Customs Delays Slow Norwegian Joy’s Seattle Turnaround
Immigration checks and reported terminal computer problems contributed to extended waits at Pier 66 during the ship’s Pacific Coastal voyage.
Norwegian Joy encountered lengthy customs and boarding delays in Seattle while operating a five-night Pacific Coastal repositioning cruise from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Los Angeles. The sailing followed the ship’s Alaska season. Because the voyage originated in Canada, Seattle served as its first official U.S. Port of Entry.
Under U.S. Customs and Border Protection requirements, all passengers had to leave the ship for an in-person passport and immigration check before normal operations could resume, including those remaining aboard through California. Reported computer glitches in the terminal also slowed processing. One cruiser said clearing customs took about two and a half hours, with longer waits for non-U.S. citizens.
Another passenger said a crew member had attributed part of the delay to six people who had not initially disembarked for customs, reportedly holding up about 3,000 passengers. The prolonged morning process pushed delays into the afternoon for newly embarking guests. Lines outside Pier 66 reportedly extended for several blocks along Seattle’s waterfront as passengers waited to board.