no breakfast before getting off ship!

[onthehighseas606]

Note to self. If I were summoned to guest services and did not eat breakfast yet, screw them. I would go and eat and then show up at my leisure not theirs. I have an illness that won't allow me to wait until I get to the airport to eat. I am happy that people put their experiences on here so I know what to expect.

[rocketmom09]

Most customs agents know their merchandise and where it can be purchased. They're just doing their jobs as is the Dept of Homeland Security. It's not a perfect process and from time to time there are problems . It part of the world we live in, just learn to deal with it and stop moaning.

 

 

Thank you!! You said exactly what I wanted to say but didn't know how to express it.

 

If customs didn't do anything, then people would say they're not doing their job; when they do their job, then people complain.

 

Why do some think they're above the law and cannot be 'bothered' and then feel it's fine to make fun of our law enforcement? They sure don't mind bothering them when they're in trouble and need help!

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

As a world traveler, even before the current restrictions were put into place as a result of the 9/11 attacks, I learned to carry receipts for pricey items I brought from home which could easily have been purchased in foreign countries (or register the items before traveling abroad). I found it easier to just leave them at home. Most customs agents know their merchandise and where it can be purchased. They're just doing their jobs as is the Dept of Homeland Security. It's not a perfect process and from time to time there are problems . It part of the world we live in, just learn to deal with it and stop moaning.

 

I appreciate your logic, experience, and advice - but NOT your last comment. That came across as rather rude.

 

Tom

[James in SA]

Just a question... I am thinking Luggage Express may have been a contributing factor to this very poorly handled situation. With Luggage Express, is your luggage expedited through Customs without you? Normally we go through Customs WITH our luggage, so if they want to harrass us we are right there in front of them.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Thank you!! You said exactly what I wanted to say but didn't know how to express it.

...

 

Ditto to you as well then!

[Bookworm29]

Yeah Tom. Just bend over and take it. It's all the rage. :p

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Yeah Tom. Just bend over and take it. It's all the rage. :p

 

Apparently! :eek:

 

Tom

[Monkeythyme]

That is nice :mad: that they "randomly" pick someone to HARASS. I believe your story, but don't like the way it played out for you. Why Carnival was involved in such a way is confusing -- basically throwing you to the wolves. The last morning is not the most pleasant anyway. WOW.

 

We were HARASSED by customs when we got off the ship in Miami a few months ago -- I think it was an NCL sailing. The ONLY thing we bought was a ring for Cheryl in one of the ports. It was something like $1,600. Evidently that amount is very close to the limit two people could claim without duty or something. We handed him the form and he said "is that all you bought"? We replied yes. He said "do you have the receipt". I replied yes. He asked to see it. I indicated that it was somewhere in one of our 4 bags, but was not sure exactly where. He said we must produce it - and that either we needed to get it, or he would search our luggage for it. Fortunately it was in our main carry off bag - the first one we checked. We, no doubt, appeared suspicious :rolleyes:. I asked what would happen if we did not have the receipt, he said he would keep the ring. I asked what would have happened had we not claimed anything - he asked if I wanted to change my customs form... saying that he would still keep the ring. I told him that this is the kind of treatment we get for being honest.

 

Once before I had a guy (customs) say, "nice watch, did you just buy it"? They obviously go fishing from time to time. Am I supposed to carry a receipt for EVERYTHING that we have as PROTECTION... so that we don't have to forfeit whatever it is that they are focused on?? !!

 

I know that they have a job to do, but... ! :confused:

 

Tom

I have had some bad experiences in Miami, too, but nowhere else. I suppose living in Miami makes them ill-tempered. It would me.:D

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I have had some bad experiences in Miami, too, but nowhere else. I suppose living in Miami makes them ill-tempered. It would me.:D

 

I'm right there with ya.

 

Tom

[Monkeythyme]

I appreciate your logic, experience, and advice - but NOT your last comment. That came across as rather rude.

 

Tom

Perhaps he could qualify to be a customs agent.:D When I said earlier I had bad experience in Miami, I did not mean the substance of the encounter. Agents in New Orleans and Mobile question you too, but they have interpersonal skills. The ones in Miami seem to enjoy being jerks.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Perhaps he could qualify to be a customs agent.:D When I said earlier I had bad experience in Miami, I did not mean the substance of the encounter. Agents in New Orleans and Mobile question you too, but they have interpersonal skills. The ones in Miami seem to enjoy being jerks.

 

... but it's all in the name of the (HOLY) Dept. of Homeland Security! If you aren't "with 'em", you must be "agin 'em"! :D

 

Tom

[Monkeythyme]

They only care what I WIN.... they are not that interested in my losses for some reason. Kind of like fair weather friends!!!

 

Tom

If you gamble, keep a log of your losses and net them against your winnings when you hit the big one.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

 

YEP -- my 88 year old father was taken aside and searched the last time he flew to see us (probably was his last time flying). Here is a guy who served in WWII and dedicated time in the Peace Corps (we lived in Sierra Leone for a year in 1966), and he gets to enjoy first hand the legacy we have thanks to 9/11 ... because he OBVIOUSLY looks like a RISK!

 

 

Tom

Probably the same way that those innocent looking women and kids were blowing up our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. They probably didn't look like a risk either until they went BOOM.

[big_duck]

With Luggage Express, is your luggage expedited through Customs without you? Normally we go through Customs WITH our luggage, so if they want to harrass us we are right there in front of them.

