How long does it take.

[rosie posie]

We will be arriving at Seward Alaska at 7:00 am. How long does it take to get your luggage and to go throught customs?

[Thanksforyourinfo]

Post in Alaska boards, they will know.

[kitty9]

Once the ship docks, it has to be cleared by local agents and US Customs and Immigration. Then, all the luggage has to be off-loaded and checked by Customs with their dogs. All non-US citizens must report to Immigration----believe me, that's what takes the longest because for some reason, non citizens don't seem to understand the concept of reporting to the designated area at a specific time. One of the reasons our disembarking has been late so many times is because the non citizens refused to report at the time they were told. After that, they call for disembarking by the color of your luggage tags. This is based on flight times with the earliest flights being called first. Once your color is called, you leave the ship, hunt for your luggage in the terminal, stand in a long line for Customs and then you're ready to leave the area. There's no way of telling you what time you'll be off the ship because of too many intangibles.

[rosie posie]

Thanks for the reply. I guess we will be getting the transfer through the cruise line. We were hoping to take a bus up to anchorage at 10:45 but I guess we better not take a chance.

 

Sue