Customs delays in Japan

[Tin can]

Hi all

 

We are looking at a cruise from Shanghai which has one stop in Japan. I've done a bit of research and it seems that Japanese customs are sometime ill prepared for the number of passengers getting off a cruise ship and some people have reported waiting hours to be called to be cleared.

 

I was looking for some opinions on this please if anyone has any experience with this.

 

Thanks

 

[WESTEAST]

11 hours ago, Tin can said:

Hi all

 

We are looking at a cruise from Shanghai which has one stop in Japan. I've done a bit of research and it seems that Japanese customs are sometime ill prepared for the number of passengers getting off a cruise ship and some people have reported waiting hours to be called to be cleared.

 

I was looking for some opinions on this please if anyone has any experience with this.

 

Thanks

 

Japan has very strict customs and immigration.  Believe you mean you have one port of call in Japan and if that is the case yes, you will need to pass through customs and immigration departing the ship for an excursion/tour and then pass through again when returning to the ship. Not familiar for a one day Japan port call visit but expect there will be a line up. We were cruising in Japan for 11 days of a 12 day cruise and despite arriving in a Tokyo airport and passing through customs and immigration (including finger printing), we still had to show our passport getting off and then returning to the ship (you always carry your passport in Japan). Furthermore, departing Japan for South Korea, there was a very long line onboard to pass Japanese Customs and Immigration (including fingerprinting) and this was repeated returning to Japan from SK. Pack your patience.

[Jamietravelstheworld]

It depends on the port. I did a cruise with many Japanese ports and some were very easy disembarkation and some were longer and more complicated. Will also probably depend on which cruise line and how experienced they are with working with Japan customs and immigration. So it's hard to give you a definitive answer. I don't however remember being significantly delayed getting off in any port, but also, I was on a smaller ship, less than 700 passengers.

[monkey@cruise]

1 hour ago, Jamietravelstheworld said:

It depends on the port. I did a cruise with many Japanese ports and some were very easy disembarkation and some were longer and more complicated. Will also probably depend on which cruise line and how experienced they are with working with Japan customs and immigration. So it's hard to give you a definitive answer. I don't however remember being significantly delayed getting off in any port, but also, I was on a smaller ship, less than 700 passengers.

Muroran and Hakodate are one of the worst, Celebrity Millennium with 2200 passengers take 3-4 hours. 

[rrrrtt]

All Japanese ports appear bad.  Celebrity Millennium took 4+ hrs to clear in Otaru in 2017.  Good thing we hadn't planned any thing off ship.  Took an hour to clear ~70 pax(!) in Maizuru with 3 (or maybe 6) immigration officials.  That has to be a record.

[FolsomMike]

13 hours ago, rrrrtt said:

All Japanese ports appear bad.  Celebrity Millennium took 4+ hrs to clear in Otaru in 2017.  Good thing we hadn't planned any thing off ship.  Took an hour to clear ~70 pax(!) in Maizuru with 3 (or maybe 6) immigration officials.  That has to be a record.

Do you know if there is any preference given to Suite passengers?

[monkey@cruise]

4 hours ago, FolsomMike said:

Do you know if there is any preference given to Suite passengers?

Yes, preference given to Suite and Shore excursion passengers. 

[Northern Aurora]

5 hours ago, FolsomMike said:

Do you know if there is any preference given to Suite passengers?

 

Celebrity definitely provides preference to Suite (Retreat) passengers and Zenith members of their loyalty program.  

 

We just returned home last week from B2B on the Millennium, and didn't have any issues going through Japan immigration procedures.  But we were booked in Suites for both legs, and are also Zenith members.  They also gave preference to folks booked on Celebrity shore excursions.

 

When we were B2B in Japan in 2018 we experienced some lines, but nothing excessive as I would definitely remember.

[monkey@cruise]

2 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

Celebrity definitely provides preference to Suite (Retreat) passengers and Zenith members of their loyalty program.  

 

We just returned home last week from B2B on the Millennium, and didn't have any issues going through Japan immigration procedures.  But we were booked in Suites for both legs, and are also Zenith members.  They also gave preference to folks booked on Celebrity shore excursions.

 

When we were B2B in Japan in 2018 we experienced some lines, but nothing excessive as I would definitely remember.

I did ask Celebrity onboard Guest Relations regarding on immigration preference, they only admitted the shore excursion but not the status quo, they just BS was Japan immigration assigned the clearance timeslots.

[Northern Aurora]

I don't quite understand your reference to "the status quo," but Celebrity definitely gives preference to embarkation or disembarkation at any port (not just initial boarding the ship on embarkation day) for Suite passengers and also those Zenith members of the Captain's Club.  We hit Zenith level of the Captain's Club in 2016, and this process has been in place as long as we have been Zenith.  We also primarily travel in Suites (the last time we were not in a Suite was 2018). Not only in Japan do Suite passengers and Zenith level folks get priority but in all other ports as well.

 

In the Retreat Lounge the concierges announce that they were ready to escort those ready to leave the ship to the head (front) of the line for immigration.  Those lines were composed of Retreat (Suite passengers) and also Zenith level Captain's Club.  Folks who have purchased Celebrity shore excursions also have priority.

[monkey@cruise]

12 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

I don't quite understand your reference to "the status quo," but Celebrity definitely gives preference to embarkation or disembarkation at any port (not just initial boarding the ship on embarkation day) for Suite passengers and also those Zenith members of the Captain's Club.  We hit Zenith level of the Captain's Club in 2016, and this process has been in place as long as we have been Zenith.  We also primarily travel in Suites (the last time we were not in a Suite was 2018). Not only in Japan do Suite passengers and Zenith level folks get priority but in all other ports as well.

 

In the Retreat Lounge the concierges announce that they were ready to escort those ready to leave the ship to the head (front) of the line for immigration.  Those lines were composed of Retreat (Suite passengers) and also Zenith level Captain's Club.  Folks who have purchased Celebrity shore excursions also have priority.

When I received my immigration ticket, I did asked Customer Relations who determined the priority, all they told everyone that it was Japan immigration's and they have no control, priority only given to shore excursions and confirmed private tours. Later my cruise friends who were in Suite told me the true story.  Let's be open and honest, may be they were afraid of upsetting some passengers. I felt bad for those passengers who had to wait 3-4 hours for immigration.

[Northern Aurora]

57 minutes ago, monkey@cruise said:

When I received my immigration ticket, I did asked Customer Relations who determined the priority, all they told everyone that it was Japan immigration's and they have no control, priority only given to shore excursions and confirmed private tours. Later my cruise friends who were in Suite told me the true story.  Let's be open and honest, may be they were afraid of upsetting some passengers. I felt bad for those passengers who had to wait 3-4 hours for immigration.

 

When you mention the "immigration ticket" is that a ticket to go through Japanese immigration procedures once on the ship?  Somewhat akin to a tender ticket at tender ports?

 

Priority has always been given to not only Suite passengers but also Zeniths.   Priority is not only a Suite benefit but also a stated Zenith benefit.  Priority for not only boarding but leaving the ship whether it be at the first embarkation port, the final disembarkation port and all ports in between.  And as someone who is a Zenith Captain's Club member who also travels in Suites we certainly have paid through the years for that perk.

 

 

[Tin can]

Thank you all for your comments, you pretty much confirmed what I have learnt elsewhere that it can be a bit of a lottery.

 

Plenty to think about I think as the cruise we are looking at only stops at the one Japanese port so the thought of being stuck on the ship for hours doesn't really appeal 😐