Victoria Dis-Embarkation

[adoris]

I am thinking of booking a 2024 Alaska cruise r/t Seattle on either Bliss or Encore.  I am wondering if anyone has experience, good or bad, at dis-embarking in Victoria.  Thanks 

[eileeshb]

17 minutes ago, adoris said:

I am thinking of booking a 2024 Alaska cruise r/t Seattle on either Bliss or Encore.  I am wondering if anyone has experience, good or bad, at dis-embarking in Victoria.  Thanks 

Are you planning to depart the ship early ? AFAIK US authorities do not approve of such, the ship gets fined and will pass the cost onto you. 

[adoris]

1 minute ago, eileeshb said:

Are you planning to depart the ship early ? AFAIK US authorities do not approve of such, the ship gets fined and will pass the cost onto you. 

Yes, I would be getting off the ship the last day/night of the cruise.  Princess cruises do this exact thing on a regular basis…it just needs to be approved.

[1025cruise]

It would need to be approved beforehand, as appropriate immigration needs to be available (not just the walk by for an intransit cruise passenger). I'm not sure if NCL is permitting this at the minute.

[OrcaGirl]

Another factor to consider is how often ships skip Victoria due to high winds preventing docking.

 

On my 2022 Pacific Coastal on the Bliss from LA to Vancouver, two Vancouver Island-based passengers couldn't arrange to disembark in Victoria but planned to take off their heavy luggage and leave it with a friend so they didn't have to haul it back over on the ferry after the cruise. But then we couldn't dock and it became a sea day.

[Newbie2024]

I just returned from an Alaskan cruise on the Encore. The disembarkment in Victoria was late. The cruise director kept announcing to the guests to wait in rooms or public areas until the clearance was given but then never announced that we were cleared to disembark.  the guests that followed instructions and did not wait at the door were late getting off.  Victoria was beautiful but unfortunately the night time visit was not ideal.

[hallux]

1 hour ago, Newbie2024 said:

Victoria was beautiful but unfortunately the night time visit was not ideal.

On your cruise Victoria was more of a technicality - the ship is required by US law to visit a foreign port on closed-loop cruises (start and end at the same port).  For Alaska cruise that port is often Victoria because it doesn't require timing for tides to allow for clearance passing under a bridge as is needed for Vancouver. 

 

The Encore is the same size as the Bliss, I was on the Bliss sailing into Vancouver in 2019, there is a 20 minute window at low tide during which there is enough safety margin to pass under the Lions Gate Bridge to enter Vancouver.

[durberville]

This would have been ideal for us sailing on the Encore. We plan on visiting my brother in Victoria after the cruise, but not willing to jump through the hoops to get off the cruise early in Canada. (Didn't even know this was  a thing). We have booked a hotel in Seattle and will take the Clipper ferry back to Victoria the next morning.