Clearing customs

[Karysa]

How do you know when the ship is cleared by customs in St. Thomas the last cruise we were on we expected to hear an announcement but we never did.

[Sandi149]

How do you know when the ship is cleared by customs in St. Thomas the last cruise we were on we expected to hear an announcement but we never did.

 

Which port will you be coming from? We came into St. Thomas from San Juan so all we did was walk off the ship. We had to, of course, show them our sail and sign to leave and then the drivers license to get back into the dock area, and the sail and sign again into the ship but other than that it was quite easy.

[krystalkruzer]

St. Thomas is part of the US Virgin Islands.No clearance by customs.

[Karysa]

Last time we went from St. Martin and this time the port before St. Thomas is Nassau.

Karysa

[Sandi149]

St. Thomas is part of the US Virgin Islands.No clearance by customs.

 

It all depends on the port your are coming from. If it's a foreign port then you will have to clear customs I believe. We came in from San Juan, which of course, is US so we just had to show the proper ID and even when we came into Tortola which is British that's all we showed.

[Karysa]

I know when and why we must clear customs what I would like to know is how do I know when I can leave the ship. I thought that there would be an announcement but we did not hear one and we were listening for one. They were still calling passengers names (the same ones that missed the boat in Antigua). It was Antigua before St Thomas not St Martin but that would not make a difference. We would like to go to St. Johns and would like to get off as soon as possible in St. Thomas so that we can enjoy a full day there.

Karysa

[letsgocruz1]

I've been curious as to how this works. We will be leaving Half Moon Cay and going to St. Thomas. Someone mentioned having to get up really early and getting in a line and showing your passport/ID, and that each person had to go through this. I'm not understanding how that process works. any help out there??

[big_duck]

I've been curious as to how this works. We will be leaving Half Moon Cay and going to St. Thomas. Someone mentioned having to get up really early and getting in a line and showing your passport/ID, and that each person had to go through this. I'm not understanding how that process works. any help out there??

 

That's pretty much it, however all of you party must be with you.

[Karysa]

How do you know when the ship has been cleared and you are free to leave the ship?

Karysa

[WellDeserved]

Try calling the Purser and ask.

[Perrys100]

On the valor, we had been in nassua bahamas and in St thomas everyone had to take passport or id...and walk through immigration and then you could go ashore. Even though alot of folks were not getting off they still had to walk through the disco and past immigrations and customs? Well, not really customs as we had no goods with us so I guess it was only immigration. This was due to the fact that we had visited another country b4 we got there. Once ,when we had visited San juan and then on to st thomas we did not have to do this because san juan is a US protectorate as well. I guess,,,,

[Karysa]

On the valor, we had been in nassua bahamas and in St thomas everyone had to take passport or id...and walk through immigration and then you could go ashore. Even though alot of folks were not getting off they still had to walk through the disco and past immigrations and customs? Well, not really customs as we had no goods with us so I guess it was only immigration. This was due to the fact that we had visited another country b4 we got there. Once ,when we had visited San juan and then on to st thomas we did not have to do this because san juan is a US protectorate as well. I guess,,,,

Sorry, maybe I am slow today but are you saying that once you clear immigration you can leave the ship? I was under the impression that the whole ship must be cleared before anyone could leave.

Anybody?

Karysa

[travlngrl1996]

The ship and the crew are cleared early on. Then the passengers are lined up and walk off the ship if they choose as they are cleared. You do not have to wait until everyone on the ship is cleared.

 

If you are not ready to leave the ship once you are cleared we were told that we could go back to our cabins or whatever and leave the ship when we were ready. Your sail and sign card is already "marked" that you cleared immigration.

 

I can't answer your question about how do they signal an all clear. We got off the ship as soon as we cleared because we had an early excursion. Hopefully my response has helped you.:)

[KruznKel]

Sorry, maybe I am slow today but are you saying that once you clear immigration you can leave the ship? I was under the impression that the whole ship must be cleared before anyone could leave.

Anybody?

Karysa

 

I would say as soon as you present yourself to immigration and are given the go you can leave the ship.. you don't have to wait for the others because you would be waiting awhile.. they give specific times for US Citizens and CDN Citizens.. once we got there and passport stamped we left the ship was around 9ish or so.. we were not in a rush.

[Knights on the Beach]

I would say as soon as you present yourself to immigration and are given the go you can leave the ship.

Absolutely correct. Once you go through the line for Immigration (not Customs), you are free to leave the ship. On the Triumph last month, the process was clearly explained in great detail in the Capers. The only problem I had with it was there wasn't a seperate line for those with early tours booked through Carnival. Fortunately, next time we cruise to St. Thomas on Carnival we will be platinum and won't have to wait in that long line! ;)

[Karysa]

Yes, I finally get it now. Once we clear we are free to leave the ship if we so choose. We were on a RCCL cruise last time and I sure wish I knew this then.

Thank you all for trying to explain this one to me. For some reason I thought that the big deal was that if someone did not report to immigration that all passengers were stuck on the ship until they found them and cleared them.

On RC they arranged it by deck and then there were lines for US and non-US passengers. I am sure that I can figure it out now. Thanks once again.

Karysa