I'm confused about St. Thomas

[twinkletoes4445]

We've not been to St. Thomas before. We're cruising next year, and our ship stops at two other ports prior to St. Thomas. How does the process work concering the passengers getting off the ship at this port? Does everyone report to a certain place at a certain time? Do we need our pasports? To me, this seems like it's going to be a madhouse. Maybe someone who has done this can explain the process for me... :)

[bepsf]

Not exactly sure what you're asking - but I assume you mean US Immigration?

 

If you're stopping at any foreign ports after St Thomas, you wont have US immigration there, but if you're stopping at San Juan, or Key West on your way back, yes you'll go through immigration at St Thomas.

 

All they do is call decks of passengers down to the Queens Lounge to show ID in the morning - that's all. They keep track of who went through by your room card, and they give you a pass that allows you to go off the ship prior to the ship being cleared: they just won't let you back on the ship until it is completely cleared that morning.

 

It's a fairly well organized process - but like anything else, it only gets messed up when folks don't come down when they're supposed to...

[twinkletoes4445]

Thanks. I was picturing in my mind that everyone on the ship had to report somewhere at a specific time. On our last cruise, once we were back in Miami, I can remember them paging the same people over and over and over. I don't know what was going on...but I wished the ones they were looking for would have made an effort to do what they were being asked to do.

 

We stop at Grand Turk, and Tortola prior to stopping at St. Thomas. After St. Thomas, we stop at HMC, then back to FLL.

[arzz]

On the Maasdam at Christmas this year we stopped in both St. Thomas and San Juan, and we had early immigration calls at both ports. It was fairly quick, but also very early and a pain in the xxxxx. Some passengers showed up with their ID, but still in their jammies -- makes sense to me!

[Krazy Kruizers]

On the Vista class ships US citizens will be called to the Queen's Lounge to go through immigration in St Thomas. They start with the lowest decks. Have ready your passport and ship's ID card. It goes very quickly. At the end you will be given a card that shows that you have gone through immigration. When you are ready to leave the ship, you will turn in that card. No one can get back onto the ship until everyone has gone through immigration.

[peaches from georgia]

....If you're stopping at any foreign ports after St Thomas, you wont have US immigration there, but if you're stopping at San Juan, or Key West on your way back, yes you'll go through immigration at St Thomas.

...

It doesn't matter where you are stoppingafter St. Thomas. St. Thomas is a U.S. territory, therefore when you arrive there you are entering the U.S. If you have been in a foreign country before you get to St. Thomas (such as the Bahamas- HMC) you need to go through U.S. immigration in STT.

 

Same with San Juan- it also is considered U.S. territory, so if you are coming into Puerto Rico from a foreign country you go through the Immigration process. However, if SJ is your first port after leaving FL you are entering PR directly from the U.S. so no immigration check. Doesn't matter where you are stopping after PR.

 

The whole purpose is to check who is entering any U.S. port directly from a foreign country.

[grannynurse]

I agree with Peaches and KK. We went through the deck by deck calling for immigration in St. Thomas (coming from St. Maarten). The next day HMC, and then arrived in Port canaveral to disembark. There were many people in jammies and robes, and yes there were stragglers who had to be called and reminded. The process started at 7am.

GN

[twinkletoes4445]

I think I get it...

 

Early in the morning

Might be a pain in the rear

Could wear my pj's

 

But the most important thing is to be there on time! :)

 

Thanks for the help...

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have never seen anyone in pajamas going through immigration and we have done it many, many times.

 

Most people are up and ready to go as they want to get off the ship as soon as possible and get their day started wether it be a HAL tour, an excusrion on their own, or just doing whatever.

[twinkletoes4445]

Well, I probably wouldn't wear my pj's, but we are not early risers. We will most likely be up and going, but not ready to get off the ship. :)

[sail7seas]

One of the fabulous things about Ryndam's 14 day itinerary.....

 

We left Tampa, three days at sea, then San Juan and St. Thomas. Because we left from a U.S. port and did not stop before arriving at those ports, we did not have to do Immigration Inspection.

 

We then went to the other foreign ports and did not have to do any Immigration calls. When we returned to Tampa, we did not have to do anything on the ship and when we went into the Terminal, we claimed our luggage, turned our Customs Forms over to the Official and went on our way so we did not every have our Passports looked at.

[bookworm0911]

We then went to the other foreign ports and did not have to do any Immigration calls. When we returned to Tampa, we did not have to do anything on the ship and when we went into the Terminal, we claimed our luggage, turned our Customs Forms over to the Official and went on our way so we did not every have our Passports looked at.

 

 

:confused: I believe what you're saying, of course, :) but have never heard of not having to at least flash an open passport to an immigration offcial when walking off the ship! What kind of Homeland Security is that? Any stow-away from a foreign country could have walked right into our country. Having a passport no. on a Customs form means nothing if immigration doesn't actually look at a passport. :eek:

[StanandJim]

Bookworm-

 

It works something like this:

 

If the ship leaves the United States at any point during a cruise, it goes through US customs before docking at the next US Port. Therefore, when sailing between US ports, there is no need for customs to be involved.

 

FYI, when you cruise in Europe, which typically involves docking in a new country every other day, the ship holds your passport for the duration of the cruise, and you disembark at each port under a group type visa, somewhat akin to a day pass.

