Smooth Sailing: Overcoming Border Anxiety for Your Alaskan Disney Cruise

The Pre-Travel Jitters 

My husband has been stationed all over the globe with the military, but for some reason, adding a border crossing to our road trip still gave us a wave of anxiety. I think it is mostly just fear of the unknown. When cruising out of Port Canaveral, you embark and disembark through American customs, meaning no foreign entity handles your passport. Traveling to Vancouver for an Alaskan cruise, however, absolutely involves a direct interaction with the Canadian government.

Arriving in Canada by Train 

We entered Canada by train, so we did not officially engage with Canadian border control until we stepped onto the platform. The conductor did come through to check our passports while we were rolling, but the train never actually stopped for a border checkpoint. Once we arrived, we collected our bags and waited in a simple line to speak to a Canadian customs agent. They took a brief look at our passports and sent us on our way. That was literally it.

To my dismay, I have yet to experience an international trip that results in an actual stamp in my passport book! I have been to Vancouver, Ontario, Mexico, the Bahamas, and the British Virgin Islands. It seems immediate border crossings and cruise ports of entry are simply not deemed passport-stamp-worthy these days.

Flying Out of Vancouver 

Leaving Canada was just as easy as entering. We arrived at the airport, checked our bags, and proceeded through security and customs. US Customs is actually located inside the Canadian airport, which is incredibly convenient. Because we cleared customs before our flight, we deplaned in the United States just like a domestic flight. The entire process feels almost identical to standard airport security, except you use your passport instead of a Real ID. We probably could have used a passport card for these crossings, but we chose to carry our actual passport books just in case.

(As a side note: Honestly, the biggest travel challenge we have faced lately is my husband and son sharing the exact same name, but that is a story for another day. I will say that the shared-name glitch completely prevents us from checking our bags at the curb. I have absolutely no idea why!)

The Verdict 

I hope our experience eases any anxiety you might have about crossing the Canadian border for your Alaskan cruise. Vancouver is a fantastic city and a truly wonderful destination to add to your itinerary before you sail.