Does US Customs ever make you open your bags on arrival?

[mafig]

Never after a cruise. However I recall once when we didn't purchase anything so we had nothing to declare the customs agent said to dh "you were in St. Thomas and didn't buy her anything?" But it went no further.

 

Coming from Europe my suitecase was opened once. But I have observed other people who have had to open their's.

[dwjoe]

I have been lucky in that I have never had my bags checked by US Customs when returning for an overseas flight (mostly, returning from the Philippines and Japan).

 

Been able to get away with more than the 200 cigarettes (1 carton) limit per passenger.

 

How about these cruise lines after retuning from Cozumel or someplace like that?

 

Declaring items will surely make it so Customs checks your bags.

 

How about not declaring anything .... anyone here still have there bags opened by Customs on your return to the US if you didn't declare anything?

Lying to Customs is very bad idea.

 

Btw, you can bring back more cigarettes duty free if the excess is from the USVI.

[smeyer418]

last month coming back by ship into NY all my son's and grandsons' bags were all opened and searched. never say never. the excess cigs were in our luggage.

[Turbo6ta]

Maybe cruise ships are different than the airlines, but even if you have cigarettes and liquor in your bags, you are not required to claim it on the declaration form as long as it's not over the legal limit.

 

And as far as "trinkets" you buy overseas, Customs could care less about those either.

 

I even see people declaring how much cash they bring back in there pockets from an overseas visit ... You don't claim cash unless it's greater than $10,000 USD per individual (or per family if traveling with family members).

 

Again, for some reason, some people feel they need to claim everything, and in fact, they don't in most cases.

 

Bottom line .... You start claiming every little $20 item you buy in some overseas gift shop, and it just opens yourself up for a complete bag search (wasted time and frustration on your part).

 

At least this is what I have learned from making many many trips to Asia on the airlines.

 

I just initially asked about how nit-picky the US Customs agents are when coming off a cruise ... because I have no experience with that.

[SadieN]

I have been pulled aside and had my luggage searched in Miami -- but was expecting it as one of the guards was basically trying to insert his dog into butt from the moment we entered the luggage/customs area.

 

Not that the dog was interested in me, but the handler certainly was. It was clear he thought I had something.

 

Dogs have different kind of alerts. Many are of the 'non-interested' kind. Each dog is different. Some lay down and others bark.

An AG dog in Ensenada sits next to the 'fruit smugglers'.

[dwjoe]

Customs at the cruise terminal is no pickier than at any other port of entry I've used by land or air. Generally US CBP is much more concerned with your immigration status than what you're bringing in to the country. :)

 

As far as the US Customs Declaration Form, it's the same form used by air. I usually enter an estimate of the value of the souveniers I'm bringing back, say $100 or $200 and never been questioned further. There is no need to falsely declare a value of 0. You're allowed $800 per person and declaring a reasonable amount will not raise flags.

[swedish weave]

I don't know if they still do it, but several years ago, they ran the dogs through the baggage in the terminal before they let anyone off the ship. If the dogs alerted on a bag, they watched it until someone claimed it, then took them aside for inspection.

[ducklite]

Customs at the cruise terminal is no pickier than at any other port of entry I've used by land or air. Generally US CBP is much more concerned with your immigration status than what you're bringing in to the country. :)

 

As far as the US Customs Declaration Form, it's the same form used by air. I usually enter an estimate of the value of the souveniers I'm bringing back, say $100 or $200 and never been questioned further. There is no need to falsely declare a value of 0. You're allowed $800 per person and declaring a reasonable amount will not raise flags.

 

Agreed. I think the only time we declared 0 was when we were on a three day to the Bahamas. We didn't buy a thing.

[PennyAgain]

US Customs pre-checks all luggage before the passengers get anywhere near it. The use dogs and other methods and sometimes to take bags aside to question the owners onboard.

 

They also have purchase records from the things sold 'duty free' on the ships and major purchases from shops in the cruise ports.

 

On every cruise I've been on there were announcements the morning of departure calling one or more persons to the office to discuss matters. They ship cannot be cleared without all of those persons reporting in.

