Customs at the Pier in Boston timeframe

[nicky6425]

Does anyone have any experience going thru customs at the Boston Pier ? I am trying to decide which bus connection I should book. The 10 am seems too tight, but the next one at 12:30 pm would probably have us waiting at the bus station too long. Could there possibly be lockers there to store suitcase?

[lexmiller]

I presume you are on one of the round trip out of Boston Canada/New England itineraries.  We just got off the Summit on 9-11, from the first cruise of that itinerary this season.  Customs occurs in Portland, Maine, onboard.  You are not allowed to get off the ship until you are seen by the officials.  Every passenger is processed in person on the ship in Portland the morning the ship arrives - and let me tell you, it was pretty dreadful - over an hour in a line that snakes onto the outer deck and then  alllllll around deck 4.  Pro tip, take it from me, be careful about booking a private tour that day - assuming you were even thinking about it - as the extreme delay in getting off the ship due to the customs and border patrol mandatory inspection, prevented us from being able to make our excursion, a walking foodie tour we had booked through Viator.  Alas.  Ship excursions though, no problem, as they adjust.  SO, long story short, there is zero problem, zero delay in Boston getting off the ship - just waltz yourself off and head to your preferred mode of transport.  The ease you get in Boston, is more than paid for by the trouble in Portland.  UNLESS you are sailing Retreat class - suite passengers are processed lickity split in Portland - whole different story for them.  

[cruisestitch]

Fwiw other itineraries are arranged differently, with Portland first.  Passengers on the 3 October cruise will be going through C&I in Boston

[nicky6425]

Yes, unfortunately Boston is the first US port for us....thats why I'm wondering about bus times.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Just got off the Voyager of the seas, Transatlantic that end in Boston 

As a Canadian we saw a customs officer for a face to face on the ship 

we took our bags off our selves , we were at the airport just before 8 am 

it was quick and easy , 

a shared cab with 4 people cost $15 to the airport , a friend took Uber and it was $15 

[Jim_Iain]

We did a B3B and the Second leg we cleared Customs in Boston.    They did Customs on board the ship.   Since we were on a B2B we couldn't be processed until the ship was fully  cleared and the ship Zeroed out (the end of the line).   The full ship was processed by around 9:30.   We could have selected to be cleared early morning and use a transit pass to rejoin the ship.

 

Customs Processing is done by numbers and you will receive a slot with an approx time frame.   If traveling in a suite you can go to Retreat either at the very beginning or when ready and they escort you to a priority area and are cleared admitted and cleared immediately.    Clearance is no more than flashing a passport if U.S. Citizens.    Non-US passengers were processed in a different area and took longer. 

Edited September 20, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[lexmiller]

20 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Fwiw other itineraries are arranged differently, with Portland first.  Passengers on the 3 October cruise will be going through C&I in Boston

Oops, oh ok.  Well, gosh then I have nothing to share!  Hopefully I at least helped some that are ending in Boston, with customs in Portland as far as the details surrounding our experience.