Customs formalities at Cruise Ports

Hi

I'm new to cruising, only done one transatlantic crossing so far, but have a transpacific crossing on Noordam booked for next April. Could anyone let me know what to expect in terms of the formalities involved in disembarking at the various ports on the way (New Caladonia, Fiji, American Samoa, Hawaii). Is there likely to be long lines for customs/'immigration' checks as one would expect at the end of a cruise or is there some 'fast track' system for day visitors.

Thanks in advance for any information

There won't be any customs until your last port, and immigration is accomplished onboard before anyone is permitted to go ashore. Usually immigration officials come aboard and clear the ship over coffee and donuts...EM

Every port has it's own rules. In most cases, though, things are pretty easy for port calls. You will probably turn your passport in to the ship's clearance officer when you board and it will be held in the ship's safe. They should meet with the immigration officers behind the scenes where the passports will be checked en-masse. There will be occasions where you will need to meet immigration officials in person; in those cases your passport will be given for as long as needed and possibly collected again later.

A definite exception to that will be in Hawaii. Note, when you typically cross a border 2 things actually happen but are combined, immigration (you) and customs (what you bring with you). Assuming your cruise ends in the US, immigration will happen in Hawaii, and customs as you disembark the ship. The local authorities determine the immigration policy and they they may board the ship and meet you in a lounge or you may have to go ashore to meet them.

A typical setup is that you will meet the authorities in the lounge in assigned groups and as you leave you will be given a pass to leave the ship; that's fairly typical. In that case there shouldn't be long lines but the process may take a while until your group is called.

You will be given specific instructions at each port.

Roy

You will probably turn your passport in to the ship's clearance officer when you board and it will be held in the ship's safe

Every port has it's own rules. In most cases, though, things are pretty easy for port calls. You will probably turn your passport in to the ship's clearance officer when you board and it will be held in the ship's safe. They should meet with the immigration officers behind the scenes where the passports will be checked en-masse. There will be occasions where you will need to meet immigration officials in person; in those cases your passport will be given for as long as needed and possibly collected again later.

 

A definite exception to that will be in Hawaii. Note, when you typically cross a border 2 things actually happen but are combined, immigration (you) and customs (what you bring with you). Assuming your cruise ends in the US, immigration will happen in Hawaii, and customs as you disembark the ship. The local authorities determine the immigration policy and they they may board the ship and meet you in a lounge or you may have to go ashore to meet them.

 

A typical setup is that you will meet the authorities in the lounge in assigned groups and as you leave you will be given a pass to leave the ship; that's fairly typical. In that case there shouldn't be long lines but the process may take a while until your group is called.

 

You will be given specific instructions at each port.

 

Roy

Probably? I've never done a South Pacific cruise, but in 20 HAL cruises the only time our passports were held by the ship for the majority of the cruise was on an East Med that visited Greece and Turkey. Going into St Petersburg our passports were taken just overnight.

When we did the South Pacific a couple of years ago, our passports were kept by the ship until about 3/4 of the cruise was completed and then returned to us.

Same with our Rotterdam TA.

As part of the ship's clearance, local officials (Customs; Immigration; Health inspectors; Quarantine officer; Police; Military/Navy/Coast Guard - I've seen as few as two and as many as twelve to fifteen, depending on which port in the world - are one of first individuals on board (accompanied by one or more local port agents) and will meet with the ship's representative(s) at the gangway. A ship's rep is the crew officer (crew purser) on the "S" and "R" ships and Prinsendam, and the port paper officer (PPO) on the Vistas and up.

The ship's rep will have the various required clearance forms already prepared ahead of time, and the entire party will walk to a room on the ship set aside for the clearance - that room is usually the Hudson Room, could be the Half Moon for those ships that still have it.

