Custom's and 2021 Alaska Sailings

[zerooveride]

An interesting provision in the "Alaska Tourism Restoration Act" requires ships to send crew information to Canadian Border Services Agency, which in turn makes it a virtual technical stop. Because of this, do you think we will have to go through Customs in Seattle upon debarkation? It is technically considered a foreign sailing for the purposes of the PVSA, based upon the new law, even through it doesn't actually stop anywhere but US Ports.

 

https://docs.google.com/viewerng/viewer?url=https://loyaltylobby.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PVSA-HR1318.pdf&hl=en_US

[complawyer]

unless things have changed, and we did the pearl from seattle  in 2010, no you dont need to clear customs. we did a shore excursion into canada, and the only thing we needed to bring was our passports.

 

enjoy your cruise and of course "BON VOYAGE"

[BirdTravels]

 

12 hours ago, complawyer said:

unless things have changed, and we did the pearl from seattle  in 2010, no you dont need to clear customs. we did a shore excursion into canada, and the only thing we needed to bring was our passports.

 

enjoy your cruise and of course "BON VOYAGE"

Our two most recent cruises out of Seattle were on the Bliss in 2018 and Joy in 2019 and there were definitely immigration checks on disembarkation from both cruises.

 

As far as 2021, they request passport numbers when you check-in online, so we'll see what they require at check-in at the terminal. All of the paperwork is "normal" and reminds people to bring passports with them. We have our next set of updated protocols due soon, so let's see what that says. 

Edited July 16, 2021 by BirdTravels

[ChiefMateJRK]

I've sailed AK twice and we had to go through customs both times.  Maybe it will be more like the POA (no customs) if they don't stop at any foreign ports.  

[ChiefMateJRK]

32 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Our two most recent cruises out of Seattle were on the Bliss in 2018 and Joy in 2019 and there were definitely immigration checks on disembarkation from both cruises.

 

Didn't you also have to submit a customs declaration?  (i.e. the card where you report the duty free booze in your suitcase)

[BirdTravels]

On 7/16/2021 at 12:46 AM, ChiefMateJRK said:

Didn't you also have to submit a customs declaration?  (i.e. the card where you report the duty free booze in your suitcase)

Most cruises have done away with the paper declaration form for the past several years. And yes, we always properly declare everything we bring into the country. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 7/19/2021 at 8:49 PM, BirdTravels said:

Most cruises have done away with the paper declaration form for the past several years. And yes, we always properly declare everything we bring into the country. 

Well that's a nice improvement!  Do you have to do anything in advance or just tell the Customs guy what you do/don't have?

[chengkp75]

The ATRA specifies that the voyages to Alaska are "deemed" to be foreign voyages, as they are "deemed" to have made a port call in Canada.  I'm not sure that CBP was asked about all this "deeming", so they will likely treat it just like any other cruise, and you will have customs and immigration formalities.  However, the voyages are not "deemed" to be foreign voyages with regards to the Tariff Act, so the ships will lose their duty free status (not only will they not be allowed to sell duty free items to passengers, but they will not be able to purchase tax free liquor for use by the ship, and parts and supplies brought to the ship from overseas will no longer be duty free).

[stefmaia]

14 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

The ATRA specifies that the voyages to Alaska are "deemed" to be foreign voyages, as they are "deemed" to have made a port call in Canada.  I'm not sure that CBP was asked about all this "deeming", so they will likely treat it just like any other cruise, and you will have customs and immigration formalities.  However, the voyages are not "deemed" to be foreign voyages with regards to the Tariff Act, so the ships will lose their duty free status (not only will they not be allowed to sell duty free items to passengers, but they will not be able to purchase tax free liquor for use by the ship, and parts and supplies brought to the ship from overseas will no longer be duty free).

....so no buying my duty free bottle of rum and "you will feel less sad when you get home if you have a new " purse on board?

[roger001]

We had pulled into Key West one time, docking at the Navy base dock.  My wife had forgotten to take her passport with her, just her room card.  Went to return to the ship, she was pulled off the shuttle and denied access to the base and a return to the ship.  We had to have an NCL ship security person meet us and the base security persons.  The NCL guy brought along a laptop, scanned her room card, she appeared on the laptop,  and convinced base security to let her through.  We were placed in a holding area on the dock until NCL security arrived.