to Vancouver before the cruise.)

 

On one of the cruises I recall an announcement about something in Astoria, but I don't think it involved me. Might have related to NON-US travelers???

[NayRN]

Thanks everyone!!!!!;)

[Urban trekker]

Oh wait - I just had a brain thought as to why we didn't clear US customs etc in Vancouver - because we had two Canadian ports Nanaimo and Victoria before heading south.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[bonvoyagie]

Well I think it seems to be based on where the ship is going :D

[slidergirl]

It really didn't feel like I went through Customs in Astoria, but I did. Had to fill out the usual standard Customs Declaration Form. Gave it to the CBP officer. I just didn't have to trot out the luggage. It's like it is most of the time when you come back to the US at an airport. Most of the time, you just give your form to the officer, no luggage check. It's just that you are at the end of your trip and naturally have your bags with you. Don't sweat it. I guess if he was truly interested in what you may or may not have with you, he might require you to go pack your bags and bring them for inspection. Don't think I ever heard of that happening in Astoria, though :-)

[DCT61]

When we were on this itinerary (Norwegian Star) a few years back, we went thru customs while sailing into Astoria before we docked. Those in suites were asked to meet in the small meeting rooms on deck 12 (now the new suite area) and led into the observation lounge. We were the first in line...it went very fast.