Canada Entry Question

[Hipockets]

We will be arriving in Vancouver on Sept 30 on the Odyssey and we have the ArriveCAN app and wonder how close they check you as we will also fly out the next day on Oct 1

[d9704011]

1 minute ago, Hipockets said:

We will be arriving in Vancouver on Sept 30 on the Odyssey and we have the ArriveCAN app and wonder how close they check you as we will also fly out the next day on Oct 1

Not very closely, it's all linked to your passport.  Why would you wonder about this... it's not like you're pressed for time to get to the airport?

[SDuckers]

5 hours ago, Hipockets said:

We will be arriving in Vancouver on Sept 30 on the Odyssey and we have the ArriveCAN app and wonder how close they check you as we will also fly out the next day on Oct 1

As long as you check in within 72 hours of your flight, you'll be fine.  You can upload your passport and vaccine info ahead of time.

[shark b8]

18 hours ago, d9704011 said:

Why would you wonder about this... 

 

My guess would be....travel has changed a lot in the last few years, and "wondering" about getting across borders and through security and customs stops would seem to be....understandable.

[shark b8]

18 hours ago, Hipockets said:

arriving in Vancouver on Sept 30 on the Odyssey and we have the ArriveCAN app and wonder how close they check

 

All I can tell you is....we disembarked the Odyssey in Vancouver several weeks ago - Aug 26.  I had done all the ArriveCan stuff, dotted the i's and crossed the t's.....we walked off the ship, passed 3 or 4 checkpoints, all of which which were empty/unstaffed, and found ourselves on the street level.  (we then waited in an hour+ line for a taxi to our hotel ("no, Uber is WAY over across town" we were told) , but that's a story for another day.  I do understand that the ArriveCan info is linked to your passport, and I think I was too sarcastic about the previous time we disembarked  -  it was pointed out to me that once they scan your passport, the ArriveCan stuff is part and parcel with the scan - but not sure how that applies to simply walking off the ship with no scan of anything, including passport.  As always, ymmv, just reporting our experience.  And also as always, I would like to hear other experiences, to begin to sense whether there's an "official" procedure, one way or the other. 

[visagrunt]

The Sept 16-30 sailing doesn't clear in Vancouver--our first Canadian port is Prince Rupert.

Because everyone must fill in ArriveCAN for embarkation there should be no requirement to resubmit prior to arrival in Roop.  There will be a requirement to complete a customs declaration, however.  These are normally collected by the ship and cleared without face-to-face with a CBSA officer.

Because the ship, passengers and crew will have been cleared already, disembarkation in Vancouver is a walk-off with no customs or immigration involvement.

[skybluewaters]

On 9/12/2022 at 6:20 AM, visagrunt said:

The Sept 16-30 sailing doesn't clear in Vancouver--our first Canadian port is Prince Rupert.

Because everyone must fill in ArriveCAN for embarkation there should be no requirement to resubmit prior to arrival in Roop. 

 

So should the ArriveCAN for embarkation for this specific cruise list Vancouver or Prince Rupert as the entry point?  Thank you.

[d9704011]

10 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

So should the ArriveCAN for embarkation for this specific cruise list Vancouver or Prince Rupert as the entry point?  Thank you.

Prince Rupert

[skybluewaters]

1 hour ago, d9704011 said:

Prince Rupert

 

After posting my question here a couple of hours ago, I called Seabourn and the person I spoke with thought that I should enter Vancouver, although she didn't seem very authoritative.  I also called the phone number for ArriveCAN and the person I spoke with was useless and unpleasant...he said that it's not his job to figure this out for me.  Ummm, ok...

 

Maybe it doesn't matter which we choose (Vancouver or Prince Rupert)?  Or does it? 

[d9704011]

17 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

After posting my question here a couple of hours ago, I called Seabourn and the person I spoke with thought that I should enter Vancouver, although she didn't seem very authoritative.  I also called the phone number for ArriveCAN and the person I spoke with was useless and unpleasant...he said that it's not his job to figure this out for me.  Ummm, ok...

 

Maybe it doesn't matter which we choose (Vancouver or Prince Rupert)?  Or does it? 

Of course it matters.  Your first call in Canada is Prince Rupert... so enter Prince Rupert.

[skybluewaters]

12 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Of course it matters.  Your first call in Canada is Prince Rupert... so enter Prince Rupert.

 

I agree with you, and I will enter Prince Rupert. 

 

It will be interesting to see what happens to the passengers who enter Vancouver on their ArriveCAN.  After all, the person at Seabourn told me to enter Vancouver, and the person at ArriveCAN had no answer at all, so there certainly will be a number of people who will likewise enter it incorrectly.  I wonder what will happen to them.  Will they be denied boarding?  Or will they still be able to do a fresh ArriveCAN application at the pier? 

