We are cruising Seattle-Alaska-Vancouver, BC in September. Taking the train from Vancouver back to Seattle. What kind of Customs do you have to go thru, how thorough are they, and is a passport necessary? Also, I noticed that if you have a DUI, you have to get special permission from the Canadian Consulate even to enter the country. Do they really do background checks, and if so, on what part off the journey does this occur? Any help from former cruisers would be appreciaated. Thanks.

I'm puzzled about your routing - does the same boat depart Seattle, go to Alaska, then return to Vancouver? Or are you taking "back to back" trips? (If so I'm not aware of any one-way sailings to Alaska from Seattle; because of the Jones Act all the one-ways start or end in Vancouver.)

Anyway, having a passport is a good idea, either that or a copy of your birth certificate.

I haven't heard the DUI thing, and don't recall every having had to tell Canadian or American immigration people my name, so don't know how or when they'd find out.

Immigration clearance into the US is much more stringent since 9/11, with the result that many southbound border crossings take more time. I don't know how it plays out on the train; probably doesn't make much of a difference in time terms.

John-FYI, Seattle indeed does have direct Alaska sailings -- about a hundred this season, I believe, and it's expected to double over the next three years. As a downtown resident, I see usually a couple cruise ships in port every weekend, and the Port of Seattle is converting a pier from shipping cargo to berthing cruise ships.

I know, xxx, but I believe all of the Seattle departures are Inside Passage round-trips, not the one-way cruises terminating in Seward. For Jill to leave from Seattle and return to Vancouver (an "open jaw" if you will) seems unusual. Since it's in September maybe her return is part of a repositioning trip.

Hey thanks guys for the responses, sorry I was not more clear on the exact itnerary. We are sailing outta Seattle, thru Inside Passage and ending up in Vancouver, BC. Taking the train back to Seattle from there. I grew up near the Canadian Border in Montana, and could go back and forth across the border in minutes (to pick up a pizza) etc, but was a local, so never any hassle. Anybody else know the drill on this? As far as the train or the cruise ships? Thanks again.

It is true that a DUI can cause you problems entering Canada. Background checks are random so quite honestly I wouldn't volunteer this information as it is unlikely that they will check you. Not sure how they do it at sea, at the boarder they stop cars randomly for a full check vs. just the quick chat and go routine.