Australian Customs & Immigration on a closed loop cruise

[rburke]

When you're on a cruise that originates and ends in Australia, and only calls on Australian ports, are cruise passengers required to pass through Australian Customs & Immigration inspections at each port of call?

Thanks!

[celle]

Originally Posted by rburke

When you're on a cruise that originates and ends in Australia, and only calls on Australian ports, are cruise passengers required to pass through Australian Customs & Immigration inspections at each port of call?

Thanks!

Not immigration, but you will probably have to be screened by officers for the Agriculture Department, to make sure that you are not carrying ashore any food from the ship (sniffer dogs, etc).

[rburke]

Originally Posted by celle

Not immigration, but you will probably have to be screened by officers for the Agriculture Department, to make sure that you are not carrying ashore any food from the ship (sniffer dogs, etc).

Thanks for the reply. On one of our port calls we are scheduled to arrive at 8:00 AM and there's a non-ship-sponsored tour we'd like to take that departs at 9:00 AM. If there are inspections getting off the ship we probably can't make the departure time. Oh well, on to other plans...

[Waynetor]

We did one of these last Dec. As noted just the food inspection. One thing extra about this type of cruise is there is no liquor for sale in the ship stores for taking off at the end. Everything else in the stores was for sale at the regular prices.

[cassamanda]

Originally Posted by rburke

Thanks for the reply. On one of our port calls we are scheduled to arrive at 8:00 AM and there's a non-ship-sponsored tour we'd like to take that departs at 9:00 AM. If there are inspections getting off the ship we probably can't make the departure time. Oh well, on to other plans...

You will not have any problems making your private tour. Takes less than a minute going thu quarantine. They are only interested in you taking food ashore and they do this by simply asking you as you pass by.
You do not go thru customs & immigration. Much slower getting back on board as your bags go thru xray just like at airports for security reasons etc.

[Floridiana]

Originally Posted by cassamanda

Takes less than a minute going thu quarantine. They are only interested in you taking food ashore and they do this by simply asking you as you pass by.

Depends on the port, several have sniffer dogs and line you and your bags up. But it does not take long.