Canadian Disembarkation

[matsterrocks]

Any fellow Canadians go through disembarkation lately? What was the procedure? I hear we don't have to get up at 6am

 

[101DalmFan]

Over in the Canadian forum there was talk that Canadians no longer had to turn their passports over to DCL at the beginning of the cruise -- some said that was how it now was, others weren't so sure.

So, I emailed DCL a little while ago to get the official word on this. I'm so glad I did

This is the email sent to me from DCL:

Thank you for booking another Disney Cruise Line Vacation!


The U.S. Customs & Border Protection Agency has chosen Disney Cruise
Line to take part in a program that will streamline the immigration
process.


Effective Sunday, July 15th, in lieu of collecting passports from Guests
who are citizens of other countries all passports will now be swiped
into our system. This program will eliminate the need for the early
morning shipboard inspection for Guests who are citizens of other
countries on the morning of debark.


All Guests will be allowed to disembark the ship as early at 7:00 a.m.
and the inspection process will take place in the luggage hall after
luggage collection.


However, this program is only expected to last 90 to 120 days. Thus, it
may be possible it will revert back to the other process by the time you
sail with us.


We look forward to sailing with you! Have a Magical Day!
__________________



So, I hope this still holds true for your cruise. And for mine!

 

[Hoogy]

I hope it is 120 days....we cruise in early Nov.! Fingers crossed!

 

[smeecanada]

Any fellow Canadians go through disembarkation lately? What was the procedure? I hear we don't have to get up at 6am

We did it on the Wonder Aug26 and you leave at the same time as the US citizens. No problem going thru customs. Just like at the airport - collect your luggage and then proceed to the customs - you need to fill out a US customs declaration and show them your passports.

 

[matsterrocks]

We did it on the Wonder Aug26 and you leave at the same time as the US citizens. No problem going thru customs. Just like at the airport - collect your luggage and then proceed to the customs - you need to fill out a US customs declaration and show them your passports.

Do you go through a seperate line then the people from the states?

 

[ReggieB]

That sounds great. Let's hope they keep the procedure in place. I'm actually a US resident, they never take my passport, just my green card. However I always take my passport just in case. So fingers crossed it's all worked out. Poor DS is a US citizen, but as we can't leave him on his own in the stateroom poor thing has to be dragged along at 6am with us! Not sure I am ready to get off the ship at 7am though! I want to stay as long as possible.

 

[nokidz]

We were on the Wonder and departed on the 15th of July, so we were the first ones to go through with the new rules. It was easy and quick. I certainly hope they keep it this way. Especially since we are cruising again on Jan 6th......

 

[smeecanada]

Do you go through a seperate line then the people from the states?

No. Everyone was all together. It went quite quickly. It took longer to find all our luggage than to go through customs.

 

[ReggieB]

Again, fingers crossed that the immigration folk found this trial to be a success and keep it in place.

 

[scm]

Has anyone been on the Eastern cruise since this policy started that can say what happened at St. Thomas? Was clearance skipped completely/same as before change/.....

 

[nokidz]

No. Everyone was all together. It went quite quickly. It took longer to find all our luggage than to go through customs.

exactly, we had more trouble finding all our luggage. By the time I found the last stray piece, my wife had a porter and we were wisked right through customs.
Hint - put something bright neon on your bags, especially if they are black. There must have been 1.5 million pieces of black luggage there...

 

[Little Miss Liberty]

If we can get off the ship by 7:00 a.m. Do you think we can book earlier flights?

 

[Jackie Psarianos]

This is an interesting thread, because we have cruised twice with Disney and that early morning thing is a real HEADACHE!!

Now that I'm reading all of this, I hope they continue to swipe all passports the same way. I think I'll give them a little call because we've got two cruises back to back, and that would really alleviate all that early morning, earlier than the roosters routine of customs and passport collection.

 

[surfer_ed]

Great news, getting up at the crack of dawn to go to the theatre for processing was a pain.

 

[101DalmFan]

Has anyone been on the Eastern cruise since this policy started that can say what happened at St. Thomas? Was clearance skipped completely/same as before change/.....

I believe the St. Thomas immigration procedure has to be done by everyone, because the ship has left American waters, gone to a different country (St. Martin), then it's back to American territory (St Thomas). Since I've not done it personally -- on my 11-night cruise last year our first stop was St. Thomas, so we went from U.S. to U.S. -- I don't know the typical routine for U.S. citizens vs. non-U.S. citizens. I'll find out next month though

 

[scm]

I'll find out next month though

Thanks! I was hoping that the process for everyone, regardless of citizenship, might be swiping passports only if dis-embarking but I suppose that's unrealistic.

 

[101DalmFan]

Thanks! I was hoping that the process for everyone, regardless of citizenship, might be swiping passports only if dis-embarking but I suppose that's unrealistic.

I believe the immigration thing is necessary even if you're not getting off the ship, as the ship has entered what's officially U.S. waters, so you're already there even if you stay on-board