Edited September 13, 2022 by skybluewaters

[SDuckers]

31 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

I agree with you, and I will enter Prince Rupert. 

 

It will be interesting to see what happens to the passengers who enter Vancouver on their ArriveCAN.  After all, the person at Seabourn told me to enter Vancouver, and the person at ArriveCAN had no answer at all, so there certainly will be a number of people who will likewise enter it incorrectly.  I wonder what will happen to them.  Will they be denied boarding?  Or will they still be able to do a fresh ArriveCAN application at the pier? 

I have to think they'd let you just resubmit with the new info.  I know I can't do the ArriveCan for boarding the ship until after we arrive in Vancouver on Thursday, because you can only input one arrival at a time.

 

In the meantime, I have been trying for several days now to add the Seabourn cruise booking to VeriFly and I continue to get an error message.  It's so frustrating.

[d9704011]

58 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

I agree with you, and I will enter Prince Rupert. 

 

It will be interesting to see what happens to the passengers who enter Vancouver on their ArriveCAN.  After all, the person at Seabourn told me to enter Vancouver, and the person at ArriveCAN had no answer at all, so there certainly will be a number of people who will likewise enter it incorrectly.  I wonder what will happen to them.  Will they be denied boarding?  Or will they still be able to do a fresh ArriveCAN application at the pier? 

I doubt there will be any particular penalties but the whole clearance inwards could get confused and held up as the immigration officers work through things.  I very obviously don't know but you have to believe that having a number of incorrect sunmissions won't speed things up.  Hopefully, people will at least choose a port in British Columbia.

[LMB01]

We were on a 14 day Vancouver to Vancouver in August.  Did ArriveCAN before arriving Vancouver.  Then a few days before the Prince Rupert port, Seabourn left info in our suite to prepare.  It included the Canadian customs form and directions for how to complete the ArriveCAN online form.  The directions were wrong - many people ended up in the Square with questions.  We just completed the form as best we could.  Seabourn wanted you to email them the ArriveCAN approval after you got it.  We also had to drop off the Canadian customs form 24 hours to arrival.  We had no issues or questions.

[shark b8]

Yes, visagrunt's explanation of clearing in Prince Rupert, and thus not needing to clear in Vancouver, was perfectly logical.  However, the main point I should have tried to make was not so much that the system in place was abandoned or just ineffective or not secure....more that what travelers are told is going to happen, vs what then actually does happen, can be all over the map.  Last month on the Odyssey we essentially did 3 one-week b2b's, or a 1-week and a 2-week I guess, and experienced differences just from one Canada arrival to the next with a different set of pax.  Even taking the idea that no customs or border involvement was needed to enter Vancouver (considering prior Prince Rupert entry), we were still told by anyone and everyone that if you don't have your ArriveCan QR code to show to officials at the Vancouver port, you would not be allowed to enter.  That was my surprise, that there were no officials.  There may be under-the-radar nuances in the system that tighten things up more than we realize, that are not visible to the average traveler, but (especially considering the last couple of posts), there still remains a great deal of confusion and murkiness about all this stuff, and travelers still just have to do their level best to machete-whack their way through it all.

[Mauzac]

I am following this closely.  We embark on Odyssey on 29th September for the Grand Pacific Voyage, and I have no idea what to put.

 

I had planned on entering Vancouver when we completely our ArriveCan.  Is this now incorrect?

[shark b8]

2 hours ago, Mauzac said:

I had planned on entering Vancouver when we completely our ArriveCan.  Is this now incorrect?

 

Would love to give a definitive answer, but because of all the various experience-discrepancies discussed on this thread, I'd hate to go on record....and then turn out to be wrong in your particular instance.  

 

But one thing I'll say....WOW, that cruise is amazing!  I seriously considered it a while back....will you frequently report on CC about it?!  (assuming you manage to get into Canada, I mean..🙄)

[Mauzac]

57 minutes ago, shark b8 said:

 

Would love to give a definitive answer, but because of all the various experience-discrepancies discussed on this thread, I'd hate to go on record....and then turn out to be wrong in your particular instance.  

 

But one thing I'll say....WOW, that cruise is amazing!  I seriously considered it a while back....will you frequently report on CC about it?!  (assuming you manage to get into Canada, I mean..🙄)

 

I quite understand about not saying to me which port etc, I am very hesitant about offering definitive answers too... imagine if it was wrong!

 

I will certainly try and report back!  

[visagrunt]

My handle comes from my first job in the public service:  a visa officer in the Canadian foreign service.  I cut my teeth in the immigration world and from that I provide two pieces of advice:

1)  The only person who's opinion is authoritative is the official who is actually determining your admissibility to Canada.  Take everyone else's advice (including mine!) with the appropriate measures of salt.

