Heads UP... Immigration delays for non US pax on West Coast again

[LeftcoastBC]

I have no idea if this is a return to the "Old" and likely cheaper ways of yore on the repos and Panama trips that disembark on the West coast.... but the Constellations arrival last week had the old: Get them foreign people up early to do the walk across the room to show papers to USA immigration before the ship could clear.

Delays caused lots of folks to miss flts.

 

I really thought that =X= had changed this for ever when they took Agents on board in Cabo to do it while at sea heading north the last day.

 

Cost factors/ scheduling ?? or someone drop the ball.

 

The people I talked with were first timers being dropped off on this coast and didn't know the difference.

[C 2 C]

We had the same issue on Constellation on Dec. 6th.

 

What many don't realize is that everyone is held up by this process.

 

There were over 500 non-USA, non-Canadians who needed to see immigration on board BEFORE any Americans or Canadians were allowed to disembark for processing on shore. The border security agents delayed the process prior to and during the check out procedure to break for coffee and donuts while hundreds stood in line. Not until 10:30 were the masses released for shore side processing. Many people missed their flights.

[hcat]

What port is this about?

[C 2 C]

What port is this about?

 

San Diego!:mad:

[BellKat]

I have no idea if this is a return to the "Old" and likely cheaper ways of yore on the repos and Panama trips that disembark on the West coast.... but the Constellations arrival last week had the old: Get them foreign people up early to do the walk across the room to show papers to USA immigration before the ship could clear.

Delays caused lots of folks to miss flts.

 

I really thought that =X= had changed this for ever when they took Agents on board in Cabo to do it while at sea heading north the last day.

 

Cost factors/ scheduling ?? or someone drop the ball.

 

The people I talked with were first timers being dropped off on this coast and didn't know the difference.

 

Oh blankety blank! Are we back to this again? There are always those who don't get the message that they need to clear before anyone else can leave and hold up the entire ship. Does anyone know if any other line doing this?

 

Thanks for the info Bob.:(

[Sail Girl]

LeftcoastBC, are you saying that the delay in disembarkation in San

Diego is Celebrity's fault?

I was also on the Constellation cruise that disembarked on 12/6 and yes, did miss my flight. (Right as usual, Arno.) We were told that not all of the pax who needed to go through Immigration before any pax could leave the ship did not do so at their assigned times and could not be located in a timely manner. That may not have been the reason, but it certainly was inconvenient and upsetting. Not the best way to end a wonderful vacation.

Sorry that you and your fellow pax had the same experience.

[Gonzo70]

I was also on the Constellation cruise that disembarked on 12/6 and yes, did miss my flight. (

 

Sorry you missed your flight; not a fun way to end a vacation.

 

I am curious; was the airline sympathetic and willing to put you for no extra charge on a later flight as a stand-by passenger, or did you have to purchase new tickets? What airline?

 

Thanks

[C 2 C]

Oh blankety blank! Are we back to this again? There are always those who don't get the message that they need to clear before anyone else can leave and hold up the entire ship. Does anyone know if any other line doing this?

 

Thanks for the info Bob.:(

 

In Miami and Port Everglades you can walk your own suitcases off and go through immigration without waiting for anyone, as early as 7:00 am. In San Diego no-one gets off till "foreigners" have been cleared and in the case of San Diego in Dec, that meant 10:30.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

In Miami and Port Everglades you can walk your own suitcases off and go through immigration without waiting for anyone, as early as 7:00 am. In San Diego no-one gets off till "foreigners" have been cleared and in the case of San Diego in Dec, that meant 10:30.

 

You can walk your suitcases off all you want in Miami, but then you end up in an endless immigration/customs line. We were in line (after we walked right off the ship) for about an hour in January. Totally not Celebrity's fault, but no fun nevertheless.

 

I also experienced an endless line when getting on in San Diego. Came about 1:30 p.m. Will never come that late again--my friends who boarded at noon walked right on.

 

Bottom line, embarcation & debarcation were yukko; in between we had 14 days of fabulous service from Connie's great staff!

[LeftcoastBC]

LeftcoastBC, are you saying that the delay in disembarkation in San

Diego is Celebrity's fault?

I was also on the Constellation cruise that disembarked on 12/6 and yes, did miss my flight. (Right as usual, Arno.) We were told that not all of the pax who needed to go through Immigration before any pax could leave the ship did not do so at their assigned times and could not be located in a timely manner. That may not have been the reason, but it certainly was inconvenient and upsetting. Not the best way to end a wonderful vacation.

