Solstice and Seattle

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, Seacruise said:

Hmm there is a small problem here with what you are saying.

You say almost missed my flight returning from a cruise because of your customs.
Well when you are at the airport and go to clear Customs you are clearing US Customs to go back to the USA. So if you have a beef then it is with YOUR US Customs and and not our Canada Customs.
The YVR airport authority has nothing to do with controlling what US Customs does.
 

Not sure we have info to make a comment.  Did the OP allow sufficient time?  Lots of places to delay - getting off the ship, Canadian security which has taken me an hour and agree on US Customs - although with Sentri/Nexus my wait there is almost zero.

Too many people schedule too tight.  We always like a day before and after a cruise to keep relaxed and enjoy the cities.

[Langley Cruisers]

2 hours ago, bigbenboys said:

I agree that US customs should be done on US soil....

I can say with some confidence that most passengers would rather pre-clear US C&I in Vancouver for a U.S.-bound flight than to do so in the American city they land in. Makes every flight a domestic flight. Vancouver or New York? Vancouver or Miami? Vancouver or Chicago? Vancouver or Dallas? Vancouver wins every time. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Celebrity normally offers cruises to Alaska both out of Seattle and Vancouver.  Take your choice.  I will say that my embarcation from Vancouver was hell and I will never set foot in that cruise terminal again.  And it was entirely due to having to clear US Customs.  Not properly staffed.  I stood in line for over 4 hours and was completely wiped out by the time I got on the ship.  I've sailed out of Seattle a few times.  Was there last May for an Alaska cruise on the Solstice.  We stayed at Inn at the Market.  And went up to see the Chihuly Museum.  Did not see homeless people.  I've always found Seattle to be a very pleasant city, although I liked it much better when Celebrity sailed from the pier downtown.  Walking distance from Inn at the Market.  Vancouver is a lovely city as well, but they need to get the cruise terminal under control.  

[Fouremco]

4 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Celebrity normally offers cruises to Alaska both out of Seattle and Vancouver.  Take your choice.  I will say that my embarcation from Vancouver was hell and I will never set foot in that cruise terminal again.  And it was entirely due to having to clear US Customs.  Not properly staffed.  I stood in line for over 4 hours and was completely wiped out by the time I got on the ship.  I've sailed out of Seattle a few times.  Was there last May for an Alaska cruise on the Solstice.  We stayed at Inn at the Market.  And went up to see the Chihuly Museum.  Did not see homeless people.  I've always found Seattle to be a very pleasant city, although I liked it much better when Celebrity sailed from the pier downtown.  Walking distance from Inn at the Market.  Vancouver is a lovely city as well, but they need to get the cruise terminal under control.  

Again, it has nothing to do with the Vancouver port authority getting the cruise terminal under control, it's about US CBP increasing their staffing levels, particularly on days when there are multiple ships in port on the same day. This has been a known problem for years, but US officials have been unwilling or unable to match resources to the port load. 

[K.T.B.]

5 hours ago, Qcruise said:

Sailing out of Seattle is fine by us.  However,  unless things change fast cities like Seattle, Portland, New York and Chicago are off our list for any tourist stops.  Would go directly from airport to cruise port so no more getting there early to spend time exploring the city.  It's really a shame.

 

So when did Chicago get a cruise port??  I've here my entire life and I never knew we had one!!!   

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Again, it has nothing to do with the Vancouver port authority getting the cruise terminal under control, it's about US CBP increasing their staffing levels, particularly on days when there are multiple ships in port on the same day. This has been a known problem for years, but US officials have been unwilling or unable to match resources to the port load. 

 

I believe that's what I said.   "And it was entirely due to having to clear US Customs..  Not properly staffed."

Edited August 12, 2020 by Happy Cruiser 6143

[Blackduck59]

Like Happy Cruiser 6143 mentioned Celebrity already has Eclipse and Millennium sailing out of Vancouver. I may be wrong but Vancouver is already a pretty busy port, and the Lions Gate Bridge does restrict the size of ships able to enter the port.

Of course we don't know what the future brings, cruise lines will re-deploy their assets to those markets that are open. Right now Solstice is in south east Asia we have no idea where she might be next. Eclipse and Millennium are in San Diego, they should both be in Asia. Will there be an Alaska cruise season in 2021? I hope so, my town is a stop for many itineraries and we sure missed the ships this year (no matter how much the City Counsel complains about them).

