Global entry

[RVRoadie]

I cruise all the time and NEVER use or even heard of Norwegian airlines. Also I know Iceland air is very cheap but every flight has to go to Iceland regardless. Their business class is horrible (read reviews on Seatguru.com or Trip Advisor).

All of the major US carriers participate. Also these major carriers code share with European major carriers.

 

TSA pre-check is a different program from Global Entry. TSA pre-check is strictly a US entity where GE provides TSA pre-check AND expedited screening thru US customs and border patrol when re-entering the US from another country. It also depends on the airport you are flying in and out of. Some will have dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes and some don't.

 

Norwegian Airlines is as similar to Southwest Airlines in Europe, one class of service and one airframe (B737.) However, they have a fleet of B787 that they fly outside of Europe. Our last flight back from Copenhagen to Ft Lauderdale after a Baltics cruise was non-stop, included bags and two meals plus bulkhead seats for just under $400 each. Excellent flight and value.

 

As for TSA, even though you purchase Pre Check from them (or indirectly as part of Global Entry), you are not their customer. The Airlines are. While they do the screening of ALL airlines at each airport, your TSA Pre Check is only good for MOST airlines. Buyer beware.

[thinfool]

I just wanted to mention for those who would like GE but live far from an interview site that may be crowded into the future with appointments....

 

If you are sailing from Florida (especially south Florida) there are at least 3 locations within a few miles of each other that are available for interviews. At least one of the 3 allows walk-ins after 3pm every weekday.

 

If your schedule could allow a post- or pre-cruise day or two, you might take advantage of either a scheduled or walk-in interview.

 

Similar possibilities may exist near other US port cities.

[Coral]

For anyone in the Kansas city area they have opened up appointment times on the next three Saturday afternoons at the airport. I think it is only during September. Maybe they are trying to catch up with the requests for appointments.

 

 

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Excellent! Glad you got an appt!

[Coral]

Don't know if this has been covered yet, but the number of airlines participating in TSA Pre Check is very limited. Just got our Global Entry approved and tried to put our KTN into our reservation on Icelandic Airlines. THEY DON'T PARTICIPATE.

 

Got this from the TSA FAQ: TSA Pre✓® participating airlines include Aeromexico, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, American Airlines, Cape Air, Delta Air Lines, Etihad Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Lufthansa, OneJet, Seaborne Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin America and WestJet.

 

That is not very many airlines, and excludes the two cheapest airlines that cruisers tend to use: Norwegian and Icelandic.

 

Oh well, should still be helpful getting back into the country though Customs and Immigration.

 

That is quite a few airlines IMO! I have never flown Norwegian or Icelandic. Most of my friends use Delta, American, Southwest, Alaska and United.

[JohnS43]

And, as I mentioned earlier, the geographical imbalance with respect to appointment availability is just getting worse. Now NEITHER of the two LA area appointment sites (LAX and the Port of Long Beach) has ANY available appointments at any time.

 

I guess there are not enough people making noise about this to their Congressional representatives so that this problem will ever be addressed.

[hpeabody]

And, as I mentioned earlier, the geographical imbalance with respect to appointment availability is just getting worse. Now NEITHER of the two LA area appointment sites (LAX and the Port of Long Beach) has ANY available appointments at any time.

 

I guess there are not enough people making noise about this to their Congressional representatives so that this problem will ever be addressed.

 

When I was trying to get my appointment in July I quite often got NO APPOINTMENTS available at Long Beach. LAX was showing appointments out into December. I got in at LAX. I just got very lucky as I checked often. I am now all done and received my card. There is a real problem in that CBP can not keep up with the demand with the limited appointment sites and most or many will not accept walk-ins.

[neska1212]

I got an appointment the Next day at this small border crossing port of entry. It was a long drive but there was an abundance of appointment times in May when I did it this year. Might be worth the road trip if you live in So Cal. I'm going to go there again when I get my son's GE in the next few months.

[Coral]

And, as I mentioned earlier, the geographical imbalance with respect to appointment availability is just getting worse. Now NEITHER of the two LA area appointment sites (LAX and the Port of Long Beach) has ANY available appointments at any time.

 

I guess there are not enough people making noise about this to their Congressional representatives so that this problem will ever be addressed.

 

I agree, also with lack of locations in several areas. I live in Midwest. Until recently - the closest place for me was 7-8 hour drive and those places were pretty full.

[shellbeachjim]

We just returned from our appointments at LAX. The appointment itself took about 10 or 15 minutes. We live on California's Central Coast, literally halfway between SFO and LAX. It's a 200 mile drive either way. We signed up to LAX in July because we could get an appointment in October, while SFO was booked up until February at the time. Today the agent told me that SFO only has 2 agents processing applications, while LAX has 5 or 6. There was a steady stream of people while we were there.