 

One of our friends bought an expensive ring in St Thomas and wove it into a yarn pom pom and put it on her carry on bag. She was called to the office on the ship to produce the ring, the receipt and to pay her duty owed. She delayed the ship clearing and was furious that the purchase was reported.

[Aquahound]

Customs at the cruise terminal is no pickier than at any other port of entry I've used by land or air. Generally US CBP is much more concerned with your immigration status than what you're bringing in to the country. :)

 

As far as the US Customs Declaration Form, it's the same form used by air. I usually enter an estimate of the value of the souveniers I'm bringing back, say $100 or $200 and never been questioned further. There is no need to falsely declare a value of 0. You're allowed $800 per person and declaring a reasonable amount will not raise flags.

 

Spot on. I agree 100%.

 

I have been lucky in that I have never had my bags checked by US Customs when returning for an overseas flight (mostly, returning from the Philippines and Japan).

 

Been able to get away with more than the 200 cigarettes (1 carton) limit per passenger.

 

How about these cruise lines after retuning from Cozumel or someplace like that?

 

Declaring items will surely make it so Customs checks your bags.

 

How about not declaring anything .... anyone here still have there bags opened by Customs on your return to the US if you didn't declare anything?

 

The problem here is, if you get caught falsifying your Customs document, you could be arrested and charged with a federal felony (18USC1001). Sure, chances are you'll get away with it, but is it really worth it?

 

You should also know, CBP knows what you purchased on the ship.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I have been beyond over the limit on alcohol many times and they have never charged us duty--they have always said the couple dollars wasn't worth the paperwork. The last time we came back in from Canada by car we had four cases of beer and two cases of wine. Last summer we came back from Europe with 14 bottles of wine.

 

If you declare your alcohol/cigarettes they will generally not charge duty unless you've got so much that it's obviously for resale. If you don't declare and they search and find the items, the fines can be steep--far more than the small duty, if it's charged at all.

 

lol they got us there too. Last summer coming back from Bermuda we had 10 bottles of booze between 3 adults in our family.

 

Had to pay the duty on 7 bottles as the limit was 1 bottle per person.

 

This was in NY and the duty was $3 per bottle for a total of $21.00.

 

Bill

[Turbo6ta]

 

You should also know, CBP knows what you purchased on the ship.

 

Your correct, I am sure Carnival reports that to US Customs.

 

I guess I am talking about cigarettes purchased in Cozumel, MX.

 

I am thinking cigarettes purchased in Mexico are more than likely cheaper than those purchased on the ship anyway ... or very close in price.

[Turbo6ta]

 

lol they got us there too. Last summer coming back from Bermuda we had 10 bottles of booze between 3 adults in our family.

 

Had to pay the duty on 7 bottles as the limit was 1 bottle per person.

 

This was in NY and the duty was $3 per bottle for a total of $21.00.

 

Did you initially claim those 7 bottle on the US Customs form ... or did they just happen to open your checked baggage and found them?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Did you initially claim those 7 bottle on the US Customs form ... or did they just happen to open your checked baggage and found them?

 

Yes we claimed all 10 bottles.:)

 

Bill

[pris993]

We have never been search but have nothing to declare.

 

The point is they can.

 

We have been searched only once at SFO international airport after returning from Europe, dog smelled something... we did not have anything... so search was no big deal. Sometimes at the airport they randomly search folks too.

[doublelel]

Been lucky never had bags checked, but I know people who have.

[Scrapnana]

My bags have never been opened whether I declared more than the legal limit or not. On the last cruise I did not see anyone being stopped.

 

I have a friend who was coming back from Europe and in the spirit of full disclosure checked the box saying she was bringing back food. When the customs agent asked her what kind of food she told him -- 2 candy bars. He very politely told her she did not have to declare them and sent her on her way.

[PORT ROYAL]

My husband was pulled aside once - had a small soft-sided cooler with his left over Pepsi in it and they called us both into a room with our luggage, but all they checked was the cooler. I assumed they were checking to make sure we didn't bring any food/fruit off the ship.

