US Direct for 2009?

[darcy24]

I had contacted the Vancouver port authorities and they referred me to shore operations (vancouver) for cruise line (HAL). Different contact info for each cruise line. Perhaps there is some confusion as to when the program starts and when the specific cruise lines begin implementing. Also, don't know if there is a difference between airport/ship and ship/airport as to starting dates. Putterdude - will look forward to your info.

[wrp96]

I read something similar on the HAL board; I will contact the Port of Vancouver on Monday to see what's up. Sometime cruiselines' call centres don't even know what the US Direct program is.:)

 

 

Putterdude, the post I saw said they called the port authority, not the cruiseline.

[ceilidh1]

I actually just spoke to a Princess representative who was very knowledgeable concerning the US Direct Program. He stated that the program will definitely be available on May 16 for our cruise. He stated that his brother actually works for the US Direct program and that he is positive it will be available for our use. And he also answered my question concerning the baggage handling - I wasn't sure how the baggage handlers knew which luggage went to the carousels and which went directly to the shuttle buses. He said they sit all cruise luggage aside when getting it off the plane. Then the baggage handlers have a list of those with cruise shuttle transfers - which normally use US Direct. He said if you do not use US Direct but are using the Princess shuttle, that you may wait a while for your luggage at the airport because it will go to the US Direct area first, they will check to make sure you showed up for the program and if not, they will send it back down to baggage claims/customs. I was very impressed on how much he knew even with the brother working for the program.

 

 

So I had my airport training with Princess last week - I have not worked the airport before so did not know too much about the US Direct program from that aspect. What I found out was:

 

If you are eligible for US Direct, you must sign up for the program with Princess beforehand. They put the names of all passengers on a list that is submitted to both Canadian and US customs/immigration, This is the point where, if you have anything like a DUI that makes you inadmissable to Canada, your name will be struck. You will likely not know until you arrive at YVR and they tell you that you can't participate - doesn't mean you can't get into Canada, just means that you need extra screening! Either way, make sure you sign up with the cruise line and give them all of your flight info and purchase a cruise transfer.

 

Tag your luggage with cruise tags - they have spotters at the baggage claim who take off all cruiseline baggage and direct it to the correct areas. With Princess, the bags are actually transported to the ship in a truck and NOT in the bus that you will travel in. Not sure of the system with other lines.

 

When you arrive at the YVR, passengers will see an airport rep who will direct US Direct passengers into a transfer lounge (CAT - cruise arrivals transfers). All other cruise passengers will just proceed downstairs to the regular immigration area. Passengers in the CAT area will be escorted by airport personnell down to an area where they will pass through security and Canadian immigration/customs - this is a small holding area with much, much shorter lines and wait times. Once through the immigration piece you will then go to the respective cruise line reps who will be waiting to assist you and get you on a bus to the ship.

 

The bus to the ship is loaded and the door sealed in order to make sure that no one actually gets off in Canada. If this seal is intact when the bus arrives at the port, then you get off the bus and on the ship without having to worry about going through US security and immigration. Again, cutting down on lines and wit times.

 

Your luggage will be delivered to your stateroom just as it would if you had not participated in the program - providing your bags were tagged!

 

The same is true in reverse, from the ship to the airport. One thing to remember if you are doing this coming from the ship - do not expect to take any duty free/liquids back in your hand luggage as they will be removed at the airport!

 

Hope this helps you all out...

[johnrich]

Thank you so much for the information Tracey! It was great!

[Putterdude]

 

Tag your luggage with cruise tags - they have spotters at the baggage claim who take off all cruiseline baggage and direct it to the correct areas. With Princess, the bags are actually transported to the ship in a truck and NOT in the bus that you will travel in. Not sure of the system with other lines.

 

 

Your luggage will be delivered to your stateroom just as it would if you had not participated in the program - providing your bags were tagged!

 

 

So what I think I have gleened from this is that if a person is spending a day or 2 in Vancouver pre-cruise they best not put the Princess tags on their luggage before they fly. Is this correct?

[Putterdude]

I have just got off the phone from speaking with a Port of Vancouver person who has advised that when ships begin to use the US Direct program varies from ship to ship. Sorry that is as much information as I could get so if you have something from one of the lines you best depend upon it.

