Bar Harbor customs

[us2]

We are booked on the Regal for a September 29 Canada/New England cruise. I read in Members Cruise Reviews that passengers must go through a customs check before they get off the ship because Bar Harbor is the first US port the ship visits.

 

We have a private tour arranged for 10:00am. Since this is a tender port, I'm concerned that we won't make it in time. I've already sent the tour company a message, but does anyone have any idea when passengers really can get off the ship.

[BruceMuzz]

Bar Harbor is one of those "perfect storm" ports for ships entering the USA.

 

The weather there is often foggy, slowing down the ship.

There are many whales in the area, slowing down the ship.

There are many lobster fishing zones in the area, forcing the ship to go slower to get around them.

Ships are often late arriving at Bar Harbor.

US Customs / Immigration is not permanently stationed there.

The officers must make a long commute through rush hour traffic to get to the port.

They are often late.

They must take a boat to get out to the ship.

That boat is often late.

 

Then everyone onboard must queue up onboard to go through immigration.

After immigration, everyone must queue up again to get tender tickets.

Everyone wants to go ashore immediately - all at the same time.

 

The tender pier at Bar Harbor is very small - accommodating one tender at a time.

Often, full tender boats spend a lot of time bobbing around in the harbor, trying to take their turn at the pier. This just slows the process even more.

 

If you are a bit unlucky, there will be more than one ship trying to do this at the same time. Then life gets really interesting. A number of passengers just give up and stay onboard for the day.

 

If you do make it ashore, you will find that just about everyone has decided to take the last tender back to the ship. The shoreside queue to get back onto the tenders is often extremely long. Bar Harbor is famous for it's frequent rainy, foggy, cold weather. If it happens to be raining that day, there is very little cover for those standing in that long tender line. They all come back to the ship soaking wet - and very unhappy.

Edited July 17, 2015 by BruceMuzz

[jrobinso]

Going to Bar Harbor for the first time on Regal in October. Thank you BruceMuzz for the information.

 

If Bar Harbor is like most tender ports passengers with Princess organized excursions will be "staged" at the theater and then escorted off the ship on the first tenders (depending on excursion start time). If you are Elite you should be able to get a priority boarding ticket for the tenders.

[Thrak]

Wow! The responses don't sound all that encouraging for a 10:00 AM excursion! Of course you didn't post what time you arrive so it's hard to really tell.

 

I've never been to Bar Harbor but I think I would just find a place to eat some lobster. Living in California we don't get "real" lobster and the stuff on the ship certainly isn't very good. Genuine fresh Maine lobster sounds like a pretty good "excursion" to me. :)

[Astro Flyer]

Wow! The responses don't sound all that encouraging for a 10:00 AM excursion! Of course you didn't post what time you arrive so it's hard to really tell.

 

I've never been to Bar Harbor but I think I would just find a place to eat some lobster. Living in California we don't get "real" lobster and the stuff on the ship certainly isn't very good. Genuine fresh Maine lobster sounds like a pretty good "excursion" to me. :)

The first time we arrived sailing from NYC so nothing necessary & we easily walked to an independent tour on a trolley that toured the area outside of Bar Harbor. The next time sailing from Quebec we had to go through immigrations & walked around town & enjoyed a tasty lobster lunch. :)

[RetiredNTraveling]

We cruised into Bar Harbor 2 years ago and took a local tour. Then after the tour, we took advantage of being in Maine to have a fresh caught Maine Lobster at Testa’s Restaurant. We had their “Early Bird Special” which included: an appetizer of Black & Green Olive Tapenade with fresh rolls, a Bowl of New England Chowder, a 1 ¼ lbs. Lobster and a piece of Wild Maine Blueberry Pie with Ice Cream! Then we stopped for me to buy a Bar Harbor polo shirt as a souvenir. Then it was downhill (literally) to the tender location and back to the Caribbean Princess.

 

Try it you will like it! :eek::D

[Mom33]

Bar Harbor is an easy place to tour independently. That being said, make sure you eat a lobster while you're there. There is nothing like a fresh New England lobster cooked to perfection.:)

[Coral]

I LOVE Bar Harbor!

 

Thankfully it has been gorgeous both times I have been there.

[Kansas Gal]

So when the cruise is going the other way, i.e., New York to Quebec City, do you go through customs in Quebec before getting off the ship?

[cb at sea]

Your tour guide is familiar with how this works...they will wait a reasonable amount of time!

[Pam in CA]

I've never been to Bar Harbor but I think I would just find a place to eat some lobster.

"Maine" lobsters are cold water lobsters and you'll find the same lobster anywhere from Boston to Maine. Lobsters aren't aware of state lines. :) If you miss getting "lobstah" in Maine, order it in Portsmouth (NH), Newburyport, Rockport, or Boston, depending on your itinerary.

[richstowe]

Bar Harbor is one of those "perfect storm" ports for ships entering the USA.

 

The weather there is often foggy, slowing down the ship.

There are many whales in the area, slowing down the ship.

There are many lobster fishing zones in the area, forcing the ship to go slower to get around them.

Ships are often late arriving at Bar Harbor.

US Customs / Immigration is not permanently stationed there.

The officers must make a long commute through rush hour traffic to get to the port.

They are often late.

They must take a boat to get out to the ship.

That boat is often late.

 

Then everyone onboard must queue up onboard to go through immigration.

After immigration, everyone must queue up again to get tender tickets.

Everyone wants to go ashore immediately - all at the same time.

 

The tender pier at Bar Harbor is very small - accommodating one tender at a time.

Often, full tender boats spend a lot of time bobbing around in the harbor, trying to take their turn at the pier. This just slows the process even more.

 

If you are a bit unlucky, there will be more than one ship trying to do this at the same time. Then life gets really interesting. A number of passengers just give up and stay onboard for the day.

 

If you do make it ashore, you will find that just about everyone has decided to take the last tender back to the ship. The shoreside queue to get back onto the tenders is often extremely long. Bar Harbor is famous for it's frequent rainy, foggy, cold weather. If it happens to be raining that day, there is very little cover for those standing in that long tender line. They all come back to the ship soaking wet - and very unhappy.

Don't sugar coat it, tell us the downside !;)

Actually thanks for the heads up . We did a Canadian Maritime cruise from Boston without a US stop prior to returning to Boston . It made final debarkation hellish and time consuming entailing a very early morning wake-up . At least Bar Harbor will eliminate this irritant prior to arriving in Boston .

[Urban trekker]

"So when the cruise is going the other way, i.e., New York to Quebec City, do you go through customs in Quebec before getting off the ship?"

 

You will clear customs at the first Canadian port whatever that is.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[BruceMuzz]

"So when the cruise is going the other way, i.e., New York to Quebec City, do you go through customs in Quebec before getting off the ship?"

 

You will clear customs at the first Canadian port whatever that is.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

 

You do not clear Customs until the end of the cruise.

But you will clear Immigration at the first port of entry.

[caribill]

You do not clear Customs until the end of the cruise.

But you will clear Immigration at the first port of entry.

 

And on most Princess itineraries, the immigration (with the USA being a big exception) at the first port stop in a country does not involve the passengers meeting with the immigration officials.

 

The immigration officials meet with Princess officials and may examine the information Princess has about the passengers.

[cruzsnooze]

Going to Bar Harbor for the first time on Regal in October. Thank you BruceMuzz for the information.

 

If Bar Harbor is like most tender ports passengers with Princess organized excursions will be "staged" at the theater and then escorted off the ship on the first tenders (depending on excursion start time). If you are Elite you should be able to get a priority boarding ticket for the tenders.

We are sailing from NY so won't need immigration. If you are entering the USA from Canada then it's immigration since it's your first entry point. I've done this itinerary before and can confirm there's no immigration if leaving from a US port. Just as info, we had sunny clear beautiful weather when we stopped in Bar Harbour so it's not gloom and doom as described, but who knows how it will be this far in advance.

Edited July 18, 2015 by cruzsnooze

[Loonbeam]

As noted, you only need to 'clear' immigration in Bar Harbor southbound (I was advised to take a NB partially for this reason).

 

Any reputable tour provider is well aware of the situation and will react accordingly.

 

The only good thing about the tender capacity is it gives immigration time to catch up between launches.

[richstowe]

Just back from the Hal Veendam where our last port prior to Boston was Bar Harbor . All went great . Immigration took 2 minutes and saved us from doing it in Boston . We waited for 1 family in front of us .

 

We then waited less then 10 minutes for our tender . When we wished to return at 2:30 ,we were fortunate to walk up to the reboarding line just as it was boarding and had no wait .

 

I understand we were on a very small ship (1200), customs showed up on time, and the water was very calm, but for us Bar Harbor tendering process was a pleasure .

Edited July 27, 2015 by richstowe