Majesty - Nov. 15 - Port Canaveral immigration?

[hon2u]

When we arrived in Port Canaveral during our November 15-22 cruise everyone on the entire ship (including staff) had to get off and go through immigration without any explanation. Until everyone was off the ship all passengers were sent to a holding room at the dock and were not allowed to re board. It was a weird and surreal experience to happen first thing in the morning. Many folks were quite upset, no warning, no coffee, no breakfast and some people were held there for 2-3 hours. Later others told us they had missed planned shore excurisons. After this experience we decided to just stay on the ship that day instead of renting a car and going to SeaWorld.

 

Our experience: We were awakened by room service delivery and before I could pour a cup of coffee our room steward appeared at the door telling us to " get out, immigration, big hassle, big hassle." My roomie was still alseep so after waking her up we proceed off the ship with only our passport and keycard. It was rumored that a couple of employees had jumped ship. To date I have not found out the real story.

 

Does anyone know why this occured? I have been on 7 cruises now and never had to go through customs or immigration until we arrived at our final port of call.

[garycarla]

Could you offer a bit more about your itinerary?

[wrp96]

Was your itinerary like the Majesty's current itinerary where your first stops were in the Bahamas? If so, then it is standard to go through immigration at your first point of reentry to the US, which in your case was Port Canaveral. It all has to do with order of ports. If you'd visited Port Canaveral first, you wouldn't have had to do immigration until you returned to Charleston.

[Arwenmark]

Was your itinerary like the Majesty's current itinerary where your first stops were in the Bahamas? If so, then it is standard to go through immigration at your first point of reentry to the US, which in your case was Port Canaveral. It all has to do with order of ports. If you'd visited Port Canaveral first, you wouldn't have had to do immigration until you returned to Charleston.

 

It is not normal for everyone on board to have to get OFF the ship to do immigration, nor to be held until everyone was off. and for the crew to also have to get off and go through immigration. That is not the normal first point of entry procedure.

[coaster]

It might be that there was a sweep of the ship. We were late boarding the Mariner of the Seas from Port Canaveral a couple of years ago. Later we found out from the dining room staff that they busted some crew members for smuggling drugs. We were very late to debark also when we returned to Port Canaveral. Sounds like this port doesn't mess around with illicit activities. A little inconvenience to enforce laws is not a bad thing at all.

[Dive Master]

We were also on this cruise and yes, the situation with immigration was completely FUBAR! We have cruised on numerous occasions and we have always had to go through immigration when returning to the US.In the past (even on the Majesty) we were infomed of where to meet on the ship the night before.We simply presented our passports in a lounge and were free to go.On the 11/15 Majesty cruise nothing about the custom procedures were ever mentioned. I even told my wife that I guess they had changed having to go through immigration.At about 830 AM in the middle of breakfast we were told we must leave the ship NOW ! I did think to go back to the stateroom and get our shore excursion tickets.Everyone was made to leave the ship and sit in the terminal building for a long period of time before you were allowed to reboard.It sure would have been nice to be INFORMED of the procedures the night before so you knew to get up and eat an early breakfast,be properly dressed (it was cold that morning) and have your shore excursion tickets.

 

We also missed Great Stirrup Cay due to high winds.The Captain just sailed to Grand Bahama and drifted about 5 miles off the island.I was not happy about paying fuel surcharges to just drift!!!! I understand safety issues but have a plan B especially since it seems a day on the out island is about a 50/50 proposition.

 

We did enjoy our cruise.We did not let the minor inconveniences ruin our vacation.I don't think I would do this itinerary again though.If you want a Bahamas cruise I would suggest just driving to Port Canaveral and take a cheap 4 nighter on a larger ship.

[smeyer418]

I suspect but don't know for sure that immigration came up with this with no pre notice to the crew. The crew was expecting a normal processing(on the ship) and was then told at the port get everyone off the ship now or you must leave(they can do that) with no explanation to them either. Welcome to the wonderful world of customs/boarder protection(formerly know as immigration)....

