Janet- Posted April 20, 2015 #1 Share Posted April 20, 2015 We are sailing into Victoria BC on Regatta, does anyone have any idea how long immigration will take please. We are due to arrive at noon. Will it be quayside or done on board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanandJim Posted April 20, 2015 #2 Share Posted April 20, 2015 We are sailing into Victoria BC on Regatta, does anyone have any idea how long immigration will take please. We are due to arrive at noon. Will it be quayside or done on board. The American Immigration process is perhaps less rigorous than other nations and does not require face to face comparison before debarking the ship. We photo check as you leave the secure customs area with your luggage on the pier (It's a two birds with one stone, thing). Therefore, Passports are collected by the Pursers office at the start of most voyages and they are available for the perusal of the Immigration Authorities whenever they board the ship. Passengers holding non USA Passports are typically summoned to one of the Lounges on the morning of debarkation, it's usually a cursory inspection of documents, but of course, there are no guarantees, and some cruises have larger numbers of non-North Americans than others. More people simply take more time; and there isn't any way of telling in advance. If you're asking because you want to schedule a flight home, it's best to allow several hours more than you think that you will need. Nobody EVER rushes Immigration, and all the rest and relaxation of a lovely cruise can melt away in a minute if you're stressing about missing your flight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted April 20, 2015 #3 Share Posted April 20, 2015 (edited) The American Immigration process is perhaps less rigorous than other nations and does not require face to face comparison before debarking the ship. We photo check as you leave the secure customs area with your luggage on the pier (It's a two birds with one stone, thing). Therefore, Passports are collected by the Pursers office at the start of most voyages and they are available for the perusal of the Immigration Authorities whenever they board the ship. Passengers holding non USA Passports are typically summoned to one of the Lounges on the morning of debarkation, it's usually a cursory inspection of documents, but of course, there are no guarantees, and some cruises have larger numbers of non-North Americans than others. More people simply take more time; and there isn't any way of telling in advance. If you're asking because you want to schedule a flight home, it's best to allow several hours more than you think that you will need. Nobody EVER rushes Immigration, and all the rest and relaxation of a lovely cruise can melt away in a minute if you're stressing about missing your flight! They're arriving in Victoria, BC, not the US, and are asking about the procedures in that Canadian port, not the US. I'm not even sure they're asking about debarkation...it could be a port call. (And no, I don't know what the procedures are in Victoria, BC so I won't pontificate about how easy or hard it is.) PS...just checked some of the OP's other posts. Looks like they're on the May 9 cruise that departs San Francisco and ends in Vancouver. Victoria is the last port of call, not the disembarkation port. Edited April 20, 2015 by njhorseman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet- Posted April 20, 2015 Author #4 Share Posted April 20, 2015 I had to smile when I read that US immigration is less rigorous than other countries since every time I come to the states I'm fingerprinted and photographed, but thanks for taking the time to respond. We are not debarking in Victoria but wanted to book a trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay23 Posted April 20, 2015 #5 Share Posted April 20, 2015 When we sailed into Victoria we just walked through. Where will you have come from, the UK or the US? We sailed in from Seattle/Vancouver and just had to show passports to the officials as we arrived. No delay. BTW For UK citizens coming to America, US Immigration is the most rigorous that we ever experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepawa Posted April 20, 2015 #6 Share Posted April 20, 2015 The stop in Victoria, BC is a port visit on one of the many Alaska cruises. Disembarkation is in Vancouver, Seattle or San Francisco. Cheers, Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet- Posted April 20, 2015 Author #7 Share Posted April 20, 2015 When we sailed into Victoria we just walked through. Where will you have come from, the UK or the US? We sailed in from Seattle/Vancouver and just had to show passports to the officials as we arrived. No delay. BTW For UK citizens coming to America, US Immigration is the most rigorous that we ever experience. Victoria will be our first Canadian stop after USA. I'm guessing from your name that you were lucky enough to go to Los Angeles on Arcadia:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanandJim Posted April 20, 2015 #8 Share Posted April 20, 2015 When we sailed into Victoria we just walked through. Where will you have come from, the UK or the US? We sailed in from Seattle/Vancouver and just had to show passports to the officials as we arrived. No delay. BTW For UK citizens coming to America, US