When traveling abroad, do you lie on your customs slips?

[HahvadYaad]

And don't be shy.

 

I never lie -- I always have my reciepts with me on the plane and sadly, I itemize everything mostly because I rarely spend more than $400 on souveniers, including the $8 t-shirt.

 

With mad cow, SARS, and other airborne illnesses, diseases, do you lie about being on a farm or in a quarantined area so that customs officials will just wave you through instead of halting the line and making you take off your shoes and open your luggage to check your shoes while showing everyone your dirty drawers which you put in a hotel or ship drycleaning bag that you didn't use in the hotel or ship?

 

Sadly, in AU/NZ, I was probably the only idiot who wrote that I had visited sheep and kangaroo farm tours (through Princess) before the search official made me open my luggage to check the soles of ALL my shoes.

 

And everyone, including the old man who I saw hold and kiss a koala bear at Bonorong National Zoo, where wallabes were free to hop around and sleep in their own excrement, waltzed through the line.

 

Like George Washington, I cannot tell a lie.

[randolph]

Never. Just never have the 3 ct. diamond mounted.

[dosi]

On our last trip I claimed a half a bottle of Stoli and a half a bottle of Crown Royal. I got a big ole smile from the customs agent. :D

[PescadoAmarillo]

We've never lied, but it's never been an issue. We spend $100 tops on purchases outside the US when we cruise.

[relevart]

All of my purchases come in under the limit no matter what!

[prophotogirl]

Nope not Me. :cool: :rolleyes:

"Sir, I bought that ring a couple of months ago on another cruise and claimed it then."

[CharlesDC]

Always tell the truth....no matter what.

 

Can you believe my duty free rolex say's it's 12:48?:D

[Genessa]

I'm not a liar b nature, so I've never lied on a customs form. Then again, I've never gone over the limit, either.

[MichTraveler]

Don't lie to customs, but have never exceeded the duty limit either. In fact, when get got off our W.Caribbean cruise last March and declared zero -- the agent quized us: No booze? Nope, don't drink. No cigarettes? Nope, don't smoke. No T-shirts atleast? Nope, got too many from everywhere else. Got some photos on our cameras, several pounds of weight on our bodies, and wonderful memories, but no physical stuff to declare.

[prophotogirl]

Got some photos on our cameras, several pounds of weight on our bodies, and wonderful memories, but no physical stuff to declare.

Oh that's a good one! :)

[Ziggy7]

Nope didnt lie, didnt need to but wouldnt have lied anyway :)

[cruise182]

Funny you ask......on our last cruise my 10year old was with me when I was filling it out. She asked why I was putting everything I bought down on the form. I told her they asked and used the opportunity to teach her about duty and customs. She said they won't know the difference so why do it. I said they may not know but I would and I could not hold my head up proudly by knowingly doing something illegal. She smiled and gave me a hug and I know she was proud of me and hopefully she will take some of these lessons with her as she grows to be a polite honest adult. Then I hope one day I will walk her down the isle proudly as her father.

Now can someone tell me how to get the keg of beer in my suitcase?? Just kidding!

[Ethel5]

Funny you ask......on our last cruise my 10year old was with me when I was filling it out. She asked why I was putting everything I bought down on the form. I told her they asked and used the opportunity to teach her about duty and customs. She said they won't know the difference so why do it. I said they may not know but I would and I could not hold my head up proudly by knowingly doing something illegal. She smiled and gave me a hug and I know she was proud of me and hopefully she will take some of these lessons with her as she grows to be a polite honest adult. Then I hope one day I will walk her down the isle proudly as her father.

Now can someone tell me how to get the keg of beer in my suitcase?? Just kidding!

 

What a great thing to teach you kid! I'm so proud of you!

 

There are too many parents who are teaching their kids to trample on the rights of others and the "me first" attitude.

 

Thanks for being a good Dad.

[mariapd719]

"Um no sir what liquor??? Oh these ...well I only have 5 (in this suitcase ;) ) and I got them from St Thomas (not St Maarten ;) )...Yup only 1 carton of cigarettes ...oh you mean if you open the cartons and spread them around your luggage they are still a carton even though they are not IN a carton:rolleyes: .

