Disembarking in Fremantle

The following information is as per the Sun Princess Disembarkation leaflet. We found it worked very well and both times we have sailed we were off the ship much quicker than we expected, less than 30 minutes from start to finish on both occassions.

The following Information is provided to passengers on a leaflet and also a 30 minute briefing on the internal Television system aired the day before arrival.

Quote:

As representatives for the Australian Custom and Border Protection Services conducted an en-route face to passport inspection following our departure from Singapore and prior to our arrival in Geraldton, W.A., no further immigration formalities are required. However, you must retain and surrender your Incoming Australian Arrival card delivered back via your Stateroom Steward yesterday. This card will be collected in the lower level of the terminal building as you proceed through Customs and AQIS control.

AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS / PASSPORT CONTROL

WARNING: EXCEEDING THE DUTY FREE LIMITS WILL COST YOU

Passengers who exceed Australia's Duty Free limits will be charged on all items of that type (general goods, alcohol or tobacco), not just the items which exceed the limits.

The limits are:

·         A$900 worth of general goods (A$450 for people under 18), purchased duty and/or tax-free after leaving Australia.

·         2.25litres of alcoholic beverage for each adult passenger.

·         250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco products for each adult passenger.

DISEMBARKATION ASSISTANCE DESK

We would ask you direct any questions regarding your disembarkation to the team manning the Shore Excursion Office adjacent to La Patisserie Lounge. The team will be available to answer any question on Friday, 7th August 2009 from 8:00am-Midday and 3:00pm-5:00pm. We would ask you to direct any questions to this dedicated team and not the Passengers Service Desk. Additional baggage tags can also be obtained from this location if required. Furthermore metro-rail time tables from Fremantle to Perth are available from the desk.

MEAL TIMES

HORIZON COURT, DECK 14

Buffet Breakfast 5:30am to 9:00am

Self-Service Coffee & Tea will be available throughout the morning.

REGENCY DINING ROOM, DECK 6

Breakfast 6:30am to 8:30am

Bar Service - La Partiserie, Deck 5 and Horizon Bar, Deck 14 (for cash sales only).

Please note, room service will not be available this morning.

AUSTRALIAN QUARANTINE & INSPECTIONS SERVICE

ABOUT AQIS

AQIS - the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service - Keeps out exotic pests and diseases that could affect Australia's environment; economy and agricultural industries.

DECLARE OR BEWARE!

You must declare for inspection all food, plant material and animal products to check that they are free of pests and diseases. As mentioned every piece of luggage is screened or x-rayed on arrival in Australia. If you fail to declare or dispose of any quarantine items, or make a false declarations:

·         you will get caught;

·         you could be prosecuted and fined more than $60,000 and risk up to 10 years imprisonment; or

·         you may be fined over $200 on-the-spot.

If you're not sure about items you are carrying, please ask a Quarantine Officer.

SOUVENIRS

AQIS has asked the vessel to remind all passengers who decide to purchase souvenirs that certain restrictions apply and that to avoid the disappointment of confiscation upon arrival back in Fremantle. See below for more Information

ALL PASSENGERS MUST VIEW THE "CRUISING THROUGH QUARANTINE 2007" VIDEO CLIP ON CHANNEL 38.

 

BAGGAGE

BAGGAGE TAGS

Today you will receive in your stateroom colored baggage tags which indicate your disembarkation group in Fremantle. One tag should be placed on each piece of baggage. Please remove all other tags with the exception of your home address labels. At the end of each baggage tag is a perforation - please remove the small perforated section of each tag and carry one of them with you when you finally disembark. Please note, this section is not a claim check for baggage, it is a gangway pass.

Extra tags are available from the dedicated Disembarkation Desk.

BAGGAGE COLLECTION

In order to minimize noise disruption throughout the night, all baggage other than hand baggage should be placed outside your stateroom before dinner the night before you disembark. Any final items can be left outside your stateroom before you retire for the evening. To avoid the possibility of baggage being wrongly sorted, please ensure your bags are tagged with the correct color baggage tags, as shown on the page opposite.

HAND BAGGAGE

It is recommended that you carry all valuables and fragile items ashore yourself.

Passports and flight tickets should not be packed.

• Medication should be kept in your hand-carry baggage.

• Items which you need to declare must not be packed.

DISEMBARKATION SCHEDULE

Once clearance has been granted by the authorities ashore, the gangway will open and your colored and numbered group will disembark from the assigned lounges as listed on the page opposite. (Please note the times listed, are meeting times only). Disembarkation is expected to start at 7:45am (approx) and the whole process should be completed by approximately 11am.

• DO NOT MEET IN YOUR DISEMBARKATION LOUNGE PRIOR TO THE MEETING TIME.

• PLEASE DO NOT SIT ON ANY STAIRWAYS OR WAIT IN THE FOYER AREAS.

• Be warned that the Australian Customs Service will not permit you to disembark until your color tag is called.

Local authorities and agencies ashore reserve the right to change the order and details of disembarkation.

PRINCESS CAPTAIN'S CIRCLE

PLATINUM, ELITE MEMBERS & SUITE PASSENGERS LOUNGE

For those members who have travelled as Platinum & Elite this cruise along with our Suite passengers, please feel free to use our Platinum, Elite & Suite Lounge (Vista Lounge, Deck 7 Aft) instead of your designated waiting area prior to disembarkation. Please have your Cruise Card ready at the door for entry.

