Random Customs Check - Luggage Direct

[djhsolara]

Just off the NA yesterday with Luggage Direct and we had the "pleasure" of being the chosen ones to have our luggage hand-searched. After we had the beep as being checked off the ship, we saw our names highlighted on the list with "POI" written beside them.

 

We've been told by the customs officer that it is random for the Luggage Direct passengers, but this is twice that we've been chosen. He also told us that he's heard from others that they've been chosen before too (and there was another couple with us there that said this was their second time too). What are the odds that the same couple is chosen twice or more?

 

Does anyone have any knowledge or insight into this? What are we doing that makes us POIs and we are the "chosen" for the search? It's not that we were doing anything right away after we got off the ship, but if we had others with us they would have had to stand around outside the terminal to wait and we had to sit in the waiting room for 40 minutes until our luggage arrived (the last time it happened our luggage was sitting there waiting on the table when we got to the inspection room).

[tlund]

Was off the Nieuw Amsterdam on January 10th and the same thing happened to us. This was our second time as well. Happened the last time we cruised on Holland on the Eurodam in March of 2015. I was aggravated that it happened again because we booked an early flight. I kept asking why it has happened to us the last two times we cruised on Holland. They kept saying it was not the cruise line but Customs so they didn't know how they chose people. When we were sat in the room waiting for our luggage, the customs officer started explaining what was happening and we told him we knew since it happened to us last time. He asked us to identify our luggage and let us go right away. It's just really aggravating when they put your card in the box and it buzzes rather loud, then the commotion. Have to wonder what other people waiting to disembark think we did.

[1ANGELCAT]

I was chosen for this last November coming off the Westerdam.

Also do Luggage Direct. They said about checking my luggage,told them I didn't have any because of Luggage Direct.

Got to the inspector and just sat there for a few minutes. Never looked at anything and told me I could go.

Agree it was kind of embarrassing.

 

 

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[djhsolara]

They hand-searched each and every bag...we thought that if they want to go through our dirty underwear, then so be it.

[foodsvcmgr]

We had the same experience disembarking NA yesterday as well and first experienced it leaving OOSTERDAM in November.

 

Don't understand it, don't like it.

[rkacruiser]

I fully understand your unhappiness and discomfort! Something like this happened to me when I flew home from Singapore in October. I was "flagged" by Singapore Customs. Who knows why? They found nothing, but sure made a mess of a neatly packed bag.

 

May I try to add a bit of humor to your thread?

 

1971: New York, Pier 40 disembarking Rotterdam V after a 9 day Caribbean cruise taken by my Mother, my college age brother, and me.

 

Probably because of my brother's age, he was stopped by Customs after Mother and I had gone through and his luggage was given a thorough serach. We had placed all of our dirty clothes in his luggage, keeping the clean clothes in ours. He had nothing but dirty underwear, socks, etc. Mother and I sort of chuckled--silently of course--as we watched his luggage being searched.

 

I don't envy the job, and it is important, that these folks do.

[djhsolara]

We had the same experience disembarking NA yesterday as well and first experienced it leaving OOSTERDAM in November.

 

 

 

Don't understand it, don't like it.

 

 

Were you in the Luggage Direct group? We were probably in the holding room together.

[foodsvcmgr]

Yes, probably passed you in there,

[visagrunt]

Random inspections are a risk management system on the part of Customs. From Customs perspective, though, program integrity requires that random inspections capture both folks clearing their bags and those using luggage forwarding services. (Otherwise you incentivize the use of luggage forwarding services by people trying to smuggle contraband).

 

So, if the Customs algorithm dictates that a certain number of passengers using luggage forwarding be subject to random search, then your odds of secondary screening in that case are going to be higher than the odds for other passengers.

[sail7seas]

Random inspections are a risk management system on the part of Customs. From Customs perspective, though, program integrity requires that random inspections capture both folks clearing their bags and those using luggage forwarding services. (Otherwise you incentivize the use of luggage forwarding services by people trying to smuggle contraband).

 

So, if the Customs algorithm dictates that a certain number of passengers using luggage forwarding be subject to random search, then your odds of secondary screening in that case are going to be higher than the odds for other passengers.

