vancouver flight issues

[sarahandgreg]

Hi,

On the Alalska cruise that docks in vancouver on the 9th September ( mon)
I live in florida - I need to get a flight out of vancouver to Florida but all the flights leave in the morning - none in the pm ! The latest is 11.30 in the morning - I dont think thats gonna work,not enough time to clear customs in port, get to airport etc etc - can anyone help me with this. My other option is getting a flight from vancouver to tampa(ft myers is my closest). The tampa flight leavs at 2 pm - but only gives me 1 hr and 15 mins to change over and clear customs before boarding my connecting flight - and i dont think this will work either - having a slight stress out !

 

[NurseDave]

Why not fly out the next day? Like those of us on the west coast that need to fly to FL the day before sailing.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi,

On the Alalska cruise that docks in vancouver on the 9th September ( mon)
I live in florida - I need to get a flight out of vancouver to Florida but all the flights leave in the morning - none in the pm ! The latest is 11.30 in the morning - I dont think thats gonna work,not enough time to clear customs in port, get to airport etc etc - can anyone help me with this. My other option is getting a flight from vancouver to tampa(ft myers is my closest). The tampa flight leavs at 2 pm - but only gives me 1 hr and 15 mins to change over and clear customs before boarding my connecting flight - and i dont think this will work either - having a slight stress out !

You will clear customs in Vancouver before you fly out.

At least that's the way it's always worked for us coming back from Vancouver to LA.

 

[sarahandgreg]

I cant fly out the next day - it has to be monday due to work.
I am a uk citizen, so although we clear customs in Vancouver, surely you have to clear customs in The US as well - or no? My possible flight changes in Denver. If I do not have to clear customs in the US then I will be ok I think for time.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I cant fly out the next day - it has to be monday due to work.
I am a uk citizen, so although we clear customs in Vancouver, surely you have to clear customs in The US as well - or no? My possible flight changes in Denver. If I do not have to clear customs in the US then I will be ok I think for time.

When we disembarked from our cruise, we went through customs at the port (into Canada). At the airport, after we checked in for our flight, and went through security, we went through customs (into the US) before boarding our flight.

When we arrived in LA, we picked up our bags at the baggage carousel and went home.

 

[geffric]

we had an early flight too..had our luggage with us ( didnt give them to DCL the last night) we one of the first off the ship )with the luggage) , walked to the subway/L ( or whatever it is called in Vancouver) - short walk- took the L as it was fastest way ( we thought) and it went straight to the airport..made the flight with plenty of time to spare..

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_border_preclearance

The above link has all the info init the basics are at the major Canadian airports there are US boarder guards stationed there for people to pre clear customs it doesn't mater what country you come from initially, all that maters is you are flying through one of those city. Before going through airport security you will line up to speak with a US customs officer, they are there to enforce all US laws. Once you leave there you are still on Canadian soil you are not in the US until you land. As the OP is leaving from Vancouver and flying to Orlando they will clear US Customs in Canada and land at the domestic part of the terminal upon arrival at MCO. Pre Clarence actually helps the US air ports out a lot as it means there are less people that have to go through customs on arrival and can really speed things up a lot.

 

[DahliaRW]

I haven't flown from Canada, but on every international flight I've been on we've gone through customs when we arrive in the country itself (US, Spain, Japan are my experiences). I can't imagine doing customs before you leave Vancouver. (ETA, maybe it is different from Canada).

I think you will have to take another vacation day to make it work or risk it on the 2pm. Unless there is some way to make it by 11:30am...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I haven't flown from Canada, but on every international flight I've been on we've gone through customs when we arrive in the country itself (US, Spain, Japan are my experiences). I can't imagine doing customs before you leave Vancouver. (ETA, maybe it is different from Canada).

I think you will have to take another vacation day to make it work or risk it on the 2pm. Unless there is some way to make it by 11:30am...