Immigration is the most rigorous that we ever experience. To be clear, my description of US Immigration as being less stringent had to do with the treatment of United States Passport holders, who, having given their Passports to the Purser at the start of a Cruise, are typically NOT required to assemble with said Passports in a Lounge prior to debarking the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnip eater Posted April 20, 2015 #9 Share Posted April 20, 2015 The American Immigration process is perhaps less rigorous than other nations and does not require face to face comparison before debarking the ship. We photo check as you leave the secure customs area with your luggage on the pier (It's a two birds with one stone, thing). Therefore, Passports are collected by the Pursers office at the start of most voyages and they are available for the perusal of the Immigration Authorities whenever they board the ship. Passengers holding non USA Passports are typically summoned to one of the Lounges on the morning of debarkation, it's usually a cursory inspection of documents, but of course, there are no guarantees, and some cruises have larger numbers of non-North Americans than others. More people simply take more time; and there isn't any way of telling in advance. If you're asking because you want to schedule a flight home, it's best to allow several hours more than you think that you will need. Nobody EVER rushes Immigration, and all the rest and relaxation of a lovely cruise can melt away in a minute if you're stressing about missing your flight! When we disembarked in Miami, we had face-to-face appointment/interview with US immigration on board the Riviera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted April 20, 2015 #10 Share Posted April 20, 2015 When we disembarked in Miami, we had face-to-face appointment/interview with US immigration on board the Riviera. We always do as well ;) up at the crack of dawn to get in line, pick up passports & talk to the nice Officials in the lounge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnip eater Posted April 20, 2015 #11 Share Posted April 20, 2015 We always do as well ;)up at the crack of dawn to get in line, pick up passports & talk to the nice Officials in the lounge It is the same in Southampton, but the nice man said "welcome home".....how lovely:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SellaVee Posted April 20, 2015 #12 Share Posted April 20, 2015 (edited) To be clear, my description of US Immigration as being less stringent had to do with the treatment of United States Passport holders, who, having given their Passports to the Purser at the start of a Cruise, are typically NOT required to assemble with said Passports in a Lounge prior to debarking the ship. Why would US passport holders have to go through US immigration at all? Isn't passport control enough? Or is that the same thing? Edited April 20, 2015 by SellaVee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredFL Posted April 20, 2015 #13 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Same thing. Immigration, pick up luggage and then US Customs. By the way we get a "Welcome home" also upon returning to the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted April 21, 2015 #14 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Why would US passport holders have to go through US immigration at all? Isn't passport control enough? Or is that the same thing? They're the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwgreenlee Posted April 21, 2015 #15 Share Posted April 21, 2015 We are sailing into Victoria BC on Regatta, does anyone have any idea how long immigration will take please. We are due to arrive at noon. Will it be quayside or done on board. We did the same thing last year (May 2014) - after port calls in San Diego, Los Angles, and San Francisco we did a port call in Victoria and then disembarked in Vancouver. We filled out a Canadian custom/immigration form onboard the ship and turned in to the front desk several days in advance of the Victoria call. There was no face-to-face inspection in Victoria or Vancouver (for us anyway). We did see inspectors in both ports (ashore) - some talking to people - but have no idea why. There was no delay going ashore in Victoria and only the normal luggage unloading time in Vancouver. Of note, we are both US Citizens with no criminal records and we were traveling on NCL. The experience may be different for citizens of other countries and when traveling on other lines - and it may have changed over the past year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Rosebery Posted April 21, 2015 #16 Share Posted April 21, 2015 I don't think anyone answered your question. You will just walk off the ship. Your British passport will have been checked in advance and you won't be flagged. You will clear customs in Vancouver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay23 Posted April 22, 2015 #17 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Victoria will be our first Canadian stop after USA. I'm guessing from your name that you were lucky enough to go to Los Angeles on Arcadia:) Yes Janet< we were. Least said, soonest mended, but unfortunately I am unable to forget!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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