Luggage Direct & Customs

[Yankee Couple]

If one uses the Luggage Direct service (Ft. Lauderdale and Nordam), I understand the process of setting out your bags the last night, and not seeing them again till your final destination (Very cool).

 

However... what about Customs? As you leave the ship, with forms in hand, what if the Customs agent needs to inspect something, or has a question?

 

Or do you need to go through Customs at your final destination?

 

Thanks

[jschm27]

Thats a good question! I'm going to use it on my upcoming cruise. I too am interested in the answer.

 

John

[STREETKING]

We used luggage direct on are last cruise in December,my girlfriend when exiting the ship was selected at random to go through customs they removed her bags from the luggage direct pile and took them to customs to be inspected, after inspection they took them back.I was concerned because we had a 12:30 flight and it took some time to locate her bags,as it turned out we made our flight with plenty of time to spare and the bags we're at our destination when we arrived. We loved this service and thought the 19.95 per person was money well spent.

[the2ofus]

Since most regional airports are reached by traveling through point-of-entry airports, I doubt that the regional airports have customs agents. The baggage would go through customs inspection at the point of entry to the US.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have seen people pulled out of the luggage direct line -- and yes they were worried about making their flight as customs opened all their suitcases and went through everything.

[lovetocruise2020]

so if you like ot have a leisurely breakfast at PG and then disembark, luggage direct wont work for you?

 

Do you have to come off the ship the same time as your luggage, or can it go before you?

 

Sorry! Just a little confused.

[Yankee Couple]

So... Thanks all who replied. And after reading some other posts, I think I have it in general terms...

 

All the "Luggage Direct Users" put out their bags the night before docking.

The bags all go to one pile off to the side in the disembark area.

 

The "People" go through Customs as usual.

If Customs has an issue... they have to go find your bag in the "Pile".

 

Therefore: The truck waiting to take to "pile" to the airport for you, must wait for all the "Users" to clear Customs before leaving in case a bag is needed for inspection.

 

So, I would think HAL will encourage the "Users" to be first off, to give time for inspections and the truck to make the airport in time.

 

Just logical.

 

So if one uses Luggage Direct, plan to disembark early, for the good of all involved. Your flight might be at 6:45PM, and you have lots of time to waste (like us...thinking this was a good way to not have to drag our bags around all day) but someone else is needing to fly at noon.

 

Gary

[lovetocruise2020]

Thanks for your help!! :)

[jschm27]

I have seen people pulled out of the luggage direct line -- and yes they were worried about making their flight as customs opened all their suitcases and went through everything.

 

More confusion.... So there is a separate line for the folks who opted for luggage direct?

 

John

[iriemon]

More confusion.... So there is a separate line for the folks who opted for luggage direct?

 

John

 

It is not a separate line, you are give a disembarking color and they are all in one group. I know ours was early, but my DW needs wheel chair assistance so we went to the designated area and we did not get off until after 9:00. This really works teriffic we would not think about not using it.

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

I used it on my Alaska cruise ( we stopped in Victoria). I had color coded tags. I put my bags out at night out side mt room. I did not see them untill I arrived home. My flight was at 11:30 pm. they will give you a custon card and you will walk throught two lines USA citizens or other. All I did had to do is hand my custom card to the agent. think of it as going to a movie/sports game just had a person a ticket

 

Some one will be there to point you in right direction.

 

 

Mary