As noted by myself and EastYorkDisneyFan, this is how it works in Vancouver:

When we disembarked from our cruise, we went through customs at the port (into Canada). At the airport, after we checked in for our flight, and went through security, we went through customs (into the US) before boarding our flight.

When we arrived in LA, we picked up our bags at the baggage carousel and went home.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_border_preclearance

The above link has all the info init the basics are at the major Canadian airports there are US boarder guards stationed there for people to pre clear customs it doesn't mater what country you come from initially, all that maters is you are flying through one of those city. Before going through airport security you will line up to speak with a US customs officer, they are there to enforce all US laws. Once you leave there you are still on Canadian soil you are not in the US until you land. As the OP is leaving from Vancouver and flying to Orlando they will clear US Customs in Canada and land at the domestic part of the terminal upon arrival at MCO. Pre Clarence actually helps the US air ports out a lot as it means there are less people that have to go through customs on arrival and can really speed things up a lot.

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

Yeah there are some special rules about flights from Canada to help ease congestion in US airports and also at the port of Vancouver.

Sent from my Samsung Galexy Ace using the DISBoards app

 

[lbgraves]

I confirm that we cleared customs before leaving Vancouver. It was so easy and we had three flights to get home to NC. At the first stop in Phoenix we got off the plane and went to the next gate. At home we picked up the luggage and were gone.

 

[canadiancruisers]

For all Canadian major airports when traveling to the US, we clear customs right after we check in for the flight. There are US border guards there as if you had already landed on US soil.

 

[clten]

The others are right, you clear US customs in the Vancouver airport.

The other option that I don't know if you already checked is to fly home from Seattle. Of course, the flight has to be later as you need time to get to Seattle (there's a bus you can take right from the port).

 

[UK-Simon]

As others mention, I live in Vancouver, (and am a UK Citizen) and can 100% promise you that you clear US customs in Vancouver after going through security. I regularly book connections in US airports with 1 hour connections. Of course nothing guarantees your flight from Van will leave on time, however, check and see if your changeover airport has any later flights to Tampa (with the same airline of course), that way if you miss your connection you can still probably get home that night.

Good luck!

 

[bumbershoot]

I haven't flown from Canada, but on every international flight I've been on we've gone through customs when we arrive in the country itself (US, Spain, Japan are my experiences). I can't imagine doing customs before you leave Vancouver. (ETA, maybe it is different from Canada).

It is a really cool thing that Vancouver does, because you do indeed clear customs there and don't need anything more when you land in the US.

It even works with Amtrak that way, as long as you actually take the train and aren't shunted to a bus (like I was once when there was a landslide on the track).

Before going through airport security you will line up to speak with a US customs officer, they are there to enforce all US laws. Once you leave there you are still on Canadian soil you are not in the US until you land.

I actually think that the whole concept of clearing US customs ahead of time is that in some weird way you *are* considered to be "in" the US once you've gone through.

 

[N365PA]

As said above, you are on "US Soil" after you cross through customs to wait for your flight. Most airports in Canada and I believe Shannon & Dublin, Ireland are doing this. Basically these airports have a secure terminal that is for US bound flights only. So you pass through the airport security, then go through US Customs (kinda like a double dose of TSA, yay!) and then, voila! You are on US Soil...in the canadian airport. Its very convenient!

For other flight options, you might be able to red-eye into Toronto on Air Canada the evening you get off the ship, and fly down the next morning from Toronto to Florida (RSW you said?) early. If all doesnt work and you need to overnight, the Manor Guest House is a great little B&B in Vancouver right about 2 blocks from public transit. Weve stayed there after our cruise and other times!

Clint
Pilot / Former Flight Attendant

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

I actually think that the whole concept of clearing US customs ahead of time is that in some weird way you *are* considered to be "in" the US once you've gone through.

Your kind of in neither at that point your considered to be in trait. However you are still on Canadian soil you have only pre cleared customs and not actually entered the US.

Sent from my Samsung Galexy Ace using the DISBoards app