??? Immigration delay - re-entering US - is this normal?

Just returned on the Dawn RT Boston to Quebec City. Yesterday, when we stopped at Bar Harbor, everyone, whether they intended to go ashore or not was required to go to one of the bars (Spinnaker for US citizens, Gatsby I believe for non-citizens) to have their ship ID and passport checked and a little sticker put on the ship ID. The whole process took quite a while, instructions were confusing (e.g., they said 'passport AND photo ID' but only wanted passport -- later they said you had to walk down 3 flights to get to tendering and only after a long time added that there was elevator access for the disabled). The the biggest problem (other than having to get up at 8:00 a.m. even if you meant to sleep in!) was that tendering to Bar Harbor was very delayed. You were given a tender ticket at the 'inspection' and couldn't go to the boats until your number group was called. We were one of the first groups to go through inspection (b/c a high floor number) but still weren't able to reach shore in Bar Harbor until 11:30 am -- excursions were missed, other plans cancelled - a right royal mess! --- Is this the new normal? We thought maybe there was a problem - someone missing or 'extra' - but they gave written notice on Tues night that the Thurs inspection would be happening (although omitting info on how disruptive it would be). We entered US waters on a transatlantic in 2012 and there was nothing like this. Does anyone know anything about this?

We had a very long delay entering the port for Los Angeles after a Panama Canal Cruise on the NCL Star in Dec 2009. Hours of delay as they also needed to personally meet with everyone on the ship in the Spinaker Lounge (very last sailing when it was still at the front of the ship). We were lucky to have been assigned to the very first group and got in line very early, but the Star totally lost control of the one "line" and it was just a crazy mess with folks missing their flights, etc. All we ever learned was that the Port Authority was late that day!:eek: Small comfort for those who missed their flights!

You can thank the TSA and those that are overly concerned about security and safety.

I know I will get flamed for this, but face facts folks. There are way easier ways to "sneak" into this country.

Immigration check nightmares can happen almost everywhere. The worst I have ever been through were in Los Angeles and Miami- the best Key West, Florida.

If Bah Habbah was your first US Port after visiting Canada, the immigration check is pretty much the regular drill. Have to protect the borders . . .

You can thank the TSA and those that are overly concerned about security and safety.

 

I know I will get flamed for this, but face facts folks. There are way easier ways to "sneak" into this country.

Ah yes, TSA-bashing is such a popular sport...it's too bad that the TSA has absolutely nothing to do with processing cruise ship passengers entering the US. (Or for that matter processing airline passengers entering the US.)

Immigration and customs processing of those arriving in the US whether by air, sea, or at a land border crossing is conducted by Customs and Border Protection.

Try London Heathrow sometime if you want long immigration delays arriving from a non European Union country!!!

Ah yes, TSA-bashing is such a popular sport...it's too bad that the TSA has absolutely nothing to do with processing cruise ship passengers entering the US. (Or for that matter processing airline passengers entering the US.)

 

Immigration and customs processing of those arriving in the US whether by air, sea, or at a land border crossing is conducted by Customs and Border Protection.

okay, then blame the OTHER agency.

After all, they are here to help.

Just returned on the Dawn RT Boston to Quebec City. Yesterday, when we stopped at Bar Harbor, everyone, whether they intended to go ashore or not was required to go to one of the bars (Spinnaker for US citizens, Gatsby I believe for non-citizens) to have their ship ID and passport checked and a little sticker put on the ship ID. The whole process took quite a while, instructions were confusing (e.g., they said 'passport AND photo ID' but only wanted passport -- later they said you had to walk down 3 flights to get to tendering and only after a long time added that there was elevator access for the disabled). The the biggest problem (other than having to get up at 8:00 a.m. even if you meant to sleep in!) was that tendering to Bar Harbor was very delayed. You were given a tender ticket at the 'inspection' and couldn't go to the boats until your number group was called. We were one of the first groups to go through inspection (b/c a high floor number) but still weren't able to reach shore in Bar Harbor until 11:30 am -- excursions were missed, other plans cancelled - a right royal mess! --- Is this the new normal? We thought maybe there was a problem - someone missing or 'extra' - but they gave written notice on Tues night that the Thurs inspection would be happening (although omitting info on how disruptive it would be). We entered US waters on a transatlantic in 2012 and there was nothing like this. Does anyone know anything about this?

Not sure about your cruise, or any this year, but just looked at the Dawn's schedule for next year, and it appears that they are combining a Boston-Quebec-Boston closed loop with a Quebec-Boston one way, and even a Quebec-Boston-Quebec round trip at the same time. Were you cruising with folks who got on in Quebec and were returning to Quebec? If not, disregard what follows, but I think this may have been the case.

NCL ran into this same problem in Tampa last year (or earlier this year) when they combined a Tampa-Cozumel-Tampa with a Cozumel-Tampa-Cozumel cruise. Since you now have passengers who are not on a closed loop cruise beginning and ending in a US port (those who embark/disembark at Quebec or Cozumel), the whole WHTI (western hemisphere travel initiative) that allows CBP to pre-screen passengers on a western hemisphere closed loop cruise using the passenger manifest provided at embarkation, goes out the window, and the ship then has to clear CBP as if you came in on a foreign voyage, even though you personally were on a closed loop cruise.

Try London Heathrow sometime if you want long immigration delays arriving from a non European Union country!!!

I was not aware that cruise ships docked at London Heathrow:)

I was not aware that cruise ships docked at London Heathrow:)

Added to the list....

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Immigration check nightmares can happen almost everywhere. The worst I have ever been through were in Los Angeles and Miami- the best Key West, Florida.

LOL! I the worst I have ever encountered was in Key West. Actually everyone was kind and while slow things did go smoothly.