[Dive Master]

I suspect but don't know for sure that immigration came up with this with no pre notice to the crew. The crew was expecting a normal processing(on the ship) and was then told at the port get everyone off the ship now or you must leave(they can do that) with no explanation to them either. Welcome to the wonderful world of customs/boarder protection(formerly know as immigration)....

 

 

Yep, it sure is amazing! "Julio" and "Akmed" can come and go at will but I have to jump through hoops and participate in the "dog and pony" show to get in and out of my own country.I guess checking the old folks out on the Majesty took priority over the Mexican drug cartel.

[garycarla]

Yes, it is much easier to just skip ANY processing and go across the border as a few million do already. Why they think somebody would take the time to submit all kinds of paperwork in advance, spend lots of money for a cruise, be "sitting ducks" on a cruise ship just to sneak into the country via a cruiseship....

 

Well, there is no end to the lack of smarts when it comes to this group.

[hon2u]

We were also on this cruise and yes, the situation with immigration was completely FUBAR! We have cruised on numerous occasions and we have always had to go through immigration when returning to the US.In the past (even on the Majesty) we were infomed of where to meet on the ship the night before.We simply presented our passports in a lounge and were free to go.On the 11/15 Majesty cruise nothing about the custom procedures were ever mentioned. I even told my wife that I guess they had changed having to go through immigration.At about 830 AM in the middle of breakfast we were told we must leave the ship NOW ! I did think to go back to the stateroom and get our shore excursion tickets.Everyone was made to leave the ship and sit in the terminal building for a long period of time before you were allowed to reboard.It sure would have been nice to be INFORMED of the procedures the night before so you knew to get up and eat an early breakfast,be properly dressed (it was cold that morning) and have your shore excursion tickets.

 

We also missed Great Stirrup Cay due to high winds.The Captain just sailed to Grand Bahama and drifted about 5 miles off the island.I was not happy about paying fuel surcharges to just drift!!!! I understand safety issues but have a plan B especially since it seems a day on the out island is about a 50/50 proposition.

 

We did enjoy our cruise.We did not let the minor inconveniences ruin our vacation.I don't think I would do this itinerary again though.If you want a Bahamas cruise I would suggest just driving to Port Canaveral and take a cheap 4 nighter on a larger ship.

 

Thanks Dive Master! I guess you had to be there to understand how this occurred. I thoroughly enjoyed this cruise and the immigration situation was just a confusing rude early morning inconvenience. We meet many awesome people and had more fun than the law should allow. I appreciate our border patrol but this was weird.

 

My BFF and traveling companion was still asleep in her "Hot White Party Outfit" as we danced into the wee hours of the morning. She did not even have time to change or brush her teeth with the insistence of steward that we must get out NOW. With advance notice we may have cut our early morning disco partying short - probably NOT! I am not one to panic but I did a bit that morning as the staff seemed to be unsure about what was going on and referred to it as "big hassle, big hassle" in their sweet Filipino accents. Of all experienced travelers you would think the staff members who spend 10 months out of the year on the ship would not have felt panicked! I really felt bad for the elderly passengers and those traveling with the handicapped trying to make their way into the holding area. I am going write a complete review and upload pictures over the holidays.

 

I hope you and yours have a safe and enjoyable holiday season!

 

Itinerary for wrp96 and garycarla:

 

Sat 15-Nov 04:00pm SHIP DEPARTS CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US

 

Sun 16-Nov At Sea

 

Mon 17-Nov 08:00am Mon 17-Nov 11:59 pm NASSAU, BAHAMAS

 

Tue 18-Nov 08:00am Tue 18-Nov 06:00 pm GREAT STIRRUP CAY, BAHAMAS (Missed the private island due to high winds as Dive Master stated)

 

Wed 19-Nov 08:00am Wed 19-Nov 05:00 pm GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND, BAHAMAS

 

Thu 20-Nov 08:00am Thu 20-Nov 10:00 pm PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA, US

 

Fri 21-Nov At Sea

 

Sat 22-Nov 08:00am SHIP ARRIVES AT CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US