Disembarkation in Vancouver - Customs?

[dcl1710]

Do we go through Customs on the Ship or at the airport or both? We start the cruise in Whittier and end at Vancouver. Is it a long process or easy off? Trying to time a car service that morning. Had a bad experience with a cab line in Fort Lauderdale so we arrange our own transportation. Thanks in advance for the information.

[goodmud]

When we disembarked from the ship we were given a customs form to fill out. At some point as we were going through the lines, there was a lady who took our form and asked my husband (the only Canadian with us)what he was bringing into the country. She did not ask the rest of us any questions after she looked at our slip. The porter helping with the luggage told us we could put our passports away after that as that was customs. Now, I don't know about going through customs in Vancouver to fly to the US. We had to go through US customs in Toronto (we flew Vancouver, Toronto, Detroit) before we could board our plane to the US. It was a true horror story!! We had a two hour layover on the scheduled flight with Air Canada (which Air Canada sets up knowing that you have to clear customs) and we had to run to catch the flight after spending the whole two hours in the customs process. There were many, many people that did not make their flights, on many different carriers that day. While we were just catching a connecting flight, we still had to go back through security after we went through customs. The system was automated, but we had to go through at least 6 different lines for 6 different steps in the process. Hopefully it is easier in Vancouver. I would have just preferred to go through the customs process in Detroit where I had lots of time and no time schedule - we were told they do it in Toronto to "save time". I forgot to mention that we were 4 US citizens traveling on US passports with one Canadian on a Canadian passport - so nothing slowed us down - can't imagine what the process would be for someone with a visa or unusual travel documents.

Edited August 10, 2015 by goodmud

[dcl1710]

OMG! Our flight from Vancouver is at 6:40 am! We are staying a few days post cruise to see the city. This sounds like a nightmare in the works...

[1025cruise]

You will go through Canadian customs as you enter Vancouver.

When you return to the airport, you will go through US immigration/customs prior to boarding. When you enter the US, you will be considered domestic.

[Langley Cruisers]

OMG! Our flight from Vancouver is at 6:40 am! ... This sounds like a nightmare in the works...

 

Don't let something you read scare you or worry you. The previous poster is discussing their experience in Toronto, which is Canada's largest and busiest airport.

 

In Vancouver, it will definitely be an early day, that's for sure, but we have done it many times and you just need to plan your morning. U.S. Customs & Border Protection opens at 4:30 am, and personally, I would be there before then. You will check in your bags at your airline ticket counter and then be directed to U.S. pre-clearance. There can be delays, even at that time of the morning. Just arrive early, check in, go through C&I, security, and then have your coffee and muffin on the other side.

 

You'll do great. :)

 

EDITED to add this link for you:

 

http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-YVR/customs-immigration/us-customs-border-protection.aspx

 

.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Langley Cruisers

[martincath]

Despite the tales of horror, and there are some days when the brown stuff hits the proverbial fan, usually the process is not particularly taxing...

 

Yes, when you enter Canada you must go through Canadian Customs (and Immigration) whether you are going right to the airport to leave or staying for days/weeks/months/forever. How long it takes is mostly dependent on how many of your fellow passengers you beat off the ship - if you're the first people, you'll be done in five minutes. Try to get off at 8:30am, you'll probably be a half-hour. Any car service meeting you at Canada Place should know the drill - contact them with your official disembarkation time and they'll pad appropriately (and if you have booked them in advance you're already paying for a built-in wait time of at least half an hour with any reputable company...)

 

Yes, if you fly from Vancouver DIRECTLY to the US, you also do US immigration & customs locally. If you fly via another major Canadian airport, like the poster above via YYZ, you do it on your last Canadian stop before the flight that crosses into the USA. This way you land in the USA as a Domestic flight which saves time on the other end.

