TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands STT Customs Update?

Any update on the issues at STT Customs and CA Ferry Terminal Customs?

Was just there on Sunday. If you're ferrying back over, you'll stop at Redhook and not Charlotte Amalie. Our ferry (9am on Sunday) was only half full, so that wasn't a big deal, but the airport was a nightmare. About an hour and a half from checkin until we got to the gate area. It's probably worse on Saturday. As you know, you have to check in 1.5 hours prior to your flight or you'll be denied boarding, so give yourself PLENTY of time to get through the whole process, especially on the weekend.

From a friend who left Tortola yesterday (Wednesday, Feb 12)
"So--- for our trip home so you know. Our 10 AM Road Town fast ferry left at 10:30 because of slow downs by the new customs rules going thru Red Hook. When we got to Red Hook we went thru customs but they didn't take our checked bags off the boat! As we got off (from the center door labeled emergency exit only) the boat captain announced that if you wanted to stay in Red Hook the crew would get your bags to you. But all the bags were in a big pile on the back of the boat and we were in the crowd getting off so you couldn't do much at the time but keep moving in the mass. I guess we should have asked for our bags before we left the boat which we could have done if we knew before hand (all bags are stacked on the back of the boat). It took about an hour for all to get thru customs and we were back on the boat (didn't seem to be an option to take a cab to the airport without our bags) (which were the last off the boat because we were the first to check in). We arrived in town at 12:30 instead of 10:50 as expected and the bags were taken off the boat with no further screening (our carry-ons bags were screened in Red Hook) but the problem was that so many people were picking up the bags as they were taken off the boat and were leaving the terminal there were not enough cabs to take everyone to the airport. So we had 11 in our cab that had 10 seats! At the airport the lines were very long but we got thru in about an hour. All out flights were all 1 to 3 hours late but we were home by 11PM rather than 9 as we expected but we were home which was GOOD!"

How long is this suppose to last? Days, Weeks, Months?

We are leaving March 25th..we are planning to get off whatever ferry we take at Red Hook and have lunch then cab to CA. My question is..if the ferry is going on to CA what is the best way to make sure we get out bags off at Red Hook?

From Virgin Island Port Authority facebook page posted Feb. 10.

"The temporary relocation of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) pre-departure operations in the Cyril E. King Airport Terminal and operations at the Edward W. Blyden Marine Terminal on St. Thomas will continue this week while we conduct emergency repairs at both terminals. Contractors are working as fast as possible to complete the work necessary and normal operations should resume by this weekend. VIPA apologizes for any inconvenience caused."

As you enter the ferry tell the person at the entrance that your getting of at Red Hook and he’ll most likely tell you to put in a corner so you can retrieve it quickly on your way out.

Thanks all....scary though how folks here on Tortola have no idea about this. The couple staying next door were loading their car at 10.30 this morning with a 3.20 flight out of St Thomas...on a good day that is running too tight for me..with this..I wonder if they ever made their flight!

We left West End Monday on Noon ferry to Red Hook. Got off ferry in Red Hook, cab to airport and we were all the way through tsa at the airport by 2:30 pm. Im sure weekends are worse but Monday was fine. Customs had extra people working at Red Hook and the Airport moving the lines quickly.

Now I am ready to go back

Very good to hear..thanks for the update..

Glad it will be completed before my next trip:-)

We’re still down here but a friend of mine who was on vacation in BVI left yesterday (Sunday) and made it through STT customs very quickly. However she arrived at the airport right when several of the airline desks were opening for the day (11 am-ish) so she didn’t have a big crowd in front of her. But she said everything seemed pretty efficient and normal.

We did the ferry on Sunday from Tortola, mandatory stop at Red Hook to clear customs, on to Charlotte Amalie, all told took about 90 mins to
an hour 45. STT airport customs and TSA easily took another 90 minutes +++.