Our experience on the Dawn was the complete opposite, though a couple of years ago - amounted to less than five minutes.

okay, then blame the OTHER agency.

 

After all, they are here to help.

They're here to do their job, and in this instance they were doing it correctly. I guess when a government agency is doing what it's supposed to it's a big shock to some.

CBP has stepped up its checks of arriving travelers because of the (real or perceived) threat of terrorism due to the ISIS situation.

okay, then blame the OTHER agency.

 

After all, they are here to help.

They both are in DHS. Readers may draw their own conclusions . . .

They both are in DHS. Readers may draw their own conclusions . . .

Less than two weeks ago, in this post

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=44278853&postcount=61

you said "I'm not overly of the "secure border" mindset, but I find what you experienced troubling. Every one of the similarly routed cruises we took, and some were while the WTC was still operational, required a document check on the ship and usually in the theater for US citizens." in response to a post I made stating that CBP has not always conducted passport checks upon a ship's arrival in the US on certain itineraries, but had apparently recently resumed doing so.

So a few days ago you were troubled by DHS not doing what you're making a snarky remark about now that they are doing it.

They're here to do their job, and in this instance they were doing it correctly. I guess when a government agency is doing what it's supposed to it's a big shock to some.

 

CBP has stepped up its checks of arriving travelers because of the (real or perceived) threat of terrorism due to the ISIS situation.

There is a difference between "doing a job correctly" and "doing the correct job". Somebody ,somewhere decided to spend our tax dollars in an effort to find terrorists. I am okay with that. How much of that is to make us "feel good" and now much "actually helps" are two different things.

If you are a terrorist trying to sneak into this country, doing it via a cruise ship is not the easiest way. Just ask many millions that have walked across our borders. None of them booked a cruise in advance, paid for it, submitted paperwork, sat on a ship for many days just to sneak into this country.

Though I agree the U.S. is a bigger target than Europe, note that you can get into most of those countries with little to no paperwork.

Sheep out there?

There is a difference between "doing a job correctly" and "doing the correct job". Somebody ,somewhere decided to spend our tax dollars in an effort to find terrorists. I am okay with that. How much of that is to make us "feel good" and now much "actually helps" are two different things.

 

If you are a terrorist trying to sneak into this country, doing it via a cruise ship is not the easiest way. Just ask many millions that have walked across our borders. None of them booked a cruise in advance, paid for it, submitted paperwork, sat on a ship for many days just to sneak into this country.

 

Though I agree the U.S. is a bigger target than Europe, note that you can get into most of those countries with little to no paperwork.

 

Sheep out there?

So just because we've done a lousy job of preventing undocumented people from entering the US (overwhelmingly via our border with Mexico) does that mean we shouldn't prevent illegal entry to the US via other portals that are far easier to guard than the Mexican border? If millions have come in through Mexico how many more (and far more dangerous types) would be able to get in if we didn't do a reasonable job of securing other entry points? It sounds like you want to throw the baby out with the bath water.

You're wrong about being able to enter Europe with little or no paperwork. You need "normal" (passport and visa) documentation to enter Europe. Once you're within the Schengen Zone, you can travel from one Schengen country to another without a routine passport check at borders...but you still must have your documentation with you since passport checks are permitted. If you're a Schengen citizen then you can travel to other Schengen countries without a passport, but you must have your official identity card. If you then leave Schengen to enter a non-Schengen country "normal" (passport/visa) documentation is required, and will be required again upon reentering a Schengen country.

It took longer in Bar Harbor than it would in other ports because it's such a small post for CBP, and so they are not staffed to handle a big ship quickly. Same with Key West, Newport, and other smaller ports. Whatever country you arrive in, inspection will always be at the first port there. DHS congressional oversight committees are demanding 100% visual check, so that's why you have to report.

And, yes, cruise ships--particularly the big ones--are a good place for criminal activity because you can hide in plain sight. There's been some notorious drug smuggling busts on cruise ships. Remember, CBP is looking for that too.

BTW, it doesn't matter whether you are planning to get off or not. The key is, once you are in port, you CAN get off. The only way to get around that is if the cruise line takes responsibility for keeping you on board, and there isn't a line floating that will want to that. Not to mention that your debarkation port is likely in the U.S. So you'll have to do it eventually anyway.

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....You're wrong about being able to enter Europe with little or no paperwork. You need "normal" (passport and visa) documentation to enter Europe. Once you're within the Schengen Zone, you can travel from one Schengen country to another without a routine passport check at borders.......

True.

Sort of.

When cruise ships enter any of those countries, nobody checks your passport. In fact, most people leave them on the ship. And, if they wanted to "disappear", they can easily do this. Not within the "rules", but easily accomplished.

Just blame it on we .... er ... I mean those pesky Canadians, sneaky little buggers aren't we .......... er ......they ! ;)

cheers...the Ump...:D

Happens each time you get to the first USA port. We did key west Christmas Day, not too bad but last year the line took hours. The annoyance was that when you get an esta it clearly states you don't need to carry a copy but on the ship the border people insist on seeing a paper copy.

Try London Heathrow sometime if you want long immigration delays arriving from a non European Union country!!!

Try Miami or Newark or JFK when arriving from UK to USA!!:mad:

LHR is a fab airport - Miami is the pits!

True.

 

Sort of.

 

When cruise ships enter any of those countries, nobody checks your passport. In fact, most people leave them on the ship. And, if they wanted to "disappear", they can easily do this. Not within the "rules", but easily accomplished.

To get on the cruise ship that will be entering the Schengen area to begin with you are required to have the proper passport and visa. The cruise line wouldn't have let you on board without it. Regardless of whether you're entering at a land crossing, by sea or by air, you need a passport and visa (if required).

People disappear in the US too. They enter with a proper passport and visa, but stay beyond the visa expiration.