A ? for Brits on Carribean Cruises

[rumbaLiz]

A friend of mine said that when she went on a Disney cruise about two years ago to the Carribean, that when they arrived at a new place, very early in the morning they had to do immigration at something like 6am.

Is that likely to happen on a Princess Southern Carribean cruise?

[Globaliser]

It sounds like US immigration, which obssessively insists on inspecting everyone on a ship other than US citizens whenever the ship arrives at a US port after it's called at a non-US port. And nobody can get off until everybody's been seen - hence the early start.

Ugh! Probably my least favourite thing about cruising.

Anyway, the ship will tell you whether, when and where you need to go to do this. However, a member of cruise staff once (privately) asked me whether I knew when I really had to go to see US immigration. The answer: When they get on the PA and start calling you by name, [U]that's[/U] when to go to see US immigration.

Works every time.

[KenAndJulie]

Rumbaliz

We did a Caribbean cruise earlier this year and we only had to see immigration once which was on the last day - when we arrived back in Barbados (well organised and only took 5 minutes). We did have to fill in a white immigration form for Tortola (I think) but we got that the day before and simply put it in a postbox at the pursers desk.

Ken

[csmudger]

Just off a two week cruise on Caribbean Princes, the only time we had to see customs was on the Saturday in Fort Lauderdale. As we were staying on the ship for the next cruise, we were escorted to Customs at 09:45 and returned back to the ship at 10:00.
When our cruise was over we cleared customs like anyone else, at no other port of call did we have to clear customs.

[mary4165]

Unfortuneately, if your ship cruises to a Caribbean Island and then to St. Thomas they make you get up real early and go to a lounge to show your passport. That's everybody on the ship. No one is allowed off until the entire ship clears. I absolutely hate it and now try to avoid St. Thomas so I only have to do customs once at the end of the cruise. If your first stop is St. Thomas it is not a problem.

[rumbaLiz]

Thanks everyone.

Yes Mary, St Thomas is on the itinerary for the cruise I am thinking of doing.

Its towards the end of the cruise and at least the following day is a sea day, so can get over it with a lie in.

Liz