My US Direct experience on June 9 departing from Vancouver

[UF G8R]

There are two separate steps that have to be purchaced. One is the luggage transfer and the other is the people transfer by bus from the ship to the airport.

[msmoger]

When I first started looking into utilizing US Direct from the dock to Vancouver International Airport, Continental Airlines was listed as a full participant on the Port of Vancouver web site. Now I see they are listed (along with Delta, Frontier and Sky West) as only participating in the airport to the port program.

 

Does anyone know why this changed? Has anyone flying Continental used US Direct to the airport this season (maybe the web site is wrong?? :rolleyes: ).

 

Thanks,

[whale-watcher]

Well, the $35 transfers aren't called EZcheck, just Princess transfer. We purchased our $35 Princess transfers w/Princess when we booked the cruise, but those aren't the EZcheck/US Direct $15 part that needs to be purchased on board. I don't have a travel agent (except the advice of my mom, who's a semi-retired TA.)

:confused: we originally had the $20 transfers, but when we "upgraded" to the $35 transfers they now appear as "transfer with EZ Check" on our cruise personalizer.

[cktravels]

EZ Check and US Direct are two seperate programs. You do not need EZ Check to use US Direct

[buttah75]

whalewatcher, when did you do the "upgrade"? Princess told me that previously, this could be done online or by phone prior to sailing... but that it couldn't anymore.

[buttah75]

CKT, that is not correct. On Princess, US Direct is known as EZcheck (if your trip involves another country).

[whale-watcher]

EZ Check and US Direct are two seperate programs. You do not need EZ Check to use US Direct

are you certain of this?...recent cruisers report that princess is now calling US Direct EZ check and in any event do require the purchase of a transfer from the cruiseline.

[buttah75]

Whale watcher, you have it correctly. Others, PLEASE see post number 82 and on! This has also been confirmed by others who've spoken directly w/Princess employees involved in the program. Also, when I called Princess, I was transfered up the wazoo before someone seemingly in the know told me that at least for now, EZcheck now had to be done onboard.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=755600&page=5&highlight=direct

[judynorth]

This was our experience on HAL and I think it is the same on Princess:

You must purchase the transfers from the cruiseline and it was recommended to us that we purchase them before the cruise. They cost $20pp. Then once on the ship you must purchase the Signature Express Baggage Service (SEBS) (EZ Check on Princess). The total cost is $36pp on HAL and $35pp on Princess. On HAL once you are on the ship you will receive the forms in your cabin on day 2 of the cruisse. Fill them out and return them. The form will list all the requirements to qualify for the program. Not all airlines participate.

 

I really stressed about the program before the cruise but it turns out that it couldn't be simpler. It worked extremely well and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Since there were only 2 ships in port the day we disembarked, we probably didn't save a whole lot of time (maybe an hour) but we didn't have to haul luggage around (my back thanks me!) and we didn't have to wait in any long lines. And I didn't get stressed out about making our 12:30 flight.

[buttah75]

glad to hear that, Judy, 'cause we're also on a 12:30 flight! Whalewatcher, it sounds like your TA was able to do something nobody can do anymore. You're lucky.

[whale-watcher]

glad to hear that, Judy, 'cause we're also on a 12:30 flight! Whalewatcher, it sounds like your TA was able to do something nobody can do anymore. You're lucky.

She is a one of a kind:)

[NANZEE]

to NewPennCruiser

 

Yours is only reply that makes sense from what I read in princess Alaska cruisetour answer book and airport website. I will have all of the 5 qualifications listed. To be sure I am not missing something do I have to sign up anywhere for US direct or pay something if Northbound from Vancouver with Princess Air and bus transport to ship.

1st cruise ever - Island Princess Aug 25th

[Putterdude]

It is a great program and I just wish more TA's, cruise ship and airline people were more informed about the program.:)

[judynorth]

to NewPennCruiser

 

Yours is only reply that makes sense from what I read in princess Alaska cruisetour answer book and airport website. I will have all of the 5 qualifications listed. To be sure I am not missing something do I have to sign up anywhere for US direct or pay something if Northbound from Vancouver with Princess Air and bus transport to ship.

1st cruise ever - Island Princess Aug 25th

 

You need to sign up for US Direct with your TA and pay $15pp extra (the fee varies with the cruise line). You must use the transfer that your cruiseline offers, which you are doing. Just having the transfer doesn't mean that you are using US Direct. It is an additional service.

[NANZEE]

You need to sign up for US Direct with your TA and pay $15pp extra (the fee varies with the cruise line). You must use the transfer that your cruiseline offers, which you are doing. Just having the transfer doesn't mean that you are using US Direct. It is an additional service.

 

 

 

THANK YOU. I will have my TA check on it. It is something she was not familiar with as I sent her the info from the Princess Answer Book which says nothing about a fee or that you need to sign up.

[judynorth]

Nanzee, for some reason most TA's don't seem to know much about US Direct. Our TA had not heard of it before and she called HAL about it. We used it at the end of our cruise and HAL assured us that we could sign up for it on the ship if we had purchased the HAL transfers. On the ship, they didn't seem to know what I was talking about but after explaining it to the person at the main desk, she concluded that we were talking about what HAL calls Signature Express Baggage Service (SEBS). Princess calls it EZ Check, I think.

[NANZEE]

Nanzee, for some reason most TA's don't seem to know much about US Direct. Our TA had not heard of it before and she called HAL about it. We used it at the end of our cruise and HAL assured us that we could sign up for it on the ship if we had purchased the HAL transfers. On the ship, they didn't seem to know what I was talking about but after explaining it to the person at the main desk, she concluded that we were talking about what HAL calls Signature Express Baggage Service (SEBS). Princess calls it EZ Check, I think.