Sorry that you and your fellow pax had the same experience.

 

I don't think it was =X's= "Fault" but a disembarkation method change because of something. My point was that the "Something" could be because they have stopped putting "Immigration" personnel aboard the ship at Cabo to pre clear all the "Foreigners" prior to land fall in USA

 

What you experienced is what used to happen all the time in years past at all ports actually. All non US citizens were sent to a special room early, early, disembarkation day and paraded in front of said officials and when that was completed the ship was cleared.

Perhaps it's a money thing. ?? Cost of getting officials onboard maybe ?

Regardless, if there were 500 non US persons aboard that would take at least one coffee break...right?

 

So it's a mater of planning for the cruise line and then US authorities. My last experience with this was on the Zenith's last trip. We were checked out by immigration (or a similar agency) enroute to Bayonne after we left Bermuda. There was no wait when we arrived in New York (NJ).

We had departed from Tampa. So no difference with the country of departure as the Constellation left from FL.

[C 2 C]

You can walk your suitcases off all you want in Miami, but then you end up in an endless immigration/customs line. We were in line (after we walked right off the ship) for about an hour in January. Totally not Celebrity's fault, but no fun nevertheless.

 

We were much luckier. Walked off at the end of the move-your-own suitcase group, cleared immigration within 5 minutes, grabbed a taxi for a 15 minute ride to our car, on the road home at 7:30... best start to our long road trip ever.

San Diego: over 90 minutes in line for our back to back group.

[hcat]

here we go again....

 

we already have airline tix & planned on bringing more luggage than usual as ours will be a 10 day trip to Mex Riv on Radiance (Royal) with 3 days ahead in San Diego...now getting nervous about making a flight around 12:30 which we thought would be an easy one to make....

 

In Jan we were also nervous about making a flight out of Miami on a 5 day cruise on Navigator ,so we cut down on packing, skipped formal night, walked off & got to the airport VERY early--along with the a.m. cleaning crews..

 

Not sure what we should do now....other than hope for the best--at least Radiance is not as big as some ships and I am not sure if there will be many non US or non-Canadians on board..add more stress to worries of Noro & viiolence in mexico.. Our Fla condo is looking better every day!!!

 

Any thoughts or suggestions....

[Snowbird48]

here we go again....

 

we already have airline tix & planned on bringing more luggage than usual as ours will be a 10 day trip to Mex Riv on Radiance (Royal) with 3 days ahead in San Diego...now getting nervous about making a flight around 12:30 which we thought would be an easy one to make....

 

In Jan we were also nervous about making a flight out of Miami on a 5 day cruise on Navigator ,so we cut down on packing, skipped formal night, walked off & got to the airport VERY early--along with the a.m. cleaning crews..

 

Not sure what we should do now....other than hope for the best--at least Radiance is not as big as some ships and I am not sure if there will be many non US or non-Canadians on board..add more stress to worries of Noro & viiolence in mexico.. Our Fla condo is looking better every day!!!

 

Any thoughts or suggestions....

 

Just a heads up - I was on the Panama cruise on the Connie that disembarked in San Diego on March 13th. ALL non US citizens had to go through immigration, Canadians included. We received a letter under our cabin door telling us the time we needed to report to The Bar at the Edge of the Earth for immigration. I heard that about half of the passengers on this cruise were non US citizens. The lineup for immigration (as of 8am) was at least 50 minutes to get into the bar area to see the immigration officials. A big part of the problem is that people were not respecting the times that had been assigned. People with 8:30 times had shown up at 7:00 etc... Then there was the problem of about 6 - 8 people that never showed up at immigration until being paged multiple times! I'd LOVE to know how that happened...

