Check-In and Cruising Permit Fees

[sailorboy1]

I was reading some countries check-in requirements and fees that go along with it. Seems can really add up to point that you need to decide when you can afford to move on because of the cost for the next stop.

So what is a good budget amount in the cruising costs to figure for covering these various fees? Anyone with recent experience who has moved around a fair amount (where's Mark when you need him)?

[Troubadour52993]

Hard to say without more info as to your plans. The Bahamas cruising permit is $300 for up to a year. Costly for a week, not awful for a season. The Bonaire marine park fee is $25 per person per year, but they don't allow anchoring and mooring balls at $10 a day add up much more quickly.

I checked out our intended path on noonsite and then tried to roughly plan out where we could "linger" waiting for weather, and places that would be more expensive to linger as we work our way south by next year's hurricane season.

Good luck!

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

...So what is a good budget amount in the cruising costs to figure for covering these various fees? Anyone with recent experience who has moved around a fair amount?

Don, once you get down here & plugged into the cruiser grapevine you find out how much those fees are. You can also get a good cruising guide, or check Noonsite: The global site for cruising sailors.

Clearance fees vary greatly. Most places are under $20, nickel & dime stuff. Malaysia & most French territories are basically free. Sri Lanka is $200. Australia is getting so high that many cruisers are avoiding it (in 2005 it was $165/hr, & they decided how long to stay). Indonesia requires a $200 cruising permit. French Polynesia requires a bond equal to a plane fare home for everyone. India & Brazil require expensive visas. But they're the exceptions. Most places are close enough to free not to matter.

[donradcliffe]

One thing that is as certain as death and taxes--the fees for checking in (and out) are going to go up, not down. You can't just look at customs and immigration, some places have big fees for health/agriculture inspections, some have big harbor fees for anchoring, sometimes its a cruising permit, etc...

[JamuJoe]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

So what is a good budget amount in the cruising costs to figure for covering these various fees? Anyone with recent experience who has moved around a fair amount (where's Mark when you need him)?

Fees vary considerably and are subject to change. You really have to be specific about your intended countries. The Voyager's Handbook: The Essential Guide to Blue Water Cruising by Beth Leonard provides some budget figures for cruising. Noonsite is a good resource, as are the cruisers nets on SSB or VHF. In some ports of entry, check-in is straightforward, in others it's a paperwork cha-cha, and sometimes the use of a local agent is advantageous in one way or another. Be informed, be patient, be courteous, and realize that it's part of the adventure that you chose.

[sailorboy1]

Let me rephase since I know how to look up various countries or I would not have known enough to ask the question.

How much are YOU budgeting in your cruising kitty for check-ins and cruising permit type of costs?

[zeehag]

noonsite.com lists countries and fees and requirements. is an excellent site. they even list the countries so all you have to do is unch that country and ta-daaa, there is info. i love noonsite.com.
i avoid the places with high fees unless i have extra money.

[boasun]

Originally Posted by zeehag

noonsite.com lists countries and fees and requirements. is an excellent site. they even list the countries so all you have to do is unch that country and ta-daaa, there is info. i love noonsite.com.
i avoid the places with high fees unless i have extra money.

What is extra Money?? Never seen it

[endoftheroad]

Australia is getting so high that many cruisers are avoiding it (in 2005 it was $165/hr, & they decided how long to stay).


I am real confused here.
What is $165/hr?

[atoll]

if i remember the basic fee was $180 aus.
then also $165 per hour IF you arrived on a weekend or out of 0900-1700 hours in australia for overtime.

[boatman61]

[QUOTE=atoll;649149]if i remember the basic fee was $180 aus.
then also $165 per hour IF you arrived on a weekend or out of 0900-1700 hours in australia for overtime.[/QUOTE]

Colocually known as "Taking The Piss..."

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

"Australia is getting so high that many cruisers are avoiding it (in 2005 it was $165/hr, & they decided how long to stay)."

I am real confused here. What is $165/hr?

Australia has decided to charge visiting boats to run their clearance procedures (Customs, Immigration, Ag inspection, etc) even though most civilized countries pay for that out of taxes. Prices have gone up considerably since we were last there, but in 2005 the Aus clearance folks charged us $165/hr (plus OT if we cleared out of normal business hours). They decided how long they needed to stay. If you got narky, they just stayed longer until you worked it out that it was better to be nice & let them finnish. Now I believe they can make you haul your boat immediately if they want.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i avoid the places with high fees unless i have extra money.

Good plan! We just changed our plans after checking costs and weather temperatures: we wanted to go up the US east coast but visit the Bahamas first so that we don't come from Cuba. Total cost $700.- ($300 Bahamas + $400 USA for 2 persons (visa) + boat (cruising permit))

We decided to head east instead, back to the ABC islands

ciao!
Nick.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

. . . How much are YOU budgeting in your cruising kitty for check-ins and cruising permit type of costs?

For the Caribbean it averages out to about US$20/island. Places like the Bahamas and D.R. are very high - but - the French Islands, US Islands are free or 4euro(St Martin). When you convert local currency - EC's - to dollars the fees are quite small - about the cost of lunch ashore. All tolled, from Fla to Trinidad was about $500 spread over 6 months to a year of cruising. And 3/5ths of that was just getting from Fla to the Virgins.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by osirissail

US Islands are free.

Like I just wrote above: USA (incl. any islands) is $400.- for 2 persons + the boat. That includes visa and cruising permit.
Only for US citizens it's free or almost free (isn't there some sticker to buy?)

cheers,
Nick.