Passenger switch mid-cruise, is it possible?

[Cruise Wonderland]

On 5/17/2022 at 6:49 AM, RD64 said:

A few years ago on a cruise to Bermuda (roundtrip from Boston), a couple from Boston were continuing on to Montreal.

 

There intent was to drop off a suitcase of laundry with relatives at the pier in Boston. This would eliminate one checked baggage fee for the flight home. Due to US customs regulations, they were unable to take the suitcase off the ship.

 

This is the first time that I've heard about this regulation. Is it because of security concerns?

[RuthC]

5 hours ago, Cruise Wonderland said:

 

This is the first time that I've heard about this regulation. Is it because of security concerns?

As noted in the post you quoted, it's due to Customs regulations. 

[Niele da Kine]

I've always blamed this sort of thing on the Jones Act instead of Customs, but they could be cahoots for all I know. 

 

I was chatting with someone in town today about cruises, luggage, bringing things back and such and we got around to the topic of seashells.  They seemed to think there may be an issue with Australia not letting folks take seashells away in their luggage if we left from an Australian airport?  I'm sure there would be opportunities to buy shells here and there and it never occurred to me there may be a restriction about taking them in luggage home.  I'd always thought the problem would just be sheer room, not regulations.  Guess I could Google it, but anyone have any trouble with taking things out of an Australian airport?

 

[richwmn]

49 minutes ago, Niele da Kine said:

sorry, incorrect answer

Edited June 4, 2022 by richwmn

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Niele da Kine said:

I've always blamed this sort of thing on the Jones Act instead of Customs, but they could be cahoots for all I know. 

 

I was chatting with someone in town today about cruises, luggage, bringing things back and such and we got around to the topic of seashells.  They seemed to think there may be an issue with Australia not letting folks take seashells away in their luggage if we left from an Australian airport?  I'm sure there would be opportunities to buy shells here and there and it never occurred to me there may be a restriction about taking them in luggage home.  I'd always thought the problem would just be sheer room, not regulations.  Guess I could Google it, but anyone have any trouble with taking things out of an Australian airport?

 

Well, enforcement of the Jones Act/PVSA is done by CBP (Customs and Border Protection), and obviously "Customs" falls under this agency as well.  Even if you are on a legal cruise from the standpoint of PVSA, you still need to declare items brought in from overseas to Customs at the end of the cruise.  Now, in recent years, they have gone lax on reporting requirements, but even if on the honor system, duties are still placed on certain items, and there are restrictions on certain items.

 

Regarding sea shells, many places have laws against removing shells from beaches, not sure about Oz.  The other problem with importing/exporting shells you picked up off the beach, is a public health issue.  Shells you buy in stores have been sterilized, to ensure the poor critter that used to use that shell is completely gone from deep inside.  So, shells without proof of sterilizing can be prohibited from being taken out of/into a country.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Unless you have a wide variety of climates to consider, packing for two months is no different than packing for two weeks. Bring as little as possible. No one will care if you wear the same shirt once every two weeks, and your cabin won’t look like a storage locker. Closet space on an 80 day cruise is identical to closet space on a 7 day cruise. The closets don’t expand. We’re getting ready for 220 days at sea. Every. Single. Piece. of clothing has to justify its right to luggage space. The struggle is real.😉

 

Besides, the money you would pay for shipping the extra bags will easily cover your laundry. The laundry by the bag is wonderful. The bag may look small, but it’s amazing how much you can stuff in there! Roll each item tightly and don’t leave any air pockets in the bag. When it’s returned, and you see the piles of folded clothes on the bed you won’t believe you stuffed all that into a bag! We used one bag a week, which is very reasonable.Between the hassle with Customs, the chance they may skip your port, and wasting your few hours in Kona doing laundry, the occasional bag of laundry is worth paying for.

Edited June 4, 2022 by Horizon chaser 1957