Navigator Disembarkation...A Bit Hairy

[Galveston Cruiser]

I've read that on another thread ..... why would a stop in Belize make the inspection process longer ???

 

I'm curious especially since we're going to be stopping in Belize.

 

Drugs.

ICE is always more thorough when the ships return from Belize.

[Caribbeansunrise]

Yep - I think everyone should experience Galveston one time. We've been through there several times and each was a different experience.

[duck60d]

I did Navigator in April and thought the check out process was long. We were one of the last one to get off the ship and was shocked to see the lines still so long in the terminal. I posted our vacation on youtube. You can view the lines in the last min of the video.

 

[Lilyrosemum]

You must, I repeat, you must get a porter once in the Terminal when you disembark. Even if you only have one bag. They will get you out very quickly and it is very much worth the tip. If you do it yourself........well good luck. You will get in the line that snakes around forever.

 

I have sailed in and out of Galveston 12 times, so I know what I am talking about. Just a heads up to make life a little easier for you.

[Lilyrosemum]

Check out Duck60d's youtube video linked in the post above mine. At the very end of the video you will see the "snake line" I was talking about. If you get a porter you will never be in that line, you will be out the door in a very short time.

[train460]

we lucked out getting off the triumph year before last ONLY because my wife is a German citizen. We seperated into the 2 lines after getting off the ship. Her in the non citizen line which disappeared around the turn. i am in the LONG line. well 30 seconds later she comes back around with a uniformed person and yells for me to join her WAY up there in the other line. Turns out we have to go thru customs together. Boy i could sure feel the EYES boring into the back of my head as i moved up. We were then in line maybe 10 minutes and done.

Michael

[cjdixon4]

LOL...hubby still says "no" to Galveston terminal. I'm willing to give it another try, even before the million dollar improvements on the port take place. Seems as though they have their good days, and their bad days.

[lady_cruiser]

Sorry this happened to you. This is why we do self-embark. Our last cruise were on the Navigator we were up and waiting at the door before 6:00 AM. They had two or three couples ahead of us sitting on the floor at the door. But by the time 7:00 AM came the lounge for the early leavers were filled and the lined was wrapped almost around the ship. Because we were part of the early birds we were off the ship, through customs and on the ferry before 7:30-7:45am.

 

Of course I realize that not everyone can, or care, to do self-embark but for us it works out great.

[galavant3]

Just off the 6/1 sailing. We were group number 5 so we were off before the masses. At that time, the line was not bad at all and the crowd seemed manageable. However, two bags were MIA and by the time we found them, we were up to group 11. By the time we got in line, it was a zoo. People were complaining about the heat and the lines.

 

I'll do self assist next time.

 

I don't know if this was the case or not because we didn't have a clear view of the customs people for very long but the two groups ahead of us had birth certificates instead of passports and they took forever. We had passports and it took about one minute for customs.

[cjdixon4]

Sorry this happened to you. This is why we do self-embark. Our last cruise were on the Navigator we were up and waiting at the door before 6:00 AM. They had two or three couples ahead of us sitting on the floor at the door. But by the time 7:00 AM came the lounge for the early leavers were filled and the lined was wrapped almost around the ship. Because we were part of the early birds we were off the ship, through customs and on the ferry before 7:30-7:45am.

 

Of course I realize that not everyone can, or care, to do self-embark but for us it works out great.

 

I certainly understand why many use self-disembarkation; certainly it's quicker and probably less problematic. Call me lazy...LOL, but I don't want to do ANYTHING laborious on vacation, let alone drag my baggage around if I don't have to! :cool:

We book afternoon flights back to Chicago so that we can take our time. In fact, our disembarkation group on Navigator was number #17...probably the last group off the ship...and the lines were STILL insane! Oh well, as I originally stated, it didn't ruin the vacation. ;)

[mo&fran]

Several years ago we were B2B on Liberty of the seas out of Miami, and Belize was a port on the first cruise, and it was the same situation, took forever for customs , and you could see the next cruise guests being held down below, waiting for the ship to get empty. Later , it turned out the CD was a regular cruise critic poster, and he posted that this happened every time the ship called on Belize. The following week, when we got off, it was a breeze.

[Sat1]

Big Schots is "spot on." Use far right lane, near restrooms. I did on both Dec 4 and May 4 trips. I use a walker, and is much faster.