2)  Don't get tied up into knots about the forms.  Officials are there to make substantive decisions.  For the first 6 months of using ArriveCAN my first name was misspelled in the app due to a scanning error (reading an "E" as an "F").   Half a dozen entries later an officer pointed out the glitch as he was in the midst of readmitting me.

[skybluewaters]

17 hours ago, LMB01 said:

We were on a 14 day Vancouver to Vancouver in August.  Did ArriveCAN before arriving Vancouver.  Then a few days before the Prince Rupert port, Seabourn left info in our suite to prepare.  It included the Canadian customs form and directions for how to complete the ArriveCAN online form.  The directions were wrong - many people ended up in the Square with questions.  We just completed the form as best we could.  Seabourn wanted you to email them the ArriveCAN approval after you got it.  We also had to drop off the Canadian customs form 24 hours to arrival.  We had no issues or questions.

 

I understand that you completed your first ArriveCAN before arriving into Vancouver.  But didn't you then need to do a second ArriveCAN in order to board the ship?  From what it seems, you actually did your second ArriveCAN onboard.  Could you please explain?  Thank you very much for any help you can give!

[SDuckers]

1 hour ago, skybluewaters said:

 

I understand that you completed your first ArriveCAN before arriving into Vancouver.  But didn't you then need to do a second ArriveCAN in order to board the ship?  From what it seems, you actually did your second ArriveCAN onboard.  Could you please explain?  Thank you very much for any help you can give!

I would like to know this also.  We had been told to do the first ArriveCAN before we arrive via plane, and then a second one before boarding the ship.  This is what the Seabourn FAQs say:

 

1. Complete ArriveCAN within 72 hours of embarkation if sailing to or from a Canadian port. Guests not from Canada who are starting their cruise in Canada will need to complete ArriveCAN within 72 hours before arrival and fill it out again within 72 hours of embarkation. Canadian guests will need to fill out ArriveCAN within 72 hours before embarkation.

 

[1985rz1]

22 hours ago, SDuckers said:

I would like to know this also.  We had been told to do the first ArriveCAN before we arrive via plane, and then a second one before boarding the ship.  This is what the Seabourn FAQs say:

 

1. Complete ArriveCAN within 72 hours of embarkation if sailing to or from a Canadian port. Guests not from Canada who are starting their cruise in Canada will need to complete ArriveCAN within 72 hours before arrival and fill it out again within 72 hours of embarkation. Canadian guests will need to fill out ArriveCAN within 72 hours before embarkation.

 

Yes, if your cruise departs from a Canadian port, leaves Canada and returns to Canada.  If the cruise leaves Canada and does not return to Canada or stays in Canada, the "exceptions" say the second ArriveCan is not required.

 

From the instructions site: 

 

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise#boarding-excursions

 

Boarding cruises and shore excursions
Some requirements for boarding a cruise, either at the beginning of the cruise or as part of a shore excursion, may be different depending on where you are boarding and which countries your ship will visit.

 

Mandatory requirements for all travellers, including Canadians, include pre-embarkation testing and can include ArriveCAN if your ship is coming to or returning to Canada.

 

Choose the scenario below that best fits your cruise plans:

 

Starting an international cruise in Canada or arriving by cruise from another country

    (see the details in this section...too long to quote)

Cruises that are staying in Canadian waters or not returning to Canada
All travellers are required to take a pre-embarkation COVID-19 test before embarking on a cruise in Canada, even if the cruise ship is not leaving Canadian waters

Travellers who are staying within Canada throughout their entire journey or who are leaving Canada and not returning don’t have to complete ArriveCAN.

Edited September 15, 2022 by 1985rz1

[LMB01]

On 9/14/2022 at 11:41 AM, skybluewaters said:

 

I understand that you completed your first ArriveCAN before arriving into Vancouver.  But didn't you then need to do a second ArriveCAN in order to board the ship?  From what it seems, you actually did your second ArriveCAN onboard.  Could you please explain?  Thank you very much for any help you can give!

I agree the Seabourn guidelines are confusing.  I think I did complete it prior to embarkation.  We were never asked to provide the document or code at boarding.  I know some say it is tied to your passport but no one ever scanned our passports - only looked at them.  Much, much more time was spent on entering our vaccination status and pre board Covid test.  
 

I can tell you that completing ArriveCAN is easier the second and third time as it already has your info.  Honestly, I really don’t think it is required to board in Vancouver.  

[labonnevie]

23 hours ago, LMB01 said:

I agree the Seabourn guidelines are confusing.  I think I did complete it prior to embarkation.  We were never asked to provide the document or code at boarding.  I know some say it is tied to your passport but no one ever scanned our passports - only looked at them.  Much, much more time was spent on entering our vaccination status and pre board Covid test.  
 

I can tell you that completing ArriveCAN is easier the second and third time as it already has your info.  Honestly, I really don’t think it is required to board in Vancouver.  

Exactly the same experience for us on Quest, Montreal, August 29th.