Clearing Customs in Boston NCL Dawn

[CAKNH]

Hi all,

 

We just came back from our Boston-Bermuda cruise on the Dawn. This was our first cruise out of our home port! While in port in Bermuda we bought some jewelry that cost significantly more than our duty free allowance.

 

I also bought duty free cartons of cigarettes, as I always do, in the ship’s store. I always buy one carton per family member traveling with me, and make sure each person declares his or her allowed carton.

 

I’m a very honest person, and just a general rule-follower. I always declare what I have purchased. I was burned once, 20+ years ago, flying back solo to Boston Logan from Gatwick. The cashier in the duty free at Gatwick told me I’d get a better deal buying two cartons, and that I’d have no problem declaring both and paying the small duty. Nope! They actually confiscated my second carton because I declared it. Never again, I said to myself.

 

Onboard the Dawn, the cashier in the shop stopped me when I tried to purchase my two cartons (it was just the two of us traveling this time). She talked me into buying four, as they had a sale (4 for $105, I believe). I explained that four was over our allowance, and she laughed and told me not to worry. I would just have to declare them and pay about $3 duty per carton over the allowance.

 

I figured that even if they confiscated two of the cartons, or demanded us to pay more in duty than $3 a carton, it would still be a bargain. I could also complain to NCL if their rep had flat out lied to me. It was worth a shot.

 

We disembarked in Boston (had put our bags out the night before with the cartons; our overnight bags are too small). I had the jewelry in my little bag and all receipts. Someone in a uniform (not NCL) looked at our passports and cruise cards on the way out.

 

We found our luggage, and noticed that the sidewalk where ground transportation is was just adjacent to the luggage area. Rule follower that I am, I flagged down one of the NCL reps who was directing passengers to their bags. I asked her where we should go to clear customs. She just laughed and said, “Honey, you’re all set! I hope you had fun! You have your bags, so are you looking for a taxi or for the bus?”

 

Is this normal procedure for the port in Boston? If no one cares about limits, I’ll happily buy more next time. Has anyone bought more than the official limit and had to fill out a customs card? If so, what was the duty charged?

[hladygirl]

Boston has the easiest customs ever. There is usually a person grabbing the custom cards at the end of the gangway and that is it. Never brought more home than allowed but could have easily.

[CAKNH]

Boston has the easiest customs ever. There is usually a person grabbing the custom cards at the end of the gangway and that is it. Never brought more home than allowed but could have easily.

 

Thanks! Good to know! Like I said, I like to follow rules in general, but if no one cares?

 

It was definitely the easiest customs ever. I’m a newer cruiser, but I’ve traveled extensively by plane since the early 80s, and I was shocked.

[df5250]

I too had a bad customs experience many years ago bringing back a case of beer and declaring it from Canada while driving home from a white water rafting trip. The duty ended up costing me three times what the Molson would have cost at home. I too am a rules follower, but I fudge the declarations a little now... I put the accurate price, but don't specify the number of cartons of butts or bottles of rum. Jewelry, well.. this site is anonymous, right!?!.... I'm of the don't ask don't tell opinion when it comes to jewelry... and Cuban cigars!! Thank you for confirming the info about returning to Boston is still the same!

[CAKNH]

I too had a bad customs experience many years ago bringing back a case of beer and declaring it from Canada while driving home from a white water rafting trip. The duty ended up costing me three times what the Molson would have cost at home. I too am a rules follower, but I fudge the declarations a little now... I put the accurate price, but don't specify the number of cartons of butts or bottles of rum. Jewelry, well.. this site is anonymous, right!?!.... I'm of the don't ask don't tell opinion when it comes to jewelry... and Cuban cigars!! Thank you for confirming the info about returning to Boston is still the same!

 

Glad to be of service! Yeah, I was shocked, especially with my earlier bad experience. Forgot to say, my partner also had Cubans! We very carefully bought just the right amount to take back home, from the Churchill’s stand in port that was recommend by the shopping guides.

 

Did anyone have a bad experience going through customs in Boston?

[maxshadoe]

We were on the early June sailing this year, no custom cards were required at all. Show paaport and swipe ship card

[rdmurray]

Yup Boston is that breezy. There's not much you can get on the ship that can't be bought cheaper 45 min away in NH.

[Heronymous]

I purchase 8 bottles of liquor on my last cruise from NY knowing I'd have to pay taxes when I return on 6 of them. Customs had an attitude at first when they read my declaration saying "you know you're only allowed 2 bottles right?"

I responded "I know I have to pay the tax on the others which is why I made sure to declare them, they're gifts for my coworkers"

 

He suddenly became nice, thanked me for being honest since most people aren't according to him, and told me to go ahead and isn't going to charge me the extra duty. I was amazed and delighted, he made my day.

 

Milage will vary, but I prefer honesty over lying and getting caught.

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[DaisyGoldberg]

Sailed the dawn a couple of weeks ago -- concierge told us that foreign nationals and people with more than $800 in declarations had to be cleared by customs -- everybody else just needed their passport/keycard to disembark. Also, that NOBODY would get off the ship until they had cleared all the people that were on the list.

 

And sure enough, they were calling names for a short while before the all clear.

 

If you bought more than $800 in goods on board you probably should have been on their list, but maybe divided by members of your party it did not amount to that much ?

[CAKNH]

Sailed the dawn a couple of weeks ago -- concierge told us that foreign nationals and people with more than $800 in declarations had to be cleared by customs -- everybody else just needed their passport/keycard to disembark. Also, that NOBODY would get off the ship until they had cleared all the people that were on the list.

 

And sure enough, they were calling names for a short while before the all clear.

 

If you bought more than $800 in goods on board you probably should have been on their list, but maybe divided by members of your party it did not amount to that much ?

 

Most of what we bought was in port, and the bulk of that was jewelry at Diamonds International that had to be altered to fit my tiny bird bones (yay for me; got a pair of earrings made from extra stones from a too-big bracelet). Our port shopping guide delivered all of the pieces to us onboard after they were altered. She had access to our invoice, and she knew exactly what we had bought because we showed her in the shop. We were never called to clear customs. Just adding this in case someone else is in the same situation. If customs doesn’t care, I guess I won’t worry! 😆