Europe to US Transatlantics -- what's customs like when arriving in the US?

[brookie848]

We're planning our first transatlantic and trying to figure out the timing of our flight home.

 

We're docking in Miami (on a Sunday). I'm assuming customs is a bit more rigorous in situations like this. We're in the Haven, so we'll have priority, but how much time should we allow? For reference, we've easily walked off with our luggage on "regular" cruises and made flights at FLL before noon with no issues.

 

Thanks!

[cruiseny4life]

Customs? What's that? 

 

We took a Transatlantic from Barcelona to Manhattan back in November and were also in the Haven. We walked off the ship and waved at the agents as we went through the facial identity machine thingies. Ship to Enterprise (car rental) in 15 minutes.

[KeithJenner]

I’ve done two eastbound transatlantic and both involved long queues to get off the ship.

 

On one (New York) I waited before trying to disembark and the queues had died down by then but in Miami the queue went almost totally round an entire deck and then into the terminal.

 

In New York the queues certainly seemed shorter.

 

Like so much, it seems to be something that can vary, but be prepared for it to take a while.

 

I think I have read that sometimes immigration may happen at an earlier port, but can’t say for sure (both my trips were non stop).

 

Edited to add, I’m from the UK so obviously the actual immigration part took longer for me than it would for a US citizen, but that only split out at the end.

Edited April 12 by KeithJenner

[JIMESOPUS]

On our last TA, customs/immigration was done aboard the ship in St Thomas, once we got to Miami we went through facial recognition terminals. 

[brookie848]

41 minutes ago, JIMESOPUS said:

On our last TA, customs/immigration was done aboard the ship in St Thomas, once we got to Miami we went through facial recognition terminals. 

Our last port before Miami is the Azores, so Miami is definitely going to be where we go through the process.

[dexddd]

Our experience in NY was same as cruisen.  No different than any other trip through that port other than less in person now days.

 

You didn't say where you flying to, but last trip to LHR it was also agent less for US citizens.  Stand in long line that moves well, go inside gated spot, scan passport, on your way.

[brookie848]

7 minutes ago, dexddd said:

Our experience in NY was same as cruisen.  No different than any other trip through that port other than less in person now days.

 

You didn't say where you flying to, but last trip to LHR it was also agent less for US citizens.  Stand in long line that moves well, go inside gated spot, scan passport, on your way.

We do plan on flying into LHR. Our next decision will be which NY airport we decide to fly out of -- this will my first trip overseas since moving to NY.

It seems like we should give ourselves a little extra time, but we will hope for the best.

[Russiamomm]

We cruised into Cape Canaveral last December and were in the Haven.  It was a slow process.  At least Port Canaveral does not have facial recognition, at least for transatlantics.  We had later flights and took our time getting off the ship.  While we were escorted off the ship around 8:15, they made everyone wait on the pier for more than a half hour before allowing us into the Customs Hall.  Once we made it in, it went pretty quickly, but still slower than a “normal” closed loop cruise.  I’d estimate it took about an hour from leaving the ship to clearing Customs.

[OBSESSIVEWORLDTRAVELER]

I did a Transatlantic Portugal to NYC. There was a long line for immigration. It took about 30 minutes from when they called my color for the NCL airport transfer to curbside. 

[sicness4x4]

20 hours ago, brookie848 said:

We're planning our first transatlantic and trying to figure out the timing of our flight home.

 

We're docking in Miami (on a Sunday). I'm assuming customs is a bit more rigorous in situations like this. We're in the Haven, so we'll have priority, but how much time should we allow? For reference, we've easily walked off with our luggage on "regular" cruises and made flights at FLL before noon with no issues.

 

Thanks!

In February, we were on the Joy transatlantic from Southampton with approximately 2200-2300 passengers. Without any stops, Miami was our port of entry to the US. We were in the Haven and utilized priority disembarkation a little after 0800. We waited in the customs/immigration line for maybe 30-45 minutes. Our flight was not until 1710, so we got an Uber to our dayroom by MIA and arrived before 0930.

 

In 2015, we did the Escape inaugural transatlantic with Miami as our port of entry to the US. I don't remember the exact times, but I do recall the line was long, as was the wait to go through immigration, taking about 4 hours. I still lived in the US at the time, so my flight was domestic. I made it to FLL around 1400, just over an hour before departure. 

 

We have sailed several transatlantics to the US. When the port of entry is before the final port, disembarkation tends to move quickly. A few TAs into New York with an early arrival, we were able to complete immigration the night before disembarkation. The Escape TA in 2015 was the longest disembarkation we experienced.

[KeithJenner]

23 minutes ago, sicness4x4 said:

In February, we were on the Joy transatlantic from Southampton with approximately 2200-2300 passengers. Without any stops, Miami was our port of entry to the US. We were in the Haven and utilized priority disembarkation a little after 0800. We waited in the customs/immigration line for maybe 30-45 minutes. Our flight was not until 1710, so we got an Uber to our dayroom by MIA and arrived before 0930.