We left Road Town Sunday, 2/16/20, on the 11:35 am ferry (Smith’s Bomba Charger) to CA. Our flight out of STT was scheduled to depart at 5:01 pm. We had arrived at the RT ferry terminal at 11:00. We were informed at the ticket counter that we would go to West End to pick up passengers, then to Red Hook to clear U.S. Customs and Immigration because the CA ferry terminal C&I was under renovation. We were told to leave ALL our bags, including carry-ons, onboard the ferry as we disembarked at Red Hook to clear in - if we were going on to CA. We left our bags (we only had carry-one) on board, cleared C&I in about 15 minutes, went to a line to re-board Bomba Charger and were back on the boat total time in Red Hook about 30 minutes. Ferry was 3/4 full. The crew did a good job telling us the protocol and retrieved bags for those getting off in Red Hook. Arrived at CA ferry terminal, one didn’t even have to go inside the terminal, one could disembarked to a waiting cab. We had a 45 minute lunch at the Petite Pump Room, then caught a cab to STT.

Once at STT we realized C&I there was also under repair and moved into a “corner”. Everyone was told to keep all their bags with them and everyone got into one very long line. The line moved almost continuously and we were through it having our passports checked fairly quickly, total time in line at STT - approximately 45 minutes. We still had more than an hour before our flight boarded. Our flight left about 5 -10 minutes early.

Overall, it went very smoothly for us. We travel to the BVI about 4 - 5 times per year and although the protocol was different and a bit more time consuming, it was not bad at all. We have a rule of thumb if flying out of STT, leave on either the RT ferry or West End ferry at least 5 hours before our boarding time at STT. On our last trip the person in front of us bought the last ticket on the RT to CA ferry. We had plenty of time to taxi to West End, catch the next ferry to Red Hook, then taxi to STT. It cost extra because of the extra taxi fares but we were in the airport and through C&I and security an hour prior to boarding. We travel a good bit and try our best not to be the ones running through airports like chickens with our heads cut off or the people yelling at the ferry terminal ticket agents - all of which we saw on Sunday. We much rather wait an extra hour at the ferry terminal or airport with our feet propped on our bags.

Uh I mean Saturday! My brain is still fried from the sun!!

We came home yesterday....STT was a horror show. Got on the non-stop to Dulles and it was maybe half full. Just can't imagine what it would be like on a day when flights were full.

Update Feb. 19 "Travel Advisory Update - Edward W. Blyden Marine Terminal, Charlotte Amalie #STT - VIPA thanks the traveling public for its patience and cooperation during the temporary relocation of U.S. Customs' operations. Repairs are completed and U.S. Customs operations will resume as normal at the Blyden Terminal by February 27th."

Almost done with the one week task after three weeks. I fly out Monday and will be at the terminal four hours before my flight. I don't know if the Global Entry line is open.

Cheers, RickG

Thanks for the update Rick

No Global Entry in St. Thomas. They do have TSA-Pre Check though for security.

Don’t know if it’s changed with the renovations..but we used Global Entry at St. Thomas on Feb 1. There was a sign with super small print for Globsl Entry. Almost missed it.

There is Global entry in STT.

Were you flying in from another country and clearing immigration into the US? STT isn't listed as having Global Entry kiosks on the cbp website. The checkpoint everyone goes thru before TSA is a customs checkpoint and has nothing to do with immigration so I'd be surprised if Global Entry was there.

Did it help expedite the process at all? If so, it might change my opinion about using San Juan.

We always use a porter, they take you to the front of the line. Wonder if that is true now?

We took the ferry in from BVI. The lines were massive on both sides. I happened to read the sign that said for Global Entry, pull up the straps thing ( sorry, don’t know what it’s called) and proceeded to the front. Was called as soon as the first customs officer was available. Time saver...heck yes. I’m sure we got a lot of dirty looks from people waiting in those lines. Ironically, when I said it out loud, another gentlemen popped right in line behind us as he had GE as well. So no, there isn’t a dedicated line, as I was looking for one. Only a sign telling us how to proceed ahead for GE in super small print.

Sounds like you were at the ferry dock? If so, that makes sense. It would have been an immigration officer that called you forward.

I had no idea that had GE at the ports. Great information, thanks!

No, not at ferry dock. Global entry at airport. I didn’t explain it well. Sorry

Even better!! thanks. Did you just walk up towards the front of the line and pass thru the ropes?

As we walked in, lines were on both sides of the room, in the center, there was an open aisle roped off. That’s where the sign was. We lifted the rope, walked to front. Hope that helps explain it a little better. Guess it pays to read the signs...lol.

Yes, I used a porter and a wheelchair 1 week ago. Cleared in 2 minutes.