lstone19

Good point. I keep forgetting that this voyage has multiple embarkation points. I guess that leaves Oslo as the first formal night date since they wouldn't do it on the Germany embarkation day but why couldn't they do it on the sea day after Oslo and those embarking in Germany wait until our next formal night as their first and then the sea day after Oslo as the second?

The sea day after Oslo is the day before Warnemunde. Formal nights are "never" the night before disembarkation. Based on past reports, the first (for those boarding in Copenhagen or Warnemunde) will be the sea day between Warnemunde and Talinn. The second has been the day in Helsinki (4pm departure) but for those cruises docking in Stockholm (about 1/2 of them) could be that day (2pm departure). For those cruises anchoring at Nynashamn, it has to be Helsinki as Nynashamn is a 7pm departure. All the other nights don't work if you follow normal formal night scheduling rules:

Day 1 - Copenhagen - Not eligible due to embarkation day

Day 2 - Oslo - Not eligible due to evening port call

Day 3 - At Sea - Not eligible due to night before disembarkation

Day 4 - Warnemunde - Not elgible due to emabarkation day and evening port call

Day 5 - At Sea - ELIGIBLE

Day 6 - Talinn - Not eligible due to night before disembarkation

Day 7 - St. Petersburg - Not eligible due to evening port call

Day 8 - St. Petersburg - Not eligible due to embarkation day

Day 9 - Helsinki - ELIGBILE

Day 10 - Stockholm (docked) - ELIGIBLE or

Day 10 - Nynashamn - Not eligible due to evening port call

Day 11 - At Sea - Not eligible due to night before disembarkation

Interesting question always. ... My guess is that it might the sea day after Oslo and then maybe Helsinki because of the port departure time. The next day it is 7:00 and too late to do formal night.

It shouldn't be the sea day after Oslo as that is also the day before Warnemunde which is an embarkation/disembarkation port for this cruise (there are three and while most people I expect are embarking at Copenhagen, Warnemunde and St. Petersburg are also published embarkation ports).

Sorry, I had thought all were changed to docking in Stockholm but now I see only about half will do so. So my guess is the second formal night will still be the Helsinki day.

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We're going on this cruise in June. With embarkation available in three different ports (Copenhagen, Warnemunde, and St. Petersburg) plus the overnight in St. Petersburg, seven of the 11 nights are out as possible formal nights. Throw in the late port call in Oslo and we're down to only three possible.

From what I've read, the first will be the sea day between Warnemunde and Talinn. The second had been the day at Helsinki with its 4pm departure. But now that this season it's docking in Stockholm and departing at 2pm rather than anchoring at Nynashamn and departing late, that day becomes possible and may be the better choice. So who knows - we probably won't know until it makes it's first cruise this Spring.

Also you do not need to go to the closest location. You can go to any location :-) IF you are traveling, check to see if appointments are available on your route or at your travel location.

Yep. My wife had hers done while we were on vacation in Orlando (an appointment locally would have been two months later). Even was able to get a start of day appointment so minimal time lost at WDW. Done a few days before departure, she had Pre-Check for our flight home.

I would have done the same except I had it even better. Working for an airline at our HQ, our security people (who work closely with with CBP and TSA) had arranged for CBP to come in and do on-site interviews. So done at work before the Orlando trip.

But when my wife went for hers with me along, the CBP agent at Orlando was aghast that I had not had the kiosk demo that they do at normal locations (no kiosk brought along for our in-house interviews). But ironically, the first place I used GE was at Guam where because Guam has their own Customs (keep in mind that despite the common use of "Customs" to mean the entire process, Customs only deals with admissibility of property; Immigration deals with the admissibility of people) separate from U.S. Customs, Global Entry is only used for the Immigration piece and the kiosks there do not ask the Customs questions. So much for the demo since it didn't match the experience (but did a few days later when returning to the U.S. mainland via Japan).

One of the Frequently Asked Questions on the Global Entry website

(https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/frequently-asked-questions):

 

Can I use my NEXUS card at the Global Entry kiosk?

 

The NEXUS card will be recognized by the Global Entry kiosks in Canada Preclearance locations only. When using the Global Entry kiosks in Canada Preclearance locations you can use your passport, U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident card or NEXUS card.

You cannot use your NEXUS card at Global Entry kiosks outside of Canadian Preclearance locations. At all other ports, you will need to use your passport or U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident card.

This is, I believe, referring to using the NEXUS card as your document for entry into the U.S. In other words, in those specific locations, you can show a NEXUS card instead of a passport. This is distinct from having entitlement to use Global Entry. As I understand it, NEXUS card holders are entitled to use Global Entry. That entitlement is coded in their system based on your passport number and is checked at the kiosk. But it sounds like at the cruise port, there are no kiosks so they want to see Global Entry cards to establish entitlement. So a NEXUS card should be just as good but as was stated, it's up to the people who may not have been fully trained.

Ironically, I was told I have no need to carry the GE card for normal travel as it's only practical use would be a substitute for a NEXUS card when entering the U.S. on land or sea from Canada or for a SENTRI card when entering from Mexico. Situations where the card is used instead of your passport.

A nit: please don't call a Global Entry card a "GOES card". GOES is the enrollment system (Global Online Enrollment System) used for all the CBP Trusted Traveler programs (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST). It is not the name of any of the Trusted Traveler programs.