 

In 2015, we did the Escape inaugural transatlantic with Miami as our port of entry to the US. I don't remember the exact times, but I do recall the line was long, as was the wait to go through immigration, taking about 4 hours. I still lived in the US at the time, so my flight was domestic. I made it to FLL around 1400, just over an hour before departure. 

 

We have sailed several transatlantics to the US. When the port of entry is before the final port, disembarkation tends to move quickly. A few TAs into New York with an early arrival, we were able to complete immigration the night before disembarkation. The Escape TA in 2015 was the longest disembarkation we experienced.

The Escape transatlantic in 2015 was the one I was referring to earlier. That queue really was crazy.

[dexddd]

19 hours ago, Russiamomm said:

We cruised into Cape Canaveral last December and were in the Haven.  It was a slow process.  At least Port Canaveral does not have facial recognition, at least for transatlantics.  We had later flights and took our time getting off the ship.  While we were escorted off the ship around 8:15, they made everyone wait on the pier for more than a half hour before allowing us into the Customs Hall.  Once we made it in, it went pretty quickly, but still slower than a “normal” closed loop cruise.  I’d estimate it took about an hour from leaving the ship to clearing Customs.

Maybe TAs vary, but PC definitely has facial recognition as we've done it twice there.

[lepidoptera]

I did one that ended in PC in 2022-we did talk to agents but the line went fast. I was on an excursion to the space center and our bus got there before they opened at 9:00. The excursions were about 3/4 of the way through the bag colors. I don’t feel like it was more involved for the passengers than a normal cruise. I was on a smaller ship RCL Jewel of the Seas, so that may affect disembarkation speed. 

[The Traveling Man]

On 4/12/2024 at 7:32 AM, brookie848 said:

We're planning our first transatlantic and trying to figure out the timing of our flight home.

 

We're docking in Miami (on a Sunday). I'm assuming customs is a bit more rigorous in situations like this. We're in the Haven, so we'll have priority, but how much time should we allow? For reference, we've easily walked off with our luggage on "regular" cruises and made flights at FLL before noon with no issues.

 

Thanks!

We never have sailed into Miami following a trans Atlantic cruise, but we have sailed there after a closed-loop Caribbean trip.  We were on a small ship, the Sky.  Even though we have Global Entry cards, which really speed things up when passing through Customs at airports, it took us more than 90 minutes to get from the ship to the curb.  I would suggest planning for delays during debarkation.

[fredflint]

I have done about 6 TAs but don't  recall one in Miami, firs.t of getting the ship cleared can take a while as the whole crew usually has to go thru immigration.   The start time can be delayed,

I have always walked off with our luggage and have had lines of about 20-30 minutes going thru immigration, customs has been a courtesy at the most.  Do not appear to be in a rush, you are not coming from a known drug country so it should be pretty simple.  If you are going to travel much out of the country get a credit card that offers a decent  sign up bonus and offers global entry, use the card to pay for your cruise and then do the Global Entry Signup, it is so easy when we came back from one cruise I wanted to declare an item but did not even see the customs people/line.

[schmoopie17]

I seem to recall when he disembarked in NY after our TA in 2022, we got our bags, waved at the customs guy, he waved back, and we were on our way. 

[cliffy97]

22 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

The Escape transatlantic in 2015 was the one I was referring to earlier. That queue really was crazy.

Yeah the queues on the ship were crazy on that arrival as I recall. Snaking back to and around the casino.

 

I have found that all ships coming back from an extended period away (or first visit, inaugural) to be a real pain as a full check in completed. 

 

On the Encore Inaugural, we ended up arriving in NYC earlier than scheduled (it ended up being an unplanned overnight as I recall) and we were all required to go through immigration and stay off the ship til they had a 0 count. All of this from a pax perspective was unplanned.

[insidecabin]

Day of the week may make a difference, 

 

We have arrived US on  Sunday and they had 10 agents to work the whole ship,  they like their breaks.
The ship still kicked everyone off into the baggage hall which was packed.

[Andros]

On 4/13/2024 at 3:09 PM, schmoopie17 said:

I seem to recall when he disembarked in NY after our TA in 2022, we got our bags, waved at the customs guy, he waved back, and we were on our way. 

Certainly easier than getting on the airport transfer bus for sure!  😏

[Panhandle Couple]

On 4/12/2024 at 9:16 AM, JIMESOPUS said:

On our last TA, customs/immigration was done aboard the ship in St Thomas, once we got to Miami we went through facial recognition terminals. 

Thanks.

We have one ending in San Juan, but stopping in St. Thomas first.

Any idea which will be the customs point?

[JIMESOPUS]

19 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Thanks.

We have one ending in San Juan, but stopping in St. Thomas first.

Any idea which will be the customs point?

 The first port back in US territorial waters, in your case St. Thomas. Aboard the Viva, there was a location for non-US citizens, an area for the crew, and a location for US citizens. 

[schmoopie17]

9 hours ago, Andros said:

Certainly easier than getting on the airport transfer bus for sure!  😏

That's a fact! What a fiasco...

 

Good to hear from you.