Vancouver BC

[smarks]

Hi everybody. Has anyone smuggled alcohol at the port of Vancouver BC. in their checked luggage? DH wants to give it a try. What do you think? I know very little about Canada and how their customs work.

[thesawch]

Up here in Canada you can get shot for doing a crime like that!!

[smarks]

Up here in Canada you can get shot for doing a crime like that!!

I'm sorry, I wasn't putting down Canada. It's just some ports are stricter than others. And I hate to see alcohol poured out. That's alcohol abuse. Either way, I don't want to get shot over a beer. LOL

[Putterdude]

My recommendation would be not to try to smuggle it in from the US to Canada, it is a serious offence and you could be refused entry....not liklely but could. With liquor purchased in BC prior to the cruise your bags are not screened by customs but by the cruise line as they are in anyother port and I not aware of them being any more or less lenient then they are in any other port.

[cruiseryyc]

I believe you are allowed to bring 1.5 litres across the border; anything over that limit and you risk losing it to the Canadian Customs officers.

[smarks]

Thanks everybody. If we decide to do something like this, it will be purchased in Canada. They're my host country, I don't mind spending my money there. Thanks again for all the help.

[Putterdude]

Thanks everybody. If we decide to do something like this, it will be purchased in Canada. They're my host country, I don't mind spending my money there. Thanks again for all the help.

 

Don't get to carried away here, alcohol is about double what you are used of paying stateside. I am attaching a list of what you can bring into Canada duty free. There is a liquor store about 3 blocks east of Canada Place and yet another one at Thurlow & Alberni about 5 blocks away but it is open on Sunday. If it were me I would bring in what I was allowed and wait until I got back to the land of cheap "Buds" in Ketchikan. You will notice that I have not counselled you to sumuggle aboard ship .... now have I.:D

http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/publications/pub/rc4161-eng.html#P007

[Langley Cruisers]

By the use of your word "smuggle", you know that alcohol is not permitted to be brought on board. Nor will you be allowed to retain any that you purchase in Alaska during your cruise; you will have to surrender it until the night before you disembark.

 

Is it worth it? I guess you'll have to ask yourself.

[Putterdude]

You are quite correct, however it is my experience that many cruise lines (not all) tend to turn a blind eye to alcohol that is brought aboard in reasonable quantities. In fact some cruise lines allow you to bring aboard up to bottles of wine per person in each port.

[smarks]

Putterdude, once again you have come to my rescue. You have passed on some valuable information. Thanks for the link to the rules and regulations. I can use a lot of this information. Thanks again.

[Putterdude]

You are most welcome and have a great cruise.:)

[Langley Cruisers]

In fact some cruise lines allow you to bring aboard up to bottles of wine per person in each port.

 

Is Carnival one of those cruise lines? I assumed "no" because she used the word "smuggle".

[Serious Cruisers]

For those of us who cruise often-- I have one word "naughty room". You will receive a tel call to go to a certain room once you arrive in your cabin and realize your suitcase is the only one that hasn't arrive yet..they will ask you to open your suitcase and take your alcohol and return it to you on your last night on the ship.

 

Don't think its worth it to save a few buck$

[Putterdude]

Thank you for your concern; I have not had any such problem and am personally prepared to take that risk. Having said that I am aware that Carnival are much more stringent about this than other lines.

[Crusin-Suzan]

Is there duty free when we land in Vancouver airport???? I know liquor is very Thanks

[Putterdude]

Is there duty free when we land in Vancouver airport???? I know liquor is very Thanks

 

There is a duty free at YVR but it is only for departing passengers; arriving cannot use it. You would be best to pick up duty free at your departing airport. If not then earlier in this thread I have listed the two closest liquor stores too Canada Place.

[Crusin-Suzan]

Putterdude, I have a question for you. We will arrive on Saturday noon time in YVR and get a rental car. We want to be back in downtown Vancouver on Tuesday early afternoon. (to turn in car same time that we rented it out) We are planning on taking the ferry to Victoria on Saturday, spending the night in Victoria and then thought we would drive up the island to Comex, take the ferry across and drive down the sun coast back to Vancouver. Do we have time to do this or will we be rushed. How long of a drive is it down 101 to Vancouver including a couple of short ferry rides. If you have a better idea please share it with us. Thanks

[Putterdude]

