Customs Question - San Juan or USVI?

[will work to cruise]

We are doing a B2B on the Serenade this June. Our last ports on both sailings will be in the USVI. I have read before that ships have done their customs checks at the USVI ports instead of San Juan. Does anyone know how they are doing it now? Any and all answers would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[negc]

We are doing a B2B on the Serenade this June. Our last ports on both sailings will be in the USVI. I have read before that ships have done their customs checks at the USVI ports instead of San Juan. Does anyone know how they are doing it now? Any and all answers would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Mike

 

You should undergo an immigration check at the first US port you visit at the end of the cruise, but customs clearance will most likely be done in San Juan since that is the final port on Serenade's itinerary and that would be where you will hand in your customs declaration when you pick up your luggage.

[orville99]

You should undergo an immigration check at the first US port you visit at the end of the cruise, but customs clearance will most likely be done in San Juan since that is the final port on Serenade's itinerary and that would be where you will hand in your customs declaration when you pick up your luggage.

 

You will more than likely undergo an additional customs check when you land back on the U.S. mainland on the inbound leg from PR. The last time I flew in from San Juan, I had to fill out the customs declaration form on the plane.

[mjyanne]

You will more than likely undergo an additional customs check when you land back on the U.S. mainland on the inbound leg from PR. The last time I flew in from San Juan, I had to fill out the customs declaration form on the plane.

 

Why? PR is a US Territory. You will clear (and declare if necessary) customs in Sam Juan PRIOR to leaving the terminal.

 

Immigration (as stated by others) will be done if the first US territory/port upon visiting a foreign country.

[Rancher Dave]

You will more than likely undergo an additional customs check when you land back on the U.S. mainland on the inbound leg from PR. The last time I flew in from San Juan, I had to fill out the customs declaration form on the plane.

 

That makes no sense...since San Juan is a US destination...you see the ads No Passport Required....so you should have no reason to clear customs again.

[satxdiver]

US Immigration officers did a check before being allowed off the ship in St Thomas. When we left the ship in San Juan, we had to pass through customs. That was the last time we saw either. Puerto Rico is a US territory, so you are free to come and go as you please.

[Ocean Boy]

You will more than likely undergo an additional customs check when you land back on the U.S. mainland on the inbound leg from PR. The last time I flew in from San Juan, I had to fill out the customs declaration form on the plane.

 

We never had to do such a thing flying back to the mainland in our four cruises out of San Juan.

 

Also, on our last two cruises we no long had to do the immigration inspection when we reached St. Thomas, our first American port after a foreign port. like we had to on our first two cruises out of San Juan.

[jmraggs]

You will more than likely undergo an additional customs check when you land back on the U.S. mainland on the inbound leg from PR. The last time I flew in from San Juan, I had to fill out the customs declaration form on the plane.

 

I think you are mixing up San Juan with some other island, no customs forms required when flying to/from San Juan and the US, it's just like flying to one of the States.

[JMG]

We just did the CB 1/17/10 cruise. Our last port was Aruba and then back to San Juan. US Citizens did not have to do anything about immigration in San Juan and customs was simply handing in the completed form to the officer standing at the exit. From there it was on to the airport. At the airport, all luggage needs to be scanned by the USDA before going to the airline check in counters. Scanners are placed at the front of the airport and there will be lines when the cruise ships off load. Then the usual security checks and looking for a seat at the restaurant, then we were home.

[orville99]

Thanks for the update. Admittedly, it's been awhile since I've been to Puerto Rico, and when I travelled there, it was always on business (never on a cruise, always AA out of Miami, and passports and customs forms were always checked) so it's good to know they've changed policy on customs.

[Aquahound]

The Customs policy has not changed. It's Immigrations that has changed. U.S. citizens no longer clear immigrations upon return to a U.S. port.