[DebJ14]

Did your debarkation debacle in Galveston come after getting off a ship that went to Roatan ? If the ship goes to Honduras CBP has to do a full immigration inspection which involves not just looking at the documents, but scanning passports and typing in all the BC /DL info. They also check the National Crime Information Database. They search lots more luggage on these cruises too. We have been delayed for hours in Galveston on both Carnival and RCCL, but only when the itinerary included Roatan. When the ships do the Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel run the experience in the terminal is usually a breeze.

Edited June 11, 2014 by DebJ14

[DebJ14]

Lines getting back into the country by cruise pale in comparison to some airports. We flew in from Mexico and timed our flight so that it did not arrive in Houston at the same time as the big planes from Europe. There were 3 flights that arrived within a short time of each other, but they were just 737's - not the huge jumbo jets. After walking, and walking from the gate to Immigration we got in a Disney land style line that snaked up and down just to use the new passport kiosks. After getting our receipts from the kiosk we then had to get in another long line to see one of the agents. There were only a couple agents working and lots of empty booths. Then, we had to claim our luggage and get in a third line to give the receipt we received at Immigration to the Custom's official. It took us 2 hours to clear in Houston on June 1. We landed at 8pm and finally got outside the secure area a little after 10pm. Several people on our flight missed their connections. Clearly CBP in Houston is short staffed both at the airport and the ports.

Edited June 11, 2014 by DebJ14

[cjdixon4]

OP here...

OK, so I'm hearing a LOT in this thread about Roatan, Honduras. Maybe it was addressed earlier in this thread, and if so, my apologies. What is going on in that country that affects our customs flow at the terminal?

[Galveston Cruiser]

OP here...

OK, so I'm hearing a LOT in this thread about Roatan, Honduras. Maybe it was addressed earlier in this thread, and if so, my apologies. What is going on in that country that affects our customs flow at the terminal?

 

Drugs

[TBone2K]

I would agree it is even worse for non-US citizens. There are only two lines marked for non-US and when we were coming off on 5/10, only one of them was open. So we had to wait for the delays caused by all the people in the line getting finger printed. (Canadians don't have to do this.)

 

As another mentioned, especially if you are non-US, get a porter.

 

I will say that when we came through, the port staff were good at setting up a makeshift queue out of cones and getting everyone to line up in the right spot.

[cjdixon4]

Drugs

 

OK, got it. Thanks.

[restasured]

Arizona, my cousins were the first-time cruisers with us. They had a ball, and they were un-fazed (is that a word?) by the confusion in the Galveston terminal. They thought it was part of the cruising experience....too funny! :D

 

Completely called "Attitude". If you plan to have a great time, you will, if you think things will be or go bad they will. Sounds like you cousins had the positive attitude and took it in stride, as everyone should.

[restasured]

[/font][/color]"When we got back into port on 4/27, we had the best disembark ever!! We carried off our luggage. There was a notice in the Compass that there were going to be a limited number of spots available. Well, I have heard that one before, but followed the instructions and went to Guest Services. I got Group 0ne cards. To my great joy, this actually meant something. We went to our assigned waiting spot and the crew was only letting in people with group one cards. They also had the exit blocked off so no one could sneak ahead of those who'd signed up. The crew actually stopped people with luggage and sent them to Guest Services to get cards for later departure times. Hats off to Royal for actually enforcing a rule!!!

 

Now if they would just start enforcing the other rules that seem to kick up so much dust, like dining attire and chair hogs. Do it for a while and people will start obeying.

[cjdixon4]

[/font][/color]"When we got back into port on 4/27, we had the best disembark ever!! We carried off our luggage. There was a notice in the Compass that there were going to be a limited number of spots available. Well, I have heard that one before, but followed the instructions and went to Guest Services. I got Group 0ne cards. To my great joy, this actually meant something. We went to our assigned waiting spot and the crew was only letting in people with group one cards. They also had the exit blocked off so no one could sneak ahead of those who'd signed up. The crew actually stopped people with luggage and sent them to Guest Services to get cards for later departure times. Hats off to Royal for actually enforcing a rule!!!

 

Now if they would just start enforcing the other rules that seem to kick up so much dust, like dining attire and chair hogs. Do it for a while and people will start obeying.

 

Noticed that you just completed your Navigator sailing. How did disembarkation go? Great, I hope!

[Sat1]

Thankfully, our flight didn't leave Houston Hobby until 4:00 p.m., and we had time to go to Olympia Grill for :cool:

 

Chicago ;) May I ask , how did you get to HOU? May need this next year. Thanks