[wrp96]

I have just got off the phone from speaking with a Port of Vancouver person who has advised that when ships begin to use the US Direct program varies from ship to ship. Sorry that is as much information as I could get so if you have something from one of the lines you best depend upon it.

 

Putterdude, thanks as always for trying to get the correct information!

[darcy24]

If you are not going directly to the ship from the airport I would not put on my ship luggage tags until I was ready to board the ship. Of course, you would not be able to use US Direct if you were not going directly from airport to ship.

[ceilidh1]

So what I think I have gleened from this is that if a person is spending a day or 2 in Vancouver pre-cruise they best not put the Princess tags on their luggage before they fly. Is this correct?

 

This is correct! I think the exception is if they have booked a transfer through Princess from airport to hotel - if it is not the day they are sailing, they will be put in a cab but would still need to get their own bags, so little point in putting the Princess tags on beforehand...

[Putterdude]

This is correct! I think the exception is if they have booked a transfer through Princess from airport to hotel - if it is not the day they are sailing, they will be put in a cab but would still need to get their own bags, so little point in putting the Princess tags on beforehand...

 

Interesting, how does Princess differentiate betwen the two....I am guessing by looking at the name of the ship but does anyone have a better idea.

Also, we have become converts to putting our ship's tags on our bags before checking our bags at the airport as we have read and now found that they get priority treatment. Sorry shouldn't stir the pot here .... just don't do it if you are flying into Vancouver and using US Direct.

[ceilidh1]

Interesting, how does Princess differentiate betwen the two....I am guessing by looking at the name of the ship but does anyone have a better idea.

 

Also, we have become converts to putting our ship's tags on our bags before checking our bags at the airport as we have read and now found that they get priority treatment. Sorry shouldn't stir the pot here .... just don't do it if you are flying into Vancouver and using US Direct.

 

You're supposed to write the date you are sailing on your tags - they would just check the dates as they pull the bags off. Any for a future sailing are kept to one side and passengers collect them when they clear immigration.

[wrp96]

Also, we have become converts to putting our ship's tags on our bags before checking our bags at the airport as we have read and now found that they get priority treatment. Sorry shouldn't stir the pot here .... just don't do it if you are flying into Vancouver and using US Direct.

 

Putterdude, do you mean just don't do it if you are NOT using US Direct?

[Putterdude]

Putterdude, do you mean just don't do it if you are NOT using US Direct?

 

 

Sorry, that is correct....tripped over my own fingers as I am prone to do. :o

[wrp96]

Sorry, that is correct....tripped over my own fingers as I am prone to do. :o

 

 

I've done it myself more than once this week. I posted an answer about San Francisco when I knew the OP was talking about Seattle. OOPS!:o

[johnrich]

ceilidhi, who works for Princess in Vancouver, will be on our cruise this coming weekend and she just posted on our itinerary thread that she found out this past weekend that the Vancouver airport is not ready to start US Direct for the season this coming weekend. From what I understand, it will be available after May 25. Each cruise line is different as to when they start it but the airport won't allow them to start it until May 25. That is why HAL is stating they will offer it starting May 30.

[Shewuf]

I'm on the Island Princess June 8th out of Vancouver. Is there an actual transfer document for U.S. Direct or do we use the summaries printed off from the Princess website? I called Princess, and a young man told me to do just that, but I didn't have a lot of confidence in his tone.

[wrp96]

I'm on the Island Princess June 8th out of Vancouver. Is there an actual transfer document for U.S. Direct or do we use the summaries printed off from the Princess website? I called Princess, and a young man told me to do just that, but I didn't have a lot of confidence in his tone.

 

 

You just use the summaries.

[Case1096]

Does anyone have info on how the program works for RCCL? I would imagine much the same way as Princess. But I don't recall giving my flight info when I booked the cruise transfers with the travel agent. The last thing I want is for the bags to miss the ship!

[inar]

Word is that US Direct will start from airport to pier on May 30th but will not start until July from pier to airport.

