Embarkation and US Customs in Vancouver

[AndyB]

We're sailing out of Vancouver in July, and our docs say embarkation is from 11 am to 3 pm. I know we'll have to pass through US Customs & Immigration, and wondering if we should arrive at Canada Place before 11 am to get through that process. Does anyone know whether Customs/Immigration opens prior to the cruise lines' embarkation?

 

Thanks!

[scottbee]

We're sailing out of Vancouver in July, and our docs say embarkation is from 11 am to 3 pm. I know we'll have to pass through US Customs & Immigration, and wondering if we should arrive at Canada Place before 11 am to get through that process. Does anyone know whether Customs/Immigration opens prior to the cruise lines' embarkation?

 

Thanks!

 

You check in with the cruise line 1st, and go through US Customs & Immigration on your way to the ship, just prior to boarding.

[Arusha]

Depends on how many ships/passengers are disembarking that day.

 

My experience last month was 3 ships still disembarking while lots of folks were coming in to embark at about 10 AM. There's not a good separation in the Canada Place terminal between the hordes who are still leaving the ships and those who are arriving early. Porters were not ready at 10 AM to accept incoming luggage - they were still dealing with the folks leaving. Security was not ready until after 10 AM.

 

You go through (1) security and (2) customs in a common area with all the other embarking passengers for all other ships before you get to the specific area for your (3) cruise line's check-in. US Customs for US citizens took only a couple of minutes. After a few hundred of us went through steps 1 and 2, they put us in a waiting area with folding seats in rows. When the cruise lines were ready for check-in, the port personnel let us leave the waiting area one row at a time.

 

You can see how many other ships are disembarking/embarking the same day as yours on this schedule: http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/en/about/cruiseandtourism/cruiselineschedules.aspx

[scottbee]

Depends on how many ships/passengers are disembarking that day.

 

My experience last month was 3 ships still disembarking while lots of folks were coming in to embark at about 10 AM. There's not a good separation in the Canada Place terminal between the hordes who are still leaving the ships and those who are arriving early. Porters were not ready at 10 AM to accept incoming luggage - they were still dealing with the folks leaving. Security was not ready until after 10 AM.

 

You go through (1) security and (2) customs in a common area with all the other embarking passengers for all other ships before you get to the specific area for your (3) cruise line's check-in. US Customs for US citizens took only a couple of minutes. After a few hundred of us went through steps 1 and 2, they put us in a waiting area with folding seats in rows. When the cruise lines were ready for check-in, the port personnel let us leave the waiting area one row at a time.

 

You can see how many other ships are disembarking/embarking the same day as yours on this schedule: http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/en/about/cruiseandtourism/cruiselineschedules.aspx

 

They've switched the order back and forth a couple of times now. Thanks for the most recent update.

[AndyB]

Thanks for the info! Guess there is no sense in arriving early. We always seem to take a while going through immigration - they love to linger over DH's passport, and it's nearly made us miss a flight back to the US from Montreal, when we were unprepared for the US C&I on the Canadian side. We know better now. Thanks again!

[Putterdude]

While it is unlikely that Customs will begin processing anyone much before 1030, you can drop your luggage off with the porters shortly after 0930 and then go for a walk into Gastown or other attractions close by Canada Place. You likely know that Celebrity boards people between 1100 and noon but no one is allowed to go to their cabin until all cabins have been made up which tends to be between 12:30 and 1:00.

[rayandshirl]

Two weeks ago arrived at Canada Place at 1:30 pm Island Princess and Disney Wonder were side by side.

 

There was a sea of people but it was very controlled and we were in our cabin in an hour.:o

[Keith1010]

I would arrive around 10:30 AM to get on line.

 

Keith

[SeattleCruiselover]

While it is unlikely that Customs will begin processing anyone much before 1030, you can drop your luggage off with the porters shortly after 0930 and then go for a walk into Gastown or other attractions close by Canada Place. You likely know that Celebrity boards people between 1100 and noon but no one is allowed to go to their cabin until all cabins have been made up which tends to be between 12:30 and 1:00.

 

We're staying out by the airport, so we're coming in at about 1000, then will go for a "walk" (read roll) for about half an hour, then try to get to the front of the priority boarding line no later than 1100. I waited in line for nearly three hours last May (2012, and I was there before noon). Don't wanna do that again.

[Putterdude]

I can't make any promises particularly as I suspect you are on a repositioning cruise and you know what that is like as well as I do. I don't know how they treat people in scooters compared with folks in wheelchairs but in DW's case we normally get thru in an expedited line pretty quickly. Good luck!

[Seagalpat]

We have booked a city highlight tour with drop off at the cruise port at 2 pm. Boarding time for the Radiance is 11am to 3pm. Will this work? Appreciate all thoughts on this. Thank you.

:eek:

[martincath]

You'll be fine - the later you arrive, the shorter the queue...

[Seagalpat]

Thank You.:)

We really wanted to see a little of the city as we are only there over night.