UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION INSPECTION - St. THOMAS USVI

[Zandy595]

I haven't seen this mentioned here before. Can someone tell me more about the customs inspection. Does everyone in your cabin need to attend? Is it very early in the morning? How does it work with shore excursions? Say you have an excursion planned for the same time they tell you to report for inspections - what happens then?

The Eastern Navigator says:

UNITED STATES CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION INSPECTION - St. THOMAS USVI
United States Officials requires that ALL GUESTS MUST present themselves in person for inspection at designated times upon arrival to St. Thomas.

PLACE: U.S. Citizens - Walt Disney Theatre, Deck 4, Forward
NON-U.S. Citizens - Rockin' Bar D, Deck 3, Forward

TIME: Please refer to the letter received in your stateroom.

NO guest may disembark or participate in a Shore Excursion without passing through inspections. If you do not plan on going ashore, you are still required to present yourself to U.S. Officials. While we regret the inconvenience, this is a U.S. policy that applies to any ship that goes from a foreign port (e.g. St Maarten) to a U.S. Port (e.g. St. Thomas).

ALL GUESTS MUST ATTEND INSPECTION

 

[ThreeCircles]

Every individual in your party must attend the Customs Inspection. This includes all ages, even babies. They will actually stamp your hand with those invisible ink stamps once you've seen the Customs agent. Without the handstamp, you're not getting off of the ship.

The inspections are early.

This is the schedule from the May 1, 2004 cruise:

Guests on morning shore excursions: 6:30am to 7:00am
Guests from decks 1, 2 & 5: 7:00am to 7:30am
Guests from decks 6, 7 & 8: 7:30am to 8:00am
Guests who do not wish to go ashore: 8:00am to 8:30am

The above is for U.S. citizens only. Non-U.S. citizens were at 6:00am.

Keep in mind this info may change. The night prior to arrival at St. Thomas you'll have a schedule in your stateroom with all the details.

 

[TheWog]

We had a morning excursion and had to be there for 6:30. Get there early and get out early. My DW and DS6 went in their pj's. They have coffee and pastries for you at the doors.

 

[Zandy595]

Thanks ThreeCircles.

Does everyone in the cabin have to report together or can we go at different times? DH might have a morning shore excursion and DS and I might not have one until later in the afternoon.

What exactly happens at the inspection? I'm assuming you need to take everything you bought at St. Maarten with you. Do you have to take your birth certificate and picture ID?

Sorry if these questions sound silly, but I've never had to do this before.

 

[DrCavin]

You only need your birth certificate/passport & photo-id. I don't think everyone has to go as a group, but EVERYONE MUST go at some point.

 

[jrabbit]

Things must have changed since our Jan. '02 cruise (4 short months after 9/11). Back then everyone had to go through customs BEFORE ANYONE was able to leave the ship (and everyone was to show up at the same time - glad they are "scheduling" the madhouse)

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by jrabbit
Things must have changed since our Jan. '02 cruise (4 short months after 9/11). Back then everyone had to go through customs BEFORE ANYONE was able to leave the ship (and everyone was to show up at the same time - glad they are "scheduling" the madhouse)

It has nothing to do with U.S. Customs. It only has to do with U.S. Immigration. In other words, it's not about what you purchased in St. Maarten and on the ship. It's about whether you're properly documented to step onto U.S. soil.

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Originally posted by Horace Horsecollar
It has nothing to do with U.S. Customs. It only has to do with U.S. Immigration. In other words, it's not about what you purchased in St. Maarten. It's about whether you're properly documented to step onto U.S. soil.

I can't for the life of me remember how they knew who went through immigration that morning and who didn't. did they take cabin numbers at some point? Guess I was still half asleep!! All I remember is handing some guy my photo id and birth certificates, then we got our hand stamped and off we went.

 

[jrabbit]

It has nothing to do with U.S. Customs. It only has to do with U.S. Immigration

Sorry, used the wrong word. I use the words interchangably (even though they mean something entirely different). I know that for immigration you need photo id (so they know who YOU are) and for customs you need to fill in the form of items purchased and brought back into the country (so they know your STUFF). When you return to port canaveral you are processed through both.

 

[mmouse37]

We had to give our cabin number at the entrance to the theatre and they checked us off on a list. They must keep track of who did and did not attend.

The process is really pretty painless. You just get on the line when instructed by a CM and show the officials (who are down by the stage) your documents. They look at them, look at you (don't remember the stamp) and you are done. It takes all of about 10 minutes.

The way the have the times staggered now is a much better procedure than when they had everyone reporting at once before.

MJ

 

[dis4me]

I don't remember getting a han stamp but it was pretty painless.We went into the theatre they checked off our cabin number, took our documents, told us to grab juice and pastry and sit until our row was called.When they called us they looked at our documents and said have a great day.The whole process was about 15minutes the most.The kids were happy because we were up and out early.It gave us more of the day to enjoy.

 

[buzz&woody'smom]

Do they have assistance for the handicap or do they attend with their "deck assigned time"?

I don't like early but understand why we need to go but should be interesting for my toddler

Thanks!

B&W Mom



I SUPPORT OUR TROOPS AND MY DH IN IRAQ :thewave: :thewave:

 

[yayasi]

I am a US CITIZEN BUT MY DD IS NOT. Does anyone know if we have to report to different places?

 

[ThreeCircles]

Yes. I'm sure that you can go with her, and whe with you, but I do believe you'll have to report to the different locations. At least that's what I gather from the information they provided in May.

You can always ask at Guest Services prior to St. Thomas day to make sure.

 

[yayasi]

ThreeCircles - Thanks

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Originally posted by mmouse37
We had to give our cabin number at the entrance to the theatre and they checked us off on a list. They must keep track of who did and did not attend.

The process is really pretty painless. You just get on the line when instructed by a CM and show the officials (who are down by the stage) your documents. They look at them, look at you (don't remember the stamp) and you are done. It takes all of about 10 minutes.

The way the have the times staggered now is a much better procedure than when they had everyone reporting at once before.

MJ

I guess I just don't remember giving the cabin number before getting into the theater. we really didn't even have time for juice or coffee. we walked in, walked down to a row of seats and then we were pretty much getting back up again a minute or two later. the whole thing took about 10 minutes.

 

[Zandy595]

I can't believe I never saw this before. Dave has info on his site. Immigration Procedures for St. Thomas

 

[DVC4US]

Okay, this might be a dumb question, but why do we have to do this in St. Thomas but not have to do it when we get back to Port Canaveral? I know we have to show an ID after we pick up our luggage but they do not require US citizens to present a BC or passport upon arrival back into the US.

LeiLani

 

[Rence]

You started in to US.

Then left the US (St. Martens).

You are returning to the US (St. Thomas) so this is your rentry into the country.

Castaway Cay is technically the Bahamas but I guess that because it is isolated and access to the island is controlled they do not make you repeat the process when returning to the mainland.

 

[Zandy595]

It says: This procedure is a United States Law that applies to any ship that goes from a foreign port (ie. St. Maarten) to a U.S. port (ie. St. Thomas).