 

For the 6:40am flight people - don't go TOO early is the best advice I can give. Even locals don't always bother to check what time US staff start operating, and that's the limiting factor. If you show up at 3am you'll just end up sitting around for 90 minutes as CBP dies not allow anyone in until 4:30am. This tends to mean a lot of frantic people clumped up waiting, as the official line is to be at YVR 3 hours before departure for US & international flights.

 

I like to give those folks a chance to filter though - so for flights at 7am or earlier I show up on the first SkyTrain of the day, which pulls in at about 5:15am. The first rush of folks is already gone by the time I arrive - and you're still there long before the same-day-departing cruisers start rolling in at around 8:30am.

 

If you are the kind of nervous/supercareful passenger that needs to be somewhere as early as possible, aim to get to YVR between 4:00 and 4:15am - you should be able to check in, get through general Security and then join the US CBP queue just about the time it's opening. Any time earlier than that is totally pointless.

Edited August 10, 2015 by martincath

[dcl1710]

Thanks for the information. I have heard horror stories at US Customs but mostly the complaints were from JFK and that is a very busy airport. My son had one good and one bad experience at Vancouver but the second bad one was because of the passengers, not US Customs.

I dreaded making the flight so early but only time to leave so we are home before midnight.

[martincath]

Depending when your son last traveled, things may have a higher baseline of efficiency now - the kiosks at YVR streamline the process very nicely. First time you use it of course you're unfamiliar with the process, but it's very intuitive and basically just asks all the same info as the usual forms, then prints out your answers.

 

If anything was 'red flagged' like you declared over your duty-free allowance, want to bring fruit in, are carrying a bag that ticks loudly (joke...), or if you fall into the random sample to get extra questioning you'll end up doing the same as you did back in the bad old days - having a chat with a CBP officer. But for the vast majority it's now just kiosk, scan passport, hit buttons, print form, hand over form, have a nice day and off you go.

[Cheryl H]

Depending when your son last traveled, things may have a higher baseline of efficiency now - the kiosks at YVR streamline the process very nicely. First time you use it of course you're unfamiliar with the process, but it's very intuitive and basically just asks all the same info as the usual forms, then prints out your answers.

 

If anything was 'red flagged' like you declared over your duty-free allowance, want to bring fruit in, are carrying a bag that ticks loudly (joke...), or if you fall into the random sample to get extra questioning you'll end up doing the same as you did back in the bad old days - having a chat with a CBP officer. But for the vast majority it's now just kiosk, scan passport, hit buttons, print form, hand over form, have a nice day and off you go.

 

So when LandSea tours drops us at the Vancouver Airport....do we look for a kiosk first.....and then go find Delta to check our luggage? Or do we do curbside check in for luggage and then go inside and find the kiosk? (flying home to USA).

[martincath]

So when LandSea tours drops us at the Vancouver Airport....do we look for a kiosk first.....and then go find Delta to check our luggage? Or do we do curbside check in for luggage and then go inside and find the kiosk? (flying home to USA).

Never check anything curbside! It's not MUCH more of a risk, but it's an extra step so another chance for things going wrong... honestly I don't ever recall seeing curbside checkin for any airlines here, but I don't look for them so might have missed one...

 

Karen posted a link above to the US Customs info at YVR. This link takes you through the complete experience - down to which airline. Choose USA departure on the first dropdown, then Delta on the second.

 

The basic bullet-points are: Check In, Drop Bags if you have them, go through general Security, then when you head into the US CBP area you'll see the kiosks - there's usually someone around to help if you are floundering but it really is a simple process - and finally go find your gate.

[xlxo]

so for flights at 7am or earlier I show up on the first SkyTrain of the day, which pulls in at about 5:15am. The first rush of folks is already gone by the time I arrive - and you're still there long before the same-day-departing cruisers start rolling in at around 8:30am.

Personally, I prefer to just use a cab.... door to door service for around a $31/$35 car load. The cabs run 24hrs and you don't need to worry about the 12 minute train frequency first thing in the morning.