The clearance process involves the local officials going over the paperwork prepared by the crew officer or PPO and can take anywhere from five minutes to 45 minutes. Places like the People's Republic of China are infamous for taking a very long time. In Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, I was on a ship when the locals insisted on seeing the cold storage rooms along with the ship's provision master, before they would give the clearance. No none goes off and/or comes on the ship until the clearance is obtained; with the exception (after being granted) of what's known as the ship's "working crew" which consists of the "Boatmen" who set up the gangway and netting, the HK guys/girls setting up the carpet/easy-up/chairs/stanchions/hand disinfecting machines, etc. and, again with permission, the shorex team, location guide, "hated" photographers ;p, and the "rat patrol" (the two sailors who set up rat guards on the fwd and aft mooring lines)

If passenger passports are held in a safe inside the Front Office (on certain itineraries, guests get to keep them in their cabin - crew passports are always held by the crew officer/PPO), it doesn't necessarily mean that the local officials have to see all of them and go over them one-by-one; that would take an hour. The locals always want to see the passports of any pax/crew disembarking that day however, the others - unless they request to see one/more, stay in the safe.

In certain places in the world, one or two clearance officials make their way to the port prior to their own country's port ahead of time, will then sail with the ship, and perform the clearance "ahead" of time. In other ports (the Alaskan ports come to mind) the clearance is done via email and the ship declared "clear upon arrival" which makes everyone extremely happy campers :D

We did this transpac this past April and can confirm that there were no formal customs procedures for entry to any of the islands until Hawaii. That procedure is described well in the posts above. Great cruise, lots of Aussies and Canadians. The Noordam was in good condition and the crew was wonderful as usual. Have a great cruise.

Our passports were held by the ship staff on our tales of the South Pacific cruise and our previous transpacific crossing.

Wherever a ship first gets to a US port after having been in foreign ports (Alaska after Vancouver may be an exception), the immigration officials required us to do a walk-by on board the ship to present our passport. This has happened to us arriving from the Pacific in Hawaii, and arriving in St Thomas or Puerto Rico in the Atlantic when coming from foreign ports. We were assigned a time slot according to our cabin's deck number. The Cruise Director announced for each deck in sequence to come to the immigration officer's location, usually the dining room where we carried our passports open, stopped at their table to show them the picture page, then we were usually just waved along.

We had no formalities at any of our foreign ports in the Pacific, that was all done by the ship's crew as very well explained by Copper John above.

You should have a lovely cruise of the Pacific and the islands!

Just a head's up....if you have a lot of Aussies on board (it was a large majority on our TP crossing) you will notice that they walk on the left in hallways. :) Enjoy! m--

I should have added that US Customs will be at your disembarkation port in the US. You will be given a blue and white Declarations form ahead of time while onboard to fill out and note anything to declare. The form asks for the value of purchases made abroad that you are bringing into the US. I usually have a small amount and combine it into one line for "souvenirs" / $US value; I add one line that says "non alcohol" and one line that says "non tobacco products". Of course if you have products and purchases to declare, you must do so or risk fines.

After walking off the ship you will be directed to the Customs officers in the port terminal who will collect your Declarations card and probably wave you through though sometimes they ask questions; They have the authority to question you and search your belongings and luggage. Do not bring fresh fruit, dairy or meats (even an apple or a sandwich) off the ship into the US.

Hi

 

I'm new to cruising, only done one transatlantic crossing so far, but have a transpacific crossing on Noordam booked for next April. Could anyone let me know what to expect in terms of the formalities involved in disembarking at the various ports on the way (New Caladonia, Fiji, American Samoa, Hawaii). Is there likely to be long lines for customs/'immigration' checks as one would expect at the end of a cruise or is there some 'fast track' system for day visitors.

 

Thanks in advance for any information

Are you on the April 13 Sydney to Vancouver cruise? Join the roll call. There is also one for the Mar 28 New Zealand Segment (if you're joining then). The South Pacific will be a new experience for us also. Looking forward to meeting up with you.

Thank you all so much for this very helpful and detailed information, I now have a much better idea of what to expect.