Recent Vancouver cruisers.

[UNV-IT!!!]

What's been your average wait time to get on the ship in BC, and what time have you been showing up? Thanks

[Desert Cruizers]

Fall of 2014 during our Coastal, we arrived around 11 and were on board within the hour. We were on a Princess sailing so we waited a short time before being called to board. Check in went very smoothly yet they called probably a higher lever group first, then we were called soon after. I think we waited 30 minutes.

[UNV-IT!!!]

Thanks. Does anyone have any recent experience with radiance specifically ideally?

[pspercy]

Thanks. Does anyone have any recent experience with radiance specifically ideally?

 

We sailed Radiance to Hawaii last September.

 

We were at the Ballentyne terminal, not Canada Place. I don't remember any big delays, all seemed to go quite well, maybe 40minutes or so in all. You also have to pass thru' US Immigration as the next stop is Hawaii:D

Edited August 11, 2015 by pspercy
Remembered name of pier.

[Desert Cruizers]

We sailed the Radiance, last March out of Sydney for a 13 day NZ + Transpacific & Hawaii to Vancouver, We first sailed her in 2008 and she was still in excellent condition. Crew were wonderful.

[Ashland]

Thanks. Does anyone have any recent experience with radiance specifically ideally?

I'm interested in this as well...will be sailing on ROS Sept 4th. Hard to believe no one "recent" has responded ;)

[harlekuin]

We sailed on Jewel on the first Alaska cruise, May 22nd. We got to Canada Place about 11:30. It was a zoo. Getting through customs was the problem. They were merging US citizens into non-US prior to customs and it was a big bottleneck. When we got to the entry point, they took people in groups and made us wait in chairs prior to getting to the customs officers. But people kept jumping the line and not waiting for the officers to call us up. It took about 1.5 hours or so from arrival time to get on the ship. It was our longest embarkation of any cruise.

 

Once we got past customs, we were in a suite, so we could get ahead of a lot of folks waiting. Our traveling mates got there about 1 hour earlier and we watched them walking on the ship deck while we were in line waiting for customs.

 

Don't know if this is the norm or because it was the first Alaska cruise of the year.

Edited August 12, 2015 by harlekuin
grammar

[Ashland]

We sailed on Jewel on the first Alaska cruise, May 22nd. We got to Canada Place about 11:30. It was a zoo. Getting through customs was the problem. They were merging US citizens into non-US prior to customs and it was a big bottleneck. When we got to the entry point, they took people in groups and made us wait in chairs prior to getting to the customs officers. But people kept jumping the line and not waiting for the officers to call us up. It took about 1.5 hours or so from arrival time to get on the ship. It was our longest embarkation of any cruise.

 

Once we got past customs, we were in a suite, so we could get ahead of a lot of folks waiting. Our traveling mates got there about 1 hour earlier and we watched them walking on the ship deck while we were in line waiting for customs.

 

Don't know if this is the norm or because it was the first Alaska cruise of the year.

I think it's normal for the first cruises of the season (been there done that :eek:) This time we'll be on the last of the season...hope that makes a difference. We'll be arriving on a flight at 12:35 pm and going straight to the ship.

[harlekuin]

I think it's normal for the first cruises of the season (been there done that :eek:) This time we'll be on the last of the season...hope that makes a difference. We'll be arriving on a flight at 12:35 pm and going straight to the ship.

 

I would bet that you will miss all the craziness of the 10:30-1:00 boardings. While your timing is cutting it a bit close for us, I think if all goes right, you will have an easy time.

 

Added: I see you're in SoCal. No timing prob then. ;)

Edited August 12, 2015 by harlekuin

[Ashland]

I would bet that you will miss all the craziness of the 10:30-1:00 boardings. While your timing is cutting it a bit close for us, I think if all goes right, you will have an easy time.

 

Added: I see you're in SoCal. No timing prob then. ;)

Yes a direct flight from LAX ;) Done it a few times..so far so good :)

[polymedia]

I did a May embark on Celebrity fron Vancouver and it was the worst ever for me. 2 Plus hours of chaos. So bad I will never go from that port again.

[UNV-IT!!!]

My radiance cruse leaves from Canada place on sep 11. I'm figuring now I may show up at 10:30

[Langley Cruisers]

Vancouver embarkation is the worst we have ever encountered - long lines, too few personnel, grumpy passengers. :o We hope never to embark in Vancouver again but it's close if we go to Alaska again. *shrug*

[UNV-IT!!!]

Vancouver embarkation is the worst we have ever encountered - long lines, too few personnel, grumpy passengers. :o We hope never to embark in Vancouver again but it's close if we go to Alaska again. *shrug*

 

Fortunately I get to end in Hawaii but I must start in Vancouver

[mrsgoggins]

We sailed on Jewel on the first Alaska cruise, May 22nd. We got to Canada Place about 11:30. It was a zoo. Getting through customs was the problem. They were merging US citizens into non-US prior to customs and it was a big bottleneck. When we got to the entry point, they took people in groups and made us wait in chairs prior to getting to the customs officers.