 

This is the first time I ever had to go through immigration on board a ship & I've never experienced a mess like this. With that number of people needing to go through immigration, Celebrity should, at the very least, have chosen a larger venue (Maybe the main dining room?)! I think it was about 10:30 before anybody was allowed off the ship & then it was a free for all! I was waiting in the Oceanliners Restaurant & no one in my party heard any announcement that disembarkation had begun. I just happened to go up to a staff member in the hall near the elevators to inquire & she told me all passengers had now been cleared & that no colours would be called. My sister was waiting in the MDR & she didn't hear any announcements either. I actually was the one who let her know that passengers were free to leave (we had 2 way radios). The stairs were completely blocked already so she & her husband went back to the MDR and waited a bit for the congestion to clear. I was able to get off the ship fairly quickly due to the proximity of the restaurant to the gangway. I think I was picking up my luggage around 11:15. My sister & brother-in-law were finally able to get off the ship around 12:15. (Celebrity eventually added a 2nd gangway.) This is the first time I did not book a flight home on the same afternoon as docking - so glad I planned a few days in San Diego to see the zoo etc - because I would probably not have made it! This was my first Celebrity cruise & I'm trying not to blame them too much for how the cruise ended - though I can't say I'm overly impressed whith how they handle crowd control. The lineups to take our excursion in Costa Rica had us winding through hallways where guests had cabins. Many passengers & staff had trouble getting to & from those cabins while so many people were all lined up to disembark. Is crowd control a recurring problem with Celebrity?

[Nancyquilts]

here we go again....

 

we already have airline tix & planned on bringing more luggage than usual as ours will be a 10 day trip to Mex Riv on Radiance (Royal) with 3 days ahead in San Diego...now getting nervous about making a flight around 12:30 which we thought would be an easy one to make....

 

Any thoughts or suggestions....

Just curious - how much is more luggage than usual? ;) Even with taking formal clothes, we manage in two suitcases and a carryon. Altho' I must admit that for cruises over 15 days we take two carryons.

[dalitos]

Thanks for this information. Would love to hear what other people keep experiencing in future cruises to see if this problem keeps going on.

We are on the Summit April 17th, which disembarks in NY on April 25th at 8 AM, got a car scheduled to pick us up at 10 AM, hope we make it! I mean I thought 10 was late but we would just enjoy the ship a bit more.. now it seems will be stuck in lines half the morning? ugh. I can always reschedule the pick up.. just what a not nice way to spend the last morning on board!

[Rassa]

We two 'foreigners' are booked on a LUX bus to LA Airport which we meet at the Holiday Inn (near the port) at 11.30 a.m. in San Diego. We don't mind carrying off our one bag each, I just hope we get off by 11 am which gives us 30 minutes to walk out of the port to the Holiday Inn. Otherwise will just have to go by Greyhound bus or the train. Is the Amtrak train near the port?

[C 2 C]

We two 'foreigners' are booked on a LUX bus to LA Airport which we meet at the Holiday Inn (near the port) at 11.30 a.m. in San Diego. We don't mind carrying off our one bag each, I just hope we get off by 11 am which gives us 30 minutes to walk out of the port to the Holiday Inn. Otherwise will just have to go by Greyhound bus or the train. Is the Amtrak train near the port?

 

The train station in San Diego is very close to the Holiday Inn across from the port, a block or two away.

[hcat]

Just curious - how much is more luggage than usual? ;) Even with taking formal clothes, we manage in two suitcases and a carryon. Altho' I must admit that for cruises over 15 days we take two carryons.

 

We will have the same, 2 medium wheelies & 2 carry ons but also a garment bag for our formal clothes--( Doesn't your formal wear get wrinkled in a regular suitcase???0 WE also wanted extra room for souveniers.shopping etc... on our last cruise which was 5 days with two ahead in maimi, just did small wheelies & carry ons--but did not go to formal night! On this trip we also have 3 days in San Diego pre-cruise...

 

looking to pare down however & we are going to check into later flights--we are on SW air so changing would not cause any penalty...if a flight is available...

 

sounds like a nightmare for disembakation

[hcat]

Just a heads up - I was on the Panama cruise on the Connie that disembarked in San Diego on March 13th. ALL non US citizens had to go through immigration, Canadians included. We received a letter under our cabin door telling us the time we needed to report to The Bar at the Edge of the Earth for immigration. I heard that about half of the passengers on this cruise were non US citizens. The lineup for immigration (as of 8am) was at least 50 minutes to get into the bar area to see the immigration officials. A big part of the problem is that people were not respecting the times that had been assigned. People with 8:30 times had shown up at 7:00 etc... Then there was the problem of about 6 - 8 people that never showed up at immigration until being paged multiple times! I'd LOVE to know how that happened...

