How does Embarkation time work for Vancouver?

[Trcr2]

I am trying to figure out when I will have to be onboard for the cruise. It leaves from Canada Place and the info I have from Holland America is that the sailing time is 4 p.m. From reading various posts I think what happens is that closer to the sail date (don't know when) I can sign on to the app and get a time. Do I get to pick my time? what kind of window would I have to pick from? I want to go out and do something in Vancouver (I am staying in a hotel the night before)  and just want to plan how much time I may have.

[CruiserBruce]

You will be assigned a time, you don't get to pick it.

[Trcr2]

Thanks CruiserBruce. How far ahead of time do you get that? 

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, Trcr2 said:

I am trying to figure out when I will have to be onboard for the cruise. It leaves from Canada Place and the info I have from Holland America is that the sailing time is 4 p.m. From reading various posts I think what happens is that closer to the sail date (don't know when) I can sign on to the app and get a time. Do I get to pick my time? what kind of window would I have to pick from? I want to go out and do something in Vancouver (I am staying in a hotel the night before)  and just want to plan how much time I may have.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!  I would plan to arrive for check-in no later than 2:00pm for a 4:00pm sailing.  If you get an earlier boarding time you aren’t required to adhere to it.  These Posts will give you an idea of the procedure.  It takes quite a bit of time to be processed at this port as you need to do US CBP Pre-clearance.  Have a wonderful time!

[Tennessee Titan]

1 minute ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!  I would plan to arrive for check-in no later than 2:00pm for a 4:00pm sailing.  If you get an earlier boarding time you aren’t required to adhere to it.  These Posts will give you an idea of the procedure.  It takes quite a bit of time to be processed at this port as you need to do US CBP Pre-clearance.  Have a wonderful time!

Last spring, US CBP took 2 1/2 hours....

[CruiserBruce]

31 minutes ago, Trcr2 said:

Thanks CruiserBruce. How far ahead of time do you get that? 

The final boarding time could be issued as close as 2 weeks to sailing. You may see boarding times prior to that, but the time may not be finalized until two weeks out. Discussed here frequently.

[SilvertoGold]

Arriving later than 1:30 pm usually gets you on board quite quickly.  Going early, even if that is your check-in time, can be horrendous.  The number of ships in port  has a lot to do with this.  Canada Place has always funnelled pax for ALL ships boarding into ONE long line to go through Xray first.  Then you separate up to the individual ship check-ins.

[Trcr2]

Thank you so much everyone for your responses. I would like to get to the dock around 1:30, but I really did not know how they did the times. 

Thanks again.

[SilvertoGold]

6 minutes ago, Trcr2 said:

Thank you so much everyone for your responses. I would like to get to the dock around 1:30, but I really did not know how they did the times. 

Thanks again.

You can always show up later that when you are assigned.  Usually 2 hours before scheduled departure is best.

[Trcr2]

Thank you for your response I will be there by 2 hours before but I was not sure how it all worked. 

[terrydtx]

In 2019 we flew in the day of departure and going through customs at the airport and again at the cruise terminal was a nightmare, it took almost 2 hours of being in lines and getting through customs at Canada Place. That was the last time we ever will fly in the day of departure.

[Susanmaz]

Is ArriveCan required for flying into Vancouver and/or the pier?

[Roz]

47 minutes ago, Susanmaz said:

Is ArriveCan required for flying into Vancouver and/or the pier?

 

That went away Oct. 1 of last year.  

[Roz]

My experience with Canada Place is that it's a madhouse.  They act like they've never processed passengers thru there before.  Can't seem to handle debarking and embarking passengers at the same time.

[SilvertoGold]

26 minutes ago, Roz said:

My experience with Canada Place is that it's a madhouse.  They act like they've never processed passengers thru there before.  Can't seem to handle debarking and embarking passengers at the same time.

This is true.  From what I can see, having cruised out of Canada Place for many years:  they keep changing everything.  Where the line(s) start, where the Xray is, where the check-ins are for each cruise line, where the lines for US Immigration are, even the area where each cruise line seats pax before they board their ship. It is like starting from scratch each day!

They do the same with intransit pax: they keep changing how and where it is done, what you have to do one time is not what happens the next time.  We did this last year 5 times and it was unbelievable. Everyone is the boss, no one is the boss. I would swear they have a whole new set of works each day with no training.

Edited February 18, 2023 by SilvertoGold

[Roz]

@SilvertoGold, you described it perfectly!  That's also been my experience.  

[martincath]

6 hours ago, Susanmaz said:

Is ArriveCan required for flying into Vancouver and/or the pier?

Flying in = optional, but worthwhile as it saves time. The only way to pre-declare your Customs statement is to use ArriveCAN! The pier or land crossings, it's no longer even optional - you can only select Air arrival, and even then only at the major airports.