[bookworm0911]

Bookworm-

 

It works something like this:

 

If the ship leaves the United States at any point during a cruise, it goes through US customs before docking at the next US Port. Therefore, when sailing between US ports, there is no need for customs to be involved.

 

sail7seas post was about IMMIGRATION and PASSPORTS, not customs. (You only go through customs to have your luggage checked when you are getting off in the US for good.) I don't think you read her post or mine clearly. I do know the rule. When you enter the US from a foreign port your passport is supposed to be checked to show you have the right to enter the US. She said that AFTER LEAVING ST. THOMAS THEY WENT TO OTHER FOREIGN PORTS. Therefore when entering the US in Tampa after coming directly from a foreign port they should have had to show their passports, but all they did was get their luggage and turn in their Customs Form. They did NOT show their passports and they had come from foreign ports, not directly from a US port. Therefore Immigration should have been involved and was not.

[elmorejj]

So much for our border protection. No wonder we have so many illegal aliens here!.........jean:cool:

[the2ofus]

Seems like showing the Passport at disembarkation is so automatic that Sail7Seas might have just glossed over it without thinking about it. Last November when we disembarked the Volendam in Ft. Lauderdale I had three items in my hand, the ship ID card for one last scan, proving I had exited the ship. Then, somewhere along the way I flashed my passport, finally I handed in my customs form and then I was in the luggage claim area and out the door.

[elmorejj]

Surely you weren`t in the luggage area AFTER you handed in your customs and duty form:cool:

[Cruiseoften]

One of the fabulous things about Ryndam's 14 day itinerary.....

 

We left Tampa, three days at sea, then San Juan and St. Thomas. Because we left from a U.S. port and did not stop before arriving at those ports, we did not have to do Immigration Inspection.

 

We then went to the other foreign ports and did not have to do any Immigration calls. When we returned to Tampa, we did not have to do anything on the ship and when we went into the Terminal, we claimed our luggage, turned our Customs Forms over to the Official and went on our way so we did not every have our Passports looked at.

 

I'm really thinking hard here and am very :confused: - we've (Canadian passport holders) DISEMBARKED (at the end of the cruise) in many ports - Canadian, European, England (UK) and of course the U.S, and can't ever recall NOT having to go through Immigration - the ship has to be CLEARED before anyone is allowed to leave - Is that not the of purpose that 'cattle call' for various nationalities? Customs stuff is a whole different ball game********and I've never seen anyone attend in PJ's! ;)

[peaches from georgia]

... can't ever recall NOT having to go through Immigration -

Nor can I, though US citizens show their passport to an Immigration official as they get off the ship. They give it only a glance, but it is an educated glance for sure. I find it disturbing that a cruise ship or any kind of vessel, plane, or whatever would come in from a foreign port and passports would not be checked. If they are so careful in St. Thomas why in the world would they not check in Tampa?

[StanandJim]

Bookworm-

 

You're right, I should not have used Customs as a universal term for immigration. I apologise.

 

I think I might have figured this out, though:

 

The 14 day Ryndam cruise that S7S originally posted about has its' last port of call in Aruba.

We travel to Aruba annually, and, since they got the new airport up and running (4 or 5 years ago) Aruba has had American Customs/Immigration IN ARUBA.

As Aruba has recently completed their new Cruise Terminal, I'm wondering if the Customs/Immigration service is now available for cruiseships??

[bookworm0911]

I understand what you are saying, but surely someone would have mentioned it if they had to go through U.S. Immigration in Aruba! They still talk about having to line up and do it in STT and that has been going on for years. Instead of going through Immigration upon arriving in Aruba, however, if it was substituting for immigration in Tampa the whole process would have to be done on the ship AFTER everyone was aboard just before they sailed.

 

I just don't think it would work and I KNOW someone would have mentioned going through Immigration in Aruba as the ship sailed! :)

[sail7seas]

sail7seas post was about IMMIGRATION and PASSPORTS, not customs. (You only go through customs to have your luggage checked when you are getting off in the US for good.) I don't think you read her post or mine clearly. I do know the rule. When you enter the US from a foreign port your passport is supposed to be checked to show you have the right to enter the US. She said that AFTER LEAVING ST. THOMAS THEY WENT TO OTHER FOREIGN PORTS. Therefore when entering the US in Tampa after coming directly from a foreign port they should have had to show their passports, but all they did was get their luggage and turn in their Customs Form. They did NOT show their passports and they had come from foreign ports, not directly from a US port. Therefore Immigration should have been involved and was not.

 

 

Bookworm..... You read what I wrote and you have it correct. I wrote exactly what I meant.

 

Yes....we know we should have had to show our Passports upon re-entering the U.S. from our last foreign port (Aruba) but we never showed them. I never took them out of my handbag.

They called our disembarkation number. We went into the Terminal. Got our luggage and proceeded with the porter to pass the Homeland Security Official. We handed him our CUSTOMS DECLARATION. He said Thank you. We went on our way. We never showed our Passports.

 

The only time I showed our Passports in the 14 days on Ryndam was when we checked in at Tampa on Embarkation Day.

 

[elmorejj]

Why on earth would Homeland security be collecting customs forms.....that is solely the job of the Customs & duty dept. Now I am getting really confused......its beginning to sound like "who`s on first"...........jean:cool:

[sail7seas]

Customs and Immigrations Departments are now a part of Homeland Security and have been for some months, I believe.

 

Hard to keep up with all the changes these days, isn't it??