Originally Posted by
Often1
This is not about Canadian law, but about the logistics. I suppose that if OP is traveling with a day pack which he can sling over his shoulder and simply not return to the ship, it does not matter what the cruise line things, says or does. But, if he has luggage which needs to be physically delivered to the disembarkation point and delivered to Customs for pickup at Halifax, that needs to be arranged in advance if it is available. If it is not available, OP has the option of simply walking away from the ship and not returning and figuring out how to reclaim his luggage at some point in the future.
As a Canadian citizen he may present himself without even a passport and he will eventually be admitted. The question is not whether he will spend his life on some pier in limbo, but how simple and pleasant all of this is.
Hence, my advice to simply call the cruise line. If it is not available, it is not as though the Captain will have OP held in the brig at Halifax. People call all day and every day with questions.
I think this is about both logistics and Canadian law.
OP stated that he can't be "forced against my will to return to the ship", when Canadian law gives the transporter the duty and right to ensure that a passenger only leave the ship by entering a customs office open for business, ready for passenger examination.
I've seen cruise ship security manhandle abrasive passengers who weren't even breaking laws. I could easily envision them temporarily detaining (on-board, below the gangway, or in the office) a passenger who attempts to waltz off with his luggage, until the ship operations staff are able to contact the CBSA office and get it properly staffed for an examination.
Then OP invoked the boater and GA telephone reporting model of entry into Canada for when the customs office is closed -- a model that he was entitled to use when he gets off his cruise ship ("Certainly, I ... would contact cruise ship operations and make arrangements with the CBSA to be cleared similar to landing in a private boat or aircraft.")
But Canadian law instructs us that he cannot report by telephone.
Maybe in another 15 or 20 years all customs offices with lighter staffing, including their cruise/marine offices, will offer a 24-hour video conferencing and remote baggage x-ray lane as a backup option, so that the regs will allow anybody to use remote presentation when entering. But before then, the law has different ideas.
As we all agree, in the meantime, OP will need to provide notice well in advance to the cruise line, so that they can advise their CBSA liaison to keep that office open for full examination of at least two passengers upon docking.