B2B Question

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

When doing a B2B cruise and after going through customs with all the other people doing a B2B trip, does a person have go back thought customs wanting to leave the ship later in the day? I recall them telling us not to bring any luggage when proceeding though customs. My plan was to unload some liquor (and dirty clothing) in my parked car after the first trip & then be allowed to double it after the second cruise.

Any suggestions?

[beg3yrs]

I don't know the specific procedures for this but I have a comment on your plan regarding what I assume is duty-free liquor.

 

You'll probably get away with it but, duty-free allowances are good only once every 30 days. Unless your second cruise is longer than 30 days, upon entry back into the US, you are not technically allowed another allowance.

 

Of course on the first entry you can observe the procedures they use and decide if they can quickly determine if you've already used your allowance.

[USAF Retired]

I don't think your idea will work. The reason is that when you purchase duty free liquor during the first cruise on board, Princess will not give it to you until the night before your complete cruise ends. If you purchase it when off the ship at a port call, Princess will have someone sitting at the entry to the ship and they will take the liquor and again keep it until the end of your cruise. On a B2B the cruise does not end until the second cruise so you will not have any liquor to take off the ship and put in your car. Also, like the comment above, you have a limit you can have for a 30 day time frame. If you happen to get the liquor from the first half of the cruise and get caught with the excess from the second cruise, the possible fine, imprisonment, taxes as it is no longer duty free, and then have it confiscated makes it a big risk.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

Thanks guys. I wasn't aware of the 30 day limitation. I know for a fact that Princess deliverers your liquor purchases at the end of each trip so that's not a problem. If customs question me & record my purchases after I walk off the ship the first time I simply won't buy any more the second stop at St Thomas.

[truffles68]

I am in a similar scenario but I am travelling with a different companion on the last b2b cruises.

 

Do I have to go through immigration & customs when I escort companion A off the ship in Vancouver at the end of the first B2b?

 

I assume I can take the liquor off the ship if I get companion A to purchase the liquor on my behalf.

 

I assume I can leave my luggage on the ship.

 

Do I have to go through immigration & customs upon returning to the ship with companion B or do I just use the "in transit passenger" note in Vancouver to by pass it all?

 

By the way I am Canadian if it makes a difference.

 

I called Princess earlier & the agent did not know the answer .

 

Thanks

[caribill]

When doing a B2B cruise and after going through customs with all the other people doing a B2B trip, does a person have go back thought customs wanting to leave the ship later in the day? I recall them telling us not to bring any luggage when proceeding though customs. My plan was to unload some liquor (and dirty clothing) in my parked car after the first trip & then be allowed to double it after the second cruise.

Any suggestions?

 

First of all, you do not go through US customs on turnaround day for a B2B. You go through immigration. No customs form to be filled out or handed in. You will need your passport. Since your cruise (and time outside of the USA) is not over, no 30 day limitation applies to the two different segments.

 

Yes, you can, once back on board come and go as you please. However, you will in effect be smuggling alcohol into the USA. In all likelihood, you will not be caught. But, if you are, you just might not be on that 2nd segment.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

First of all, you do not go through US customs on turnaround day for a B2B. You go through immigration. No customs form to be filled out or handed in. You will need your passport. Since your cruise (and time outside of the USA) is not over, no 30 day limitation applies to the two different segments.

 

Yes, you can, once back on board come and go as you please. However, you will in effect be smuggling alcohol into the USA. In all likelihood, you will not be caught. But, if you are, you just might not be on that 2nd segment.

 

I keep interchanging immigrations & customs but if no one asks or records my liquor purchases from the first trip I can't see why there would be any problem. All I'm doing is removing my purchases & if they want a customs form, I'll fill one out on the spot. If they do ask & make note, then I don't make any more purchases. Simple enough. I've just never left any ship after we've gone thought customs & re-boarded on the first leg.

[mreasier]

I know for a fact that Princess deliverers your liquor purchases at the end of each trip so that's not a problem.

Not always. On our last B2B in Feb/Mar 2013 on the Grand they would not deliver it to the cabin unless you were actually disembarking. They had a list of those doing B2B and would not deliver it to the cabin after the 1st segment.