 

[Dr. Pam]

4 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Celebrity normally offers cruises to Alaska both out of Seattle and Vancouver.  Take your choice.  I will say that my embarcation from Vancouver was hell and I will never set foot in that cruise terminal again.  And it was entirely due to having to clear US Customs.  Not properly staffed.  I stood in line for over 4 hours and was completely wiped out by the time I got on the ship.  I've sailed out of Seattle a few times.  Was there last May for an Alaska cruise on the Solstice.  We stayed at Inn at the Market.  And went up to see the Chihuly Museum.  Did not see homeless people.  I've always found Seattle to be a very pleasant city, although I liked it much better when Celebrity sailed from the pier downtown.  Walking distance from Inn at the Market.  Vancouver is a lovely city as well, but they need to get the cruise terminal under control.  

I will repeat......US customs is staffed by the USA NOT Canada.  

[DaveSJ711]

1 hour ago, Dr. Pam said:

I will repeat......US customs is staffed by the USA NOT Canada.  

 

Why do you need to keep repeating this?  It's been said twice by others:  (1) "It was entirely due to having to clear US Customs.  Not properly staffed."  (#32)  (2) "It's about US CBP [Customs and Border Patrol] increasing their staffing levels."  (#30)

 

There's no reason to keep flogging this point IMO.

[ipeeinthepool]

8 hours ago, K.T.B. said:

 

So when did Chicago get a cruise port??  I've here my entire life and I never knew we had one!!!   

 

I don't know how you've missed it.  It's called Navy Pier.

[cruisetonowhere10]

I'd sail out of Seattle without major hesitation right now, but I'd also be okay with a swap to Vancouver as I much prefer Vancouver to Seattle, although both are great cities.  If I was sailing out of Vancouver I would very purposely take the train from Seattle to Vancouver as I have found that several hour trip to be one of my more memorable  aspects of a trip, but it's all personal opinion and comfort.

[Fouremco]

14 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

I believe that's what I said.   "And it was entirely due to having to clear US Customs..  Not properly staffed."

I was simply pointing out that, as with an earlier post about the airport, the problem lies with US CBP. We're on the same page. 

[ChucktownSteve]

19 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

Yes, it's a shame you think this way.  But it's your choice.  Seattle will do just fine without you.

 

And without me too.  As you eliminate police, crime rises because they can get away with it.  I have a cruise booked next June out of Seattle.  I am very concerned with how Seattle will deteriorate if the current situation continues.  This has not been a short duration so far.

[hcat]

2 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

And without me too.  As you eliminate police, crime rises because they can get away with it.  I have a cruise booked next June out of Seattle.  I am very concerned with how Seattle will deteriorate if the current situation continues.  This has not been a short duration so far.

 

Sounds like it has already deteriorated, just like several other cities.... but maybe by June next yr it may be improved.  

 

The  city council has set a course it believes will work out for its citizens.  For the sake of residents and business owners, hope it was a good decision.

 

 We  would no longer  be keen on spending  any time there, but if its just a place to catch an already booked cruise you will probably be safe. If you book a hotel close to the port and just come and go without roaming too far, you should be okay..

 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

14 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Like Happy Cruiser 6143 mentioned Celebrity already has Eclipse and Millennium sailing out of Vancouver. I may be wrong but Vancouver is already a pretty busy port, and the Lions Gate Bridge does restrict the size of ships able to enter the port.

Of course we don't know what the future brings, cruise lines will re-deploy their assets to those markets that are open. Right now Solstice is in south east Asia we have no idea where she might be next. Eclipse and Millennium are in San Diego, they should both be in Asia. Will there be an Alaska cruise season in 2021? I hope so, my town is a stop for many itineraries and we sure missed the ships this year (no matter how much the City Counsel complains about them).

 

 

I've enjoyed many visits to your lovely community, both by cruise ship and by ferry.  Hope all is well there.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

14 hours ago, Dr. Pam said:

I will repeat......US customs is staffed by the USA NOT Canada.  

 

No one claimed that US customs was staffed by Canada.  

[K.T.B.]

7 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I don't know how you've missed it.  It's called Navy Pier.

 

A "dinner cruise" on the Spirit of Chicago is nothing at all like a real cruise.....  plus the food sucks.

[Seacruise]

13 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

No one claimed that US customs was staffed by Canada.  

Yes they did in post 13. That is what started this diversion in this thread.

[ipeeinthepool]

50 minutes ago, K.T.B. said:

 

A "dinner cruise" on the Spirit of Chicago is nothing at all like a real cruise.....  plus the food sucks.

