New Policy at Sydney Overseas Cruise Terminal

The Sydney, AUS port authorities has made a recent change in policy that won't allow any passengers off once they have boarded their cruise ship at embarkation.

Basically we were trapped onboard Radiance after boarding and missed the opportunity to visit the Sydney Opera House and Botanical Gardens prior to sailing because we were not advised of this policy change prior to and at the check in for our recent cruise.

This has never happened on any of our prior cruises as we've always had the opportunity to get off the ship on embarkation day if time allowed us to do so.

Thank you for posting this important information.

Thank you for posting this important information.

This information has been around for some time - there is a post on it (I don't know how to attach a post) - but it is "old news"

Thanks for the posting... it's important planning information!!!

It appears the enforcing of the policy of not to 'allow any passengers off once they have boarded their cruise ship at embarkation' started soon after the siege incident in the Sydney CBD last December.

I have only seen this info on CC... we are boarding Solstice at the Sydney OPT in early April and have NOT seen any information on the subject from Celebrity.

Link to the thread from December 22nd.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2140300

Thanks for the posting... it's important planning information!!!

 

It appears the enforcing of the policy of not to 'allow any passengers off once they have boarded their cruise ship at embarkation' started soon after the siege incident in the Sydney CBD last December.

 

I have only seen this info on CC... we are boarding Solstice at the Sydney OPT in early April and have NOT seen any information on the subject from Celebrity.

 

Link to the thread from December 22nd.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2140300

I suppose it wouldn't come from the cruise line - it would come from the Country - then the customs/passport control. Cruiselines wouldn't have any influence on customs control in any country. A bonus for being a CC member - you get to here it here first. :D

If it's an International cruise, then I wouldn't expect it any other way. Once you pass through Passport Control and Immigration, you have "left the country". If you were allowed back off, you would have to get a new Visa, etc,etc etc

If it's an International cruise, then I wouldn't expect it any other way. Once you pass through Passport Control and Immigration, you have "left the country". If you were allowed back off, you would have to get a new Visa, etc,etc etc

As others have said, it didn't used to be this way. I can see that this directive will be an inconvenience for passengers who want to check in, then tour the Opera House and the Rocks nearby. It can't be good for local businesses either.

Can you still drop off your luggage early, then walk around and board later?

If it's an International cruise, then I wouldn't expect it any other way. Once you pass through Passport Control and Immigration, you have "left the country". If you were allowed back off, you would have to get a new Visa, etc,etc etc

No you wouldn't.

You would have your cruise card which means you are a passenger in transit. When you call at other Australian ports you dont have to get a new Visa etc.

It has only been brought in to make life easier for the staff that work there.:mad:

I think its ridiculous and an insult to passengers.:mad::mad:

Can you still drop off your luggage early, then walk around and board later?

Yes.

Thanks for the posting... it's important planning information!!!

 

It appears the enforcing of the policy of not to 'allow any passengers off once they have boarded their cruise ship at embarkation' started soon after the siege incident in the Sydney CBD last December.

 

I have only seen this info on CC... we are boarding Solstice at the Sydney OPT in early April and have NOT seen any information on the subject from Celebrity.

 

Link to the thread from December 22nd.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2140300

It started before the then, I boarded the Radiance a few days before the seige and we were not allowed to leave again once on. They had lots of announcements about it onboard but nothing in the terminal. I get why they do it, it would be annoying for the immigration staff and the terminal doesn't have great traffic flow both directions, particularly during the Renos. They just need to advertise it better to cruisers, because it's not good to get on board only to find out you can't leave again. You can drop bags early though and check in later.

It started before the then, I boarded the Radiance a few days before the seige and we were not allowed to leave again once on. They had lots of announcements about it onboard but nothing in the terminal. I get why they do it, it would be annoying for the immigration staff and the terminal doesn't have great traffic flow both directions, particularly during the Renos. They just need to advertise it better to cruisers, because it's not good to get on board only to find out you can't leave again. You can drop bags early though and check in later.

Thanks, I thought that timing may have just been a coincidence.