[rostbp]

So, I have a 1:30 flight from Vancouver to Chicago. What time do you suggest getting to airport. Will be on a Thursday

[Langley Cruisers]

So, I have a 1:30 flight from Vancouver to Chicago. What time do you suggest getting to airport. Will be on a Thursday

 

We are comfortable with a 3 hour window for flights to the US, which allows for check-in, U.S. pre-clearance, and security. Once I dropped my son at YVR and the line for U.S. check-in was incredibly long. I worried the whole time until he made it through, as any mother would. ;):p:D

 

Others may say 2 hours is plenty but for us, it's 3.

.

[Barwick Cruiser]

We are comfortable with a 3 hour window for flights to the US, which allows for check-in, U.S. pre-clearance, and security. Once I dropped my son at YVR and the line for U.S. check-in was incredibly long. I worried the whole time until he made it through, as any mother would. ;):p:D

 

Others may say 2 hours is plenty but for us, it's 3.

.

 

I agree, for domestic flights we allow 90 minutes, for anywhere else in the World we allow 2 hours...flying to any US destination 3 hours!!

[Barwick Cruiser]

We're on the Solstice in September, we embark in Seattle and we visit Victoria and Nanaimo (after the Alaskan ports)before disembarking in Vancouver. Will we go through Canadian customs in Victoria and then just disembark in Vancouver separately from non-Canadian passengers or do we all go through customs together in Vancouver? Not sure how that works for Canadians disembarking in Vancouver after visiting two Canadian ports...

Cathy

[Langley Cruisers]

We're on the Solstice in September, we embark in Seattle and we visit Victoria and Nanaimo (after the Alaskan ports)before disembarking in Vancouver. Will we go through Canadian customs in Victoria and then just disembark in Vancouver separately from non-Canadian passengers or do we all go through customs together in Vancouver?...

 

Hi Cathy,

 

We were on Solstice earlier this year and ported in Victoria after our Alaskan ports (we embarked in Vancouver where they have U.S. pre-clearance, so we were, and you will be, considered to be in U.S. waters until you port in a Canadian city). We were given customs forms to fill out in the cabin; make your declaration per your allowance, and then hand them in to Guest Services. They are then cleared as a group and you are free to disembark in Victoria (I looked up your itinerary - nice cruise!!). Since you are already in Canada, you will not go through Canadian Customs a second time. It would be different if you were disembarking in Seattle.

 

Have fun. Solstice is beautiful. :) They have an amazing Eggs Benedict bar in the buffet for breakfast. :D

[Barwick Cruiser]

Hi Cathy,

 

We were on Solstice earlier this year and ported in Victoria after our Alaskan ports (we embarked in Vancouver where they have U.S. pre-clearance, so we were, and you will be, considered to be in U.S. waters until you port in a Canadian city). We were given customs forms to fill out in the cabin; make your declaration per your allowance, and then hand them in to Guest Services. They are then cleared as a group and you are free to disembark in Victoria (I looked up your itinerary - nice cruise!!). Since you are already in Canada, you will not go through Canadian Customs a second time. It would be different if you were disembarking in Seattle.

 

Have fun. Solstice is beautiful. :) They have an amazing Eggs Benedict bar in the buffet for breakfast. :D

 

Excellent! Just what I was hoping to hear. Yes, it is a good itinerary,we wanted one that was worth the price of flights so 11 nights is perfect. We also liked that we have a full day in Victoria instead of the usual evening only. We'll be staying a couple nights precruise in Seattle and then four nights in Vancouver post-cruise. This way we should just be able to walk off the ship and go straight to our hotel.

 

I'm looking forward to the Hot Glass show which wasn't on our Silhouette cruise, otherwise we've only done M class ships to this point. I usually have the made to order omelets for breakfast but have heard so many great reviews of the eggs benny I just may have to try one!! Thanks for the great info!!

