Vancouver BC

[qsuzi]

This will be our first time flying into Vancouver BC. Please tell us what to expect (customs, immigration, etc.). Thanks

[DaveOKC]

Obviously, this depends on which airline, time of day and day of week. Traveling on American we noted a LONG walk to the baggage claim from the gate.

 

One thing to consider is that you can take the Skyrail (or whatever it is called) right from the airport to within 2-3 blocks of the pier. Cars are set up to accommodate luggage (reasonable amount). Just about as fast as a taxi and alot cheaper if there are only 1 or 2 of you.

[Lido deck main]

Obviously, this depends on which airline, time of day and day of week. Traveling on American we noted a LONG walk to the baggage claim from the gate.

 

One thing to consider is that you can take the Skyrail (or whatever it is called) right from the airport to within 2-3 blocks of the pier. Cars are set up to accommodate luggage (reasonable amount). Just about as fast as a taxi and alot cheaper if there are only 1 or 2 of you.

It,s called Canada Line, runs from the airport to waterfront station, which is two blocks to the pier.

[just_cruising_along]

We have not discovered anything out of the ordinary flying into or out of YVR. Here is a step-by-step guide the Vancouver BC airport has created that may answer some of your questions.

 

http://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/navigate-yvr/passenger-guides

 

Have a good cruise.

[VennDiagram]

You may want to ask on the West Coast Departures board, too :)

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=413

[creel5857]

It is a nice airport but we never have time to enjoy going through it because of the timing of our flights and transportation......but as noted above it is not a bad airport but all depends on time of day and how many other cruise ships are coming and going......signs were clear and security was organized and professional on our 5 trips through there

[Schooner-ca]

Taxi is easier but the train is faster Depends on how much luggage you have. You use your credit card to tap on to the train.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Crew News]

Vancouver has mastered serpentine lines for incoming passengers in my experience. All flights dump passengers into the start of the maze. My last experience was about 50 passengers per lane before turning into the next lane going the opposite direction spanning 35 lanes. Passengers were in a constant shuffle pace which created quite a sight if you look across all of the lanes moving in opposite directions. At the end of this maze, there are kiosks to scan your passports and print Immigration passes before another series of serpentine lanes to present your printed Immigration pass to officials.

 

My elapsed time on a cruise weekend from entering the first serpentine to standing in the luggage collection area was about 35 minutes. Needless to say my luggage was available for pickup long before I was there.

 

Flying out of the Vancouver airport had the serpentine lanes but my Global Entry card put me in a line with only 20 fellow passengers.

[qsuzi]

Thanks so much for the information everyone. The link to the step-by-step guide was especially helpful. Are you still required to complete the Customs Declaration Card?

[Lido deck main]

Thanks so much for the information everyone. The link to the step-by-step guide was especially helpful. Are you still required to complete the Customs Declaration Card?

My experience is that every time I go into a new country a declaration has to be made, if I am driving it is a verbal declaration, if I am flying or cruising always is a declaration card which is handed to a customs officer.

[Sopwith]

Thanks so much for the information everyone. The link to the step-by-step guide was especially helpful. Are you still required to complete the Customs Declaration Card?

 

Yes, unless you have Nexus. They should hand out the cards on the flight.

 

Note also that on departure from YVR to US destinations you will clear US customs and immigration at YVR before you board, so you need to allow extra time for this, again unless you have Nexus.

[SilvertoGold]

Vancouver has mastered serpentine lines for incoming passengers in my experience. All flights dump passengers into the start of the maze. My last experience was about 50 passengers per lane before turning into the next lane going the opposite direction spanning 35 lanes. Passengers were in a constant shuffle pace which created quite a sight if you look across all of the lanes moving in opposite directions. At the end of this maze, there are kiosks to scan your passports and print Immigration passes before another series of serpentine lanes to present your printed Immigration pass to officials.

 

My elapsed time on a cruise weekend from entering the first serpentine to standing in the luggage collection area was about 35 minutes. Needless to say my luggage was available for pickup long before I was there.

 

Flying out of the Vancouver airport had the serpentine lanes but my Global Entry card put me in a line with only 20 fellow passengers.

 

Depends a lot on the number of flights coming and going. We've had waits of 0 minutes (just walk right through) to 10 minutes when the big planes from/to Asia were in.

[bUU]

One thing to keep in mind as you're reading through info about YVR is that how things work there recently changed. For years, if you were flying from YVR into the United States you would clear US customs and immigration in YVR before you board your flight, and so you'd land in the United States as a domestic flight. That's still true most of the time, but now, if your flight leaves after 9pm Pacific Time, it is no longer being treated as a domestic flight; you'll land in the United States as an international flight, and they'll make you go through US customs and immigration.

[Palms2Pines2Sea]

At YVR there is usually quite a mass of humanity at the passport screening kiosks. It is hard to see when a kiosk comes available. The trick is to look UP, at the top of the kiosks. There is a light which indicates an available kiosk.

[dockman]

One thing to keep in mind as you're reading through info about YVR is that how things work there recently changed. For years, if you were flying from YVR into the United States you would clear US customs and immigration in YVR before you board your flight, and so you'd land in the United States as a domestic flight. That's still true most of the time, but now, if your flight leaves after 9pm Pacific Time, it is no longer being treated as a domestic flight; you'll land in the United States as an international flight, and they'll make you go through US customs and immigration.