[M4dC0w]

Not always. On our last B2B in Feb/Mar 2013 on the Grand they would not deliver it to the cabin unless you were actually disembarking. They had a list of those doing B2B and would not deliver it to the cabin after the 1st segment.

 

I can see that, as what if you don't take it off the ship. You now have booze onboard to drink.

Also not everyone doing b2b have a car in the parking lot to offload it also.

 

Most likeky yiu will get it on the last day of the second leg.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

Not always. On our last B2B in Feb/Mar 2013 on the Grand they would not deliver it to the cabin unless you were actually disembarking. They had a list of those doing B2B and would not deliver it to the cabin after the 1st segment.

 

Now that's the first time I've hear that. They're getting tougher with the liquor control all the time. Unless we have a box of bottles we just normally walk past the liquor check in point with our bottle & go up the stairs without any problem. That to may come to an end some day.

[skynight]

When doing a B2B cruise and after going through customs with all the other people doing a B2B trip, does a person have go back thought customs wanting to leave the ship later in the day?

Any suggestions?

 

On the b2b, as stated by others, on turnaround day you do not go through Customs. You are marched with passport in hand past immigration officers and then back onto the ship. These officers are stationed before the Customs pass through area. Once back on the ship you are free to leave, but you will have to pass through Customs. You could be stopped, not a nice picture, because you are required to declare any imports and you will not be doing so, or will do so only if caught. Sounds like fines to me.

 

In place of going through the march through immigration, you are permitted to leave the ship any time after disembark has started, up to the last call about 9:30am. You will require your passport, new and old cruise cards and the intransit card provided by Princess. There you will also have to pass through Customs, but if you are importing anything a declaration is required. If you leave the ship as mentioned then you can not re-board until general boarding has started around noon.

 

Regarding Alcohol, if you are asking is it OK to break the law, and will I get caught, then I think you are asking in the wrong place.

 

Regarding dirty laundry, these are used personal effects and can be imported without any issues, although Customs may take a look.

 

If you purchase alcohol in the U.S.V.I. other quantity rules apply. Check out this web site. https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/424/kw/alcohol%20allowance/suggested/1

[flamomo]

Not always. On our last B2B in Feb/Mar 2013 on the Grand they would not deliver it to the cabin unless you were actually disembarking. They had a list of those doing B2B and would not deliver it to the cabin after the 1st segment.

 

 

My experience on B2Bs in 2012 and 2013 has been that alcohol and/or cigarettes purchased during the first cruise were delivered to our cabins at the end of the first cruise, and again at the end of the 2nd leg.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

On the b2b, as stated by others, on turnaround day you do not go through Customs. You are marched with passport in hand past immigration officers and then back onto the ship. These officers are stationed before the Customs pass through area. Once back on the ship you are free to leave, but you will have to pass through Customs. You could be stopped, not a nice picture, because you are required to declare any imports and you will not be doing so, or will do so only if caught. Sounds like fines to me.

 

In place of going through the march through immigration, you are permitted to leave the ship any time after disembark has started, up to the last call about 9:30am. You will require your passport, new and old cruise cards and the intransit card provided by Princess. There you will also have to pass through Customs, but if you are importing anything a declaration is required. If you leave the ship as mentioned then you can not re-board until general boarding has started around noon.

 

Regarding Alcohol, if you are asking is it OK to break the law, and will I get caught, then I think you are asking in the wrong place.

 

Regarding dirty laundry, these are used personal effects and can be imported without any issues, although Customs may take a look.

 

If you purchase alcohol in the U.S.V.I. other quantity rules apply. Check out this web site. https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/424/kw/alcohol%20allowance/suggested/1

 

My intent was to legally remove my liquor purchases allowed by one person and store it in my car after the first B2B so that I wouldn't have to carry 10 liters with me at one time after the second cruise. I did a little further checking and found that the allowance is;

 

• 5 liters of alcohol per person (21 years or older). Note: 1 liter of alcohol must be a product of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  

I know from past B2B trips we never fill out a Customs declaration card when leaving during B2B trips but we never remove anything either. It sounds to me like as long as I declare my liquor purchases in total it should be allowed. If need be my wife could accompany me through Customs on the first disembarkation & once through could get back on the ship with the rest of the new people after general boarding is announced while I carry our liquor to the car. This would at least lighten my load on the disembarkation day after the second trip.

