Clearing Customs in Miami and Los Angeles (San Pedro)? How long a wait?

[CCWineLover]

We have 2 upcoming cruises - on one we arrive in Miami and another we arrive in San Pedro (Los Angeles).   Those have done those ports on Viking, was there much a a wait or a line in trying to get through customs (and then on to the airport) ?   We are so used to Global Entry and flying back into the United States from abroad, but I began to wonder what the situation is in these ports.  I might imagine that with 900 people suddenly descending on the port (not too mention other ships like in Miami), it might take quite awhile to process, especially if there is no Global Entry.  Thanks for any advice!

[Jim Avery]

We arrived San Pedro January 3rd.  Disembarked 7am on the 4th.  No wait at all.  Just collect bags and proceed out to cabs, etc.  They can stop you if they want to inspect but seriously, no waiting at all.  Viking clears customs for all passengers upon arrival.  In some ports we have had to wait a bit for the announcement we were cleared but not this time in San Pedro. Hope yours is as easy.   A large Princess ship also in port at the time. 😎

[Mich3554]

We arrived in Miami from a trans Atlantic in Dec 2018.  Th longest part was finding our luggage in customs.  We had 22” bags and they were obscured by larger bags.  I think that there were a few people ahead of us in line at passport control, I do not remember a long wait though......maybe 10 min?  We were the only ship in dock though.  
 

We got a cab outside the terminal to pick up our rental car.  Like going through passport control, there were a few people ahead of us, but not a long wait.  

Edited January 26, 2020 by Mich3554

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, Mich3554 said:

We arrived in Miami from a trans Atlantic in Dec 2018.  Th longest part was finding our luggage in customs.  We had 22” bags and they were obscured by larger bags.  I think that there were a few people ahead of us in line at passport control, I do not remember a long wait though......maybe 10 min?  We were the only ship in dock though.  
 

We got a cab outside the terminal to pick up our rental car.  Like going through passport control, there were a few people ahead of us, but not a long wait.  

Thanks, Michelle!  And Jim Avery too!

Sounds like it will be a relatively painless process.

[TayanaLorna]

We arrived in Miami 2018 used the Mobile Passport app.  No one was in line there at all.  Took 90 seconds.  Will be arriving Feb 11 and can give you an update.

[PlanoTim]

We arrived in Miami on Viking Sky yesterday.  It took less than 15 minutes to exit the terminal (Terminal J) once we departed the ship.  We gathered our luggage and waited maybe 5 minutes behind just a few people to see the immigration/customs officers (there were 2).  The one we went to reviewed our passports, asked us about how much we spent on items we were bringing back into the country, and then sent us in our way.  We have Global Entry but I didn’t see any kiosks at all.

 

Hope that helps some.
Tim
 

[CCWineLover]

5 minutes ago, PlanoTim said:

We arrived in Miami on Viking Sky yesterday.  It took less than 15 minutes to exit the terminal (Terminal J) once we departed the ship.  We gathered our luggage and waited maybe 5 minutes behind just a few people to see the immigration/customs officers (there were 2).  The one we went to reviewed our passports, asked us about how much we spent on items we were bringing back into the country, and then sent us in our way.  We have Global Entry but I didn’t see any kiosks at all.

 

Hope that helps some.
Tim
 

Thanks, Tim!  That helps.  Sounds painless!