westcoasttech

To clarify ... When using ArriveCAN for a cruise, it should be submitted within the 72 hours BEFORE embarking a ship that will be visiting or returning to Canada in the following ONE MONTH period following the initial sail date. The dates and times applicable are displayed in ArriveCAN as you fill it in - that is, it will state the 72 hours window before the supplied embarkation date and the date range that your ship can be visiting or returning to Canada. So it's 72 hours before embarkation, not 72 hours before the port visit! As I understand it, it is required even if you have no plans to exit the ship in a Canadian port visit - like most visas and border entry requirements of most countries that cruise ships visit. If the cruiselines are not enforcing that it is being submitted prior to embarkation and/or not providing the appropriate data to the border officers, then I'm not surprised that they are enforcing it at the Victoria port stop - I might suspect that the border staff are trying to get a point across that the cruiselines need to follow the rules! I'm pretty sure most countries don't allow you to pick and choose which border requirements are required. I've been told by a border officer that the system is electronic and they can see when they check passports if you have an applicable ArriveCAN application on your file - whether that is true or not, I don't know, but I generally don't question the border officers extensively, that normally wouldn't end well! I would suspect from the original posting that there may have been a software failure somewhere along the process, either on the ship's side or the border's side, and that they could only check the forms physically - but that's a total guess.

May 8 had 2 ships, HAL and RCCL Serenade of the Seas, so 2 "medium" sized ships, possibly at lower capacity as it was still early season. Generally Canada Place can handle 2 ships, it's when you add in that 3rd one (or one of the "super sized" ones at the beginning/end of season) that can causes problems...

You can usually ask your waiter in the MDR if there is a curry option available “off menu”. There may be one available on menu as a vegan/veggie option as well. The crew nearly always have a curry available in the crew mess, and if you’re nice to your waiter he might be willing to bring up a serving (with the fixings of naan/raita) if you’re lucky. Some of the best curries I’ve tasted are on board a ship when the chefs are allowed to do what they do best … unfortunately it’s now rare that they are given that freedom. Once upon a time NCL would offer a special luncheon of multiple curry options, once a cruise, but haven’t seen that for a long time. I’ve read that trips originating in the UK often have a daily curry option on the menu - this ex-Brit wishes they would extend that option. North American lines in particular RRCL seem obsessed with having identical options over all their ships sailing in North America.

Just got a sale email for additions to my Symphony cruise in late October. I’m tempted by the UDP package which is claiming to be 50% off at $208 per person. Is this a good deal or will it be offered at any better price closer to the cruise or once on board? (My only other experience with a dining package was on NCL and wasn’t good as it was impossible to actually get into the restaurants at any reasonable dining time due to large family groups making multiple reservations (so they could pick one and not turn up at the others) on a Xmas week cruise … ended up getting the package price refunded after a talk with guest services!)

No trains till "late 2022" at least ... due to the ever popular "staffing issues" ... https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/amtrak-cascades-vancouver-train-route-restart-delayed Quick Shuttle (bus) will work and can pick up from Canada Place and drop at downtown Seattle or Seatac - but watch out for bag charges if you have extra luggage! One price for no luggage and higher price for 1 bag per person, not sure what happens if you have more than 1 bag! Any routes showing on the Amtrak website between Vancouver and Seattle will be buses that run from the Vancouver Pacific train station and drop at the Seattle train station.

You didn't really ask for alternatives in Vancouver/BC, but as a local I feel obliged to suggest some ... With 10 days, you don't have to stay in the Vancouver region. If you are comfortable driving on the "wrong" side of the road, hire a car and explore. Take the ferry over to Vancouver Island and explore the Island (price up renting the car from the Island side, can be expensive to take the car on the ferry but walk on passengers are really cheap). Look for interesting B&B accommodations to stay in (they're a lot cheaper than $500 a night) - you might even be able to find some eclectic cabin or glamping options. Take the ferry to the Sunshine Coast (north of the urban area), or drive up to Whistler. If you don't want to drive, take the ferry/bus over to the Victoria area and relax there for a while - some great wine tasting tours available that start from Victoria. If you choose to drive around the Island, it might look a little familiar to you. I spent 10 days on a bus tour around Tasmania in 2019 and there are certain similarities in some ways. I 💖 Tazzy, and would love to go back again ... it's definitely on my list of place to repeat!

It's the May 22 sailing that has been cancelled for dry dock ... I was supposed to be on it ☹ ... now re-booked for a couple of weeks later [fingers crossed] 😁

If you are embarking on a cruise that is visiting or returning to Canada then yes (currently) you do need to set up an ArriveCAN account and complete it within the 72 hours BEFORE embarking on that cruise. There are multiple threads on multiple forums with the discussion, but it's really not that big a deal to set up an account and fill it in prior to heading to the port. They will (or should) ask for it as you check in. This is the info I have posted in various threads: ArriveCAN is quite easy to use - the sheer amount of discussion about it here on CC seems to have turned it into some kind of scary boogey app! You just need to set up an account on it. This can be done on the app or on a computer. You need to upload your vax proof to set up the account. (I have my vax proof I downloaded from BC Health Gateway app.). Once you have your account you just put in details of any time you are crossing the border back into Canada - the questions were simplified in late April - and answer some health questions. For cruisers you should fill it in within the 72 hours BEFORE embarking a ship that will visit OR return to a Canadian port. That visit or return can be within a month of embarkation. Again this can be done on the app or on a computer. it will then give you a Receipt with a QR code. I found it useful to print out the receipt to have a hard copy to show at checkin at the port - so you are not searching through your phone for it. Canadian Border personnel told me that it shows on their computer that you have a valid ArriveCAN, so they may not directly ask for it, but they will know that you have it. The only complication I had was that it seemed to need me to delete the first receipt before I could get a 2nd one - I had a short cruise from Seattle that visited Victoria (1st receipt), and then took the bus back from Seattle to Van the following day (2nd receipt need for land crossing). But once I realized I needed to delete the old one it was simple.

