MSC USA Miami question....Tues Nov 19th

[Kelownabccan]

Seeing we are getting to Miami on Tuesday and not Nassau.....what is planned for the customers who do not want to stay on the ship that day and want to disembark....we personally do not want to stay in Miami on the ship and would rather check off the ship and go to Fort Lauderdale....

 

Question....what is the plan for those passengers like us??...one would assume you will let customers check out whenever they want as we are there all day and night and settle their account....we will want to leave the ship about 2pm and check into a hotel in FLL about 3pm as that is the check in time....

 

Question...how are you going to do immigration....and where is that going to be done....all the non USA and CAN customers will have to do the fingerprint/retina thing somewhere???....it must be before we get to Miami as it would be a zoo to have all doing that the first day in Miami with people coming and going off the ship for tours, walking about, getting off and on the ship and disembarking like us....????

[AmoMondo]

Just a thought re your second question, surely you enter the US at San Juan and not Miami?

 

On my first TA from Genoa to POrt Everglades, we had to US immigration at St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands (and what a joy that was - more than 2 hours stuck in the theatre whilst they went at a snails pace) before we got to Florida.

 

My understanding is they clear you at the first point of entry to the US not when you disembark.

[sidari]

Ken ... St Thomas will more than likely be the place where they check the passports etc, i wonder if they will let you guys leave the ship a day early because the cruise does not officially end until the 20th!

[riclop]

Time will tell.

[MSC Cruises USA]

Seeing we are getting to Miami on Tuesday and not Nassau.....what is planned for the customers who do not want to stay on the ship that day and want to disembark....we personally do not want to stay in Miami on the ship and would rather check off the ship and go to Fort Lauderdale....

 

Question....what is the plan for those passengers like us??...one would assume you will let customers check out whenever they want as we are there all day and night and settle their account....we will want to leave the ship about 2pm and check into a hotel in FLL about 3pm as that is the check in time....

 

Question...how are you going to do immigration....and where is that going to be done....all the non USA and CAN customers will have to do the fingerprint/retina thing somewhere???....it must be before we get to Miami as it would be a zoo to have all doing that the first day in Miami with people coming and going off the ship for tours, walking about, getting off and on the ship and disembarking like us....????

 

Hello,

 

We are looking into your questions and will reply back to you shortly.

 

Regards,

[Kelownabccan]

Let the "powers at be" know how much my wife and I appreciate the ability to ask a question that the TA has no idea about.....and get a correct answer....Thanks

 

 

 

Hello,

 

We are looking into your questions and will reply back to you shortly.

 

Regards,

[MSC Cruises USA]

Let the "powers at be" know how much my wife and I appreciate the ability to ask a question that the TA has no idea about.....and get a correct answer....Thanks

 

Hi all,

 

To answer your question concerning immigration, this will be completed in St. Maarten. I will be back to answer the questioning concerning disembarking the ship on the 19th. :)

 

Regards,

[Kelownabccan]

Hi all,

 

To answer your question concerning immigration, this will be completed in St. Maarten. I will be back to answer the questioning concerning disembarking the ship on the 19th. :)

 

Regards,

 

 

Question then....things are getting complicated......as the ship only docks a 8am.....we were going to book a tour at 9am......but with immigartion which could take hours with so many non US or Can passengers this does not seem realistic anymore.....anyone with thoughts....Ken

[sidari]

To answer your question concerning immigration, this will be completed in St. Maarten.

 

As St Maarten is Half Dutch and Half French should the immigration not be carried out at St Thomas which is a USVI island ?

[AmoMondo]

To answer your question concerning immigration, this will be completed in St. Maarten.

 

As St Maarten is Half Dutch and Half French should the immigration not be carried out at St Thomas which is a USVI island ?

 

Unless US immigration are going to board there and stay onboard until next US port.

 

On our way back for Srgentina to UK, UK officials boarded at the port before the UK and we all got different time slots to go and see them whilst we were sailing to the UK. Made it a bit easier for us and a nice little jolly for the Officials!

[Kelownabccan]

Unless US immigration are going to board there and stay onboard until next US port.

