Customs in Miami?

[cre8tive1]

I'm on the Victory in May and I have a flight to catch shortly after we disembark. Can someone tell me How customs is run? Do you go through customs on the ship, or when you get off the ship? We plan to do the early walk off if they have the option.

 

Also, I have heard that you go through customs in St. Thomas. That is the last port before we arrive in Miami. Is there any truth to this? If so, please explain how this works.

[jleq]

Also, I have heard that you go through customs in St. Thomas. .

 

You do....since you're in the United States Virgin Islands. I've never had any problems. Just need to fill out a "declaration"...hand it to the inspector. I'm sure others have had to do more, but I haven't.

[dkdoob]

Miami's immigration is handing them a declaration card, (what you bought), they check your ID, you get your bags and you are out. We were almost last off the ship yesterday and it took 30 minutes. If you go first it should be quicker. St. Thomas it took 2 hours to get off the boat. The immigration thing consisted of showing an officer (on the boat) your birth certificate, and ID. Good solid waste of 2 hours.

[Hootsie]

It really depends. I've heard of Customs holding people on the ship until things are searched/sniffed, etc... It's all about them. (-:

[cre8tive1]

So what you are saying is we will go through customs twice? Once in St. Thomas to get off the ship and in Miami when we disembark? Not that it is a problem, just want to be prepared.

[MamaParrotHead]

Miami's immigration is handing them a declaration card, (what you bought), they check your ID, you get your bags and you are out. We were almost last off the ship yesterday and it took 30 minutes. If you go first it should be quicker. St. Thomas it took 2 hours to get off the boat. The immigration thing consisted of showing an officer (on the boat) your birth certificate, and ID. Good solid waste of 2 hours.

 

I was off the boat in St. Thomas 15 minutes after the Customs line opened. It took me 3 1/2 hours to get from the lobby of the boat to the luggage claim area in the terminal in Miami. We missed our 2:15 flight and had to rebook (thankfully I had my cell phone and was on the phone with the airline while we were still in the line to get off the ship). I don't think I'll be booking a flight before 3 or 4 on the day of debarkation from now on.

[PaulMedik]

Customs in Miami was after we got off the ship (Self Assist) with our completed customs declaration in hand. We passed by the Customs table and handed in our declaration and walked by the drug sniffing dog who appeared to be checking everything that passed by him. We weren't delayed, but I saw others filling our their declarations in line and at the table.

 

The only real delays in the self assist line were caused by people doing self assist and depending on their fellow passengers to assist them with their luggage because they had waaay to much luggage to handle. Those folks should have their belongings tossed to the deck and be sent back on the ship to wait. :mad:

[big_duck]

Both customs and immigration are done off the ship in Miami.

 

After exiting the ship, you go to area area where the Immigration Officers have desks set up and work your way through showing ID, answering a couple of questions.

 

Once through immigration, you go to the luggage area, pick up your bags and hand your customs declaration to the Customs Agent as you walk out the door.

 

You only clear Immigration in St Thomas if the ship stopped outside the US prior to arrival.

[cre8tive1]

Customs in Miami was after we got off the ship (Self Assist) with our completed customs declaration in hand.

 

So were you able to get off early? Do you have a general ideal of time? If we do not make our 9:40 flight, the next one out is at 11:20 to Nashville. We fly stand-by and there is nothing (even connecting) flights that are open for the rest of the day. If we are lucky, we may be able to get on a late 8:40pm flight back to DFW.

 

It sucks, but it is better than paying for airline tickets.:)

[jimc_usa]

A big mixup - since St. Martaan is not the US and St. Thomas is US the th IMMIGRATION checked all passports in St. Thomas. Then since St. Thomas no other foreign ports were visited before Miami - there was no immigration check in Miami - just customs - didn't even show an ID.