 

 

From reading the forums I get that there is a lot of confusion regarding this. I was hoping Dave (NewPennCruiser) would answer since he went Princess this year and used the Us Direct Northbound (for the plane to ship) and EZ check southbound (for ship to plane). It is my understanding from reading the cruise book they are 2 different things on Princess. But I have never cruised before and everyone has and they are still discussing this. I just need to know about Vancouver and plane to ship.

[NANZEE]

Nanzee, for some reason most TA's don't seem to know much about US Direct. Our TA had not heard of it before and she called HAL about it. We used it at the end of our cruise and HAL assured us that we could sign up for it on the ship if we had purchased the HAL transfers. On the ship, they didn't seem to know what I was talking about but after explaining it to the person at the main desk, she concluded that we were talking about what HAL calls Signature Express Baggage Service (SEBS). Princess calls it EZ Check, I think.

 

 

From reading the forums I get that there is a lot of confusion regarding this. I was hoping Dave (NewPennCruiser) would answer since he went Princess this year and used the Us Direct Northbound (for the plane to ship) and EZ check southbound (for ship to plane). It is my understanding from reading the cruise book they are 2 different things on Princess. But I have never cruised before and everyone has and they are still discussing this. I just need to know about Vancouver and plane to ship.

[Grego]

I think that the reason most TA's don't know about US Direct/EZ Check is that they aren't involved with the booking. It's done aboard the Princess ship while on your voyage (which makes good sense).

 

We plan on doing this service on our return from Vancouver to Detroit because we have a fairly tight window with the flight leaving around 12:30pm.

[judynorth]

From reading the forums I get that there is a lot of confusion regarding this. I was hoping Dave (NewPennCruiser) would answer since he went Princess this year and used the Us Direct Northbound (for the plane to ship) and EZ check southbound (for ship to plane). It is my understanding from reading the cruise book they are 2 different things on Princess. But I have never cruised before and everyone has and they are still discussing this. I just need to know about Vancouver and plane to ship.

 

We have friends who did US Direct in Vancouver from the plane to the ship. They loved it. They booked it with HAL through their TA. Your TA just has to call the cruise line (in your case Princess) and they can set it up for you. You pay for the transfer and US Direct for a total of about $35. My friend said that they avoided long lines at both the airport and the ship and that it was well worth the money.

 

Since this is your first cruise I am sure that all the little details are worrying you but rest assured, the cruise lines know what they are doing and it will be fine. You will love it, particularly Alaska. I took my first cruise just to see Alaska but discovered that I love cruising. :)

[NANZEE]

We have friends who did US Direct in Vancouver from the plane to the ship. They loved it. They booked it with HAL through their TA. Your TA just has to call the cruise line (in your case Princess) and they can set it up for you. You pay for the transfer and US Direct for a total of about $35. My friend said that they avoided long lines at both the airport and the ship and that it was well worth the money.

 

Since this is your first cruise I am sure that all the little details are worrying you but rest assured, the cruise lines know what they are doing and it will be fine. You will love it, particularly Alaska. I took my first cruise just to see Alaska but discovered that I love cruising. :)

 

thank you for answering. I guess 1st timers are afraid we will miss something we really should have done. I got my Princess packet today with the same US Direct instuctions for NB cruises out of Vancouver as the airport website. We qualify on all 5 pts. We bought the cruise, land, air, transfers all together so the sticky luggage tags were in the packet. (Printed with name of ship, box for name, stateroom# & date of sailing). When we get on the plane we will not see our luggage until get to minisuite. YEA. At airport we just follow the US Direct signs to the van where at some point Canadian Customs will look at our documents and off to the ship. So excited.

[judynorth]

Nanzee, I hope you have a wonderful first cruise and first time to Alaska. It sounds like Princess has all the details worked out for you so now all you have to do is get to the airport and you can forget about all your worries. Have a wonderful time!

 

I've been posting my pictures on Webshots but most of them are for ports that you won't be visiting. However, my 2004 and 2005 pictures were from Princess cruises so you will go to all the same ports.

[SoccerMom]

Nanzee,

Glad to see someone else on this sailing. We have 9 on the ship coming from Louisiana. Hope to see you on board.

[NANZEE]

Nanzee, I hope you have a wonderful first cruise and first time to Alaska. It sounds like Princess has all the details worked out for you so now all you have to do is get to the airport and you can forget about all your worries. Have a wonderful time!

 

I've been posting my pictures on Webshots but most of them are for ports that you won't be visiting. However, my 2004 and 2005 pictures were from Princess cruises so you will go to all the same ports.

 

 

thank you for you help and replies re US direct. Also thanks for the website. Loved seeing what I won't see and some of what I will. Very nice.

[sharp_cruiser]

I have posted a similar thread, with a slightly different experience (did not use EZ check).

 

One outstanding item that is recurring,

 

UNITED IS NOT CORRECTLY TRANSFERRING LUGGAGE.

 

The same happened to us... no luggage after our connecting flight. It showed up the next day in our home airport at the NORTHWEST AIRLINES baggage claim. Also, United's flight was late out of Vancouver, almost causing us to miss our connection. I wasn't too worried, b/c I knew there was a United that we could have bumped to that left 1 hour later. But, we did make the connection and good thing for that, b/c that United flight was delayed an hour further!

 

Please, do not take United... It might be cheaper, but they are having too many problems...