 

Our experience was similar to above - except we were very early in the season; Grand Princess on May 9th. In fact, muster and departure had to be delayed because folks were still being processed!

 

Fortunately the cruise, and weather were fabulous but people were still 'sharing' their embarkation stories all week.

[UNV-IT!!!]

I'm planning to arrive between 10:45 and 11 in hopes to getting on board before the crowds arrive. If they aren't boarding I'll wait a few. I'd rather have to wait because they haven't started boarding yet then waiting in lines because crowds have arrived and everything gets slowed down.

[lyteforce]

I'm planning to arrive between 10:45 and 11 in hopes to getting on board before the crowds arrive. If they aren't boarding I'll wait a few. I'd rather have to wait because they haven't started boarding yet then waiting in lines because crowds have arrived and everything gets slowed down.

 

I'm glad I stumbled on your post here (seeing we're on the same cruise and all). Never thought that Vancouver was nuts as a embarkation port - I've only just watched ship after ship leave and thought nothing of it. My wife & I may join you as an early boarder - my Mom & Dad on the other hand are hamstrung a bit as my Dad has to work before getting on the ship.

[Langley Cruisers]

Fortunately I get to end in Hawaii but I must start in Vancouver

 

Nice! We looked at that itinerary as well on a couple of cruise lines. Bucket list. :D

 

I'm planning to arrive between 10:45 and 11 in hopes to getting on board before the crowds arrive...

 

Sounds good and honestly, you can go even earlier than that if you want. ;) We were staying in the hotel across the street so we kind of hung around until we thought it would be good to go down to the terminal. We arrived about 10:45 and I was surprised at how many were already there and seated. How many ships are embarking that day, do you know?

[Hoopster95]

How many ships are embarking that day, do you know?

 

Looks like just Radiance & Millenium

http://ports.cruisett.com/schedule/Canada/729-Vancouver_British_Columbia/September_2015/

[emeraldcity]

We were on the July 10th sailing. We left our hotel about 10:15 and walked to the pier. We kept expecting a line somewhere but it never happened. We were on board less than an hour after leaving our hotel (and that allows for a 15 minute walk to the pier).

[CVU]

May all depend on the number of ships in port. Van. can have 4 ships at once sometimes.....

We have got on and off and don't remember a problem at Canada Place. Last time it was a breeze getting off!! No long line at all.

 

Like all ports it may depend on Staffing for Immigration and # of ships in port etc. Coast Guard inspections and such play a part too. We had the very very worst ever embarkation in Miami. Maybe another day it was fine but not for us.:eek:

[xlxo]

I'm planning to arrive between 10:45 and 11 in hopes to getting on board before the crowds arrive. If they aren't boarding I'll wait a few. I'd rather have to wait because they haven't started boarding yet then waiting in lines because crowds have arrived and everything gets slowed down.

Also need to think about your PAT time.... If you show up too early.... they might just have you waiting at the terminal.

[LeDemonBlond]

In Late May, I sailed to Alaska from Vancouver. From the airport, arranged transport to the pier with the cruise line. Our plane arrived at 12:30 pm and after getting luggage, a bit of wait for the next shuttle and picking up passengers from another terminal at the airport, we arrived at the pier at 2:30 pm for the 5 pm sailing. I was surprised to see how busy it was. I thought we were a bit late and would just walk on. I went through fairly quick anyway as I was with my Dad as we had prearranged for wheelchair support to get to the ship. So we were sent to the front of the line at U.S. customs. I think we were on the ship just after 3. The other people in our party were on the ship around 3:45 pm. The bottleneck was U.S. customs as they had to deal with 8-9000 people for the 3 cruise ships that were sailing that day.

Edited August 15, 2015 by BobbyOrr

[emilygrace]

OK, I'm going to ask a really stupid question here. Several posters mentioned having to go through U.S. customs before boarding the ship. Is this because your first port of call was in Alaska, therefore you were leaving Canada and entering the U.S. next? I have sailed out of Vancouver numerous times but I don't ever remember going through U.S. customs before boarding the ship. But our next port of call was always another Canadian port like Victoria or Nanaimo.

[xlxo]

posters mentioned having to go through U.S. customs before boarding the ship. Is this because your first port of call was in Alaska, therefore you were leaving Canada and entering the U.S. next? I have sailed out of Vancouver numerous times but I don't ever remember going through U.S. customs before boarding the ship. But our next port of call was always another Canadian port like Victoria or Nanaimo.

The US screeners blend in... but they were there. In Vancouver, you start first with security searches (weapons, carry-on, hand, body, cavity). After the searches it's US agents that are looking at your passport. Then it's ship staff that do the registration/photo's for the ship boarding.

 

Not just the cruise ships... same thing at airports. Instead of meeting US customs when you land..... US customs are on foreign soil to screen for problems before they get on a plane before entering the USA.

 

Not sure if they still do this, but Canada had agents in Hong Kong at one point to check passengers before they got on a flight in the 90's.