Express Check-Out
If you have already provided your credit card details at the beginning of your cruise, you will be given a final statement and your account will be taken care of automatically. Those paying by cash or traveller's cheques, however, will need to settle their account at the Purser's desk prior to disembarkation. Any remaining balances will be refunded in Australian dollars for those passengers who have paid with cash or traveller's cheques.
Your Last Night
Your cabin steward will provide you with a disembarkation letter containing information regarding your departure from the ship. You will also receive coloured tags for each piece of luggage. Please put your name, home address and other information requested on each tag. Also, remove any old airline flight tags or embarkation tags. Before you retire for the night, your bags should be packed and placed outside your cabin door to facilitate Customs clearance and disembarkation. Please ensure these are packed correctly with the recommended weight of 32kgs per bag.
Please make a final check of your cabin and safety deposit box for any personal items, as P&O Cruises are not responsible for anything left behind. Remember to bring an overnight bag for clothes, medication, valuables, breakables and personal effects you need to keep on hand for the night prior to disembarkation.
Immigration and Customs Clearance
For comfort and convenience, disembarkation will be staggered in groups. Each group will be identified by their group coloured tag. To enable officials to prepare for disembarkation, kindly wait in the comfort of your assigned lounge on the ship until your colour group is called to disembark. Customs and Immigration inspectors will review the Customs declarations form with you, where you have listed all the articles bought in foreign ports or in the ship's boutiques. It's recommended you keep your sales receipts handy for declaring your purchases.
Returning to Australia
Australian residents returning to Australia are allowed a duty-free exemption of AUD900 per adult and AUD450 for people under 18 years of age, which includes the cost of 2250ml of alcoholic beverages for each passenger 18 years of age or older.
Returning to New Zealand
New Zealand residents returning to New Zealand who have been out of the country for eight days are allowed a duty-free exemption of NZD700 per adult, which includes the cost of 4.5 litres of wine or 4.5 litres of beer, one bottle containing not more than 1125ml of spirits, liqueur, or other spirit beverages for each passenger 17 years of age or over.
Plant and Animal Products
All food, plant materials, animal products and souvenirs containing any of these, need to be declared to Quarantine in Australian or New Zealand ports upon your disembarkation. Depending whether or not they are pest and disease free, the following will happen to your items:
- They will be returned to you after inspection
- They can be treated to make them safe - subject to fees and special conditions
- They will be destroyed by Australian or New Zealand Quarantine
These Guidelines May Change
Please note, these are current guidelines and are subject to change. For further Customs information, we recommend that you attend the Cruise Director's disembarkation talk given during the last days of the cruise or visit www.customs.gov.au for disembarkation in Australia or www.customs.govt.nz for disembarkation in New Zealand.
In addition, Australian Customs Service has a guide so that international travellers can familiarise themselves with Australia's prohibited and restricted goods laws and personal duty-free concessions. For a free copy visit the “Information for Travellers'” page on www.customs.gov.au or call 1300 363 263 (Australia only). Please note, this guide states that all passengers departing Australia by sea are required to complete an Outgoing Passenger Card, however this requirement can vary depending on the type of cruise you are undertaking. If you are required to complete an Outgoing Passenger Card, it will be included with your cruise documentation and you are required to complete it prior to arriving at the wharf.