US Direct disembarkation question

[whale-watcher]

Correct me if I'm wrong...if we are on the 14day Tahitian Princess itinerary, and our final port of call is Victoria BC, then we are NOT able to take advantage of US Direct, and must pass through immigration in YVR airport prior to boarding our return flight to the USA (but would not need to pass through immigration in the cruiseport since we would have re-entered Canada the day before in Victoria?)....

 

Would it still be unreasonable to book a 12:05 pm flight if the TP (approximately 700pax) is the only ship in port that date, with an arrival time of 7:30 am....there is also a 2:30 pm nonstop back to MSP, but with this option my mother would not be able to continue back to the east coast that same date (not a HUGE issue, but it would be easier for her/us if she could)....

 

thanks!

[Putterdude]

Correct me if I'm wrong...if we are on the 14day Tahitian Princess itinerary, and our final port of call is Victoria BC, then we are NOT able to take advantage of US Direct, and must pass through immigration in YVR airport prior to boarding our return flight to the USA (but would not need to pass through immigration in the cruiseport since we would have re-entered Canada the day before in Victoria?)....

 

Would it still be unreasonable to book a 12:05 pm flight if the TP (approximately 700pax) is the only ship in port that date, with an arrival time of 7:30 am....there is also a 2:30 pm nonstop back to MSP, but with this option my mother would not be able to continue back to the east coast that same date (not a HUGE issue, but it would be easier for her/us if she could)....

 

thanks!

 

As I see it your first Canadian port of call is Victoria and evdiently the pax do not clear CDN customs there but so in Vancouver where your cruise ends. Check with Princess but as I see it you would be eligable for the US Direct Progam but they will not support a flight before 12:30 or 1:00 but as I say talk to Princess. If they were to say no to US direct you could make the 12:05 flight if you thought you could be off the ship, have your baggage, cleared CDN customs and in a cab by 9 or 9:15. You need 45 min to get to YVR and offically you are supposed to be at the airport 2 hrs before an international flight as you will clear US customs at YVR. It is real tight but it could be done particularly as the TP is the only ship in Vancouver that day. Good luck!

[Putterdude]

Correct me if I'm wrong...if we are on the 14day Tahitian Princess itinerary, and our final port of call is Victoria BC, then we are NOT able to take advantage of US Direct, and must pass through immigration in YVR airport prior to boarding our return flight to the USA (but would not need to pass through immigration in the cruiseport since we would have re-entered Canada the day before in Victoria?)....

 

Would it still be unreasonable to book a 12:05 pm flight if the TP (approximately 700pax) is the only ship in port that date, with an arrival time of 7:30 am....there is also a 2:30 pm nonstop back to MSP, but with this option my mother would not be able to continue back to the east coast that same date (not a HUGE issue, but it would be easier for her/us if she could)....

 

thanks!

 

As I see it your first Canadian port of call is Victoria and evdiently the pax do not clear CDN customs there but so in Vancouver where your cruise ends. Check with Princess but as I see it you would be eligable for the US Direct Progam but they will not support a flight before 12:30 or 1:00 but as I say talk to Princess. If they were to say no to US direct you could make the 12:05 flight if you thought you could be off the ship, have your baggage, cleared CDN cutoms and in a cab by 9 or 9:15. You need 45 min to get to YVR and offically you are supposed to be at the airport 2 hrs before an international flight as you will clear US customs at YVR. It is real tight but it could be done.

[sophieb]

Correct me if I'm wrong...if we are on the 14day Tahitian Princess itinerary, and our final port of call is Victoria BC, then we are NOT able to take advantage of US Direct, and must pass through immigration in YVR airport prior to boarding our return flight to the USA (but would not need to pass through immigration in the cruiseport since we would have re-entered Canada the day before in Victoria?)....

 

Would it still be unreasonable to book a 12:05 pm flight if the TP (approximately 700pax) is the only ship in port that date, with an arrival time of 7:30 am....there is also a 2:30 pm nonstop back to MSP, but with this option my mother would not be able to continue back to the east coast that same date (not a HUGE issue, but it would be easier for her/us if she could)....

 

thanks!

 

My TA has been talking to Princess about US Direct - they don't seem to be too familiar and apparently this is new to them, but they have assured us, with or without US Direct, we will be able to make a 11:30 AM flight. Everyone on the boards says no -way, but with the TP being a smaller ship, less ships in port that day, and according to Princess, we may dock at 7 AM - Princess is acutally booking people on early flights. They seem to think it can be done so we have an 11:30 flight and are pushing for US Direct. We will part with our luggage the last night and not know if it makes it on our flight - but hopefully we will all make it on the flight.

[whale-watcher]

My TA has been talking to Princess about US Direct - they don't seem to be too familiar and apparently this is new to them, but they have assured us, with or without US Direct, we will be able to make a 11:30 AM flight. Everyone on the boards says no -way, but with the TP being a smaller ship, less ships in port that day, and according to Princess, we may dock at 7 AM - Princess is acutally booking people on early flights. They seem to think it can be done so we have an 11:30 flight and are pushing for US Direct. We will part with our luggage the last night and not know if it makes it on our flight - but hopefully we will all make it on the flight.