Cathy

[Langley Cruisers]

...We also liked that we have a full day in Victoria instead of the usual evening only. We'll be staying a couple nights precruise in Seattle and then four nights in Vancouver post-cruise... I'm looking forward to the Hot Glass show

 

So excited for you! Sounds amazing. I love that - it's like 3 vacations in one! Solstice has a naturalist onboard with loads of information about Alaska. The hot glass show is amazing; they do incredible work and they seem to really love their craft. They will do a piece which will be auctioned off later in the cruise, the proceeds going to Breast Cancer research. On our cruise it sold for $800.00. :) I'm a survivor and it touched my heart.

 

Have a wonderful time!!!

[Barwick Cruiser]

So excited for you! Sounds amazing. I love that - it's like 3 vacations in one! Solstice has a naturalist onboard with loads of information about Alaska. The hot glass show is amazing; they do incredible work and they seem to really love their craft. They will do a piece which will be auctioned off later in the cruise, the proceeds going to Breast Cancer research. On our cruise it sold for $800.00. :) I'm a survivor and it touched my heart.

 

Have a wonderful time!!!

 

Thank you!! We went on the vaporetto to Murano last summer and watched them doing the hot glass...totally mesmorizing!! I imagine this isn't quite the same caliber but they are professionally trained so should be good. We are also looking forward to hearing Brent Nixon, the naturalist, speak. We've heard only rave reviews for his presentations so I imagine we'll be spending a bit of onboard time in the theatre:D

Cathy

PS Congrats on surviving cancer...horrific disease with a cure that can't come too soon!!

[Cheryl H]

Never check anything curbside! It's not MUCH more of a risk, but it's an extra step so another chance for things going wrong... honestly I don't ever recall seeing curbside checkin for any airlines here, but I don't look for them so might have missed one...

 

Karen posted a link above to the US Customs info at YVR. This link takes you through the complete experience - down to which airline. Choose USA departure on the first dropdown, then Delta on the second.

 

The basic bullet-points are: Check In, Drop Bags if you have them, go through general Security, then when you head into the US CBP area you'll see the kiosks - there's usually someone around to help if you are floundering but it really is a simple process - and finally go find your gate.

 

Thank you Martincath

[lucky cal]

If you're on Princess, they will give you the Canadian Customs form a few days before you arrive in Vancouver. If you fill it out before you leave the ship, you should breeze through Customs. The only people I saw struggling through this process last week at Canada Place were the folks who either didn't bother to complete the paperwork before disembarking or who couldn't find their form in their bags.

 

Canadian security and U.S. Customs and Immigration at YVR airport was a breeze last week, and way better than anything I've experienced in either Toronto or Montreal. Last year, I had a layover in Toronto between my flight from Rome and my final U.S. destination. The layover was more than 3 hours and I almost missed my flight due to the chaos with Customs and Immigration. I'd never seen anything quite like it.

 

Last week at YVR, we arrived at 6:40am for an 8:40am flight. Lines were not too terribly long and they moved quickly. For reference, this was also on a Thursday since we left Vancouver the day after disembarking from our ship.

 

Good luck!

[fleckle]

We disembarked in Vancouver earlier this summer and the closest thing to "going through customs" we encountered was a guy in a uniform who took our disembarkation form as we exited the cruise terminal.

He barely glanced at it and waived us on through without even asking to see our passports.

 

As for the time required to get through YVR when catching a flight to the USA, we find that it can vary considerably from one trip to another.

 

On this latest trip it took us close to an hour from the airport terminal entrance until we reached our departure gate, which was the last gate out at the end of the concourse.

 

The longest it ever took us to get through that airport was over three hours, but that was the year of the Olympics when they had just installed a new security system and were having problems with it.

The lines were really backed up and we were all afraid that we were going to miss our flights, but it turned out that they were holding the departing flights long past their scheduled departure times in order to get the passengers out because they didn't want to be stuck with us there overnight.

 

Edited August 12, 2015 by fleckle