 

On our way back for Srgentina to UK, UK officials boarded at the port before the UK and we all got different time slots to go and see them whilst we were sailing to the UK. Made it a bit easier for us and a nice little jolly for the Officials!

 

Way more relaxing and organized.....let's hope this is the case.....

[sidari]

Amo ... the port after St Maarten is St Thomas, yet the answer given makes out that it will happen in St Maarten ?

[AmoMondo]

Amo ... the port after St Maarten is St Thomas, yet the answer given makes out that it will happen in St Maarten ?

 

It's possible that they will travel down to St Maarten board the ship and clear you all on the way to St Thomas, so you can all get off there without waiting hours onboard to be "processed". This was what the British Officials did last year. It works really well for passengers but who knows if the US officials will be so accommodating or not!

[sidari]

If the Poesia repo last year in St Thomas is anything to go by then i would not place a bet on it!

[MSC Cruises USA]

If the Poesia repo last year in St Thomas is anything to go by then i would not place a bet on it!

 

Dear all,

 

Please allow me to apologize for the incorrect information. Immigration will be St. Thomas and not St. Maarten.

 

Regards,

[travelberlin]

Unless US immigration are going to board there and stay onboard until next US port.

 

On our way back for Srgentina to UK, UK officials boarded at the port before the UK and we all got different time slots to go and see them whilst we were sailing to the UK. Made it a bit easier for us and a nice little jolly for the Officials!

 

On my last crossing with the QM2, the UK officials came also on board. It was really a very smooth process.

[AmoMondo]

On my last crossing with the QM2, the UK officials came also on board. It was really a very smooth process.

 

Yes wish I could say the same about the US process!

[MM42]

Yes wish I could say the same about the US process!

 

We both have bad memories of last year's US Immigration process in St. Thomas :eek:

[Kelownabccan]

Well.......what a flap about nothing now.....so I guess I can go ahead and book a tour in St. Maarten without having to worry about immigration .......

 

I can see a big problem in St Thomas as all the ship's crew and officers prob have to do immigration also as the ship has never been to the states.....wow.....how long did you have to wait before.....two to three hrs......

 

will still be waiting to here how we can get off the ship on the first day in Miami....

[sidari]

We were lucky and as our time was 8-30am we were off the ship by 9-30am, others had a 7am time while some did not get off the ship until after midday!

[MM42]

Well.......what a flap about nothing now.....so I guess I can go ahead and book a tour in St. Maarten without having to worry about immigration .......

 

I can see a big problem in St Thomas as all the ship's crew and officers prob have to do immigration also as the ship has never been to the states.....wow.....how long did you have to wait before.....two to three hrs......

 

will still be waiting to here how we can get off the ship on the first day in Miami....

 

For the details: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=39207658&postcount=196

[Kelownabccan]

For the details: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=39207658&postcount=196

 

 

if like last year then it should be a "breeze" for us....lol.....thanks.

[Kelownabccan]

Seeing we are getting to Miami on Tuesday and not Nassau.....what is planned for the customers who do not want to stay on the ship that day and want to disembark....we personally do not want to stay in Miami on the ship and would rather check off the ship and go to Fort Lauderdale....

 

Question....what is the plan for those passengers like us??...one would assume you will let customers check out whenever they want as we are there all day and night and settle their account....we will want to leave the ship about 2pm and check into a hotel in FLL about 3pm as that is the check in time....

 

Perhaps they thought everyone was going to stay on the ship??? so never had a plan....I assume someone at MSC head USA office is thinking this through....still have about a month to get answer and procedure.....

[bradpole]

On my last crossing with the QM2, the UK officials came also on board. It was really a very smooth process.

 

Smooth process and US immigration in the same sentence, not a chance! :p

 

From what I'm understanding is St. Maarten is the last non US port before St. Thomas. I agree, it would make complete sense for US immigration to board in St Maarten and begin the clearance process while enroute to St. Thomas, but sadly that will NEVER happen. It would be too easy, logical, and convenient for passengers. Sadly three words ICE could care less about. :-(

 

Enjoy your crossing, looking forward to boarding the ship in February in Miami!!

[Kelownabccan]

Miami....what is the plan