 

Makes sense.

I wonder how many do luggage direct/percentage that are checked?

 

We've never done direct because we always stay over at least one night after our cruise.

 

[hrhdhd]

At least you were able to watch the search. My bags frequently get searched by TSA and I just get a note with a messy bag. I'd rather have the chance to repack.

[DaveOKC]

Makes one think twice about using luggage direct type services. It defeats the purpose to some extent.

 

I wonder if the percent of bags searched is greater if using this? Maybe Customs thinks you are trying to beat the system (I know you are not, but you know the government!).

[visagrunt]

I don't think it defeats the purpose, after all, you still have the advantage of not having the schlep your bags to the airport, through the check-in line and off the caroussel at the other end.

[LUPY48]

I'm slightly confused about this. When using Luggage Direct, aren't your bags taken the night before disembarkation? To be seen again at your home airport? Where would your luggage be if you are unfortunate enough to be 'dinged'?

[RuthC]

I'm slightly confused about this. When using Luggage Direct, aren't your bags taken the night before disembarkation? To be seen again at your home airport? Where would your luggage be if you are unfortunate enough to be 'dinged'?

When I've used Luggage Direct, our luggage was all in a contained area, so it could be transported to the airport easily. Those passengers in using Luggage Direct were the first group off the ship following self-disembark. We were all in the same vicinity as our luggage, and could be called aside to open it, if we were the lucky ones selected for search.

[LUPY48]

Thank you for that very clear explantion Ruth!

[Love the beach]

I don't think it defeats the purpose, after all, you still have the advantage of not having the schlep your bags to the airport, through the check-in line and off the caroussel at the other end.

 

It goes to your home airport not your home so you still have to take it off the carousel.

[visagrunt]

It goes to your home airport not your home so you still have to take it off the carousel.

 

Ah, thanks for the correction.

 

Given that I would have to clear my bags through Canadian customs, anyway, there's never an advantage for me to use these services, so I haven't.

[retafcruiser]

It goes to your home airport not your home so you still have to take it off the carousel.

 

What about the service (don't know what it's called) that does ship directly to your home? Is that luggage also segregated for possible inspection?

[sail7seas]

Isn't that offered only for World Cruise or perhaps Grand Voyages?

[rkacruiser]

Isn't that offered only for World Cruise or perhaps Grand Voyages?

 

Full world cruisers have the opportunity to have 2 bags per person picked up at their home and delivered to their home at no cost.

 

Not sure about other Grand Voyages, however.

[sail7seas]

That's what I thought. I think Neptune/Pinnacle Guests can send even more luggage picked up and delivered.

 

[kjw869]

We were "chosen" a few years back too. Actually, they flagged my 16-year-old granddaughter who was with us on an 11-day cruise on the Noordam. This was her first cruise, and everyone else in the cabin (my DW and I) had their luggage checked.

 

Also, there was a 93-year-old man and his wife also in the room ready to be searched. :eek: We were in the waiting room for over 45 minutes before being called in for the inspection.

 

We had no idea about being flagged until my granddaughter was held up on disembarkation. The agents were personable and the luggage search was about 10 minutes.

Edited February 9, 2016 by kjw869

[serendipity1499]

What about the service (don't know what it's called) that does ship directly to your home? Is that luggage also segregated for possible inspection?

 

Isn't that offered only for World Cruise or perhaps Grand Voyages?

 

Shipping to your home is offered to Grand Voyage Psgrs. as well as World Cruise Psgrs..

 

Customs can still flag both Grand Voyage Psgrs & World cruise Psgrs for inspection..

 

Psgrs who are flagged would be required to gather their luggage for inspection & then have a Porter take it to the HAL truck depot to be shipped to your home..

 

Been there, done that..

[Dave in NJ]

A bit off-topic as it's not related to Luggage Direct, but 3 times I've been subject to a baggage check at airport check-in where you're escorted into a private room and "dump" your suitcase contents on a table for inspection. The common threads in all 3 cases was that I was a single traveler flying on a one-way ticket, fly over, cruise home.