 

Yes. As Tom and I were speculating earlier, the OP may have been singled out because the dogs twigged to something.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

If you gamble, keep a log of your losses and net them against your winnings when you hit the big one.

 

Keeping a log of my losses... yes, I do-- though it can be depressing. :(

 

Tom

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Probably the same way that those innocent looking women and kids were blowing up our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. They probably didn't look like a risk either until they went BOOM.

 

 

Yes - a well placed bullet to them all would likely trigger the device... (though I do see the point you are trying to make).

 

 

 

Miller was keeping us safe:

 

 

 

This was one of my favorite pastimes there:

 

 

 

Tom

[gatime]

No, you don't. I have no desire to work as a clerk in a grocery store.

 

Where did you get the idea I was upset? It appear you were the one that is/was upset.

 

 

Classic :D

[jpg1747]

I did the luggage express thing last year on my Valor cruise from Miami. Either I missed the information in my paperwork, or it wasn't there, but I didn't know until I was paged out of the dining room that everyone who does luggage express is taken off the ship together in one of the the very first groups. They were all waiting for me to leave the ship. I was in no hurry, I had a later flight. Had I know, I either wouldn't have done it, or tried to make other arrangements to leave the ship later. I like the convenience, but I don't like being rushed off the ship.

[CWcruisers]

Did anyone read my post where the customs guys told me that they figure if you bought one expensive item, you probably bought more.

 

In other words, it's all about the money. Customs has nothing to do with safety. Going back to the OP's post, he was upset at the treatment he received, so was Tom and so was I. That is what this thread is about.

 

What does this have to do with Homeland Security?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Did anyone read my post where the customs guys told me that they figure if you bought one expensive item, you probably bought more.

 

In other words, it's all about the money. Customs has nothing to do with safety. Going back to the OP's post, he was upset at the treatment he received, so was Tom and so was I. That is what this thread is about.

 

What does this have to do with Homeland Security?

 

I wasn't upset with them going through my things. I just wished Carnival could have said the our luggage was randomly picked to be searched and I must report to customs instead of the tight lipped, I don't know what's going on answers we received.

 

I'm sure this happens to numerous people every week so they obviously knew what was going on as they also knew where to escort us.

 

Bill

[mavis2222]

That is nice :mad: that they "randomly" pick someone to HARASS. I believe your story, but don't like the way it played out for you. Why Carnival was involved in such a way is confusing -- basically throwing you to the wolves. The last morning is not the most pleasant anyway. WOW.

 

We were HARASSED by customs when we got off the ship in Miami a few months ago -- I think it was an NCL sailing. The ONLY thing we bought was a ring for Cheryl in one of the ports. It was something like $1,600. Evidently that amount is very close to the limit two people could claim without duty or something. We handed him the form and he said "is that all you bought"? We replied yes. He said "do you have the receipt". I replied yes. He asked to see it. I indicated that it was somewhere in one of our 4 bags, but was not sure exactly where. He said we must produce it - and that either we needed to get it, or he would search our luggage for it. Fortunately it was in our main carry off bag - the first one we checked. We, no doubt, appeared suspicious :rolleyes:. I asked what would happen if we did not have the receipt, he said he would keep the ring. I asked what would have happened had we not claimed anything - he asked if I wanted to change my customs form... saying that he would still keep the ring. I told him that this is the kind of treatment we get for being honest.

 

Once before I had a guy (customs) say, "nice watch, did you just buy it"? They obviously go fishing from time to time. Am I supposed to carry a receipt for EVERYTHING that we have as PROTECTION... so that we don't have to forfeit whatever it is that they are focused on?? !!

 

I know that they have a job to do, but... ! :confused:

 

Tom

 

Next time tell customs you bought the ring or anything else in the states long before you took the cruise and your just wearing it.

[mavis2222]

I too was randomly picked to pat down, they went thru my purse, embarssing to pull out klenex.

 

It must have been the day for older blond women. I minded because they didnt have a chair to sit in to put my track shoes back on and tie them plus now all the overhead bins were now taken and it was a hassle to find a place for my carry on... good thing I had arrived 2 hours early to make sure I was first on the plane. .. now I was one of the last 2.

 

I personally think if they are looking for terrorists, they should pick people more likely to be terrorists. Im for profiling.

Most of time i dont fly for that reason, luckly I can drive to most of the ports. when I do fly, I try to get business class on Air tran...Priority boarding and assigned seats. Dosent cost to much more.

[msolberg]

A girlfriend of ours had something similar happen as we were getting off the ship in St. Thomas. Guest services couldn't tell her anything - I don't think they are very well informed by customs.

 

She was in tears because she thought someone from home had passed away at first. She had to go sit in her cabin and wait until customs came, searched her belongings and checked her passport.

 

I understand that they are doing this for our safety, but I think there has to be some other way to do it. She and the friend that stayed with her, missed two hours of precious island time not to mention the stress she went through waiting in her cabin and not knowing what was going on.

 

I think it would have been much better if customs would have notified guest services so they could have explained she was a random check. I also think they should have done it right away in port, not waiting until she was on her way to enjoy the beach for the afternoon and trying to get off the ship.

 

Diane

[GHarkness]

You can deduct your losses if you can prove them.

 

Only against your winnings - if you have any. Otherwise, too bad.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Only against your winnings - if you have any. Otherwise, too bad.

 

Yes, it's kind of funny (read: WRONG) that they can "share" in your (good) luck, but not your bad luck!

 

TOTALLY OT - but our tax code BITES!!

 

Tom