US Customs photo recognition

[Gershep]

Not sure if this has been mentioned on cc.

 

Just got off the Escape today and before we disembarked they made an announcement that NCL is trying something new with US Customs. It was so easy and so fast. You didn't need to show any photo id. You just step up to a camera and an agent presses a button. Photo is taken and if you are recognized you get a green light. Red light you have to go to another line. No wait at customs.

[njhorseman]

20 minutes ago, Gershep said:

Not sure if this has been mentioned on cc.

 

Just got off the Escape today and before we disembarked they made an announcement that NCL is trying something new with US Customs. It was so easy and so fast. You didn't need to show any photo id. You just step up to a camera and an agent presses a button. Photo is taken and if you are recognized you get a green light. Red light you have to go to another line. No wait at customs.

NCL isn't trying something new, it's US Customs and Border Protection that's starting to use facial recognition software to match the face they see to your digitized passport photo stored in their database. Royal Caribbean cruisers have mentioned USCBP is also doing it at Cape Liberty in Bayonne and I suspect it's also being done at other major cruise ports. 

[BirdTravels]

26 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

NCL isn't trying something new, it's US Customs and Border Protection that's starting to use facial recognition software to match the face they see to your digitized passport photo stored in their database. Royal Caribbean cruisers have mentioned USCBP is also doing it at Cape Liberty in Bayonne and I suspect it's also being done at other major cruise ports. 

RCCL has been using it in PortMiami Terminal A since it opened last year. 

Edited September 16, 2019 by BirdTravels

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

NCL isn't trying something new, it's US Customs and Border Protection that's starting to use facial recognition software to match the face they see to your digitized passport photo stored in their database. Royal Caribbean cruisers have mentioned USCBP is also doing it at Cape Liberty in Bayonne and I suspect it's also being done at other major cruise ports. 

 

We’re on the Celebrity Summit right now, out of Bayonne. Thanks for that heads up (no pun intended 😀); it will be interesting to see if this is used when we return. 

 

@Gershep I hope you had as nice a time in Portland as we did on Wednesday. I have some photos of the Escape that I’ll post when we get home. 

Edited September 16, 2019 by Turtles06

[drumming cruisers]

They used it when we got off the Bliss in Seattle, in August. Worked great!

 

[casofilia]

Hope it also works for us non Americans.

[hallux]

That might be something being trialed at certain ports.  For those of us that don't know the ship schedules by heart, it's helpful to note what port...

[KeithJenner]

5 hours ago, casofilia said:

Hope it also works for us non Americans.

It may well do.

 

The last couple of times I’ve flown into the US the process of actually going through immigration has been very similar to that described above.

 

The only problem we have in the airport is that it is done once you get to the front of the queue, so there is still a long wait behind all the people who are doing the whole fingerprint etc routine before it is our turn to just go straight through in 5 seconds. Sounds like the process at the port may avoid that.

[dexddd]

MSC has had it at POM since at least early this year.

[suometar]

We had it in Miami when returning from or non-Cuba sailing on the Sun this past August.

There were two lines, one for passport holders and the other for those without passports.

It was also in place in Aruba where we went through American customs before our flight back to the US.

 

[MotownVoice]

God forbid someone should get a facelift or a nosejob while asea.

[KeithJenner]

Just now, MotownVoice said:

God forbid someone should get a facelift or a nosejob while asea.

Is that something people do when on cruises?

[ColeThornton]

 

10 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

Is that something people do when on cruises?

 

 

Sure it is, didn't you notice the Spa special on sea days advertised in the dailies?  Facelifts and nose jobs for $39.95 each or both for $69.99.    I can't remember what they were charging for boob jobs.

[Gershep]

11 hours ago, njhorseman said:

NCL isn't trying something new, it's US Customs and Border Protection that's starting to use facial recognition software to match the face they see to your digitized passport photo stored in their database. Royal Caribbean cruisers have mentioned USCBP is also doing it at Cape Liberty in Bayonne and I suspect it's also being done at other major cruise ports. 

According to officers on the ship it was something NEW for NCL Escape WITH US customs. First time for the Escape working with Customs who over sees this. Exactly what my post said.

[Oakman58]

Just off the Breakaway in Miami yesterday and they did the facial recognition thing for disembarkation.  Other than standing in the long conga line to disembark, the facial recognition made customs quick and simple.  After having your sea card swiped you walked 10 feet to the camera where your face was recognized or not and then off the ship.

[drvmywifecrzy]

30 minutes ago, Gershep said:

According to officers on the ship it was something NEW for NCL Escape WITH US customs. First time for the Escape working with Customs who over sees this. Exactly what my post said.

 

It was done in August on the Escape out of NYC

 

I also had it on Bliss in Feb in Miami

[REV_Cruiser]

Went through this getting off the Bliss in Miami in January.  Wife and daughter went right through, I on the other hand got to speak to a very pleasant uniformed officer who checked my "papers".  No big deal.  My photo scrambling methods must have worked. LOL.

[LaCal]

Is this happening at any Los Angeles ports yet?

[Biffire]

Cole Thorton, You forget to mention the 20% gratuity, added  for our convenience of course!

[Linda the Book Lover]

We loved this when we returned to MIami on MC. We have Global IDs for the airport traveling back into the US and it even pushed us in front of the cue in Canada. I personally like facial recognition but I know some of you are thinking about SF movies right about now...Faceoff LOL 

[Oakman58]

Next time I cruise I think I will test out this facial recognition thing.  I'm going to bring my disguise kit with me and wear something like this.

[shof515]

i wear glass. when i had to renew my passport photo, there was a requirement that you had to take the glasses off so my passport photo looks a bit weird. will this be a problem with this new system?

[KeithJenner]

Just now, shof515 said:

i wear glass. when i had to renew my passport photo, there was a requirement that you had to take the glasses off so my passport photo looks a bit weird. will this be a problem with this new system?

You may need to take them off. I am often asked to do so when going through US immigration.

[hallux]

7 minutes ago, shof515 said:

i wear glass. when i had to renew my passport photo, there was a requirement that you had to take the glasses off so my passport photo looks a bit weird. will this be a problem with this new system?

I had the same requirement.  Not an issue for me as I've since had Lasik so I no longer need glasses...

[luckyinpa]

does this mean the trick in NYC of paying the porter to bypass customs for you no longer means anything?