Delayed Disembarkation FLL has this been sorted out

[kruisey]

Last November I was on Emerald Princess to Houston. I was one that had a shopping trip shore excursion booked to a big mall.Others were disembarking. We were so delayed by Customs and Immigration that by the time we got to this huge Mall we only had about 1 hour for shopping before we had to return to the ship:eek:.

Is this a regular occurrence at this port ?

[Mapu]

No. We just got off the Regal.....long lines to go through customs and immigration. Unless you leave the ship as soon as it is cleared (very early) you will experience long lines.

[Mapu]

Disembarkation times have more to do with how many ships are in port at the same time and not who is on the ship as well as the number of customs and immigration staff assigned.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Mapu

[Colo Cruiser]

We were so delayed by Customs and Immigration that by the time we got to this huge Mall we only had about 1 hour for shopping before we had to return to the ship:eek:.

Is this a regular occurrence at this port ?

 

 

I can do a lot of damage to my wallet in an hour. :)

[geoherb]

If an excursion differs substantially in what is promised and what is delivered, ask to get a partial refund. We had to do that with an excursion on the Ruby last year. The people at the excursion desk were not helpful, but I was able to get a partial refund after our cruise.

[kruisey]

If an excursion differs substantially in what is promised and what is delivered, ask to get a partial refund. We had to do that with an excursion on the Ruby last year. The people at the excursion desk were not helpful, but I was able to get a partial refund after our cruise.

 

I did not even think of getting a refund.We were even late again at Houston and only had an hour at the Space Center.

I do think if FLL is regular Princess Excursion folks could adjust timing.

I did manage to buy a good pair of trainers cheap but that took 20 minutes of the time trying on different ones.There was a huge Target there did not have time to look around though. There are so many different styles of clothing for ladies that we do not have in Canada.It was very disappointing .To top it all I bought a coffee in the International Cafe on board while waiting and had to pay Florida sales tax.:eek:

Edited April 15, 2015 by kruisey

[Kenswing]

I did not even think of getting a refund.We were even late again at Houston and only had an hour at the Space Center.

I do think if FLL is regular Princess Excursion folks could adjust timing.

I did manage to buy a good pair of trainers cheap but that took 20 minutes of the time trying on different ones.There was a huge Target there did not have time to look around though. There are so many different styles of clothing for ladies that we do not have in Canada.It was very disappointing .To top it all I bought a coffee in the International Cafe on board while waiting and had to pay Florida sales tax.:eek:

 

We were delayed in FLL in October. It cut into our Everglades tour..

 

Why travel across the continent to shop when you can just take the bus down to the Outlet Mall at Tulalip.. I swear more Canadians shop there than Americans..

Edited April 15, 2015 by Kenswing

[pablo222]

Last November I was on Emerald Princess to Houston. I was one that had a shopping trip shore excursion booked to a big mall.Others were disembarking. We were so delayed by Customs and Immigration that by the time we got to this huge Mall we only had about 1 hour for shopping before we had to return to the ship:eek:.

Is this a regular occurrence at this port ?

 

Transatlantic cruises arriving in the US often have more intense

customs/immigration inspections.

 

I disembarked Ruby on the same day, and had minimal delay.

I went in the 3rd walkoff group, and there were about 30 people

ahead of me in the customs/immigration line, and maybe 6

officers doing inspections. It didn't take very long.

 

I even took a picture of Emerald as it came in.

Edited April 15, 2015 by pablo222

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

FLL is notorious for very slow immigration and customs. We were on expedited disembarkation in March with HAL and there were two immigration agents for US citizens and one for international plus two others just standing around making sarcastic comments. As a US citizen, I was appalled at what was going on. The last several times we have returned in FLL, it has been terrible. If you can't walk off with your luggage, you are likely to see tremendously long lines and waits.

[kruisey]

We were delayed in FLL in October. It cut into our Everglades tour..

 

Why travel across the continent to shop when you can just take the bus down to the Outlet Mall at Tulalip.. I swear more Canadians shop there than Americans..

 

Is that the bus that is advertised going to the Casino down there?

[Kenswing]

Is that the bus that is advertised going to the Casino down there?

 

Probably.. I see lots of buses from Canada parked at the Outlet stores.. Husbands go to the Casino while the wives shop.. LOL

[jagsfan]

We ate a nice breakfast in the dining room on Royal Princess at around 8am, sat in the platinum disembarkation lounge for maybe 20 minutes, max. Walked off when they called our number, found our luggage, through Customs etc., caught our shuttle to Park N Go and drove away at 9:57.

The only bad part was the standing in a long line for Customs.

[Colo Cruiser]

FLL is notorious for very slow immigration and customs. We were on expedited disembarkation in March with HAL and there were two immigration agents for US citizens and one for international plus two others just standing around making sarcastic comments. As a US citizen, I was appalled at what was going on. The last several times we have returned in FLL, it has been terrible. If you can't walk off with your luggage, you are likely to see tremendously long lines and waits.

 

 

Having sailed into and out of Ft Lauderdale more times then I can count we have not experienced what you have.

I will say though LA seems to be worse.

[Dudleydog73]

Last November I was on Emerald Princess to Houston. I was one that had a shopping trip shore excursion booked to a big mall.Others were disembarking. We were so delayed by Customs and Immigration that by the time we got to this huge Mall we only had about 1 hour for shopping before we had to return to the ship:eek:.

