CBP in San Diego

[SadieN]

 

Cross posted this on the West Coast Departures board a few days ago and haven't had a reply.

 

How is going thru CBP in San Diego these days?  Will be sailing out in January on the Carnival Miracle. 

When we debarked there 10 years ago  CBP was done onboard, no one able to debark until all passengers were cleared.  

[Pie R Squared]

Customs and Boarder Protection?  I would think like any other US port.

[VennDiagram]

42 minutes ago, SadieN said:

 

Cross posted this on the West Coast Departures board a few days ago and haven't had a reply.

 

How is going thru CBP in San Diego these days?  Will be sailing out in January on the Carnival Miracle. 

When we debarked there 10 years ago  CBP was done onboard, no one able to debark until all passengers were cleared.  

 

We disembarked in mid-December, and it was a breeze, completely unlike the gong show we've experienced there in the past.  We did NOT have to report onboard -- that made a huge difference.

[Copper10-8]

CBP inspection in San Diego is inside the terminal building. No prob whatsoever in January. For some reason, they were not requiring filled out Customs Declarations (Form 6059B), just conducting a very quick visual passport inspection 

[TAD2005]

We were on the 28 day Eurodam cruise ending April 6 to Hawaii and French Polynesia.  There were many non-US passengers onboard.   They all had to report to a specific area on the ship the morning of disembarkation.  CPB would not clear the ship for disembarkation until all non-US passengers were cleared onboard.  This did hold up the whole process about 30 minutes.   But once we were in the terminal and found our luggage, the CBP officer just checked our passports and we were out.   

[VennDiagram]

8 minutes ago, TAD2005 said:

CPB would not clear the ship for disembarkation until all non-US passengers were cleared onboard.

 

Oh dang!  We didn't have to do that -- I had hoped it was a permanent change 😞

[TAD2005]

1 minute ago, VennDiagram said:

 

Oh dang!  We didn't have to do that -- I had hoped it was a permanent change 😞

I think it was a matter of the large number of non-US passports on that particular cruise.   I hear that did not happen the following cruise, 7 days to Mexico.

[DAllenTCY]

 

It depends on your itinerary.  if a closed loop itinerary (and yours will be), CBP will be ashore.  

The problems occur with continuation itineraries, where those non-US folks onboard do not understand (or comply) with instructions to report early in the morning due to San Diego being the first US port after sailing abroad.  It happens most often in the fall and spring with re-positioning cruises......Canada south to Panama Canal, and vice versa.

In some cases I understand that language issues are to blame.

Other times it is because these guests are not going ashore in the US, so they don't believe that it is required.

Some argue that they didn't hear the PA system in the dining room!

Another time the lady told me she didn't want to wake her daughter that early!

The end result is that names and cabin numbers are broadcast over and over until all are cleared.

You should not expect any delay, just have your PP or BC ready to show as you walk off.

 

David

[Copper10-8]

6 minutes ago, DAllenTCY said:

 

.............................

Other times it is because these guests are not going ashore in the US, so they don't believe that it is required.

Some argue that they didn't hear the PA system in the dining room!

Another time the lady told me she didn't want to wake her daughter that early!

The end result is that names and cabin numbers are broadcast over and over until all are cleared.

You should not expect any delay, just have your PP or BC ready to show as you walk off.

 

David

 

I can tell you some stories! Like going to a cabin where both occupants, who were required to present themselves to CBP, were fast asleep without a care in the world, while holding up the rest of the ship through their inaction. Or another couple who, after receiving the letter plus multiple announcements felt it was all much to do about nothing...........rocket scientists

[HokiePoq]

3 hours ago, VennDiagram said:

 

We disembarked in mid-December, and it was a breeze, completely unlike the gong show we've experienced there in the past.  We did NOT have to report onboard -- that made a huge difference.

I am so glad to hear this.  I have avoided cruising out of San Diego for this reason.   We were held up for hours on a South Pacific cruise causing me to run carrying luggage to avoid missing a flight.  We got to the flight as the gates were closing....made it but tore my knee.....and insurance wouldn't pay because I couldn't prove I did it during the covered period as I got on the plane and didn't/couldn't stop to get medical care.

[HokiePoq]

14 minutes ago, DAllenTCY said:

 

It depends on your itinerary.  if a closed loop itinerary (and yours will be), CBP will be ashore.  

The problems occur with continuation itineraries, where those non-US folks onboard do not understand (or comply) with instructions to report early in the morning due to San Diego being the first US port after sailing abroad.  It happens most often in the fall and spring with re-positioning cruises......Canada south to Panama Canal, and vice versa.

In some cases I understand that language issues are to blame.

Other times it is because these guests are not going ashore in the US, so they don't believe that it is required.

Some argue that they didn't hear the PA system in the dining room!

Another time the lady told me she didn't want to wake her daughter that early!

The end result is that names and cabin numbers are broadcast over and over until all are cleared.

You should not expect any delay, just have your PP or BC ready to show as you walk off.

 

David

Uh Oh.   I guess this means I was premature celebrating the end of the hostage situation.   Those who didn't report caused a huge problem when we cruised out of San Diego.   Does this mean they aren't doing what the OP said?

[DAllenTCY]

The OP mentioned that they were on a closed loop cruise from San Diego on the Carnival Miracle.

I think I've answered their question clearly.....there will be no issue with CBP....in the terminal.....bring your BC or PP.

 

Those who "didn't report" on your trip may have shared a cocktail, an elevator ride, a tour, or dinner with you.   

 

Place the blame on them.

 

 

David

Edited May 9, 2019 by DAllenTCY

[SadieN]

On 5/8/2019 at 6:04 PM, DAllenTCY said:

 

It depends on your itinerary.  if a closed loop itinerary (and yours will be), CBP will be ashore.  

The problems occur with continuation itineraries, where those non-US folks onboard do not understand (or comply) with instructions to report early in the morning due to San Diego being the first US port after sailing abroad.  It happens most often in the fall and spring with re-positioning cruises......Canada south to Panama Canal, and vice versa.

In some cases I understand that language issues are to blame.

Other times it is because these guests are not going ashore in the US, so they don't believe that it is required.

Some argue that they didn't hear the PA system in the dining room!

Another time the lady told me she didn't want to wake her daughter that early!

The end result is that names and cabin numbers are broadcast over and over until all are cleared.

You should not expect any delay, just have your PP or BC ready to show as you walk off.

 

David

Thanks for the info.  Our past experiences have been RT San Diego. Sounds like things have changed a bit.