 There's more than dinner cruises out of the Navy Pier.  There are 8 - 16 night cruises that cruise Lake Michigan and Lake Superior as well as one way trips between Chicago and Toronto.  Prices for ocean view are between $4k -  $7k and suites are much more.  Smaller ships around 200 passengers but it sounds like a real cruise to me.

[bigbenboys]

21 hours ago, Langley Cruisers said:

I can say with some confidence that most passengers would rather pre-clear US C&I in Vancouver for a U.S.-bound flight than to do so in the American city they land in. Makes every flight a domestic flight. Vancouver or New York? Vancouver or Miami? Vancouver or Chicago? Vancouver or Dallas? Vancouver wins every time. 

I just remember the hassle flying into Toronto, Canada from China and having to do US customs before getting on my flight to Seattle. It comes down to time needed between flights for customs. How fast or slow customs is going. Many times to much time between flights. For someone living in Canada and flying to the US it is great. Do Canadians go thru Canadian customs in the US before flying to Canada?  I've seemed to always clear Canadian customs in Canada.

[bigbenboys]

7 hours ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

I'd sail out of Seattle without major hesitation right now, but I'd also be okay with a swap to Vancouver as I much prefer Vancouver to Seattle, although both are great cities.  If I was sailing out of Vancouver I would very purposely take the train from Seattle to Vancouver as I have found that several hour trip to be one of my more memorable  aspects of a trip, but it's all personal opinion and comfort.

After our last cruise from Hawaii to Vancouver we stayed overnight and took the train to Seattle. Very nice train ride. Just a little to early in the morning. Glad we did it. Next time we will take the evening train to Seattle. 

[Seacruise]

1 hour ago, bigbenboys said:

I just remember the hassle flying into Toronto, Canada from China and having to do US customs before getting on my flight to Seattle. It comes down to time needed between flights for customs. How fast or slow customs is going. Many times to much time between flights. For someone living in Canada and flying to the US it is great. Do Canadians go thru Canadian customs in the US before flying to Canada?  I've seemed to always clear Canadian customs in Canada.

No we don't and the reason why as explained prior to this is because of 911 and the USA wanting to pre-clear all visitors to the USA before they set foot on US soil or boarded a flight they may hijack.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Seacruise
then = they

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, bigbenboys said:

I just remember the hassle flying into Toronto, Canada from China and having to do US customs before getting on my flight to Seattle. It comes down to time needed between flights for customs. How fast or slow customs is going. Many times to much time between flights. For someone living in Canada and flying to the US it is great. Do Canadians go thru Canadian customs in the US before flying to Canada?  I've seemed to always clear Canadian customs in Canada.

Clearing US CBP at your point of departure is a uniquely US approach. So to answer your question, no, Canadians flying from the US back to Canada follow the normal procedure of being processed upon arrival in Canada. I having flown back and forth between Canada and the US for years, both before and after the introduction of this process, I've seen no particular advantage or disadvantage for the traveller in following this US methodology. CBP says that for someone flying into the US and then changing to a connecting flight, there is a benefit as they can have shorter connection times. On the other hand, if you have to make a connecting flight in Canada, you have to add on that extra time anyway. Pay me now or pay me later! 

 

Flight volume to the US from Canada is very predictable and doesn't vary significantly from day to day, and in my experience, there has never been any shortage of CBP officers for pre-clearance. While sea ports like Vancouver see a great deal more daily variance, schedules are known well in advance and resourcing really shouldn't be an issue. They could keep an appropriate number of officers in Vancouver for day-to-day operations, and if necessary, bring a team in from Seattle for the weekends or other periods of high port load. Or they could just keep following the current staffing model and let the damn passengers wait... 

[mailmama]

Replying to the original topic of basically how safe is Seattle, I have a cruise leaving there next May. Closer to the new year if cruise lines are a go, we will evaluate the circumstances. Right now, we have  15 people traveling to the cruise port and would like to explore Seattle for a week before sailing. Hotels are booked but they can easily be cancelled if the town of Seattle doesn't make their tourists feel comfortable. Lots of money could be spent there but only if there is an atmosphere of safety.  Right now, Not so.  

[hcat]

Not just the rioters/anarchists/ homeless folks,  but various statements by city council members and officials  do not instill confidence  in safety, emergency response capabilities.

 

Seems it is a  very diff  Seattle  these days... .

 

We have no plans to cruise  from there and would do a small American cruise line,  if we go to Alaska. But OP is already booked.