Cruise Ship Cruise Ship Deck Operations and Port Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What form must all international passengers on a cruise ship complete before arrival in a US port?
- CBP Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record or equivalent electronic entry (Correct answer)
- State Department Visa Application DS-160
- IRS Foreign Income Declaration
- CDC Health Screening Form HHS-700
Correct answer: CBP Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record or equivalent electronic entry
Non-US citizens arriving by sea must complete the CBP arrival record (I-94 or its electronic equivalent), providing immigration and customs information before being processed at the port.
Question 2: What is the purpose of 'shore power' (cold ironing) technology being adopted at many cruise ports?
- To reduce shore-side electrical costs
- To allow ships to shut down engines and use land-based electricity, reducing air pollution in port (Correct answer)
- To charge passenger devices faster in port
- To power dock cranes during cargo loading
Correct answer: To allow ships to shut down engines and use land-based electricity, reducing air pollution in port
Shore power (also called cold ironing) allows ships to connect to the local electrical grid while docked, enabling them to shut down diesel generators and eliminate air emissions from idle engines in the port area.
Question 3: Who is responsible for verifying that all passengers have re-embarked before a cruise ship departs a port of call?
- The harbor master
- The chief purser or hotel director through a headcount and gangway manifest reconciliation (Correct answer)
- US Customs officers
- Local port police
Correct answer: The chief purser or hotel director through a headcount and gangway manifest reconciliation
The purser's department reconciles the gangway card swipe system or manual manifests to ensure every embarked passenger has returned before the ship can safely depart.
Question 4: What is 'free pratique' in cruise ship port operations?
- Complimentary shore excursions for crew members
- Official clearance granted by port health authorities allowing passengers and crew to disembark (Correct answer)
- A tax exemption on duty-free goods
- Permission to use the harbor tug services at no charge
Correct answer: Official clearance granted by port health authorities allowing passengers and crew to disembark
Free pratique is the official authorization issued by port health authorities after confirming there are no contagious disease concerns aboard, allowing passengers and crew to disembark.
Question 5: What does the term 'homeport' mean in cruise line operations?
- The country where the ship is registered (flag state)
- The embarkation/disembarkation port where a ship begins and ends its scheduled cruises (Correct answer)
- The port with the ship's maintenance dry dock
- The port closest to cruise line headquarters
Correct answer: The embarkation/disembarkation port where a ship begins and ends its scheduled cruises
A homeport is the designated departure and arrival port for a ship's itineraries where the majority of passenger turnaround (embarkation and disembarkation) takes place each cruise.
Question 6: What is a 'gangway watch' officer's primary responsibility while a cruise ship is in port?
- Managing shore excursion bookings
- Controlling access to the vessel, verifying crew and passenger identity, and maintaining security (Correct answer)
- Monitoring fuel bunkering operations
- Conducting customs declarations inspections
Correct answer: Controlling access to the vessel, verifying crew and passenger identity, and maintaining security
The gangway watch officer controls all persons embarking and disembarking, verifies identification using the access control system, and maintains a security log under ISPS Code requirements.
Cruise Ship Cruise Ship Deck Operations and Port Procedures 2
What form must all international passengers on a cruise ship complete before arrival in a US port?