Just off Equinox. My first Celebrity cruise. Mixed review.

[Tigrou]

I'm hoping we don't encounter long delays with US Immigration at the end of our upcoming Equinox cruise.

 

However, as I often tell friends and colleagues, if you want to visit the US then you have to comply with whatever hoops US Immigration decide to make you jump through. It may be annoying and seem totally needless, but if you want to get into the country then you have to do it.

 

Admittedly, I do think they have a bit of cheek to display the "We are the face of the USA"-type posters, where they purport to be friendly and welcoming! :rolleyes:

[hairdog]

What nights were the formal nights on?

[hcat]

Yes, they do self-disembarkation. We did it on the cruise before the OPs and we were at the airport and through security at 8:10A.M. I wonder what happened on this cruise...

 

Is there any limit on what you can take off on self-disembarkation or do you just sign up for it...? I know some of the walkways are steep getting off the ship but would prefer this..The more people who touch the luggage, the more likely it is that someone will lose some of it & you must then adhere to the schedule you are given both to pack & have the cases out the night before & then to leave the ship.....

 

In a few weeks will try self disembark for the first time in Miami from Royal C's Navigator--we had heard the process getting off that ship there is unpleasant & have a 12:30 flight-- We would rather wait at the airport than be nervous-- the formal night menu on this 5 day cruise is so bad that we are not even planning to take a tux or attend it... that gives us less luggage to wheel off...If it goes well we may try it on our Celebrity trips as well....

[gospelle]

I believe you are mistaken on this point.

 

I live in the UK and have returned home through Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester on numerous occasions. As far as I'm aware, there is always at least 2 separate lines - one for EU passport holders and one for non-EU passport holders. I have never seen just one line at any of these airports.

 

Perhaps because I was flying first class the time I went I didn't get the usual lines. I recall there was only one place to go and I was through in less than 30 seconds.

[gospelle]

What nights were the formal nights on?

 

This was the oddest thing. The first formal night was the first sea day as usual, but the second formal night was not on a sea day but on a port day near the end of the cruise.

 

Never had that happen before.

[pspercy]

if you want to visit the US then you have to comply with whatever hoops US Immigration decide to make you jump through.

Admittedly, I do think they have a bit of cheek to display the "We are the face of the USA"-type posters, where they purport to be friendly and welcoming!

 

I travelled for many, many years as a US "Green Card" holder (UK citizen) and was always treated well and told to use the "US Citizens" line at airports upon re-entry.

 

I agree with previous posters, at UK airports there's two lines, EU and Non-EU so I have to use the latter as I'm a US citizen now.

 

As far as pleasant experiences or otherwise I've found US airports to be fine tho' Miami was often a bit brusque. My worst ever entries in the western world were Sydney NSW, Australia and Halifax NS, Canada.

[jackdiamond]

We are experienced cruisers; and, I respectfully submit that the customs situation has disintegrated. You might wish to inquire of yourselves what political situation has caused this situation?

[FinelyCruising]

We are experienced cruisers; and, I respectfully submit that the customs situation has disintegrated. You might wish to inquire of yourselves what political situation has caused this situation?

 

Its not political, there is something much larger going on globally and efforts have stepped up to intercept Non-US travellers passing through our borders. There are alot of missles getting ramped up by my standards. I am certainly going to trust that Customs, Air Marshalls, Airport Security, etc keep up their efforts for any help they can lend. We are better with them in place than without them in tragedy.

[jaybird from SC]

We were on Millennium cc cabin last month and we received our canapes/cheese & crackers every afternoon--never saw a card of any kind.