San Diego to Vancouver Cruise (where do we clear customs?)

[OCA REP]

We will be traveling on a Pacific Coastal Cruise in May 2016 from San Diego, CA to Vancouver, BC. I have an inquiry concerning where we will actually clear Canadian customs. Our final three stops on the cruise are:

 

Nanaimo, BC (May 20, 2016)

Victoria BC (May 21, 2016)

Vancouver, BC (May 22, 2016)

 

Our ship, Celebrity Infinity, disembarks at Canada Place cruise terminal in Vancouver at 7:00 AM on May 22, 2016. Will we clear customs there or will we have already cleared earlier at either Nanaimo or Victoria? We are trying to schedule flights and would like to know if we would be able to just walk off the ship in Vancouver... or should we budget time for clearing customs there.

 

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

[Putterdude]

The ship will provide a passenger manifest before its arrival in Nanaimo and it will reviewed in advance by CBSA before you arrive in Nanaimo. However, neither Nanaimo or Victoria have facilities to clear everyone on a cruise ship so your formal clearance by CBSA will be at Canada Place when you arrive in Vancouver. That said, CBSA does reserve the right to clear a ship and its passengers at the first port of call but from a practical perspective that is highly unlikely.

[Putterdude]

The ship will provide a passenger manifest before its arrival in Nanaimo and it will reviewed in advance by CBSA before you arrive in Nanaimo. However, neither Nanaimo or Victoria have facilities to clear everyone on a cruise ship so your formal clearance by CBSA will be at Canada Place when you arrive in Vancouver. That said, CBSA does reserve the right to clear a ship and its passengers at the first port of call but from a practical perspective that is highly unlikely. I have read recently that CBSA has been requiring passengers to complete an customs declaration card (which will be provided by the ship) and hand it to a CBSA officer when you leave the ship at your first port of call but that will be extent of it.

[xlxo]

Thoughts....

• clearing customs into Vancouver was quick for me at the cruise terminal. However, US customs at the airport is the painful segment. Yep.... you clear US customs in Canada just before the flight!
  
• I recommend flights after 12pm. They want you at the airport 3hrs in advance for those American screeners. Budget 35 minutes for the taxi ride from the cruise terminal to airport.
  
• why be in a rush to leave so soon. Vancouver has lots to offer! You might want to spend a few days there.
  

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Edited September 22, 2015 by xlxo

[OCA REP]

The ship will provide a passenger manifest before its arrival in Nanaimo and it will reviewed in advance by CBSA before you arrive in Nanaimo. However, neither Nanaimo or Victoria have facilities to clear everyone on a cruise ship so your formal clearance by CBSA will be at Canada Place when you arrive in Vancouver. That said, CBSA does reserve the right to clear a ship and its passengers at the first port of call but from a practical perspective that is highly unlikely. I have read recently that CBSA has been requiring passengers to complete an customs declaration card (which will be provided by the ship) and hand it to a CBSA officer when you leave the ship at your first port of call but that will be extent of it.

 

I appreciate the response and information that you shared!

[OCA REP]

Thoughts....

• clearing customs into Vancouver was quick for me at the cruise terminal. However, US customs at the airport is the painful segment. Yep.... you clear US customs in Canada just before the flight! Until I began reading these boards, I was not aware that US Customs was handled at the airport for US-bound flights. Makes sense as I have seen Canadian arrivals here in the US often use regular domestic gates. They obviously were not clearing customs at their destination.
  

 

• I recommend flights after 12pm. They want you at the airport 3hrs in advance for those American screeners. Budget 35 minutes for the taxi ride from the cruise terminal to airport. Thanks for the timing information!
  

 

• why be in a rush to leave so soon. Vancouver has lots to offer! You might want to spend a few days there. I agree with your recommendation... however, San Diego got our extra time prior to the cruise, so we will have to depart YVR embarkation day or early the next morning. Next time in Vancouver, we will budget time to visit longer!
  

I appreciate the reply!

[Putterdude]

I appreciate the response and information that you shared!

 

Sorry for the double post...the last remark occurred to me after the first post and I thought I had hit edit but hadn't.:o