canadian border crossings

[Yukon]

I love the border crossings here (okay, usually!). On the way down to Skagway yesterday the US border guard apologized for not having any cookies for my huskies who are always with me. On the way home, the Canadian border guard introduced himself, said he'd been on my Web site a lot before moving to Fraser recently, and thanked me for helping him get ready for the posting :D

 

Murray

[Poconolady]

We had passports and had no problems coming or going. Upon entering the US the border guard asked us if we had seen any wildlife and we told him about our watching and following a black bear down the road and he said that was the first report that he had of any bears in that area this year. The guards were very pleasant on each encounter. If you don't have anything to hide then you should not anticipate any problems. My husband is a real jokster, but even he tones it down when you are dealing with border guards, airport security, etc.

[Joy2Day]

In 2005, we were coming back into the US after going to Caribou Crossing. There were 6 of us in the van -- me, 2 of my cousins (siblings), a college friend, her father (a 40-year US citizen with a British accent) and her daughter, plus we were residents of 3 different states. The US agent was asking questions to attempt to figure out how we "fit" together ... with little success. He moved on to questions about what we had bought, and my friend's 8-year old started showing him her new stuffed animals, ....

 

At that point, he couldn't hold back the laughter anymore.

[Wild Thing ~T]

Budget Queen, have you been to Nanaimo or Victoria BC? What excursions would you recommend at either port? We are taking our first annual girlfriend cruise (6 of us) with out the DH's! We want to do something different and a bit out of the ordinary. Do you know anything about a train trip on Vancouver Island?

 

Also, myself and my best friend will have an early flight home after disembarking from the Mercury in Seattle. Our flight is at 10:00 am (we had no choice, we live in a small town with comuter planes and that is when we have go!) Our plan is to carry our luggage off ourselves and try to make arrangements to get off the ship first thing and jump into a cab or towncar between 7:30 and 7:45. We are NOT coming from Alaska, we are on a 4 day PNW cruise. Our last day is a sea day, I don't suppose we will be far from Seattle. IYO do you think we can make it? My main concern with this plan is customs. How long could this take? We both have passports.

 

I know it sounds wild but, like I said we only have a one hour flight home from Seattle on a comuter and not much choice!

 

Thanks so much!

Teri

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen, have you been to Nanaimo or Victoria BC? What excursions would you recommend at either port? We are taking our first annual girlfriend cruise (6 of us) with out the DH's! We want to do something different and a bit out of the ordinary. Do you know anything about a train trip on Vancouver Island?

 

Also, myself and my best friend will have an early flight home after disembarking from the Mercury in Seattle. Our flight is at 10:00 am (we had no choice, we live in a small town with comuter planes and that is when we have go!) Our plan is to carry our luggage off ourselves and try to make arrangements to get off the ship first thing and jump into a cab or towncar between 7:30 and 7:45. We are NOT coming from Alaska, we are on a 4 day PNW cruise. Our last day is a sea day, I don't suppose we will be far from Seattle. IYO do you think we can make it? My main concern with this plan is customs. How long could this take? We both have passports.

 

I know it sounds wild but, like I said we only have a one hour flight home from Seattle on a comuter and not much choice!

 

Thanks so much!

Teri

 

Yes, I have been to both on Vancouver Island, I just passed though Nanaino though. :( (I will be there overnight in July) Victoria, has plenty, I'm always on a whale watch, Butchart Gardens is wonderful and the Titanic Exhibit at the Royal BC Museum may be of interest??

 

 

I don't know what a PNW cruise is?? What do they recommend for flight time? That would give you the best idea of their time of disembarkment??

 

Allow 30 minutes to get to the airport and a cab would probably be the fastest option.

[Wild Thing ~T]

Yes, I have been to both on Vancouver Island, I just passed though Nanaino though. :( (I will be there overnight in July) Victoria, has plenty, I'm always on a whale watch, Butchart Gardens is wonderful and the Titanic Exhibit at the Royal BC Museum may be of interest??

 

 

I don't know what a PNW cruise is?? What do they recommend for flight time? That would give you the best idea of their time of disembarkment??

 

Allow 30 minutes to get to the airport and a cab would probably be the fastest option.

 

 

Thank you for your help! PNW Cruise is Mercury / Celebrity's Pacific Northwest cruise. 4 days Nanamio, Victoria and last day at sea.

 

Do you have an idea what time we might disembark? I thought early since we are at sea that day. How long does it take to get through customs aboard?

 

THANKS AGAIN!!:D

Teri

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Anyone catch the news this am? The border guard who let in that lawyer with drug-resistant TB has been placed on leave pending an investigation... The man was on the 'do not admit' list, but the guard didn't stop him- just glanced at his papers and let him in...(says the man)... I bet that they will be WAY WAY more careful now- for a few wks at least!

 

We heard the story a little differently--that the border guard saw that he was on the list, but said he "didn't look sick" so he let him through. Sheesh!

 

Jayne

[Budget Queen]

Thank you for your help! PNW Cruise is Mercury / Celebrity's Pacific Northwest cruise. 4 days Nanamio, Victoria and last day at sea.

 

Do you have an idea what time we might disembark? I thought early since we are at sea that day. How long does it take to get through customs aboard?

 

THANKS AGAIN!!:D

Teri

 

No sorry, I don't know about disembarkment for this ship. It should be noted on your itinerary. And yes, if you are at Vancouver Island the night before you will definately be able to dock early.

[cruisingw/mom]

I just returned from the Radiance of the Seas southbound cruise. We rented a car in Skagway to drive to Emerald Lake. Crossing the border into Canada she only asked us the following questions? It took us maybe 1 to 2 minutes. We all had passports and our seapass cards.

 

1) Why are we entering and how long was our visit?

 

2) Do we have fire arms etc?

 

3) Do we have tobacco or alchol?

 

On the return to US the border guard was a nice older gentleman and his questions were?

 

1) Is this a rental car? Which we answered yes...then he asked

 

2) Isn't Emerald Lake beautiful? We replied "YES"..then he asked us...

 

3) Since your passports are new did we all want the Skagway stamp. And we all replied "YES".

 

Again whole process for re-entering into US was maybe 3 to 4 minutes since he was stamping the passports.

 

--Shelly

[Bluenose Sandy]

About the drug-resistant TB guy... he wasn't on a do-not-admit list, since he's a US citizen and you can't refuse to take back your own. He was on a "detain" list. That's where the US border check guy made a mistake.. didn't hold him and call the health authorities.

 

The Canadian authorities would NOT have been pleased if the border guy had refused to admit him and turned him back into Canada!

[eela]

I was told by the cruise specialist/agent that I don't need a passport to cross US/CAD borders by land/sea. So I didn't renew mine. I am Canadian so I don't think I will have problems entering Yukon but returning to AK?? Any Canadians without passport has had problems??

 

thanks,

 

eela