[pablo222]

If you leave the ship as mentioned then you can not re-board until general boarding has started around noon.

 

Once general boarding commences, you can come and go as you

wish -- as can any passenger.

 

Generally on the last (full) day of the cruise, and sometimes

the last two days, liquor is available for 'take-away' sales.

It usually doesn't matter if you are B2B, or not. If it does,

simply conspire with a disembarking passenger.

 

WRT the liquor smuggling - I don't think I'll be seeing it on an

episide of "Banged up Abroad"

[beg3yrs]

I did a little further checking and found that the allowance is;

 

• 5 liters of alcohol per person (21 years or older). Note: 1 liter of alcohol must be a product of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
  

 

That's not the complete picture. From the Customs web-site (I changed the color of the red text for emphasis):

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/424/kw/us%20virgin%20islands%20alcohol%20import%20limit

How much alcohol can I bring back from a U.S. insular possession (U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam) duty-free?

 

The state you arrive in determines the amount of alcohol you can bring back for personal use. As long as the amount does not exceed what that state considers a personal quantity*, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will allow you to enter the U.S. with up to five liters of alcohol duty-free as part of your $1,600 exemption - as long as at least four liters were purchased in the insular possession, and at least one of them is a product of that insular possession. Additional bottles will be subject to a flat duty rate of 1.5% and subject to Internal Revenue Service taxes.

Please note, only one liter of alcohol purchased in a cruise ship's duty-free shop is eligible for a duty-free exemption, although if at least one bottle purchased on board is the product of an eligible Caribbean Basin country**, then you will be allowed two liters duty free. If you buy five liters of alcohol in - say - the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), and one of them is the product of the USVI, then you would have reached your duty-free limit. Any additional purchases made on board in a duty-free shop would be subject to CBP duty and IRS tax.

If you buy four bottles in the USVI, one of which is a product of the USVI, then you could purchase one additional bottle from the onboard duty-free, and it would be eligible for duty-free entry.

[geoherb]

I know from past B2B trips we never fill out a Customs declaration card when leaving during B2B trips but we never remove anything either. It sounds to me like as long as I declare my liquor purchases in total it should be allowed.

I think you have it right. You only have to fill out one Customs form at the end of your B2B cruise, and as long as you declare the amount of your total purchases, you will be within the law.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

That's not the complete picture. From the Customs web-site (I changed the color of the red text for emphasis):

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/424/kw/us%20virgin%20islands%20alcohol%20import%20limit

How much alcohol can I bring back from a U.S. insular possession (U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or Guam) duty-free?

 

The state you arrive in determines the amount of alcohol you can bring back for personal use. As long as the amount does not exceed what that state considers a personal quantity*, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will allow you to enter the U.S. with up to five liters of alcohol duty-free as part of your $1,600 exemption - as long as at least four liters were purchased in the insular possession, and at least one of them is a product of that insular possession. Additional bottles will be subject to a flat duty rate of 1.5% and subject to Internal Revenue Service taxes.

Please note, only one liter of alcohol purchased in a cruise ship's duty-free shop is eligible for a duty-free exemption, although if at least one bottle purchased on board is the product of an eligible Caribbean Basin country**, then you will be allowed two liters duty free. If you buy five liters of alcohol in - say - the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), and one of them is the product of the USVI, then you would have reached your duty-free limit. Any additional purchases made on board in a duty-free shop would be subject to CBP duty and IRS tax.

If you buy four bottles in the USVI, one of which is a product of the USVI, then you could purchase one additional bottle from the onboard duty-free, and it would be eligible for duty-free entry.

 

You're correct. I guess I didn't quote the whole paragraph & it could have been taken out of context. Since we'll be in the US Virgin Islands (cheapest place I've found for what I want) I think we'll be OK.

