Red Hook Debarcation - Customs?

[neeuqdrazil]

I'm leaving Friday for my second TA, and my first westbound TA. (Departing Southampton on Sunday.) 

 

Going eastbound last year, Customs into the UK was wonderfully civilized - they did the passport control on board during the week, so we were able to just walk off the ship. 

 

What is the process for westbound voyages? I somehow doubt the process will be quite as civilized...

[3rdGenCunarder]

5 minutes ago, neeuqdrazil said:

I'm leaving Friday for my second TA, and my first westbound TA. (Departing Southampton on Sunday.) 

 

Going eastbound last year, Customs into the UK was wonderfully civilized - they did the passport control on board during the week, so we were able to just walk off the ship. 

 

What is the process for westbound voyages? I somehow doubt the process will be quite as civilized...

 

Alas, no. It isn't just Customs, it's also border control, and it's done in the terminal. Collect your luggage, and then get in the queue. There usually are separate queues for US and non-US. How long it takes depends on how many agents they have on duty. 

[TheOldBear]

Customs in in the terminal after arriving.

 

Self/unassisted checkout folks go first, possibly mixed with Cunard sourced airport transfers.

After that disembarkation goes deck by deck, from the top down.

We were in the last group, waiting in the Queens Room with the deck 4 & 5 folks

 

When we got to the baggage hall, we snagged a porter and cart - the combo is useful at Brooklyn for going through Customs [since we are local, we _always_ overpack, so a cart is useful] 

 

If you are shipping luggage home, the packing station for that is after Customs

[newjoisey]

we do unassisted check out and breeze through customs in red hook [we are us citizens] 

[MarkBearSF]

"Regular" customs can take an hour or more for those who do standard debarkation. It can vary widely depending upon CBP staffing. (And if they feel like taking their time, they will.) We've taken an hour one time and we've basically walked straight through on others.

A porter is always a great help in skipping the line. As is debarking at the start before lines develop.

FAR less civilized than the process going East. (And also than it was in the old days on the QE2 when US customs agents would make the crossing on the ship and pre-clear everyone as is still done for the UK.)

[3rdGenCunarder]

11 hours ago, MarkBearSF said:

"Regular" customs can take an hour or more for those who do standard debarkation. It can vary widely depending upon CBP staffing. (And if they feel like taking their time, they will.) We've taken an hour one time and we've basically walked straight through on others.

A porter is always a great help in skipping the line. As is debarking at the start before lines develop.

FAR less civilized than the process going East. (And also than it was in the old days on the QE2 when US customs agents would make the crossing on the ship and pre-clear everyone as is still done for the UK.)

 

I always get a porter to save time. Do they take non-US citizens to that short line, too?

 

[majortom10]

Can be horrendously time consuming if you are a UK citizen getting through and not the happiest of customs officers/border control. It is the worst country I have experienced when getting off a ship even if you are "in transit" and only in New York for the day before returning to UK. It wasnt that bad in Russia when we have been to St Petersburg numerous times on cruises.

Edited April 25, 2019 by majortom10

[MarkBearSF]

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I always get a porter to save time. Do they take non-US citizens to that short line, too?

 

Being a US citizen, I don't have direct experience, but I assume that they would be able to go to the head of either line.

[Underwatr]

I've observed that anyone with a cane is also given priority access through the queue even without a porter. 

[Bigmike911]

10 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I always get a porter to save time. Do they take non-US citizens to that short line, too?

 

They have a queue for non-citizens with porters. 

[neeuqdrazil]

16 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Can be horrendously time consuming if you are a UK citizen getting through and not the happiest of customs officers/border control. It is the worst country I have experienced when getting off a ship even if you are "in transit" and only in New York for the day before returning to UK. It wasnt that bad in Russia when we have been to St Petersburg numerous times on cruises.

 

So, as a Canadian, perhaps it's a good thing that my flight doesn't leave until later in the afternoon...