[wrp96]

Does anyone have info on how the program works for RCCL? I would imagine much the same way as Princess. But I don't recall giving my flight info when I booked the cruise transfers with the travel agent. The last thing I want is for the bags to miss the ship!

 

 

It works the same as Princess.

 

These are the specific instructions that were included in my docs:

 

Eligibility Requirements

 

• Must be a US Citizen or a Permanent US Resident
  
• Must be in possesion of a valid US Passport of US Residency Card
  
• Arrive into Vancouver prior to 2:00Pm on the day of sailing
  
• Flight must arrive into Vancouver directly from the United States
  
• Purchases a Royal Caribbean International airport to pier bus transfer voucher or air/sea package
  
• Applied the Ship's Baggage Tag to your checked bags prior to airline check-in.
  
• Registered for Online Check-in (SetSail)
  

You may purchase a bus transfer voucher at the Vancouver airport upon arrival based upon availability and meeting the above requirements.

 

All checked luggage must have the Ship's Baggage Tags attached prior to airline check-in.

 

Upon your arrival at Vancouver, just follow the green US DIrect signage located at the Vancouver Airport and identify yourself to the Airport Staff at the US Direct transfer point. Please have proof of citizenship and transfer vouchers in hand.

 

Do not proceed down the escalators for entry into Canada.

 

 

 

 

They don't need your flight information. There are people that pull all bags with cruiseline tags on them and send them onto the ships.

[US Direct]

Yes, US Direct will be offered this year. This link will provide you with everything you need to know re the US Direct program except that of commencement date and I am sorry I don't know when that will be this year.

 

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/about/cruiseandtourism/usdirectprocess.aspx

 

The Airport-to-Port component of the US Direct program will commence on Monday May 25th. The Port-to-Airport component will not be open until early July (this may be subject to change).

 

US Direct leads

[US Direct]

Interesting, how does Princess differentiate betwen the two....I am guessing by looking at the name of the ship but does anyone have a better idea.

 

Passengers who are not travelling on a cruise the day they arrive in Vancouver do not need to tag their luggage as it will be dispensed at the carousels after Canada customs as per normal proceedures regardless of the tags. If the passengers travelling the next day have tagged their checked-in bags with their respective ship tags, these bags will not be ramp transfered to the pier. They will be dispensed at Canada Customs.

 

US Direct Leads

[travelbuds]

Hi,

Just for a heads up, I found out that the US Direct program is not in full operation for 2009.

 

My wife and I were set to use US Direct in June from the Vancouver port to Vancouver airport (have been planning this for over a year). Now on the YVR Airport Authority website, I found that our airline (US Airways) is no longer participating. Thought it may have just been an error. But when emailed the port authority about it, I was also informed in two separate emails that:

 

First: "The expedited passenger facility will not be open in June, however we will look into the possibility of your bags being transferred from the cruise ship to your final destination and get back to you as soon as possible."

 

 

Second: "As of today, the port to airport portion of US Direct is not open in July to any cruise or airlines. The cruise lines are currently in negotiation to determine whether it is possible to open this facility earlier than July 3rd. That being said, the airport to port portion of US Direct will be opening this Monday, May 25th.

 

With regards to your luggage, it will be picked up at your stateroom the evening prior to disembarkation and will be transported to YVR for your pickup in the US Departures terminal before checking in for your flights. (All of this is explained in further detail to all buses arriving at YVR).

 

For the most accurate information we would suggest confirming with your cruise line while on board prior to disembarkation regarding the luggage transfer."

 

So I guess we may just have to wait until we board the ship before we find out anything more.

Bruce

[littlebitsgran]

I don't fly much so kind of confused. exactly what do they mean when they say if you have a direct flight you can use US DIRECT? We fly from Ok on United, change planes in Denver then land in Vancouver, on day of cruise with Princess. All flights are with United. We are US citizens. Some say yes you can, one guy I talked to at Princess say no just direct flights. What is real answer. Thank you so much if you can help.

[jmps]

My understanding by direct they mean direct from the US. As opposed to flying from another country or stopping in Canada first. Intermediate stops in the US don't matter. So you should be able to use US Direct as long as you take cruise line transfer from airport to pier. Just follow the signs posted in the airport taking you to US Direct rather than thru Customs.