Rare Host CJSKIDS Posted August 30, 2006 #1 Share Posted August 30, 2006 We're sailing on the Crown in November and I've never had to go through immigration before on a ship as last time we sailed the Southern Caribbean from San Juan we went to St Thomas first. How is this handled? Being that we arrive early in the am do all of us have to go line up first thing in the morning? Is it going to be a nightmare like it sounds like in San Juan for the Crown passengers? Thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toto2Kansas Posted August 30, 2006 #2 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Just visited St. Thomas again last week and I am happy to report, as of last week, we were not made to get up at 6:00 AM and go down and show our passports at immigration. What a nicer way to visit St. Thomas. I hated having to get up so early to see some guy glance at my passport and barely even look at me. I always felt that this was more 'going through the motions' of security than anything else. Edited to say: OPPS! Just realized, St. Thomas was our first port. That might have been why we didn't have to go through the mess of customs and immigration. Sorry! Hopefully someone else who has had this as not their first stop will answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherylandtk Posted August 30, 2006 #3 Share Posted August 30, 2006 I can't speak for recent cruises, but I would think that they are still doing this, especially with heightened threat levels in place. But I agree with Toto that they barely look at you as you walk past with your passport out. No lines, just show up at the appointed time. If you are an early riser its NBD, but if you have to drag yourself out of bed at an early (to you) hour, then it would be bothersome to get up just for a parade down to the lounge and back. The good part is that it was all over by the time they docked, so we got off just as at any other port. And there was no need to go through an immigration check in San Juan, either. There was a customs line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negc Posted August 30, 2006 #4 Share Posted August 30, 2006 If you visit a foreign port before arriving in St. Thomas, you need to go through immigration because you are re-entering the US. It is only a big deal if you let it be. We have had to do this on several cruises which went to St. Thomas after first stopping in the Bahamas. The lines moved quickly and it was handled quickly and efficiently. Of course that happened on RCI ships, but there is absolutely no reason that it shouldn't be the same on Princess. There are very few things that you are required to do while on a cruise: attend the lifeboat muster, and go through customs and immigration when you reenter the US. Hardly a big chunk of your vacation time.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbles300m Posted August 30, 2006 #5 Share Posted August 30, 2006 We just went to St. Thomas in June. We started in Miami, went to the Bahamas and then to ST. Because of the stop in the Bahamas, everyone had to go through Immigration. It took over 2 hours for everyone to flash their documents. Lines were ridicuosly long. I think, if you go from SJ to ST, you don't have to do this. It's only if you stop off in a non-U.S. locale first that forces the immigration clearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis Posted August 30, 2006 #6 Share Posted August 30, 2006 our process was ridiculous, particularly since the immigration "officials" arrived over an hour late, then took the time to have their free Princess breakfast......and to think, they are worried that someone secretly boarded the ship (while at anchor) in Princess Cays. we make the point of trying to avoid cruises that go to St Thomas just because of this hassle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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