Immigration on board 2 night voyage?

[Austcruiser84]

One thing I loved about my TA from NYC to Southampton was the immigration service on board a few days before docking.

 

Is this provided on a short voyage too? I'm boarding in Hamburg and disembarking in Southampton two days later.

 

The only downside of this would be queuing for ages on the only sea day.

 

If immigration is done at Southampton is it quick? Ill be self disembarking for this short voyage, so hope to leave the ship early.

[fantasy51]

I've had enough voyages with Cunard to be almost at diamond level, and I've only encountered immigration on board once. On that basis I would say it's extremely unlikely that you will encounter them on a 2-day voyage.

 

However, when they are not there, I gather that all the paperwork is viewed before you even dock. On the other voyages I have not even seen immigration. I walk off the ship, collect my luggage and walk through the 'Nothing to declare' channel without encountering anyone.

 

Cunard will probably keep your passport for a while in order to check things out, seeing you are Australian. Those of us from the EU get to manage our own passports on most European itineraries.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Any time we've disembarked in Southampton, it's been easy, both early self-disembarkation and in the regular, later groups.

[cunardaddict]

Immigration within Europe, but outside Schengen is usually an easy process as customs controls are not performed.

[Leucothea]

I've had enough voyages with Cunard to be almost at diamond level, and I've only encountered immigration on board once. On that basis I would say it's extremely unlikely that you will encounter them on a 2-day voyage.

 

However, when they are not there, I gather that all the paperwork is viewed before you even dock. On the other voyages I have not even seen immigration. I walk off the ship, collect my luggage and walk through the 'Nothing to declare' channel without encountering anyone.

 

Cunard will probably keep your passport for a while in order to check things out, seeing you are Australian. Those of us from the EU get to manage our own passports on most European itineraries.

 

That's odd. On every trip NY to Southampton I've been on there has been on board immigration. From Southampton to NY, no. (Perhaps you are referring to the cruises rather than the crossings?)

 

However, the first few times I traveled on QE2 and QM2 I believe they did not have it yet. I can't remember when it started, but I think it was quite soon after QM2 launched in 2004, maybe a year or two. Perhaps someone else who knows exactly when it started can correct me.

 

I do remember arriving in Cherbourg, I think it was on QE2, and there was no immigration at all. You just walked right through. And I didn't begin traveling on Cunard until 2002, so this was after all the changes were made in terms of security.

[fantasy51]

Hi Jane. I'm referring to cruises mainly, seeing the OP was referring to her upcoming 2-day cruise. I've had one TA on QM2 from Southampton to NY but the rest of my voyages have been cruises.

 

On the one occasion we had immigration on board, I was the only person in the room at the time I went, so I chatted to the immigration officer. He said they only do that occasionally. I got the impression he enjoyed the chance to cruise without having to pay for it!

 

I wonder what they do about the TAs. Do they fly the immigration officer out to NY so he can board the ship there and come back to So'ton, or does he get a free cruise to NY? I assume USA isn't interested in an onboard checking system but relies on their port security (which is far more thorough than the So'ton arrival) and so does not bother putting people on the ship.

 

More input would be helpful from someone who's chatted in more depth to an immigration officer. All you reading it, the next time you have one on board, give him/her a thorough quiz. ;)

[capnpugwash]

Hi Jane. I'm referring to cruises mainly, seeing the OP was referring to her upcoming 2-day cruise. I've had one TA on QM2 from Southampton to NY but the rest of my voyages have been cruises.

 

On the one occasion we had immigration on board, I was the only person in the room at the time I went, so I chatted to the immigration officer. He said they only do that occasionally. I got the impression he enjoyed the chance to cruise without having to pay for it!

 

I wonder what they do about the TAs. Do they fly the immigration officer out to NY so he can board the ship there and come back to So'ton, or does he get a free cruise to NY? I assume USA isn't interested in an onboard checking system but relies on their port security (which is far more thorough than the So'ton arrival) and so does not bother putting people on the ship.

 

More input would be helpful from someone who's chatted in more depth to an immigration officer. All you reading it, the next time you have one on board, give him/her a thorough quiz. ;)

 

I've spoken to many of the Immigration Officers, there used to be a pair of them sharing the task but now it is reduced to one person. They fly to NYC a day before and then board QM2 and do their passport examination over the first 3 or 4 days. The only time I've known US Immigration to take place on board QM2 was after the storm Sandy when the piers were all wrecked. About 20 officers came on and did the process in the Queens Room, it was a total shambles and the queues stretched through Britannia and along the deck 3 corridor to the Theatre. I think it's quite a popular duty.