Is this a regular occurrence at this port ?

 

kruisey I was on this cruise with you. You realize that the bigger issue affecting us was that the stop in FLL was the first point of entry for the Emerald into the US so EVERY crew member had to disembark along with all of the passengers and process through immigration. This along with the smallish number of port agents caused the backup.

 

I agree it was bad, but I would think that it is not the normal for FLL.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Dudleydog73

[kruisey]

kruisey I was on this cruise with you. You realize that the bigger issue affecting us was that the stop in FLL was the first point of entry for the Emerald into the US so EVERY crew member had to disembark along with all of the passengers and process through immigration. This along with the smallish number of port agents caused the backup.

 

I agree it was bad, but I would think that it is not the normal for FLL.

 

Apart from that I thought we had a great trip beautiful warm weather after we left UK even in France and very calm seas. All the Ports of Call .I just loved sitting out on the promenade deck in the afternoons relaxing ,relaxing more ,nodding off :)

P.S.Our great CD Kelvin Joy.

Edited April 15, 2015 by kruisey

[pablo222]

kruisey I was on this cruise with you. You realize that the bigger issue affecting us was that the stop in FLL was the first point of entry for the Emerald into the US so EVERY crew member had to disembark along with all of the passengers and process through immigration.

 

I agree about the ending TA being the cause.

 

Any crew immigration inspection is after passengers. Crew

just has to wait.

[Dudleydog73]

I agree about the ending TA being the cause.

 

Any crew immigration inspection is after passengers. Crew

just has to wait.

 

That was absolutely not the case in this instance. The crew were queued up with several designated lines during the same time passengers were going through immigration. It really was not very well planned from I heard.

 

What didnt help as well were the constant "breaks" of the immigration agents who would just shut down their lanes and leave.

 

Some crew even had to get out of line and take care of a USCG drill and then get back in the immigration line to get processed. Way too much going on all at once.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Dudleydog73

[Colo Cruiser]

That was absolutely not the case in this instance. The crew were queued up with several designated lines during the same time passengers were going through immigration. It really was not very well planned from I heard.

 

What didnt help as well were the constant "breaks" of the immigration agents who would just shut down their lanes and leave.

 

Some crew even had to get out of line and take care of a USCG drill and then get back in the immigration line to get processed. Way too much going on all at once.

 

 

I agree, have seen this in Ft Lauderdale and LA.

[kruisey]

I agree, have seen this in Ft Lauderdale and LA.

 

I heard the crew were lining up just after five AM according to the head Waiter in the dining room at early breakfast that day in FLL.

Maybe Customs and Immigration were just on a Go Slow about something that morning;) I was boiling because I had heard so much about this Mall we were visiting in FLL

.Never mind I thought the Casino was the only place in Tulalip WN I know differently now and might make a trip sometime......If our dollar begins to climb again......

[boating girl]

I did not even think of getting a refund.We were even late again at Houston and only had an hour at the Space Center.

I do think if FLL is regular Princess Excursion folks could adjust timing.

I did manage to buy a good pair of trainers cheap but that took 20 minutes of the time trying on different ones.There was a huge Target there did not have time to look around though. There are so many different styles of clothing for ladies that we do not have in Canada.It was very disappointing .To top it all I bought a coffee in the International Cafe on board while waiting and had to pay Florida sales tax.:eek:

 

OMG. Did that tax of 20 or 30 cents really matter?

[pablo222]

That was absolutely not the case in this instance. The crew were queued up with several designated lines during the same time passengers were going through immigration. It really was not very well planned from I heard..

 

Thanks for the information.

[comcox]

How well does Princess get it's airport transfer folk off early? In October I'm arriving at FLL on the Emerald from a transatlantic and I have an 11:50 am flight (Princess agent said that time was fine). I signed up for Princess's transfer to the FLL airport thinking that would expedite my disembarkation but perhaps not?

[kruisey]

How well does Princess get it's airport transfer folk off early? In October I'm arriving at FLL on the Emerald from a transatlantic and I have an 11:50 am flight (Princess agent said that time was fine). I signed up for Princess's transfer to the FLL airport thinking that would expedite my disembarkation but perhaps not?

Its OK with Princess.

With being the first Port of Call from Transatlantic it is up to Customs and Immigration.......In my case last November very dicey

[pablo222]

How well does Princess get it's airport transfer folk off early? In October I'm arriving at FLL on the Emerald from a transatlantic and I have an 11:50 am flight (Princess agent said that time was fine). I signed up for Princess's transfer to the FLL airport thinking that would expedite my disembarkation but perhaps not?

 

In Ft. Lauderdale, the princess transfers can be a poor value.

 

Cab fare is $15 - $18 to FLL.

 

Usually, there are plenty of cabs available. However,

if there are a lot of ships in port, and you are at berth

21, there can be a big line. 3 weeks ago, the cab line

there was about an hour; and there were 2 deputies

keeping order.

 

If you are arriving on a weekday, I would use a cab.

[johnandlinda]

Early December when we got off Carnival Freedom there were only 3-4 Customs agents working for 2700 passengers so the line was very long and very slow moving and we were zone 1 off! The line filled the baggage pickup area.