Putterdude, I have a question for you. We will arrive on Saturday noon time in YVR and get a rental car. We want to be back in downtown Vancouver on Tuesday early afternoon. (to turn in car same time that we rented it out) We are planning on taking the ferry to Victoria on Saturday, spending the night in Victoria and then thought we would drive up the island to Comex, take the ferry across and drive down the sun coast back to Vancouver. Do we have time to do this or will we be rushed. How long of a drive is it down 101 to Vancouver including a couple of short ferry rides. If you have a better idea please share it with us. Thanks

 

 

This a trip we often take in reverse as we have a son who lives in Comox and we live on the Sunshine Coast so here is the skinny:

 

The ferry terminal at Little River (Comox) is just 10 mins from Courtenay or Comox, the trip across Georgia Strait is 80 mins to the Westview terminal (Powell River). Powell River is worthy or a look at it is an old pulp & paper town and the original townsite is a historical site. If you like Thai food there is a great restaurant right across from the Westview Terminal called the Thai dal Zone.....last week we even made a special trip up to Powell River to have lunch there. You can also continue northwest on Hwy 101 about 30 mins to Lund which is the end of the highway. At the end of the road there is the Lund Hotel with a wonderful deck overlooking the strait which is also a good place to eat.

 

From Powell River to the Saltery Bay terminal the drive is 35 mins . There you will board the Queen of Tsawwassen which is the oldest ship left in the BC Ferries fleet and will be replaced and sold off this fall. Your sailing time to Earles Cove on the Sunshine Coast is 50 mins and the scenery is gorgeous on a sunny day so bring your camera.

 

Once at Earls Cove your drive time to Sechelt where I live is about 50 mins and then you are about another 30 mins to the Langdale terminal where your crossing time will be 40 mins and then the drive time from Horseshoe Bay into Vancover is about 30 mins. During the summer you will want to be at the Langdale terminal a minimum of 30 mins before sailing.

 

While on the Sunshine Coast you may want to take a few little side trips to Garden Bay, Maderia Park, Secret Cove, Davis Bay and Gibsons Landing (which is now refered to as Lower Gibsons) these side trips could easily add 2 hours to your trip. Oh as you pass by the Sunshine Coast Golf & CC at Roberts Creek between Sechelt and Gibsons you may just me standing over my ball on the 16th green.:)

 

Yes this all can be done in a day if you catch the first ferry out of Comox in the morning. I am attaching a link to the BC Ferries website and if you should have any more questions please feel free to ask.

 

http://www.bcferries.com/

[Crusin-Suzan]

Thanks for all the info. What towns do you think that we should stay at after Saturday in Victoria. We have Sunday and Monday night. We don't mind getting off the island on Monday if that would work better.

[Putterdude]

Thanks for all the info. What towns do you think that we should stay at after Saturday in Victoria. We have Sunday and Monday night. We don't mind getting off the island on Monday if that would work better.

 

You may want to drive up Island and stay in the Parksville/Qualicum area as it has lots of accomodation and lovely beach. You may aslo care to drive 30/40 mins east of Parksville towards Port Alberni and visit Cathedral Grove which is stand of orginal growth timber then go up and stay in the Comox/Courtenay for Monday night and then return via the Sunshine coast on Tuesday. By the way drive the Ocean route, or the Old Island Highway as the scenery is much superior than driving the new inland highway. The alternative is to drive right to Comox/Courtenay on Sunday, come to the Sunshine Coast on Monday and stay somewhere on Monday night. The only issue is that we tend to be more "cottage country" and dont have a lot of good accmodation but here are a few suggestions:

http://www.sunshinecoast-resort.com/?Quokka=TravelInBC

http://www.rockwatersecretcoveresort.com/

[Crusin-Suzan]

Thanks for all the help. One more question... I grew up, in the summer, on Lake Erie in Ontario. My mom is Canadian. My favorite food from there is peameal bacon. I think it might be an Ontario thing. Do they have this in BC. Our friends that come down here to visit brings this to us. Such a treat.

[cruiseryyc]

I have never heard of peameal bacon - must be an Eastern Canadian speciality.

[Putterdude]

Thanks for all the help. One more question... I grew up, in the summer, on Lake Erie in Ontario. My mom is Canadian. My favorite food from there is peameal bacon. I think it might be an Ontario thing. Do they have this in BC. Our friends that come down here to visit brings this to us. Such a treat.

 

Sorry I am flat footed on that one as well...never heard of it. But then again you need to understand out here in BC we try to avoid anything from or about Ontario; they once gave us the railroad and we have been paying for it ever since....oops, that is political and I am going to be beeped.:rolleyes: