Terrible delays departing the NA today Jan 25th

Holy smokes what a horrendous delay in disembarking the NA today! We were supposed to be the last group departing for 9:45am. We didn't leave the ship til after 12pm. We finally cleared customs about 1:15pm.

I felt sorry for the next group, they were all outside in a huge line. Thank goodness it is very cool today.

I know US customs was not doing a crew customs clearance. We were chatting with crew members while they were waiting for the next group to arrive 😊

They only announced something about the ship being inspected. One of our stops was Honduras. This long delay in boarding happened a couple of years ago on the blues cruise, the previous cruise had stopped in Honduras and gave that as the reason. I guess it must be a place for illegal drug smuggling.

The folks in the long line should be on board now, grumpy, but hopefully with a frothy drink in their hands to cheer them up.

I was grumpy waiting in the looooooonng line up, I just had my frothy drink just now 😄

Poor folks who may have missed flights today 😞

I've had similar experiences on my last few Sunday debarkation's from Fort Lauderdale. Others, I sure, will post its a "breeze."

It sure wasn't a breeze today! The last person to collect their luggage was in the baggage hall at 1pm. I have no idea why they only had 2.5 customs agents on 😉 The custom agent who stamped our passport made a very snide remark to a colleague that came into his booth, he stated the guy in the middle booth did nothing all day LOL! I believe it! What a mess!

That is ridiculous!

I am sorry for your problems. I usually stay behind and fly out the next day!

Looks like a day for free Wang Wangs! Glad you are home safely

We are staying til tomorrow. We always stay the extra day to catch up on sleep after the blues cruise. Thank goodness we did that today!

I am relaxing at the Westin on the beach right now 😄

Looks like a day for free Wang Wangs! Glad you are home safely

Drat! I forgot to ask for one of those drinks.

It sounds like your delay impacted those coming on board as well.

I heard from a CC member who was waiting over two hours in line to board. uggher.

We have experienced terrible delays getting off ships in Ft Lauderdale the last 1 and 1/2 years.

When we get to immigration there have been only 2 workers and the lines are very long.

I require a wheelchair and we have had many problems with that as the first people assigned to get off take forever to get through immigration and then out to their transportation. It takes forever for the 6 wheelchairs to come back onto the ship for the next group to be taken off.

I feel badly my friends probably had a long wait to board. They're extremely experienced cruisers/travelers so I'm sure they rolled with it but none of us like those long waits.

Thanks for sharing the info with us, Sun~

I am sure that having eight ships in port cut down on the number of CBP officers per ship. When I came in on Thursday there were three ships in port. We had two CBP officers but there were only a couple of hundred disembarking.

I am sure that having eight ships in port cut down on the number of CBP officers per ship. When I came in on Thursday there were three ships in port. We had two CBP officers but there were only a couple of hundred disembarking.

It would seem that the CPB also have the terminal schedule and would allocate manpower accordingly :confused:

Seems like a lot of these delays, on all cruise lines, happen on trips that include Honduras in the itinerary.

Westerdam returned to FLL Saturday and friends I spoke with seemed to clear CBP in Port Everglades with no delay or hold up. Westerdam stopped at Grand Turk and not Honduras.

Well this should tell people why you don't book early flights....you never know what time your going to get off these ships and thru customs.

Westerdam returned to FLL Saturday and friends I spoke with seemed to clear CBP in Port Everglades with no delay or hold up. Westerdam stopped at Grand Turk and not Honduras.

Yes, I debarked from Westerdam on Saturday, Jan 10th with no problems. It appears to be a Sunday phenomenon rather than itinerary driven.