I just got off the phone with our TA's office, and they thought the 12:05pm flight should be no problem, especially since our little TP will be the only ship arriving that date. I guess we will book the official princess transfers and hope for the best! They also thought that US Direct would be an option, as the will be no Canadian immigration in Victoria, but did not know for certain. Mom has decided to stay with us in MN for a few days after the cruise, so at least we won't have to worry about her connection in MSP.

[Putterdude]

My TA has been talking to Princess about US Direct - they don't seem to be too familiar and apparently this is new to them, but they have assured us, with or without US Direct, we will be able to make a 11:30 AM flight. Everyone on the boards says no -way, but with the TP being a smaller ship, less ships in port that day, and according to Princess, we may dock at 7 AM - Princess is acutally booking people on early flights. They seem to think it can be done so we have an 11:30 flight and are pushing for US Direct. We will part with our luggage the last night and not know if it makes it on our flight - but hopefully we will all make it on the flight.

 

Well you are right, that defies everything I have read about the program including what Princess evidently has told OP's. To me 11:30 is a huge crap shoot but at least you have Princess to yell at if it doesn't go well. Have you thought of getting names and employee numbers in the event things don't go as planned?

[Sierra Fox]

I just spoke to the Princess representative in Vancouver about this program last week. She said that with US Direct it should be no problem to get an 11:00 AM flight out. She said it takes about an hour and 15 minutes to get from the ship to your gate at the airport and those with the earlier flights will be on the earlier US Direct transfers. (Group A)

 

She also said that it's not uncommon to have to wait 2 hours for a taxi at the pier during the peak summer months. She mentioned they were trying to get approval from the city to allow more cab drivers but haven't been able to yet.

 

I don't think I'd risk an early flight without using US Direct. There's just no way to know how long it will take once you get to the airport to check in, go through customs and security. - SF

[whale-watcher]

Two hours for a cab!?! We will book the princess transfers no matter which return flight we end up selecting!

[Budget Queen]

My TA has been talking to Princess about US Direct - they don't seem to be too familiar and apparently this is new to them, but they have assured us, with or without US Direct, we will be able to make a 11:30 AM flight. Everyone on the boards says no -way, but with the TP being a smaller ship, less ships in port that day, and according to Princess, we may dock at 7 AM - Princess is acutally booking people on early flights. They seem to think it can be done so we have an 11:30 flight and are pushing for US Direct. We will part with our luggage the last night and not know if it makes it on our flight - but hopefully we will all make it on the flight.

 

You do realize that the people you are talking to at Princess, may not know what they are talking about??? None of these people are located in Vancouver. Your information from this board- is accurate, and my reference is that you definately need US Direct to make an 11:30am flight.

[Budget Queen]

Two hours for a cab!?! We will book the princess transfers no matter which return flight we end up selecting!

 

There can be massive long lines for a cab. I always recommend, if the case, to get upstairs, tip the Pan Pacific doorman for a quicker cab.

[sophieb]

You do realize that the people you are talking to at Princess, may not know what they are talking about??? None of these people are located in Vancouver. Your information from this board- is accurate, and my reference is that you definately need US Direct to make an 11:30am flight.

 

Yes, thanks for your info Budget Queen. It is obvious that Princess is not that familiar with the US Direct - but we will continue to push the issue and insist on US Direct as we get closer. It was because of the comments from you guys on the boards that I even knew about US Direct and started asking questions. Unfortunately, I only joined and started reading these boards after my TA said that the 11:30 flight was do able and booked. I appreciate everyone's advice and help.

[Sierra Fox]

Yes, thanks for your info Budget Queen. It is obvious that Princess is not that familiar with the US Direct - but we will continue to push the issue and insist on US Direct as we get closer. It was because of the comments from you guys on the boards that I even knew about US Direct and started asking questions. Unfortunately, I only joined and started reading these boards after my TA said that the 11:30 flight was do able and booked. I appreciate everyone's advice and help.

 

I don't think you'll have any issues if you are able to use US Direct. The lady I spoke with in Vancouver is directly involved with the program and said flights after 11 AM are no problem. She said the program has been 8 years in the making and is working well.

 

She stressed that you must make sure you are signed up for a Princess transfer and are booked on a participating airline and you need to have your flight information entered into the Cruise Personalizer on the Princess site. After that, just make sure to watch for the sign-up paperwork once onboard the ship and get it turned in by the deadline, which will be several days prior to the end of the cruise. She said they are working on a system now that will let people sign up for US Direct in advance, but due to all the logistics involved, it won't be in effect for some time. - SF

[whale-watcher]

thank you BQ and SF for the very helpful information!

[PennyAgain]

We had a family member who wished to do US Direct and thought she had done everything correctly only to find out on the ship the last night on the ship that there are a limited number of seats on those buses! Once those are sold out, there are no more!

 

When they sell out they are gone!

 

She was able to make her flight with a regular cruise line transfer but had to wait in those darned long lines in the airport to do so. She had counted on using US Direct to avoid the worst of those lines.