ALaska Cruise from Vancouver

[lee8553]

Can anyone who has been on a cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage, Alaska tell me where you are considered to have entered the US?

Is it at the 1st port of call - Ketchican or on disembarkation?

Thanks

[martincath]

Before you board the ship - the port here in Vancouver, like all major Canadian airports, has US CBP staff on-site to preclear you through immigration. This is a net win, as the length of time it would take to clear even one ship in Ketchikan, Skagway etc. (not to mention that sometimes there are a LOT of ships not just one!) would be greatly in excess of the extra delay boarding - but folks still complain vociferously about the extra time CBP add to the process here.

 

So go either early or late to the pier: 10-10:30am or after 2pm (ideally go only 2 hours before you are due to depart to minimise your wait time) when the queues are lightest. Early means you will have to wait around until the processing of embarking pax begins, which might be anywhere from 11am to noon, but you'll be among the first folks in each queue - late and there will be no waiting at all (plus you get a valuable few hours extra sightseeing in one of the finest cities on the planet).

 

It's also a very good idea to have your ESTA in place already to save time at the pier - in theory you can still use the old paper I94W form since it's a land border rather than an air arrival (assuming you're citizens of the UK or other 'visa waiver' country) but that means paying cash and wasting time while they find some forms for you, so just apply online in advance as if you were flying in. Only costs a buck extra IIRC, and then you know it's sorted.

[MicCanberra]

The cruise terminal as mentioned is the US gate

[lee8553]

Thanks fr the responses. I had thought that might be the case, but always good to confirm