Sydney disembarkation

[jjduck]

We will be staying in Sydney for a week after our cruise.  How long does customs usually take and what is involved.  Do you receive the declaration form on the ship?  Any information is appreciated.  Thanks!

[dcbiker97]

It went very quick this past November. We got the declaration forms on the ship and the Australian authorities had someone there to collect it near the exit of the cruise terminal. If you checked yes to any of the questions, they sent you to another person. We checked "yes" for prescriptions and were sent over there. He looked at our form and we told hm that we just had prescriptions and he sent us along our way. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by dcbiker97

[PescadoAmarillo]

If your cruise is within Australia (ie Tasmania or Queensland), there is nothing to do. If outside Australia, you get the form on the ship and it’s basically a walk off, very quick. 

[capriccio]

In April we were held up a bit but that was due to problems locating luggage not immigration and customs.  Our private excursion van was waiting for an 8:30 pick-up but one of our party (of 4) had problems locating his luggage (which luckily he did find) and we were about 15 minutes late.  If we had left without him (😁) the other 3 of us would have been early.

[charliedalrymple]

We once admitted that we had walked in a "wild" creek during a South Pacific cruise.  That led to a secondary biosecurity screening, which took some time.  Be aware that Australia has very strict rules about any non-native flora or fauna making it into the country.

[pete_coach]

https://www.portauthoritynsw.com.au/cruise/cruising-faq/overseas-passenger-terminal/

[Chiliburn]

You do receive the paperwork in your cabin the day before and you will be off the ship pretty quick. Much the same as the airport.

[CaptainBazz]

You will need an ETA to enter Australia. It is app based. Have you applied for one? If yes, entering Australia should be quick and easy.

[jjduck]

thanks, dcbiker; appreciate this info.

[jjduck]

thanks for your three useful responses,  appreciate it!

[jjduck]

thanks for these two responses, very helpful.  yes, captainbazz, we have the ETA.

[cruzin-again]

We disembarked in Feb from Ovation of the Seas. On the cruise, from Sydney, we contracted Covid half way through so were confined to stateroom. On disembarkation day we were collected from our stateroom, taken to the forward elevators, taken down to deck 2 (or was it 3) went ashore from that exit. Told our luggage was a few yards away and the gate is over there. No customs or immigration, we were on the Dock. Our son who was also on board took another 30 minutes to disembark! However, not the best way to disembark.

[jjduck]

thanks for responding, cruzin-again.  hope your covid illness was mild.

[Northern Aurora]

We disembarked in late April.  We collected our luggage and walked out handing our declaration forms to agents.  They just picked them up -- didn't look at them.  There were two lines and we barely paused walking out of the OPT.