Avoid the interior solo cabins, basically they are the size of the bed with extremely small space at one side. I also had an issue with room temperature as the "virtual" balcony i.e., TV screen, produced heat even when turned off (and it's right next to the bed), no matter how low I tried to turn down the thermostat the room was uncomfortably warm. I reported the thermostat to the room steward and was told that it was working "normally". The only small plus for the solo interiors is that the shower is larger than cruise ship "normal" - it's more like a normal home shower and not the rocket tube size that is provided in most cabins. The balcony cabins, on the other hand, I find just perfect for me - especially if I can get the ones with the larger angled balcony. Yes, you don't get the extra sofa space of a regular balcony, but I've managed fine without that, even for longer repositioning cruises, taken on both the Quantum and the Ovation. The larger angled balcony do tend to be mostly shaded due to the overhang (in my experience), but I don't like to "bake" for too long anyway, and it means they are usually a bit more sheltered from the breeze when the ship is moving. I just did a short trip in a "regular" Deck 12 balcony on the Ovation (the RCCL shakedown from Seattle), and while having all that extra space with the sofa and extra closet space was nice, it was definitely not something I would pay a whole not extra for. I just wish RCCL would offer more of the solo balcony options (I know, I know, bottom line is $$). I've also done the solo cabins on Harmony (OV not balcony on that ship), if I remember correctly there are about 14 solo cabins on a ship with +5K pax, that's a sad percentage!

First time in Aqua and sailing date is a few weeks away. I've been getting emails from Celebrity prompting to make dining reservations, but only seem to have the link to the MDR, with no separate listing for Blu available to me on the website cruise planner. I know I can talk to the Blu maitre'd once we board, but should I be able to make online reservations prior to boarding? Any experience with this?

I tried them on the Shakedown cruise in April. I ordered the deep fried lobster and chips - as any paid food options were 50% off for the test cruise. While the “lobster” was tasty, they were the smallest “tails” I’ve ever seen! (A single serving consisted of 2 “tails”). I’ve seen larger shrimp tails! Let’s just say whoever cooked the chips has never had a true British style fish n’chip supper! They were still slightly raw inside but still some how soggy … I guess at least they are not using frozen oven chips! They need to send the cook to the fish n’chip place at Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria, so they can see what they should be like! Best option would be a true Brit fish supper, but Victoria‘s offerings are pretty good too. [This review comes from an ex-Brit who knows good fish n’chips!]

I haven't had to use it for a flight, however I've used it for a cruise (before they simplified the info needed and added the enhanced "marine" option) and a road crossing, and the information needed to actually get a QR code is very basic. You do need to know where and what kind of border you will be crossing at - e.g., I was on a bus, so needed to know it was Pacific Highway and not Peace Arch and give an approximate time of crossing. I had my phone ready to show the Border Agent, but he told me straight away that he did not need to see it as it was on his computer and I could put my phone away.

Actually, that's exactly what I did and I can access my existing account from either my laptop or the app on my phone/ipad. I just tested to make sure I didn't imagine things, and I can still access from both. The (Windows) PC/laptop interface (through the internet https://arrivecan.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca/en/welcome) is a little bit misleading, in that you have to choose "Get Started" to get to a log on screen where you put in your already set up ID/password to get into an existing account. (If you think about it they would have to be sync'd in order for Border Services to be able to "see" your details on their side, presumably using PCs.) [I don't know if there is any delay in syncing between website and app information, I set mine up several weeks ago and have had no issue with accessing from either direction.]

ArriveCAN is quite easy to use - the sheer amount of discussion about it here on CC seems to have turned it into some kind of scary boogey app! You just need to set up an account on it. This can be done on the app or on a computer. You need to upload your vax proof to set up the account. (I have my vax proof I downloaded from BC Health Gateway app.). Once you have your account you just put in details of any time you are crossing the border back into Canada - the questions were simplified in late April - and answer some health questions. For cruisers you should fill it in within the 72 hours BEFORE embarking a ship that will visit OR return to a Canadian port. That visit or return can be within a month of embarkation. Again this can be done on the app or on a computer. it will then give you a Receipt with a QR code. I found it useful to print out the receipt to have a hard copy to show at checkin at the port - so you are not searching through your phone for it. Canadian Border personnel told me that it shows on their computer that you have a valid ArriveCAN, so they may not directly ask for it, but they will know that you have it. The only complication I had was that it seemed to need me to delete the first receipt before I could get a 2nd one - I had a short cruise from Seattle that visited Victoria (1st receipt), and then took the bus back from Seattle to Van the following day (2nd receipt need for land crossing). But once I realized I needed to delete the old one it was simple.

Can anyone report real time experience at Canada Place yet? In previous years arriving between noon and 1:30pm was a bad idea, if more than 1 ship in, due to almost guaranteed delays getting through US border immigration. This year I’m embarking on a 3 ship day and due to various issues I can’t arrive early, like I always attempted to previously. I’m tempted to wait and head in later after the main rush hour(s). How is the people flow being managed with the added health checks? I REALLY don’t want to end up in a long queue in the downstairs area of Canada Place with 5,000 other pax! I’ve seen that whole area full of people more than once, in the “before times”….

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/security-yvr-delays-1.6436560 These reports are being covered by a lot of media outlets here in Vancouver. Multiple ship days in the cruise season, even in the "Before Times", could have issues at the airport due to sheer numbers of passengers involved, this is currently complicated by staffing issues, so plan accordingly and I wouldn't recommend any early flights immediately after disembarkation, if you can possibly avoid it!