Embarkation on 2nd day of cruise

[DinnyClaire]

Wanted to throw out a question to the CruiseCritic members.   We have booked a 7-night, Pacific Coastal Cruise (Vancouver to San Diego) for October 2020.  After embarkation in Vancouver, B.C. the first port is Victoria, B.C.  the following day.   We live in the Port Angeles, WA area, a 90-minute ferry ride to Victoria.   There are some threads about  ‘disembarking’  in Victoria (the reverse itinerary) rather than going on to Seattle or Vancouver, B.C.,  but could not find anything on embarkation.     According to the Ogden Point cruise ship schedule, the Volendam is the only ship in port that day.   

We have received pre-approval from the HAL to board in Victoria, but they give no instructions on the process. 

Has anyone had this experience?? 

[cruiserking]

We have not boarded on the second day, but, have witnessed passengers doing so. Basically, you would simply arrive at the port with your paperwork, check-in and board the ship. If the ship is anchored in the harbor, you need to travel with your bags via tender. 

 

Jonathan

[*Miss G*]

Just a heads up on Victoria so you have a backup plan:  There have been quite a few times where that port has been missed due to high winds and/or waves.  It’s a narrow channel into the outer harbour so there’s a chance they may not make it.  We tried a few times over a 6 hour period and never made it.

[Charles4515]

19 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

Just a heads up on Victoria so you have a backup plan:  There have been quite a few times where that port has been missed due to high winds and/or waves.  It’s a narrow channel into the outer harbour so there’s a chance they may not make it.  We tried a few times over a 6 hour period and never made it.

 

If the next port is in the USA the backup plan would have to be to take the ferry back home to Port Angeles......

[Shmoo here]

33 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

If the next port is in the USA the backup plan would have to be to take the ferry back home to Port Angeles......

Yep.

[BaumD]

If you miss Victoria, I'm assuming next stop is in the USA. As the cruise ends in San Diego, you won't be able to board at a USA port as that would be a violation of the PSVA.

[martincath]

Given this is and end-of-season repo, well into the days of fall storms, I'd be inclined to get the first night onboard that you paid for and avoid any risk of not being able to board because the ship doesn't visit Victoria by just going to Vancouver and boarding at the 'no chance of missing it' first port! Wind is the big issue for Victoria - and this is the windiest time of year...

 

I would have thought you'd be driving yourselves down to Seatac, where I assume you will be flying back to after the cruise, parking your car there to collect when you get back, and taking bus/train to Vancouver. Or else taking the bus service that connects to Bainbridge Island ferry from your neck of the woods, the 'strait shot' or some similar pun-based name? It does seem like there are an awful lot of possibilities for getting yourselves to Vancouver - potentially even on embarkation day as the morning Amtrak is very low risk.

 

But to actually answer your question: assuming no problems with port access, since there is no Preclearance on this cruise you literally have nothing extra to do in order to board compared to a regular 'port of call' day in Victoria - aside from schlepping your suitcases. Ship staff will check you in and issue room keycards, on-shore it's just regular security no CBP or CBSA to worry about. You'll do US immigration at the first US port thanks to the Victoria stop negating Vancouver preclearance.

 

Lastly, if you do continue with the current plan and the ship doesn't dock at Victoria, you'll have the extra expense of the ferry home and zero insurance payout on your cancelled cruise, flight home from SD etc. - no insurance company in the world is going to pay out when you chose to board downstream (I doubt even cruiseline 'cancel for any reason' insurance would apply after the cruise leaves the scheduled embarkation port). You're self-insuring your entire vacation cost and expenses to get home again - unless there's some incredibly important reason for not heading up to Vancouver I certainly wouldn't risk it.

 

[Ferry_Watcher]

You could take the Dungeness Line Shuttle from Port Angeles and get dropped off in Edmonds and pick up Amtrak to get to Vancouver.  I think you would have to travel down the day before to catch the morning train. 

https://dungeness-line.com/bus-stops/

 

There is a hotel walking distance from the train station, and you could walk into Edmonds to lots of different restaurants. 

 

https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotel-details.48168.html

 

 

[DinnyClaire]

On 2/2/2020 at 3:22 PM, martincath said:

 

 

.......But to actually answer your question: assuming no problems with port access, since there is no Preclearance on this cruise you literally have nothing extra to do in order to board compared to a regular 'port of call' day in Victoria - aside from schlepping your suitcases. Ship staff will check you in and issue room keycards, on-shore it's just regular security no CBP or CBSA to worry about. You'll do US immigration at the first US port thanks to the Victoria stop negating Vancouver preclearance.......

 

 

 

Thanks martincath....this is what I was looking for.    Appreciate the advise and suggestions from everyone.  We've have a couple of months to review all our options.