The lounge will be open from 7:30am refreshments will be provided.

PASSENGER QUESTIONNAIRE

Princess Cruises is keen to know how you have enjoyed your vacation on Sun Princess. Please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire that was delivered to your stateroom, and drop this in the box opposite the Passenger Services Desk on Deck 5 amidships by 5:00pm the day before you disembark to be eligible for the prize draw.

STATEROOM ACCOUNTS

All passengers should settle their shipboard accounts no later than 7:00am the morning of disembarkation. If you had previously registered a Credit Card on line, at check - in, or at the Passenger Services Desk for Express Checkout, then you are not required to check out at the Passenger Services Desk. The last opportunity to take advantage of registering for Express Checkout is 4:00pm on the day before arrival into Fremantle.

The account folio delivered to your stateroom on Sunday morning will be your payment receipt.

SECURITY REMINDER

When finally disembarking the ship, all passengers are to produce their "Cruise Card" at the gangway when they disembark. This applies to all passengers including those in transit and sailing onboard during the next voyage. After passing through the security you are welcome to keep your Cruise Card as a souvenir of your cruise with us.

VACATING YOUR STATEROOM

You are requested to vacate your stateroom by 9:00am latest. Please plan your morning carefully as you must meet with your colored baggage tag group at the correct time and location. If you have time before your group meets, we encourage you to wait in the comfort of the Princess Theatre, where TV will be broadcast located Fwd on Promenade Deck 7 or on the covered open deck areas enjoying the vistas of the Fremantle (weather permitting).

 

DISEMBARKATION SCHEDULE

DISEMBARKATION WILL COMMENCE ONCE CLEARANCE HAS BEEN GRANTED BY AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS AND IS EXPECTED TO START AT 7:45am APPROXIMATELY.

As you will notice from the schedule below every passenger disembarking the vessel in Fremantle has been asked to meet in a specific location at a designated time. This is because we refrain from using the ship's public address system during the disembarking process and experience has demonstrated passengers disembark the vessel in a calmer and more relaxed manner, ready for their onward journey. Ship's personnel has been assigned to each meeting location. They will invite you to disembark when the shore-side team is ready to receive you dockside. You will be asked to bring your own hand luggage to these locations while you wait to be called.

Australian Quarantine Information

Travelling to south East Asia? Don't buy more than you bargained for?

Renowned for its warm weather, tropical beaches and cheap shopping, southeast Asia is a popular holiday destination for Australians. Handbags, woven baskets and mats, handmade paper and ornaments, picture frames, photo albums, seed jewellery, hats and spices are popular purchases.

Many souvenirs from this region are made from materials that can carry exotic pests and diseases. They might be bargains, but they can also present serious quarantine risks to Australia's environment and agriculture industries. Quarantine officers will inspect these items: some may need to be treated to make them safe (you will be charged for treatment) but some may simply be too dangerous and will have to be destroyed.

Avoid items made from banana products (including fruit, leaf, bark and stems), water hyacinth or corn husks - these are not allowed without a permit. Some albums, notebooks, baskets, hats, bags, plates, cards and wooden ornaments may have these products.

Seeds may be found on hats, paper, frames, jewellery, notebooks, clocks or dried flower arrangements, which must be declared. Unidentified seeds are not allowed.

Items made of plant material -such as handmade ornamental paper, cards and boxes, Thai cushions or decorative lampshades could be infested with insects or plant diseases. They must be declared for inspection and may need to be treated. Items made from unidentified plant material are not allowed.

Souvenirs made with bark - such as pencils, photo albums and motorbike models - will need to be treated. Wood or bamboo carvings and items are allowed, but check them for small holes or other signs of insect damage before you buy them. All items must be declared and inspected by Quarantine to make sure there are no insects present (like wood borers). If insects are found, the item will need to be treated.

Rawhide and manure can present animal disease risks. Drums, shields, pictures and other items made with rawhide, must be declared and may need to be treated. Products made with manure - including handmade paper, notebooks, photo frames, albums or decorative paper ­are not allowed without a permit.

Herbs and spices must be commercially packaged, sealed and have a full ingredient list. They must not contain ingredients such as cloves and allspice.

Shells - including jewellery - are generally okay, but must be declared and inspected. However, giant African snail shells (found in Indonesia) are not allowed, and Queen Conch and giant clamshells are protected under endangered wildlife laws.

Your luggage will be screened or X-rayed. Don't risk a $220 on-the-spot fine or prosecution with fines over $60,000 and a criminal record -a big price for a bargain souvenir!

Declare all food, plant material and animal products for quarantine inspection.

• Do not purchase painted wall hangings made of rawhide, banana bark photo albums, banana bark and hyacinth on bags and shoes, and photo albums and items made using elephant dung.

• Do not purchase lacquered timber found on picture frames. If purchased onboard they must be declared.

• Do not purchase a 3 in 1 instant coffee mix that has a creamer added.

This is a particular favourite in Malaysia and Thailand.

For more information about what you can and can't bring into Australia, visit the AQIS website vvww.agis.gov.au