 

Flying from UK to Miami my wife was pulled by immigration, stating to all could hear his voice "Fruit - I have Fruit here", My Wife and I stated that all we had nothing. The reply was "everybody says that!" - "You have fruit in you hand luggage, I can smell it" - "No that's the perfume sample papers, my Wife saved them" - "No it's fruit" -

Subsequently we were escorted by armed gaurds to an office and asked why were were trying to smuggle fruit. We denied this and our luggage was searched, only to find paper samples. The whole process took over 1 hour in addition to the 1.5 hours waiting time at immigration. You can imaging the distress this caused us. No apology was issued, just told "You can go" - Welcome to Miami!

[nybumpkin]

I have been beyond over the limit on alcohol many times and they have never charged us duty--they have always said the couple dollars wasn't worth the paperwork. The last time we came back in from Canada by car we had four cases of beer and two cases of wine. Last summer we came back from Europe with 14 bottles of wine.

 

If you declare your alcohol/cigarettes they will generally not charge duty unless you've got so much that it's obviously for resale. If you don't declare and they search and find the items, the fines can be steep--far more than the small duty, if it's charged at all.

Last year we returned from a Canada cruise with three bottles of alcohol and I very properly declared them (after all, the box in which they were packaged had a very large "3" on the outside). The agent said "two bottles" and, when I went to correct him, he repeated "two bottles." Okay, I got it.:o We've never had our bags searched.

 

When DH was growing up on the Great Lakes, his family vacationed on Pelee Island, in Canadian waters of Lake Erie. DH's dad would take the older kids on their boat from Cleveland while DH's mom would drive the car with the younger kids - and when returning to the US on the ferry, she would always end up with bags being searched. Always the same agent - never understood what he saw in a mom with two toddlers. Finally, she saved up all the dirty diapers from vacation, packed them in one bag, and made sure that bag was on top in the trunk. Sure enough, the agent wanted to search the trunk, grabbed that suitcase, opened it and stuck his hand in. After that, she was never searched again.:p

[ducklite]

lol they got us there too. Last summer coming back from Bermuda we had 10 bottles of booze between 3 adults in our family.

 

Had to pay the duty on 7 bottles as the limit was 1 bottle per person.

 

This was in NY and the duty was $3 per bottle for a total of $21.00.

 

Bill

 

Anyone who can't afford $21 in duty shouldn't have purchased the booze to begin with.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Anyone who can't afford $21 in duty shouldn't have purchased the booze to begin with.

 

Wow, where did that comment come from?

 

Who said we couldn't afford the $21?

 

Wasn't trying to get away with anything .

 

Just posting our experience.

 

Bill

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ducklite]

Wow, where did that comment come from?

 

Who said we couldn't afford the $21?

 

Wasn't trying to get away with anything .

 

Just posting our experience.

 

Bill

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Sorry--wasn't implying you were. Just a general comment.

[toberman]

Anyone who can't afford $21 in duty shouldn't have purchased the booze to begin with.

 

I took the comment as to how little duty there actually is !! So why not declare it.

[Mharvey66]

So as some one who doesnt smoke, I am curious as to how much cheaper cigs are in Mexico ? When I asked my sister what she wanted me to bring her back from our cruise next month she promptly replied a carton of smokes.

[red-rose]

Flying from UK to Miami my wife was pulled by immigration, stating to all could hear his voice "Fruit - I have Fruit here", My Wife and I stated that all we had nothing. The reply was "everybody says that!" - "You have fruit in you hand luggage, I can smell it" - "No that's the perfume sample papers, my Wife saved them" - "No it's fruit" -

Subsequently we were escorted by armed gaurds to an office and asked why were were trying to smuggle fruit. We denied this and our luggage was searched, only to find paper samples. The whole process took over 1 hour in addition to the 1.5 hours waiting time at immigration. You can imaging the distress this caused us. No apology was issued, just told "You can go" - Welcome to Miami!

 

yikes! (note to self... don't bring perfume sample papers!) :eek: