Cruise passengers tell of seven-hour security 'revenge' nightmare

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...nightmare.html

Cruise passengers tell of seven-hour security 'revenge' nightmare
Elderly passengers on board a luxury cruise have criticised US
immigration officials after they endured a seven-hour security check.

Setting off from Southampton on April 12, the cruise has taken in
stops in Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, crossing the Panama
Canal to travel up the west coast of the United States to Alaska
Photo: ALAMY
By Andy Bloxham, and John Bingham6:45AM BST 07 Jun 20111317 Comments
It was billed as a chance to taste the “glitz and glamour” of
Hollywood or enjoy VIP treatment in some of the most exclusive
shopping areas in the world.
But when a group of 2,000 elderly British cruise ship passengers
docked at Los Angeles for a short stop-off during a five-star cruise
around America it was, in the words of one of them, more like arriving
at Guantanamo Bay.
During their £10,000, two-and-a-half month “Alaska Adventure” tour
from the Arctic to the Caribbean, the passengers on the luxury P&O
liner Arcadia had become more than accustomed to passing US
immigration with little formality.
By the time they docked at Los Angeles on May 26, for a one-day visit
it was their 10th stop on US soil.
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But when a handful of them questioned whether the lengthy security
checks at the port were strictly necessary for a group of largely
elderly travellers officials were not amused.
Although they had already been given advance clearance for multiple
entries to the country during their trip, all 2,000 passengers were
made to go through full security checks in a process which took seven
hours to complete.
The fingerprints of both hands were taken as well as retina scans and
a detailed check of the passport as well as questioning as to their
background.
Passengers claim that the extra checks were carried out in “revenge”
for what had been a minor spat over allegedly overzealous security.
They complain that they were “herded like animals” and made to stand
for hours in temperatures up to 80F with no food or water or access to
lavatories.
Some are said to have passed out in the heat while others were left
confused and bewildered.
When one lady asked in desperation whether she could use a bathroom,
one immigration official is said to have replied: “Do it over the
side, we won’t mind.”
To compound the situation, the officials' computer broke down and
further delays resulted.
The immigration delays forced P&O to extend the stay in LA by a day
forcing it to cancel a later stop-off at Roatan, Honduras, scheduled
for this week.
Setting off from Southampton on April 12, the cruise has taken in
stops in Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, crossing the Panama
Canal to travel up the west coast of the United States to Alaska.
They were en route back to the canal before stops in Florida and New
York when the ship stopped at LA last week and the immigration
problems ensued.
With a total of 15 stops scheduled at US ports during the 72-night
cruise, the passengers had all completed standard US immigration
(ESTA) forms designed for multiple-entry trips.
"A couple of passengers got a bit stroppy about having to go through
all the rigmarole again and these petulant officials decided to take
revenge,” said John Randall, 60, a retired dentist from Wigan, who
bought the cruise as a retirement gift to his wife.
"There were about 2,000 people on the quayside with only eight
immigration people.
“They were just doing basic checks to begin with but after the
argument we had to do full finger prints on left and right hands and
all the biometric stuff.
"Then their computer system broke down but no one was bothered about
helping us.
“A couple of people struggled to control their bladders and someone
said they'd suffered a prolapsed disc.”
He emphasized that he did not blame the liner for difficulties, but in
a letter to the captain he vented his feelings about the immigration
procedures adding: “We are holiday makers, here to try and enjoy
ourselves - we are not potential inmates of Guantalamo Bay, and should
not be treated as such.”
A spokeswoman for the company insisted that passengers were kept on
the vessel to prevent them queuing for more than about an hour.
She added: “The delay in immigration procedures was largely to blame
on issues with the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) computer
systems, not aided by the verbal approach that a minority of our
passengers, clearly frustrated by this delay, took with the local
immigration officers.
“The US has a record for the most stringent and thorough security and
entry requirements in the world, and they felt the need to enhance
their security checks further, which they have the power to do

On 09/06/11 02:19, Brian wrote:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tr...nightmare.html

She added: “The delay in immigration procedures was largely to blame
on issues with the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) computer
systems, not aided by the verbal approach that a minority of our
passengers, clearly frustrated by this delay, took with the local
immigration officers.

Ah the joys of power without responsibility.

I wonder how many millions of dollars this will cost the US economy?


--
William Black

Free men have open minds
If you want loyalty, buy a dog...