Post cruise arrival in Boston - departure time

Not sure if this is where I should ask but I am thinking a lot of people here have done a Canada/New England cruise..

We will arrive back to Boston on Friday Oct. 20 at 7am on Serenade of the Seas. I am trying to plan to be picked up by transportation service and not sure of time. We live local approx 20 miles north of Boston. I don't want to get off as soon as we arrive. I am wondering about customs. I have read that when we get off, we only have to clear customs on the ship not in terminal. Is this true or do we need to go thru in the terminal also.?

If We go eat breakfast and then get our stuff and get off - there will be 8 of us - would it be reasonable to plan for a 9 - 9:15 pick up?

I have this exact same question about Customs in Boston. How much "extra" time should we plan on, due to Customs? We're arriving Friday, September 22nd, and we'd like to get off the ship around 9:00 AM or so. Trying to book a tour time, after we check into our hotel.

Worst case scenario, there's a Dunky just up the street from the terminal where you could wait

Worst case scenario, there's a Dunky just up the street from the terminal where you could wait

Thanks thats good to know but I am more concerned with them waiting to long for us and not me...

Maybe ask your transport if it is ok for you to just ring them when you clear customs and how long will it take for them to reach the port.

Maybe ask your transport if it is ok for you to just ring them when you clear customs and how long will it take for them to reach the port.

Thanks. thats exactly what I did. The company said they understand it is hard to predict so they let me set a time and said they would be in the area and just call them when we are ready.

Great - enjoy your cruise - we are passing through Boston next week

Vision OTS NY to Quebec.

I would give them a time.

If you don't want to rush off the ship just make it around 9:30 AM.

Also have their phone number with you.

That way you can call them once you pass through customs so you know what vehicle they are in and you can tell them precisely where you are waiting.

That's what we did our last time ending a cruise in Boston.

Keith

Great - enjoy your cruise - we are passing through Boston next week

Vision OTS NY to Quebec.

Enjoy your cruise...

I would give them a time.

 

If you don't want to rush off the ship just make it around 9:30 AM.

 

Also have their phone number with you.

 

That way you can call them once you pass through customs so you know what vehicle they are in and you can tell them precisely where you are waiting.

 

That's what we did our last time ending a cruise in Boston.

 

Keith

Thanks - thats exactly what we planned..

Can anyone comment on their experience clearing Customs in Boston? Did you experience a wait? If so, how long? I realize we may have a completely different experience but knowing what others have encountered would be helpful. Thanks!

If anyone else is wondering about this, we disembarked Boston today a bit after 9:00AM. Just walked out, no delay at all at Customs. A very long line for taxis however. We waited in line for about 20 minutes and then called an Uber. He was there long before we would have gotten to the front of the taxi line. (Those who had a porter help with their luggage basically were taken to the front of the taxi line.)

jdaa,

I am confused. Why would you have to go through customs at Boston? I thought you would clear customs at Bar Harbor.

Did you do the express disembarkation or regular disembarkation when you walked off the ship at 9 a.m..

Thanks for your feedback.

We were told we were doing Immigration in Bar Harbor (1st US port) and Customs in Boston (US port of debarkation). The explanation was that after leaving Bar Harbor and before arriving in Boston it would be possible to buy something duty-free on ship, for which Customs taxes would be owed in Boston.

For those who had something to declare, Customs forms were available on ship before debarking in Boston. However, if you had nothing to declare, there was no delay whatsoever due to Customs.

We did regular debarkation at Boston, not express.