no customs in vancouver?

[megs]

has anyone used the U.S. direct embarkation program in vancouver?

a princess transfer was already part of my package... so the idea is in this program i would pay an extra $18pp and won't have to go through customs and immigration, yes? sounds much more convenient but how much time/hassle does it actually save? is it worth the extra money?

[NSWP]

MEGS, the $18 would have to be worth it..In 05 we were on Carnival Spirit, Hawaii to Vancouver then Alaska. In Vancouver we had to go through Canadian and US Customs/Immigration. There were 3 ships in port and I tell you it took us Aussies 3 hours to get back on board the ship after getting off and having a day in Vancouver, we had to go through the lot (again.) So did every every other passenger irrespective of passport staus. So as a US citizen if you have the chance to bypass thousands of cruise pax at Vancouver terminal, GO FOR IT.

The US Border Security have to check every one in Vancouver enroute to Alasaka as there are no such facilities at the cruise ports in Alaska, Skagway, Ketchikan etc. But at Vancouver there were nowhere near enough officers to check the 5000 cruise pax of 3 ships.

Best wishes from OZ

[Bandrews]

I'm not familiar with this program. Exactally how does this work. When you get off the plane in Vancouver you are directed to Customs and Immigration. Someone must check to see if you have this program, right?
Is there another station that you go to for someone to check you?
Bandrews

[NAS-KARR]

When we went through on the way back from AK we breezed thru customs in about a 1/2 hour. Yes..that was in 04.....and yes... there were only two ships in port, but that's my story. Back then PRINCESS had NO "such package" in existence.

CIAO,

[Rev22:17]

megs,

Originally Posted by You

has anyone used the U.S. direct embarkation program in vancouver?

a princess transfer was already part of my package... so the idea is in this program i would pay an extra $18pp and won't have to go through customs and immigration, yes? sounds much more convenient but how much time/hassle does it actually save? is it worth the extra money?

I have not used it, but the program basically means that they arrange the transfer so you go directly from the area of the U. S. side of the customs and immigration checkpoints at the airport to the U. S. side of the customs and immigration checkpoints at the cruise terminal. The U. S. and/or Canadian authorities probably affix seals to the doors of the buses to provide verification that nobody has boarded or left them during the trip between the airport and the pier. Canadian passenger railroads use a similar procedure when crossing northern Maine en route between Quebec and New Brunswick.

The time saved can be considerable, but the flip side is that you'll have no opportunity to see any of Vancouver.

Norm.