 

Oh this bracelet ...thats from Kays jewelers at the mall...you Know they only carry the finest at Kays and what deals they have also"

 

Nope I never lie. The government doesnt make enough money off me in taxes and surcharges and they've never lied to me so why should I lie to them :D

 

Ive never seen a man as nervous as my ex in that line on our last cruise :p

[kryos]

Never. Just never have the 3 ct. diamond mounted.

That's the smart way to do it ... then it doesn't have to be declared. I was shocked when the port shopping ambassador told us that little "technicality" ... that an unmounted diamond was simply considered a rock ... and didn't have to be declared.

 

I guess in some respects I "lie" too. I always try to bring about three cartons of duty-free cigarettes back. I spread them out over different pieces of luggage and figure I'll just take my chances losing some of them if Customs decides to open my bags.

 

So far, I've been lucky.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[tpmartin]

Are you kidding me Lie.

I never bought that Camera in St. Martin, nor all of the Emeralds and Diamonds my wife was wearing on a cruise. I always buy everything in the States since I do not have to declare them when I leave to US customs how the heck are they going to know what I reaally came on the cruise with.

[wizfourfam]

If you "forgot" where you purchased some items....and are found out, what are the penalties, besides paying the duty or confiscation of the item?

 

I guess I don't understand the need to lie, maybe it's because I don't buy anything more than t-shirts and trinkets! LOL

[Cybercsp]

Although we did not stop at St. Thomas on our last cruise, we still bought LOTS of liquor and dutifully (pun intended) declared it to the customs agent, who smiled at us and waved us on our way :) A pleasant surprise.....

[sprinkles]

WELLLL,

 

Our very first cruise, we were completely honest and filled everything out to the T, we listed a dollar amount that was almost as high as our combined allowance for St. Thomas, although sadly we had bought everything in St. Martin and did not understand the difference. While everyone else sauntered through customs, we were sent to "the table". I guess we were lucky to have a "nice" agent, as we did not get searched (we had listed everything, so why bother). But since the jewelry purchases had been over our St. Martin limit we were told we had to pay $74.00 before we could leave San Juan (we had no clue as to how he came up with that number). Funny thing was, we had about $50 cash to our name and their credit card machine was broken. Luckily I had my checkbook with me (I had almost left it at home).

 

Once we got on the bus to the airport, all our new "experienced" cruiser friends were laughing at us. The agreed upon consensus was that you always list a couple of hundred dollars worth of misc. souveniers and leave it at that. I "think" (wink) I also heard something about if you buy jewelry, leave the box behind and have the receipt mailed home.

 

We have never had to go to the table again, and have also been waived on when we exceeded our alcohol limit and declared it.

 

Not sure, what exactly happens to you if you get caught, not declaring. I have heard stories that the Customs agents can tell when something is brand new (huh, I bought that last time?).

 

Tammy

[iluvcruzin]

On my recent cruise, our ship was late coming in. As a result, the agents didn't ask anything because people were leaving and arriving at the same time. It was a matter of handing your slip over and keep on walking. Have I lied? I may have forgot to put something down. I don't purchase much for souvineers and lugging liquor home isn't much of a thrill.

[cyndepet]

On our cruise last month, my mom went over the limit. We weren't going to declare anything, except the night before, the cruise line put a note in our mailbox that since we had exceeded the duty limit, we would need to report to the customs agents the next morning. Huh???? Why do the cruise lines police this stuff? Anyway, I guess my mom's combined purchases in the gift shops on board exceeded the $600 limit for the cruise. So, the next morning, we met with the customs agents, who very nicely stamped our forms without charging any duty. (He also let me slide with the extra bottles of liquor I purchased).

[Eddie4Paws]

If I'm not mistaken, aren't you supposed to bring receipts for everything you bring with you (jewelry, cameras, perfume), so that you can document that you had purchased these items prior to the cruise? Whoa...need a whole suitcase just for the reciepts. :D

 

For some reason, on my last cruise, I had listed zero on my customs slip..erroneously thinking that if I was under the limit, I didn't need to list anything. (memory loss is a terrible thing!) The agent looked at my customs slip, asked me if I had purchased anything and I said I did. She told me that I had to list everything I had brought back, and asked me what I had. I showed her the beautiful new bracelet on my wrist, and held up my liquor carton. She smiled and waved me through. I'll remember this time. I'm not looking to leave the ship and then be stressed out that fearing that I'll be busted. :eek: