ATTN: NCL Sun Alaska cruisers

[niya305]

NCL just announced their new "US Direct" program for guests flying into Vancouver for their NCL Sun Alaska cruisers. Basically, beginning with the 5/29/05 sailing US citizens & US residents will be able to bypass Canadian customs @ YVR & transfered directly to the ship...

 

"The Catch" (quite simple):o

 

• Luggage must be tagged with NCL baggage tags from the originating city in order to be loaded directly from the plane to the ship.
  
• Guests must be a citizen or resident of the US and purchase NCL transfers.
  
• Guests must fly into Vancouver from a city within the US.
  

If I remember correctly, the NCL transfers are $50pp round-trip... I'm not sure how much a taxi would cost from YVR to the pier though, maybe it's not worth the extra $$ :confused:

[jdr2alaska]

Flying in from Philly the day before, we have a layover in Toronto - 1 1/2 hours. I am not sure if we go through customs in Toronto or in Vancouver :confused: ?

 

 

So we can't take advantage of this program on the trip out because we're headed out the day before (and we have the layover in Toronto anyhow, so we fail that test too)

 

Coming home, we have the NCL transferres and are flying home via Denver, so we should be eligible for it on the trip home.

 

JR

[niya305]

Flying in from Philly the day before, we have a layover in Toronto - 1 1/2 hours. I am not sure if we go through customs in Toronto or in Vancouver :confused: ?

 

 

So we can't take advantage of this program on the trip out because we're headed out the day before (and we have the layover in Toronto anyhow, so we fail that test too)

 

Coming home, we have the NCL transferres and are flying home via Denver, so we should be eligible for it on the trip home.

 

JR

 

Oh man, yeah I guess it's no use to you since your connection is in Toronto, sorry:( Well I assume you would go through customs in Toronto since you're coming into Canada from the US, but I'm not sure if you wait to go through customs until your flight arrives into the final destination... maybe someone could help clarify this for us???

 

I don't think you have to go thru customs when arriving @ YVR after cruising b/c you've already cleared customs at the pier, but I'm not 100%

 

 

SOMEONE HELP US!:confused:

[Host CMLA]

I don't think you have to go thru customs when arriving @ YVR after cruising b/c you've already cleared customs at the pier, but I'm not 100%

Do you mean when you get to the airport after your cruise? I've flown in and out of Vancouver three times and we had to pass through customs to get past security and pay the airport fee and get back into the US. It used to be $10 cash only. Not sure if it's still $10.

[niya305]

Do you mean when you get to the airport after your cruise? I've flown in and out of Vancouver three times and we had to pass through customs to get past security and pay the airport fee and get back into the US. It used to be $10 cash only. Not sure if it's still $10.

 

I think I confused myself... so you do have to go through customs at the airport before boarding your flight home from YVR?

[Globaliser]

I don't think you have to go thru customs when arriving @ YVR after cruising b/c you've already cleared customs at the pier, but I'm not 100%

Somehow, I have a hard time imagining the DHS being happy about passengers getting off a ship in a foreign country, being transferred to the airport under the control of private (non-American) companies, and then flying to the US without clearing US immigration at YVR as normal before boarding the aircraft.

 

But maybe my cynicism is misplaced.

[Host CMLA]

I think I confused myself... so you do have to go through customs at the airport before boarding your flight home from YVR?

I may have confused you. I'm sorry. :( You will go through immigration when you get off the ship because you're coming from the US (Alaska) into Canada. When you get to the airport, you'll go through passport control and pay the fee. I've never brought duty free stuff back from an Alaskan cruise so I don't know where you declare that; if you declare it when you get off the ship in Vancouver or when you land back in the US. But I've never had to declare anything else I've bought because it was bought in the US (Alaska). Have I just made things worse? I'm sorry if I've confused the situation even more.

[niya305]

I think I'll just have to wait until I sail Alaska out of Vancouver to find out for sure...

[Whateverg]

When you exit the ship in Vancouver, you have to turn over your customs form. NCL gives you the form on the ship. When you arrive at the airport in Vancouver to take your flight back to the states, you have to complete another customs form.

 

There is a wonderful baggage storage and transfer service at Canada Place in Vancouver. Well worth the money if you want to get off the ship and spend the day sight seeing in Vancouver without lugging your suitcases around--assuming of course that you don't rent a car.