(4/20 cruise observations) Immigration wake-up on wednesday....

[wovenwonder]

On Wednesday - St.Thomas morning - everyone on the ship had to pass thru immigrations. Those who had morning excursions scheduled were to report at 6:30 in the morning with their Birth Certificate's for everyone plus picture ID for adults in tow. Everyone else could report anytime between 7am-9am. I reported to the Walt Disney Theatre around 8am or so.... and it was a real joke! I walked to the stage area of the theatre and proceeded to unfold my Birth certificate and get out my license. The immigrations rep asked me if I was a US Citizen and I ofcourse said 'Yes".... she said okay, go get your hand stamped over there.... I did not even have my BC unfolded yet!!!!! It was a total waste of time!!

Same with having you picture ID available when leaving the ship at all ports including Castaway Cay --- no one even once asked to see my picture ID.... I had it out and available, but no one asked to see it. We were asked to show our KTTWC in St. Maarten before they would even let us return to the area where the ships were parked.

I do not have any problem with the new security and immigrations procedures --- if they would be done correctly. As they are done now -- it does not have any benefit.

 

[tecdavidt]

Now you understand why on our March 16th cruise my husband and myself were so upset. If they really did look at each ID that would be one thing but they don't. It is fake security. Kathy

 

[Dodie]

From my 4/20 Magic Cruise trip report regarding this little adventure:

Purely venting:This was the morning where we all had to report to the Walt Disney Theater at the ungodly hour of 6:30 a.m. (or was it 6:15? I’ve obviously tried to block it from my memory.) I will add my two-cents to everyone else’s about the ridiculousness of this little adventure. I am all for increased security and understand the need to be cautious. I tried to remain open minded about awakening at 5:45 a.m., dressing, and stumbling down to the theater. I would have been supportive of the entire process if it had been worthwhile, but it was kind of a joke. They herded you all into the theater, appeasing you with juice, coffee and pastries, and made you sit in rows until the immigration folks showed up. All the while, classic Disney cartoons were playing on screens above – at least that part was okay. Once immigration arrived, they funneled you through a line past an immigration officer according to your row of arrival (early arrivers in the front). The immigration person barely (if even) looked at your photo ID and passport or birth certificate as you walked by. Then you got your hand stamped with some invisible ink. For THIS I got up at the crack of dawn on my vacation?!!!

 

[Señor Ferrari]

Interesting. When we cruised in December, the Immigration officer took a good look at our passports. The officer even noticed that my birthday was the day before and wished me happy birthday.

That said, I don't think this whole exercise does a heck of a lot for security, even if they are taking a good look at your documentation. It sounds like the Immigration officials are starting to feel the same way.

 

[KMovies]

I haven't had to deal with this one - my 7 day cruise was before 9/11. I even heard that they stopped this for a cruise or two, but all of a sudden, it was back on. Anyways, it must be like customs when you return. They collect most peoples forms and don't even bat an eye. It is just the randomness of the checks. They only stop a few people, and let most people go through. Maybe it is that way with this whole ordeal as well. They take 90% of the people's word for it and just randomly check the other 10%. It is stupid, I agree. Wonder how long the process would take if they did stop and take the time to examine everyone's documents?

 

[din]

That is interesting!!!

Never been on a 7 day yet!! Still working on that, but on the 4 day, we had to show id and keycard leaving the ship and coming back from the ship at Nassau.

At Castaway Cay it was checked coming back to the ship.

They checked, the names and faces on the id. Some people were upset, but we took it in stride.

 

[mmouse37]

I think we were the first cruise to have to go to the theatre after the short "hiatus" from it (2/23/02) We were reading this board and were so happy when they said it was no longer necessary to report downstairs to the theatre. Low and behold, we got the letter in the stateroom saying that it back in effect for our cruise.

Oh well....I agree it was an inconvenience and they should at least take a look at your I.D.s. It would make me feel at least it was worth it to get up that early on vacation.

MJ

 

[pal2pluto]

I know it was certainly interesting when I went in January. We were in the theater for about 50 mins. We were seated in the upper middle section, watched people leaving the lower center, others seated in the lower right. As the lower center were leaving, they shuffled people FROM the lower left INTO the lower center. Then they shuffled from upper right to lower left. We sat watching groups sit down, only to be moved again to another section. It did get ugly at one point as a new group came in and thought they were next. I was so involved trying to figure out the order of rotation, that when our section was called, I walked right past the officer. With all of the hullabaloo, I thought that certainly there was a table of officers checking these papers, not just one guy at the bottom of the stage! He mentioned something about not ignoring someone carrying a gun...I didn't have the guts to tell him I just thought he was another CM telling us where to go!
My heart went out to all the little tykes woken up so early just for that.

 

[Wonderwoman1982]

This is EXACTLY what I said when we cruised last October. It was an UTTER waste of MY time. We went through immigration in San Juan ( we skipped St. Maarten due to weather) and the guys there didn't even LET me unfold my birth certificate. I tried to, and he glared at me and shook his hand in the "no" sort of way.. Like, "hurry up lady and go on so we can leave.." That is how it went. I posted this before right after we got back, and how concerned I was, and how strange people of middle eastern descent got on the boat and didn't even go through the metal detectors- who were NOT passengers. They came on with an officer. I was VERY concerned and asked ALOT of people about who they were and no one knew. The "drug/ bomb sniffing dog" at port was a joke, too. WE had a PUPPY and all the kiddies were petting it as it SAT there,not sniffing. I was nervous, as it was less than a month after 9/11 at the time... When I posted about my experience before, I was practically crucified for saying anything negative and everyone basically told me I was WRONG, as IF they were there. Well, My experience was true, as ALL these peoples here as well. It proves immigration is NOT secure at all, and unless they do it CORRECTLY, we all should be allowed to SLEEP in and not torture our kids that early... It was unpleasant for NO good reason.

 

[swede63]

NOT ONLY IS THIS RED-TAPE EXERCISE POINTLESS IT COMES ON THE MORNING AFTER THE BEST NIGHT ON THE SHIP (THE DECK PARTY LEAVING ST MARTIN) AND FOR A COMPANY THAT CATERS TO KIDS, I FIND THAT EVEN MORE AGRAVATING!!!

 

[Chris in Boise]

Folks, if you really want to help to change this procedure, write to your local representative to congress and/or US senator(s).

THEY have the power to make the agencies involved justify their actions and procedures.

Contacting your elected representative(s) is your only way of making the federal bureaucracy accountable.

Do it! I guarantee that it will make an impact.

 

[wovenwonder]

Please remember everyone that this is not a DCL policy but instead an immigrations policy for which DCL is required to abide.