 

Travel note - we took Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner between here and LA. It's a beautiful ride through Santa Barbara And Ventura Counties, with lots of ocean views. The Lompoc Surf station is literally a train stop at the beach. There is a very easy bus transfer between LA's Union Station and LAX for $9 each way. We rode done Sunday, spent the night, had our appointments this morning and rode back this afternoon (Monday). 10 hours of train travel for a couple of 15 appointments. Sigh... I just wish there was a closer location.

[shellbeachjim]

I should add that our cards arrived 8 days later.

 

 

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[Hlitner]

I should add that our cards arrived 8 days later.

 

 

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We got our cards several years ago and tucked them away in our wallets where they have remained ever since. Despite many trips through US International Airports where we have used GE Kiosks and 4 or 5 cruise debarkations at Port Everglades (where we used the shorter GE line) nobody has asked to see those cards.

 

Hank

[goofy559]

Interesting as I am required to insert my card into the global entry machine at the airport every time I travel to the US.

[CruiserBruce]

Interesting as I am required to insert my card into the global entry machine at the airport every time I travel to the US.

 

Your card, or your passport? Could it be because you are Canadian, and I assume traveling on a Canadian passport?

[goofy559]

Your card, or your passport? Could it be because you are Canadian, and I assume traveling on a Canadian passport?

My card. It's a nexus card with global entry.

[Hlitner]

Interesting as I am required to insert my card into the global entry machine at the airport every time I travel to the US.

 

Now that is interesting. All the GE kiosks we use simply scan our Passport and fingerprints. Never have to use a card. Are you talking about a US Global Entry Card,,,or perhaps a Canadian card of some sort or Nexus? And we are specifically referring to International Airports located inside the USA....where we have never even seen any kind of card reader.

 

Hank

Edited October 23, 2016 by Hlitner

[goofy559]

My bad. It was our passports into the US and our cards coming home. Just asked DH. Sorry for the confusion!

[RDC1]

We got our cards several years ago and tucked them away in our wallets where they have remained ever since. Despite many trips through US International Airports where we have used GE Kiosks and 4 or 5 cruise debarkations at Port Everglades (where we used the shorter GE line) nobody has asked to see those cards.

 

Hank

 

When we went through the interview process, the agent told us, that the cards were only for land crossings between the US and Mexico and Canada. That if we were flying to keep them safe at home. When traveling by air the passport is automatically linked to the global entry information.

[CruiserBruce]

Now that is interesting. All the GE kiosks we use simply scan our Passport and fingerprints. Never have to use a card. Are you talking about a US Global Entry Card,,,or perhaps a Canadian card of some sort or Nexus? And we are specifically referring to International Airports located inside the USA....where we have never even seen any kind of card reader.

 

Hank

 

My bad. It was our passports into the US and our cards coming home. Just asked DH. Sorry for the confusion!

 

Ok, that makes more sense. I shared Hank's confusion...

[donswife]

Finally got our Nexus applications submitted...now we wait!

We live about 3 hours drive from Seattle and 4.5 hours from Blaine (if traffic is kind), so we can go to either for our interview, and just make it into a long weekend get away.

[Grego]

We were so excited to use our recently received Global Entry cards when we returned to the US from our Baltic/Transatlantic voyage but, no..........wasn't a need when we disembarked in NY because there was both no line at the Customs booth or a Global Entry entry in Brooklyn. Oh well, we will use it a couple of times coming up soon in Port Everglades and will have to study up again on the process......or not.

[CruiserBruce]

We were so excited to use our recently received Global Entry cards when we returned to the US from our Baltic/Transatlantic voyage but, no..........wasn't a need when we disembarked in NY because there was both no line at the Customs booth or a Global Entry entry in Brooklyn. Oh well, we will use it a couple of times coming up soon in Port Everglades and will have to study up again on the process......or not.

 

The only GE set up at a port is in Ft Lauderdale. No other port has GE.

[spyro1952]

The only GE set up at a port is in Ft Lauderdale. No other port has GE.

 

 

 

Just off Royal yesterday in FLL and used my GE. Saved about 40 mins of standing in line

 

 

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[saratoga]

Just off Royal yesterday in FLL and used my GE. Saved about 40 mins of standing in line

 

We were also just off the Royal Princes yesterday in FLL. With the GE, we bypassed the normal lineup and were sent to an open agent without any line, no self service kiosk in sight.

 

Walk off Group A was called to disembarked the ship as scheduled at 0615. We were at the FLL airport at 0645 including the cab ride. We were able to change our flight to an 0815 departure arriving home before our original flight would have left.

 

With TSA precheck on both outbound and home fights, we are happy with our decision to obtain Global Entry.

[VibeGuy]

A GE or NEXUS *card* is useful for cruisers in Vancouver as well. They're required for access to expedited preclearance at Canada Place and while they're not required for using the GE lanes at YVR, they *are* required for access to the expedited CATSA security lines.

[capriccio]

We were also just off the Royal Princes yesterday in FLL. With the GE, we bypassed the normal lineup and were sent to an open agent without any line, no self service kiosk in sight.

 

 

None of the terminals at Port Everglades have GE kiosks.