Tips for taking jewelry along and Customs?

[seafun]

Hi folks --

I have a question for you ladies, and maybe some gentlemen, about taking jewelry on a cruise. Obviously, pack it in the carry on, but as far as coming back through customs....

Let me humbly add that the famous "search" function did not help me in looking for answers... :o

Do you photograph it, list it somehow and have that list notarized, register it somehow, or is there some easy way to deal with customs to show what you brought with you?

I think I saw something a while back about pre-registering it with Customs, but that seems like a hassle, and I have no idea how to do it.

Certainly some of you must have some great suggestions -- and I thank you in advance for sharing them! :D

[6rugrats]

I have never had a problem taking my jewelry anywhere. I just pack it in my carry-on and that's it.

 

No one has asked anything.

[marle7]

All of my good jewellry is separately insured on my house insurance policy. Each item is listed. I just take a copy of the page with the relevant jewellry on it, with me.

[cruz chic]

Same with me...no problems and I bring stuff to match every outfit:o . That said I usually don't take the expensive stuff with me:D .

[Benita]

I have scanned the receipts from the jewelry I bring with me onto a few pages and travel with a copy. Nobody has ever asked to see it, but you never know.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have had no problems with taking jewelry with me on a cruise -- not even with flying.

If they really look close -- I am certain that they will see some dings in the various pieces and know that it wasn't bought while out of the country or on a cruise.

[coldinreno]

We have appraisals of all expensive jewellery items & take dated copies with us. This is proof positive that the items were not bought on that particular trip. Additionally we have also furnished our Homeowners Insurance company with copies.

[jtl513]

I have heard a story about a man who was forced to pay duty on a Rolex that he owned before leaving the country.

 

If you don't have receipts or other proof-of-ownership, I suggest you lay out all the jewelry that you're taking on a copy of tonight's newspaper with the headline about the passge of the bank bail-out bill, and take a few pictures. That should be enough to convince a doubting customs agent. :D

[pipedreams62]

My Jewelry is safe

 

 

[sapper1]

I have a customs registration slip for my watch, camera and laptop. You can register anything with a serial number. I just took the items into our local office and got the card. For my jewellry, I just take along the sales receipts.

[RedmondCruiser]

We have never been asked about jewelry by customs, but incase they ever do I always take a copy of my homeowners jewelry floater declaration sheet. That shows that we owned the jewelry before leaving home. --- You never know when an official decides to get picky.

[RuthC]

I always take all my good jewelry with me, and I've never given it a second thought that I might have to prove I owned it prior to the cruise.

I suppose if pressed, I could pull out the outfits it coordinates with. :rolleyes:

[Tampa Girl]

Besides, how many men do you know who want to rummage through a woman's handbag??

[pms4104]

As for the jewelry ... can't imagine an issue unless at disembark one wears a few to several large and showy pieces.

[twinkletoes4445]

I carry copies the sales receipts, but have never been asked any questions about any of my jewelry.

[Krazy Kruizers]

There is no way I could take the sales receipts for my jewelry -- many pieces were bought 50 or more years ago!!! Not many of us keep sales receipts that many years.

And no way am I going to carry all the various appraisals for insurance.

[cruz chic]

I suppose if pressed, I could pull out the outfits it coordinates with. :rolleyes:

Ouch...I got slammed:D .

[CowPrincess]

I just checked Canada Border Services' website, and it doesn't say anything about "coordinating outfits" :D Just "appraisals" :D And the last time I checked, appraisals were prohibitively expensive. I could buy another piece of jewelry for what the appraiser wants to charge me!

[mamaofami]

Honestly, I've never given it a second thought. I don't have appraisals for everything, don't have insurance on everything, and don't have receipts since many items were bought a while ago. I've have never had a problem.

[Charliesmom]

I always take a copy of the listing from my insurance policy.

 

I also noticed on one cruise that we were on that the customs agent had a list of everyone who had bought jewelry on board the ship. I do not know if they also have a list of everyone who bought expensive jewelry while on land, but they might.

 

If you do buy jewelry, be smart and declare it.

 

Roberta

[ger_77]

I always bring my good and costume jewelry in a cloth jewelry roll in my carry-on. I've never been asked to prove that we had not purchsed any of it on our trips, but I did have one security agent ask to go through the roll and let me tell you, I watched every piece she handled. I wasn't about to let any of it (expensive or not) be left behind. I always bring way more jewelry than I wear, but I like to have a choice. Any time we've purchased something onboard or on shore, we always declare it; it's just not worth the hassle to do otherwise.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[RuthC]

I don't know if it's still true (or ever was, for that matter), but it used to be said that HAL turned over to US Customs an invoice of what had been charged on board, to match against what was declared.

This would only be in the case of a ship disembarking in the US, of course.

Usually jewelry someone has had a while does not look new. It's fair to expect that women have jewelry, that they wouldn't have receipts since pieces could easily have been gifts, or may have been inherited.

Oh, and loose stones don't incur a Customs duty; set pieces do.

[PathfinderEss]

I take all my good jewelry with me, either in carry on's or wearing it, I've never boughten any proof I own it, never had any trouble with custom or anyone else, leaving or entering the country.

[Essiesmom]

The ship will give a list to customs of everyone who has spent more than their duty free allowance in the shops onboard. When we returned on the Star Princess, they slipped a notice under our door that we were to report to a certain place with our purchases. We definitely were over our limit, as we had purchased pearls in Hong Kong, but they were unstrung when purchased, which counts as duty free, but the shop had strung them for us. But the agents were very nice and didn't charge us anything. I have been in the line at the airport and had a customs agent ask another person how long they had had their Rolex. They never ask about mine...after 25 years, it t's face is so battered they don't need to. EM

[FoxyTerrier]

I have heard a story about a man who was forced to pay duty on a Rolex that he owned before leaving the country.

 

If you don't have receipts or other proof-of-ownership, I suggest you lay out all the jewelry that you're taking on a copy of tonight's newspaper with the headline about the passge of the bank bail-out bill, and take a few pictures. That should be enough to convince a doubting customs agent. :D

 

I don't think that would fly with customs.

 

Example: I'm crusing in 2 weeks and I'll bring a copy of the Washington post dated 10/3/2008 w/ headlines of the Palin v. Biden debate with me. While in port I buy thousands of dollars on diamand, pearls and rolexes. After I get back on board the Oosterdam, I open the newpaper, layout my new goodies and snap a few pics. I take my flash drive to the photo shop and have them print the pics. I've now scammed the customs officiers.