 

This is the first time I ever had to go through immigration on board a ship & I've never experienced a mess like this. With that number of people needing to go through immigration, Celebrity should, at the very least, have chosen a larger venue (Maybe the main dining room?)! I think it was about 10:30 before anybody was allowed off the ship & then it was a free for all! I was waiting in the Oceanliners Restaurant & no one in my party heard any announcement that disembarkation had begun. I just happened to go up to a staff member in the hall near the elevators to inquire & she told me all passengers had now been cleared & that no colours would be called. My sister was waiting in the MDR & she didn't hear any announcements either. I actually was the one who let her know that passengers were free to leave (we had 2 way radios). The stairs were completely blocked already so she & her husband went back to the MDR and waited a bit for the congestion to clear. I was able to get off the ship fairly quickly due to the proximity of the restaurant to the gangway. I think I was picking up my luggage around 11:15. My sister & brother-in-law were finally able to get off the ship around 12:15. (Celebrity eventually added a 2nd gangway.) This is the first time I did not book a flight home on the same afternoon as docking - so glad I planned a few days in San Diego to see the zoo etc - because I would probably not have made it! This was my first Celebrity cruise & I'm trying not to blame them too much for how the cruise ended - though I can't say I'm overly impressed whith how they handle crowd control. The lineups to take our excursion in Costa Rica had us winding through hallways where guests had cabins. Many passengers & staff had trouble getting to & from those cabins while so many people were all lined up to disembark. Is crowd control a recurring problem with Celebrity?

 

If we get off at 10:30 with our luggage in hand we should make our 12:20 flight (???) How are the lines at the San Diego airport for Southwest???

 

Only other flight is at 12:45-- it will cost more but is it worth it to ONLY gain about 20 minutes more???

 

We really do not want to stay over--but now is the time to make that choice--the early morning flight out the next day is less money so it would be equal with adding a hotel room--what do you advise???

 

Perhaps it will be worked out by late April or is that wishful thinking? Maybe fewer non US pax for a Mex Riviera itin than a Pananma Canal trip??

[mgcarnut]

You can walk your suitcases off all you want in Miami, but then you end up in an endless immigration/customs line. We were in line (after we walked right off the ship) for about an hour in January. Totally not Celebrity's fault, but no fun nevertheless.

 

Linda,

There were fringe benefits to that goat rope - when we got off the Connie that day and were stuck in that very line for an hour, I met a great guy from the UK that shares my love of aviation trivia. We have been corresponding ever since. Karen was glad we didn't meet until right at the end, if we had known each other on the ship we would have spent all our time discussing the intricacies of the Bristol Centaurus sleeve-valve radial engine and production variants of the Hawker Hunter, leaving our wives to fend for themselves!

Cheers,

Paul (aka mgcarnut)

[ccruisequeen]

Thanks for the heads up- I hope our shuttle from Sun-lakes gets the memo to arrive later:eek:

[GITC]

Just a heads up - I was on the Panama cruise on the Connie that disembarked in San Diego on March 13th. ALL non US citizens had to go through immigration, Canadians included.

Out of curiosity, why would anybody think that Canadians would be put in the same category as Americans when clearing US Customs? We're no different than any other nationality as far as that is concerned, are we?

[kitty9]

If we get off at 10:30 with our luggage in hand we should make our 12:20 flight (???) How are the lines at the San Diego airport for Southwest???

 

Only other flight is at 12:45-- it will cost more but is it worth it to ONLY gain about 20 minutes more???

 

We really do not want to stay over--but now is the time to make that choice--the early morning flight out the next day is less money so it would be equal with adding a hotel room--what do you advise???

 

Perhaps it will be worked out by late April or is that wishful thinking? Maybe fewer non US pax for a Mex Riviera itin than a Pananma Canal trip??

 

 

The last time we arrived in San Diego on Celebrity, we were off the ship at 9am and made it to the airport in less than 15 minutes. The airport is VERY close to the dock.

[wg6530]

Out of curiosity, why would anybody think that Canadians would be put in the same category as Americans when clearing US Customs? We're no different than any other nationality as far as that is concerned, are we?

You are different only if and when DHS says you are different. When we docked in San Diego in December, DHS specified non-US, non-Candians were to report. Why did they give our Canadian neighbors a pass that time? I don't know, but they did. Maybe they had enough data to be comfortable with every single Canadian aboard. Maybe they like to shake up the routine a bit each time. They can ask anyone or everyone to report for immigration inspection. If they chose to make your life easier, enjoy it while it

lasts, neighbor.

[hcat]

DH reminded me we are sailing on Royal C this time so we hope they get us off more efficiently--they usually do...