 

I think you have it right. You only have to fill out one Customs form at the end of your B2B cruise, and as long as you declare the amount of your total purchases, you will be within the law.

 

What I'm still wondering is when doing a B2B cruise they always tell you not to fill out the declaration card when getting off the ship in the middles of the cruise. Since I am removing my liquor purchases after the first trip I would think I would have to fill one out so it's documented.

I think my best course of action it checking with customs when departing the ship and ask them what to do.

[cruiseJMO]

We'll be boarding the Royal on the 9th, when you'll be getting off. Would have been nice to meet you. I appreciate all the posts you've been making while on board.

 

Any tips for buying liquor in St Thomas or any other islands (like where & what to buy?)

[chrysalis]

We'll be boarding the Royal on the 9th, when you'll be getting off. Would have been nice to meet you. I appreciate all the posts you've been making while on board.

 

Any tips for buying liquor in St Thomas or any other islands (like where & what to buy?)

 

The duty free shop on board will meet any advertised price of port liquor prices.....

 

"Other islands...where to buy" depends on what islands you are going to. The Royal has 2 different 10 day itineraries.

 

Prices in St Thomas are generally the same at various stores, but again, it depends on where you are docking as to the variety of shopping places.

[cruiseJMO]

Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, St Kitts, St Thomas

 

Do the ports & on board shop usually have the same size bottles? Or is that the catch to the price match guarantee?

[chrysalis]

The liquor store in the mall at the pier in Barbados has a huge selection.

 

St Kitts has local rum at a couple of stores, and they are easy to fine at the port.

[pusywillow]

The liquor store in the mall at the pier in Barbados has a huge selection.

 

St Kitts has local rum at a couple of stores, and they are easy to fine at the port.

 

The local rum in St. Kitts is great! My favorite was the vanilla.

 

Sue

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

I just though I'd add my experiences in our B2B2B trip this past Dec. I first checked with the liquor store on board if they would honor prices of liquor sold on any island - which they would, either by printed advertizement or a photo. We visited St Thomas on the first leg where I took photo's of the liquor I wanted that was also sold in the on board shops. (check first as they have very limited selections) Princess then honored the same price and included an additional 10% Elite discount. (They also did not question where the picture came from or when it was taken). I was also given the liquor 2 days prior to disembarkation & was told they don't really care at that point about having it delivered on the last day.

I left the ship just prior to the general disembarkation of B2B passengers & proceeded through imaginations with a declaration card and 1 suitcase with my liquor, dirty clothes and other items I no longer needed and put everything in my car.

They didn't ask me any questions & I didn't volunteer any information either.

 

On the next leg I repeated the same procedure. If they had asked me on the first disembarkation about the liquor they might have totaled it up but then again they had no idea that I was in-transit. Had they keep count I would have held myself to the legal limit on subsequent trips.

 

Prior to the last leg I also left the ship but didn't take off any alcohol but just dirty clothes and again handed in a decorations card.

[mmckm]

On our last B2B in Nov. on the ruby, the cruise card had the dates marked the you were disembarking at the end of 2 weeks. In past cruises we have bought a bottle on the last night of first week and they let us take to our cabin. In nov. a friend tried it and they told him after running his card for the purchase that he couldn't take it and would receive his purchases at the end of his B2B. I think they have caught on to this from the many posts on here about it. This was on the ruby.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

On our last B2B in Nov. on the ruby, the cruise card had the dates marked the you were disembarking at the end of 2 weeks. In past cruises we have bought a bottle on the last night of first week and they let us take to our cabin. In nov. a friend tried it and they told him after running his card for the purchase that he couldn't take it and would receive his purchases at the end of his B2B. I think they have caught on to this from the many posts on here about it. This was on the ruby.

 

The cruise cards from the Royal also have your cruise dates printed on the top but it didn't seem to make any difference to them. Perhaps it was the girl at the register who didn't look carefully enough? It's not that I wanted it to drink but I would have been disappointed if I couldn't take the liquor off the ship during the B2B....it made the last day so much easier.