Customs - regarding flight home

[Wicket1]

Leaving from Miami on a 2 week cruise to various Caribbean islands. Will we have to go through customs when we return to Miami? Curious only because I'm trying to book a return flight home and wondering how much time to give ourselves.

[cruisestitch]

Yes you go through Customs and Immigration formalities in Miami on arriving there after the cruise.

[sptrout]

Yes, you have to go through Customs and more importantly (time wise) Immigration. Neither of these take any time once you get to the checkpoint. The main time used is the time required to get to the checkpoints, which can vary depending how you disembark.

[easyboy]

It won't be a problem if your flight is noon at the earliest.

 

 

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[lola2013]

We found Miami to be the easiest & quickest port with regard to customs & immigration...finding the luggage was also a snap. Much prefer that to Ft. Lauderdale.

[Cruise Raider]

Leaving from Miami on a 2 week cruise to various Caribbean islands. Will we have to go through customs when we return to Miami? Curious only because I'm trying to book a return flight home and wondering how much time to give ourselves.

 

You should be fine booking anything after noon. But, I think the cruiseline will give you a recommendation and I think that if you are flying out of MIA, I think the earliest flight they suggest you book is actually 11:30 AM. If flying out of FLL, I think the suggested time is after 2 PM.

[Wicket1]

Thank you all for your responses.

[tanzania2015]

Does the Port of Miami have Gobal Entry?

 

 

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[Luvcrusn]

I have two suggestions to speed the process. The first is use Luggage Valet if possible. It is $25 per person plus any applicable airline luggage fee. You apply for it once on board (ask for the form if you don't see it in the first few days.) You must be flying within the US and on certain air carriers and your flights must be after 12:00PM if flying out of MIA to qualify. (It's also available in FLL and Seattle and if you disembark in FLL or MIA but fly from the other you just need a later departure time) You will get special luggage tags to put on your luggage on the last night of the cruise. Once you put your bag out, you will see it again at the carousel at your home airport, so you'll not have to claim your bags. You proceed directly to immigration with just your carry-on. You will also get your airline boarding pass before you disembark, so once at the airport there is no need to check bags. Instead, you go directly to security.

 

The second suggestion is to use the Mobile Passport App. It replaces the blue customs declaration form. While on board you fill out all the passport and purchase declaration info for yourself and your family members. Once in the terminal, you click send. You will receive a code which is valid for a limited time (I don't remember how long). You proceed to the customs/immigration and show the agent your code. Since you don't have your luggage any longer (it's already been processed through the Luggage Valet program) it's really quick and painless. There is generally a separate line for Mobile Passport. The app is free and available for iPhone and Android in the app stores for each and offered by US Government Customs and Border Patrol.

[alcpa1]

Another couple of thoughts....

When are you sailing? This does matter.

You WILL be delayed in customs if you have exceeded your allowance or are returning will banned items. Add an extra 20 minutes or so if you have a simple duty payment.

Are you flying out of MIA or FLL?

The slowest form of transportation between the port and either airport is the cruise line transfer bus.

The simplest answer is to follow the guidelines of the cruise line if you are unfamiliar with the disembarkation process.

Have a great cruise!

[Hlitner]

Does the Port of Miami have Gobal Entry?

 

 

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Kind of! :). At least they did last December...but it was not publicized and the signs were small, When we got off the Eclipse (mid-December) we noticed a small overhanging sign for Global Entry....but there did not seem to be any line or even a place for a line. So we asked one of the Port Security folks "where do you go if you have Global Entry" and she told us to follow her. She then walked us to the front of the very long line and escorted us directly into the front where we were quickly cleared. She did ask to see our Global Entry ID cards. I figure it saved us about 30-40 min of waiting in the long immigration line.

 

Customs is seldom an issue at Florida ports. Once you clear immigration/Passport control....you get your luggage and then head to the exit. There is sometimes a relatively fast moving Customs line....and other times no line...with a CBP officer collecting the paper forms. But now there are alternatives to the Paper forms....so suspect its even faster.

 

Hank

[tanzania2015]

Kind of! :). At least they did last December...but it was not publicized and the signs were small, When we got off the Eclipse (mid-December) we noticed a small overhanging sign for Global Entry....but there did not seem to be any line or even a place for a line. So we asked one of the Port Security folks "where do you go if you have Global Entry" and she told us to follow her. She then walked us to the front of the very long line and escorted us directly into the front where we were quickly cleared. She did ask to see our Global Entry ID cards. I figure it saved us about 30-40 min of waiting in the long immigration line.

 

Customs is seldom an issue at Florida ports. Once you clear immigration/Passport control....you get your luggage and then head to the exit. There is sometimes a relatively fast moving Customs line....and other times no line...with a CBP officer collecting the paper forms. But now there are alternatives to the Paper forms....so suspect its even faster.

 

Hank

 

 

 

Thank you for the information.

 

 

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[awhfy]

Luggage Valet is wonderful but only for domestic flights with specific times (MIA 1200, FLL 1400)

 

 

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[Alakegirl]

Thats not correct. Some in ternational flights are included this year.

[Purplsmurf]

Just returned from the Equinox earlier this week. From the time we got off the ship to our van to the airport was 14 mns. Didn't fill out any kind of customs paperwork. We got our luggage, they looked at our passport and off we went. Easiest experience we have ever had.