Query re Processing of Cruise Ship Passenger Arrivals

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eracode

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#207633 6-Jan-2017 03:56

We have Canadian friends arriving in Auckland by cruise ship in a couple of weeks and we're going to pick them up from the wharf. The cruise terminates in Auckland but will have called at several ports around NZ prior to this.

We are wondering about the timing etc of customs, immigration and so on at the wharf. I'm guessing there will be a couple of thousand passengers disembarking - like many wide-body planes arriving all at once. Does anyone know how this is handled? Are our friends likely to be held up in massive queues while we are waiting on the wharf to collect them? They won't have a NZ-capable mobile phone at that stage to tell us what's happening.

Would appreciate any comments or advice.

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#1699152 6-Jan-2017 05:33

Hi the fun at the end of a cruise. They will be told sometimes the day before or very early on the last day what time they will be processed by customs, untill your time your are unfortunately treated a little like second class citizens and sit around on whatever spare space or chairs you can find as you can't use your room after a certain time. Sometimes you can request priority release if you have a plane or other transport to catch. So if they have no phone they could try ship to shore if they know your number and are able to. Sorry I can't be of more help :(

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#1699154 6-Jan-2017 06:46

won't they have already cleared customs/immigration if this ship has already been around NZ and they've been on NZ soil?

eracode

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#1699157 6-Jan-2017 06:55

nathan:

won't they have already cleared customs/immigration if this ship has already been around NZ and they've been on NZ soil?

Don't know - that's really why I'm asking. Maybe they are treated as being 'in transit' at the other much smaller ports.

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#1699158 6-Jan-2017 07:13

eracode:

nathan:

won't they have already cleared customs/immigration if this ship has already been around NZ and they've been on NZ soil?

Don't know - that's really why I'm asking. Maybe they are treated as being 'in transit' at the other much smaller ports.

my bet is they cleared customs/immigration at the first port they visited (or probably even slightly before they docked)

it seems unlikely we'd let foreigners just jump off boats and go sightseeing while they are "in transit"

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#1699159 6-Jan-2017 07:31

A phone call to either Port of Auckland or Immigration will give you the answer

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

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#1699161 6-Jan-2017 07:37

i believe only those disembarking in NZ are required to fill in an arrivals card and go through pricessing, those "transiting" ie just visiting and then leaving on the ship dont have to, but their details are provided to customs from the ship.

"officers will undertake the face to passport check of a selected number of transit passengers and crew. (These will have been preselected prior to arrival in consultation with local shipping agents and Customs cruise ship coordinators.) "

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#1699162 6-Jan-2017 07:38

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Contact your nearest office of the New Zealand Customs Service, visit the Customs website www.customs.govt.nz or call Customs on 0800 428 786 (0800 4 CUSTOMS).

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#1699164 6-Jan-2017 07:41

PS we do the transit side of things all the time when we go overseas

eracode

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#1699895 7-Jan-2017 15:54

Thanks guys. Unfortunately I'm not much the wiser. A phone call to the Port company cruise ship customer services people was a complete waste of time. After three calls I got through to someone whose most profound statement was "Well, the passengers have to get off the ship".

Now trying to track down someone who has actual recent first-hand experience of being processed at the port.

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#1699937 7-Jan-2017 17:09

eracode: Thanks guys. Unfortunately I'm not much the wiser. A phone call to the Port company cruise ship customer services people was a complete waste of time. After three calls I got through to someone whose most profound statement was "Well, the passengers have to get off the ship".

Now trying to track down someone who has actual recent first-hand experience of being processed at the port.

I'm at work today so will try and get one of the customs chaps to pop in (later this evening when they're back on duty) and give you a first-hand reply.

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#1699939 7-Jan-2017 17:13

the port people wont know much as generally its done between the ship and customs

use the info i gave you above and give customs a call

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#1700095 8-Jan-2017 00:15

The answer I've been given is that Customs officers will board the ship at the port immediately prior to the New Zealand destination port and process all passengers en-route.

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#1700107 8-Jan-2017 07:35

Dratsab:

The answer I've been given is that Customs officers will board the ship at the port immediately prior to the New Zealand destination port and process all passengers en-route.

yea but is that for transit passengers or for those departing at the last port in a country or both?

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#1700130 8-Jan-2017 09:38

Jase2985:
Dratsab:

The answer I've been given is that Customs officers will board the ship at the port immediately prior to the New Zealand destination port and process all passengers en-route.

yea but is that for transit passengers or for those departing at the last port in a country or both?

Common sense would dictate it's everyone as everyone has the opportunity to disembark at each port. And as you'll note above, I was told all passengers. I'll further clarify later this evening.

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#1700142 8-Jan-2017 10:20

Yes everyone has the opportunity to get off the ship at each port, but unless you are leaving the ship and not returning you are considered to be a "transit" passenger, If you are ending your cruise in NZ then you are are disembarking passenger and the below applies.

i got my information out of the customs booklet for cruise ships and only those disembarking require arrival cards, and "officers will undertake the face to passport check of a selected number of transit passengers and crew. (These will have been preselected prior to arrival in consultation with local shipping agents and Customs cruise ship coordinators.) "

this is for a ship that is visiting NZ and NZ is NOT its final destination

its all in here: http://www.customs.govt.nz/news/resources/listsandguides/Documents/Cruise%20pack.pdf

only those who are disembarking in NZ need to do paperwork (arrivals card) then undergo MPI inspections.

if you are just visiting NZ on the ship there is next to no paperwork required, and its pretty much all done by the ship on your behalf.

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