Going thru Customs from Vancouver

[platterb]

We're looking at cruising LA to Vancouver 4/24. When do you go thru Customs when traveling back to the US?

[negc]

We're looking at cruising LA to Vancouver 4/24. When do you go thru Customs when traveling back to the US?

 

I believe that Vancouver is one of several Canadian airports where you will pre-clear US customs. As a result, you will have to go through two customs inspections: 1 Canadian, and 1 US. Once you have cleared both you can board your plane and not have to worry about going through US customs again when you land in the US. We did this in Aruba last year and it made our arrival in Boston much simpler.:)

[PennyAgain]

You clear at Vancouver in the airport. Allow plenty of time as the lines are usually long and slow especially on cruise ship days. You have to get in the line and clear security and etc. It can be a long period of standing and waiting. I have sat on the floor to rest now and then.

[Ontario Cruiser]

Do Canadian's have to go through customs at the airport in Vancouver or are they cleared before they get off the ship?

Thanks Ontario Cruiser.

[PennyAgain]

Canadians clear only at the ship unless you happen to be flying into a US city. You are home and travel from the ship in your normal way.

[Putterdude]

Unless using "US Direct" US citizens clear Canadian customs at the pier, then they clear US customs at the airport. Canadian citizens obviously only have to clear Canadian customs at the pier.

I am going to attach a link concerning US Direct which is a great program where American citizens and their luggage travel directly from their ship to the airport in an "in bond" type situation and need not clear either customs. There is criteria for using this program not the least of which both your cruise line and airline must both be participants so read it carefully. I should also point out that last year it did not become available until after July 1st and ordinarily winds down shortly after Labour Day.link

[scottbee]

We're looking at cruising LA to Vancouver 4/24. When do you go thru Customs when traveling back to the US?

 

Twice;

 

1. Canadian Customs at the pier as you get off the boat
   
2. US Customs after checkin, as you enter the (isolated) transborder wing of the international terminal at the airport.
   

[Ttowntreasures]

We are flying into Vancouver for 8-13-10 cruise. Do we clear customs at the airport? Thankx

[dogdoc2002]

We are flying into Vancouver for 8-13-10 cruise. Do we clear customs at the airport? Thankx

Unless you're doing the direct to the ship option, same as the scenerio above where you travel in the "in bond" situation. We fly in the day before our cruise 3 years ago and it took over an hour to clear customs- very long lines, only a few stations open, and no benches to sit on so be prepared. I'm assuming they may have more stations open on cruise days, but I can't say that with any certainty

dogdoc2002

[scottbee]

We are flying into Vancouver for 8-13-10 cruise. Do we clear customs at the airport? Thankx

 

It depends where you're flying in from. If you're connecting in another Canadian city first, you will clear customs there. If you're flying into Vancouver as your first Canadian city, you will clear in Vancouver.

 

I'm assuming they may have more stations open on cruise days, but I can't say that with any certainty

I doubt there's much different in staffing cruise days vs non-cruise days, given what a small percentage of air travellers (well under 10%) the cruise customers represent, and that the flight schedules don't change cruise days to non-cruise days. You're talking about perhaps a couple of thousand people in an airport that's among the 50 busiest in the world.

[momtwins]

Ok so I am flying from US to Vancouver and will clear customs when I arrive in Vancouver. I then will get on the ship in Vancouver to cruise to Alaska and fly out of Anchorage.

 

When else do I go through customs?

 

Thanks--sorry I'm not very well traveled.

[BCHappyGal]

You will clear Canadian customs at the Vancouver airport and then you get the priviledge of clearing the US customs at the dock before you board the ship for Alaska.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[scottbee]

Ok so I am flying from US to Vancouver and will clear customs when I arrive in Vancouver. I then will get on the ship in Vancouver to cruise to Alaska and fly out of Anchorage.

 

When else do I go through customs?

 

Thanks--sorry I'm not very well traveled.

 

Not really a silly question; a lot of people are unaware of USA pre-clearance.

 

You'll clear Canadian Customs at the airport, and if your 1st port of call is in the United States, you'll probably do US pre-clearance at the Vancouver cruise dock (so you don't have to when you reach the USA).

[deedee9]

Hi - I hope I can ask this here - I am British and we are landing in Vancouver via ship and we want to go to Orlando - do we have to do the Canadian/US customs clearance - or can we do the bond thing??

We are also aware that the flights seem cheaper from Seattle - but again as we are UK residents can we take the coach across the border???

I am looking at the later flight from Vancouver to Orlando - any suggestions really welcome and thanks!

[BecciBoo]

None of these scenerios fit ours. We are cruising from San Diego up to Alaska and debark in Vancouver. We are taking shuttle across border to Seatak. When do we clear US customs, at SeaTac?

[scottbee]

None of these scenerios fit ours. We are cruising from San Diego up to Alaska and debark in Vancouver. We are taking shuttle across border to Seatak. When do we clear US customs, at SeaTac?

 

Who's shuttle? Some cruise lines have an inbond shuttle, if you're taking QuickShuttle (a commercial coach line), you'll clear Canadian Immigration/Customs as you get off the ship, and US Immigration/Customs at Blaine (the border crossing)

[cruisinzoe]

We will be spending a few days in Vancouver after our cruise. How early do you suggest we get to the airport? It sounds like we go through customs in Vancouver not when arriving back in the US. We have a flight now around 1pm but may need to change to 7am. Would that be a crazy idea? Thanks.

[wingdingjg]

We will be spending a few days in Vancouver after our cruise. How early do you suggest we get to the airport? It sounds like we go through customs in Vancouver not when arriving back in the US. We have a flight now around 1pm but may need to change to 7am. Would that be a crazy idea? Thanks.

 

Cruisinzoe; Last month, we arrived at the airport in Vancouver at 9:15 AM after walking off the ship at 8:15 AM that morning. We got in line at United, got our boarding passes and baggage tags. Then took our baggages to the screening area and didn't have to see them until we got home. Next we moved to the U.S. Customs area in a zig zag line like Disney World. We walked out of the U.S. Customs area into the terminal at 10:45 AM. That was 1 1/2 hours through the entire process. The time of day may make a difference as you may get through faster if you won't be there with loads of people who just got off a cruise ship. You might contact your airline at a local Vancouver number for suggestions for an arrival time.

[Putterdude]

We will be spending a few days in Vancouver after our cruise. How early do you suggest we get to the airport? It sounds like we go through customs in Vancouver not when arriving back in the US. We have a flight now around 1pm but may need to change to 7am. Would that be a crazy idea? Thanks.

 

If you are going on a 7:00 am flight then sometime about 5:30 am would be fine, you will be waking up US customs at 6 am and well ahead of the cruise ship press. If you stay with the 1 pm then depending on the day and the number of ships in port, be there 2 hours pre flight time to 3 hrs max.

[negc]

We had a 6:30 am flight and while getting up around 3 am and getting to the airport by 4:30 was a bit of a pain, the airport was relatively empty at that time of the morning and checking in, and clearing US customs was very quick and easy. Some Tim Horton's coffee and a donut near the gate helped us immensely and our flight to Seattle was not crowded allowing us each to have window seats. By taking such an early flight we were able to reach Boston, our final destination by 5:15pm.:)