 

that is what happened to me flying delta to atlanta....delta never told me that i would have to clear customs in atlanta and had me booked with a 1.5 hour connection...it took longer than that to clear customs so i missed the connection....delta should at least advise passengers correctly re where they will clear customs and not book u on a flight connection that few if any can make.

[bUU]

In this interim period, flights were scheduled and people were booked long before CBP decided to change its policies. I suspect that they will be building the policy change into their upcoming planned schedule change.

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

[cruising cockroach]

One thing to keep in mind as you're reading through info about YVR is that how things work there recently changed. For years, ...... That's still true most of the time, but now, if your flight leaves after 9pm Pacific Time, it is no longer being treated as a domestic flight; you'll land in the United States as an international flight, and they'll make you go through US customs and immigration.

 

No change there. That's been true for nearly or over 20 years if not since pre-clearance started. US INS/CBP/ICE personnel go home in the mid-evening.

[bUU]

That's inconsistent with what people have been told about yvr for a number of years, and contrary to the explanation provided to me by Delta. Regardless, we can be sure it is the case now, at least for now.

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

[cruising cockroach]

There used to be no red eyes flights to the U.S. (not sure if there are any currently other than the 5th freedoms that never pre-cleared anyway) and "late" flights that were pre-cleared left by 10p if not earlier. CBP staffing may have been cut back by an hour at most if at all. Doesn't effect most flights. Even right now, I don't see many U.S.-bound evening flights, none after 10p.

[frankc98376]

Vancouver has mastered serpentine lines for incoming passengers in my experience. All flights dump passengers into the start of the maze. My last experience was about 50 passengers per lane before turning into the next lane going the opposite direction spanning 35 lanes. Passengers were in a constant shuffle pace which created quite a sight if you look across all of the lanes moving in opposite directions. At the end of this maze, there are kiosks to scan your passports and print Immigration passes before another series of serpentine lanes to present your printed Immigration pass to officials.

 

My elapsed time on a cruise weekend from entering the first serpentine to standing in the luggage collection area was about 35 minutes. Needless to say my luggage was available for pickup long before I was there.

 

Flying out of the Vancouver airport had the serpentine lanes but my Global Entry card put me in a line with only 20 fellow passengers.

 

 

When you are navigating the serpentine lines don't skip under the ropes if there is no one on that side or moving slowly- follow the lines as shortcuts are frowned upon. Last time we were in Vancouver a guy was climbing under the ropes to shortcut. We saw him at the end pulled out of line for a formal interview.

 

Good to remember that everything is on camera and they are watching for anything unusual.

[martincath]

No change there. That's been true for nearly or over 20 years if not since pre-clearance started. US INS/CBP/ICE personnel go home in the mid-evening.

Yup, I can personally vouch for the fact that CBP have operated limited hours of preclearance since at least 2002 when I moved to Canada... how they deal with baggage at preclearance has changed, much for the better, in the last few years, but their hours have always been restricted to 16 or less per day (2 shifts), ~4:30am to 8:30pm in every Canadian airport I've flown to the US from since moving here (cargo operations run 24/7 I think).

 

While it's almost certain that the schedule has altered at some point since 1952 when it started at Pearson (formal legislation of what both countries agents can and cannot do began in 1974 and has been modified as recently as this year, but I don't recall any restriction to operating hours in the legislation) any claims from Delta about CBP preclearance messing up their schedule in the recent past are utter bullcrap (and typical of Delta customer service in my experience to try and shift the blame to anyone and anything else - hence our refusal to fly with them any more).

 

Anyone who wants to verify CBP preclearance hours can call the individual offices, all listed here with phone numbers, to check before traveling somewhere it might have an impact on their travel plans.

[bUU]

... none after 10p.

My flight on July 7 left at 10:30 pm.

DL2450.

SAT, 07 JUL 2018

YVR

ATL

DEPART:

10:30 PM

ARRIVE:

6:17 AM - SUN, 08 JUL

[martincath]

That's inconsistent with what people have been told about yvr for a number of years, and contrary to the explanation provided to me by Delta. Regardless, we can be sure it is the case now, at least for now..

Stop believing Delta when they tell you anything about any other organization... link to web archive page from Apr 5 2016 of YVR's CBP page confirming operational hours of 4:30am-8:30pm.

 

YVR overhauled their website significantly around then, so it's way more work to dig through earlier versions to find the info, but if you do I'm very confident you'll find the same hours listed back for many years.

 

I know that some of us locals have warned about CBP hours for later flights as well as earlier ones over the years, but nobody's perfect - so if we all missed an opportunity to warn you that your flights would not preclear, apologies for that omission.

Edited August 7, 2018 by martincath
spelling & double spacing

[cruising cockroach]

My flight on July 7 left at 10:30 pm.

DL2450.

SAT, 07 JUL 2018

YVR

ATL

DEPART:

10:30 PM

ARRIVE:

6:17 AM - SUN, 08 JUL

 

A rare seasonal flight, and CBP probably won't disrupt scheduling and manning for one flight Wasn't showing up for a random date search I was doing.

[qsuzi]

Lots of great additional information. Thanks so much