The other lines that operate in Sydney had executed this policy for some time - it was only RCL and Celebrity that allowed you back off - as great as that was!

I don't think it's a convenience issue, but a compliance issue. E.g. with duty free you claim once you board that it will be exported, but if you get back off the ship, you could take it back with you hence not export. And there are other consequences like that.

The Fremantle Passenger Terminal over in Perth has the same policy for international sailings.

I was there in 2013 bound for Singapore, and porters were stationed at the terminal entrances taking people's luggage and also telling everyone once they check-in (go upstairs) they won't be able to exit the terminal again as they will be a transit passenger.

As a result I didn't get to see Fremantle .. but I did at least knew beforehand. In this case I just didn't have the energy to carry around hand luggage (notebook carry case etc) for several more hours after flying in that morning. In retrospect, had I known days earlier, a backpack with a notebook pouch could've helped solved that issue... ah well :).

It's actually in place in a lot of ports around the world and why so many cruise lines have an embarkation time of 2pm or later… but pax being what they are they want to get on board and get their $$

the load placed on Immi is huge and the issues related to rorting rules etc has led to officials taking a tougher line (after all who wants to listen to pax whinge that immi is too slow when they have already been processed once and think priority should be given because check in has already taken place) and now trying to get things aboard the cruise line has said no to.

Big ships have graded boarding times for a reason…

No you wouldn't.

You would have your cruise card which means you are a passenger in transit. When you call at other Australian ports you dont have to get a new Visa etc.

It has only been brought in to make life easier for the staff that work there.:mad:

I think its ridiculous and an insult to passengers.:mad:

 

I agree. Once you have your cruise card, it is a quick seamless process to get off and back on to a ship.

If it's an International cruise, then I wouldn't expect it any other way. Once you pass through Passport Control and Immigration, you have "left the country".

And it sounds like it used to be allowed in Australia.

The word is it was never allowed, but just not completely enforced.

Princess, P&O and Carnival followed the policy. Celebrity and RCL didn't but have been brought into line.

We had been told by the Head of Security on Radiance of the Seas that this was a new policy, I guess only to RCCL, that came into effect since their last sailing from Sydney.

My biggest beef with RCI and the Radiance staff is that we weren't informed of this at our check in or beforehand. We were later told by same Head of Security, after we had boarded and tried to get off that there were 8" X 10" notes posted around the perimeter of the terminal advising. We did not see any of these note when coming in from the Circular Quay train station. Also we were even sent an email a few days before our cruise asking that we check in and board at a certain time which were staggered by the deck your cabin was on and the above was not in that email.

If it's an International cruise, then I wouldn't expect it any other way. Once you pass through Passport Control and Immigration, you have "left the country". If you were allowed back off, you would have to get a new Visa, etc,etc etc

Last year we checked in for the Rhapsody in Honolulu. We asked if we could then go downtown. They said we had to board and then we could leave. We boarded, had a quick lunch and then took off to the shops (on the free Walmart bus) for about 2 hours and then came back and just walked onto the ship.

Diane

We did 2 cruises in Jan/Feb from Sydney. We had 2 different experiences.

Our first cruise was the Celebrity Solstice sailing on Jan. 27, 2015 for a 12 night cruise ending in Auckland, NZ. Once we boarded the ship, we were not allowed to leave to tour Sydney. (It was pouring rain, I had read about this issue before we got to Sydney, thanks to CC, so we had been informed).

Our second cruise was the RC Rhapsody sailing on Feb. 17, 2015 for a round trip cruise to Queensland. We were able to board, we dropped our luggage, checked in (got our seapass cards) then we were able to leave the ship. We were told we could do it this way on this sailing as this Rhapsody cruise was deemed a "Domestic Cruise". We were only visiting ports in Australia (New Castle, Cairns, Airlie Beach, & Brisbane). We did make a little visit to Willis Island, for the Captain to drop anchor for 1 minute so we could purchase "duty free".

From my understanding, if the cruise is an International Cruise, once you board the ship, you cannot leave. If the cruise is a Domestic Cruise, you are allowed to leave the ship after you board.

If you want to tour Sydney after you get on the ship, you would need to just drop off your luggage to the porter, then take your tour. You would need to keep with you your carry on bag (with your meds, and important papers and whatever you deem important). This would solve the problem. Not the best, but an alternative.

We had been told by the Head of Security on Radiance of the Seas that this was a new policy, I guess only to RCCL, that came into effect since their last sailing from Sydney.

My biggest beef with RCI and the Radiance staff is that we weren't informed of this at our check in or beforehand. We were later told by same Head of Security, after we had boarded and tried to get off that there were 8" X 10" notes posted around the perimeter of the terminal advising. We did not see any of these note when coming in from the Circular Quay train station. Also we were even sent an email a few days before our cruise asking that we check in and board at a certain time which were staggered by the deck your cabin was on and the above was not in that email.

When we checked in for our Rhapsody cruise ten days ago there were several signs through-out the terminal. I certainly noticed them before passing through passport control although I can't recall whether I saw them before check-in or not. However the email we received did not mention this.

When we checked in for our Rhapsody cruise ten days ago there were several signs through-out the terminal. I certainly noticed them before passing through passport control although I can't recall whether I saw them before check-in or not. However the email we received did not mention this.

What size were the signs you noticed? John, Radiance Security Head indicated to me that these should be more and larger than the 8X10 ones he indicated that were used at our Feb 26th embarkation. I'm assuming from what you didn't say is that the shore staff still isn't telling passengers about this when checking in as he agreed that this should have been done also. :(

For a local like yourself this isn't a biggie as you would likely want to get onboard ASAP but for those flying in from far away this lack of notice at check in matters much more. Like others have mentioned we could have simply checked in most of our stuff and did our walk about before boarding the ship.

What size were the signs you noticed? John, Radiance Security Head indicated to me that these should be more and larger than the 8X10 ones he indicated that were used at our Feb 26th embarkation. I'm assuming from what you didn't say is that the shore staff still isn't telling passengers about this when checking in as he agreed that this should have been done also. :(

For a local like yourself this isn't a biggie as you would likely want to get onboard ASAP but for those flying in from far away this lack of notice at check in matters much more. Like others have mentioned we could have simply checked in most of our stuff and did our walk about before boarding the ship.

They were standard A4 size, roughly 8" by 11". I recall seeing them walking through an area where there wasn't much else to look at so they did stand out, and the writing was big enough to see clearly from a distance.

No, nobody actually mentioned this during check-in and, yes, for us it was a case of get on board as soon as we could and enjoy the ship. However I can understand how frustrated you must have felt missing out on some of your sightseeing. :( Hopefully you will get a chance to visit Sydney again and see those sights and more.

However I can understand how frustrated you must have felt missing out on some of your sightseeing. :( Hopefully you will get a chance to visit Sydney again and see those sights and more.

We stayed in Sydney for four days prior to our Oz bottom end Voyager of the Seas cruise two years ago so saw a lot of that area then but missed doing the Government House tour as we arrived just after the last tour started. We had waited until embarkation day to see the near by Botanical Gardens and getting on and off the ship wasn't a problem then. We didn't realize to see Government House you had to do their free tour but the last one was at 3pm. We were hoping to do that tour prior to our recent Radiance of the Seas cruise sailing.

We had seen Sydney before, our flights from Toronto only had one connection and our first port stop was easy to get to Brisbane if a substantial delay did happen to us, so we chose to arrive early, 8:15am, on embarkation day. We also wanted to spend more time this visit touring Western Australia and visiting with DW's cousins there.

We met others onboard who were first time visitors to Sydney so they were more impacted by Radiance's staff lack of proper notice concerning this and resulting in us being trapped onboard. :(

Such a shame you missed out on your tour. :(

BTW I've just remembered where I saw the signs. They were after check-in, posted all around the escalators that went up to the next level where you went through passport control. They were hard to miss in that area as there wasn't anything else to look at, just blank walls, but I do think the check-in staff should have mentioned it as well.