Us customs clearance

[kiwi sailor]

US CUSTOMS QUESTION

We are cruising on the Regal Princess in September from the Baltic via Scotland and Ireland to New York. Just curious when we hit the US Customs process?

When we leave Cork? (US Customs on board)

When we arrive in Boston?

When we arrive in New York (final USA port)?

On our last TA with MSC, we cleared US Customs on board after departed San Juan and prior to arriving in Miami.

Hopefully it won't be as we arrive in Boston cutting into our precious shore time.

Thanks for any advice we can get on this.

 

John

[Colo Cruiser]

I would think the first US port?

[Shmoo here]

I think the first US port you hit, you have to clear immigration. The final port you clear both immigration and customs.

[CruiserBruce]

I think the first US port you hit, you have to clear immigration. The final port you clear both immigration and customs.

 

This is the correct answer, I think, but I also think the Immigration issues at the first US port will be minimal, and handled by the ship. At your final port, you will go through Immigration and Customs more formally.

[Pam in CA]

If Boston is your first US port, you'll go through US Immigration there.

[casofilia]

Looking at the itinerary I would guess that they wouldn't put an Immigration crew on in Cobh so I cannot see it being done on the boat. So Boston wins the prize.

[Bill B]

Why on earth would they go through U.S. Immigration twice? Does the cruise go to Canada after entering the U.S.?

Edited May 15, 2017 by Bill B

[casofilia]

Here is the Itinerary:-

Ports:Copenhagen, Denmark | Aarhus, Denmark |Kristiansand, Norway | Glasgow (Greenock), Scotland |Belfast, Northern Ireland |Cork, Ireland (Cobh - For Blarney Castle) |Boston, Massachusetts | Newport, Rhode Island |New York City (Manhattan or Brooklyn), New York

[ozzandwitchy]

I did this cruise last year - it happens at Boston. The immigration officials get on once the ship is docked and there will be two lines - US passport holders and non-US passport holders, there will always be people in the wrong line or trying to queue jump. The US line goes much faster as it's a sighting of the passport only. If you have a non-US passport you have questions to answer and get your passport stamped so it takes longer. Expect 30-60 mins in the queue.

The good news for us was that we arrived three hours earlier than planned so an expected 8am arrival was changed to 5am, however we did leave Cobh 3 hours earlier to compensate.

There is customs check when you arrive in New York, this happens on port with all your bags on disembarkation day.