Flying into Bahamas leaving by boat

[Scubafee]

Hi,

We (Australians) are travelling to the Bahamas & jumping on our friends boat to help deliver her to Australia. We don't want to purchase a return/exit flight, we have a letter from the owner of the boat of our intentions will this be enough?
We have had a massive headache with US visa's (long story) so we don't want to get this wrong.

TIA

[Vasco]

No problem with this in the Bahamas. They're used to folks flying in and joining a boat.

[kcj]

Having the letter should be enough, though Ive never had crew been asked for it.

Do be prepared with a 'marina' name near where you are anchored - - - I got a panicked call from my daughter (who is a savvy Intl traveler) at Bahamas customs because the agent needed to fill in the 'hotel you are staying at' blank.. For some reason anchored in marsh harbor was not a sufficient answer that day. Strange...

[Meandercp]

It depends on the airline. The Bahamas Customs folk are used to it. It is getting onto the plane that stops you because the folks on this end are not as used to it.

If you can get the owner to send you a copy of his cruising permit it often helps. He can take a picture and text or email it to you, but you should print it out so it looks more official.

If this doesn't work, buy a full price refundable return ticket to Ft. Lauderdale for a few months out so you have time to turn it an and claim the refund.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Originally Posted by Scubafee

Hi,

We (Australians) are travelling to the Bahamas & jumping on our friends boat to help deliver her to Australia. We don't want to purchase a return/exit flight, we have a letter from the owner of the boat of our intentions will this be enough?
We have had a massive headache with US visa's (long story) so we don't want to get this wrong.

TIA

No worries - did it last year. The Bahamians are lot more accommodating than the Americans.

[akprb]

Originally Posted by Scubafee

Hi,

We (Australians) are travelling to the Bahamas & jumping on our friends boat to help deliver her to Australia. We don't want to purchase a return/exit flight, we have a letter from the owner of the boat of our intentions will this be enough?
We have had a massive headache with US visa's (long story) so we don't want to get this wrong.

TIA

You (I’ll say must) must have a copy of the owners cruising permit and the document is a good idea as well. Know precisely where she is moored and have the owners contact information.

I just buy a fully refundable ticket and refund it once there.

Just did this a few weeks ago.

Yes, I have been stuck in Miami and ended up buying a return ticket years ago just to get over there :-)

[Larry Florida]

Call the airline and get it approved before the original departing flight from Australia and any connections.

I see this problem all the time with international one way tickets. I carry onward tickets which are either:

1. A completely fake doctored up old ticket confirmation

2. Actual refundable tickets

Be prepared to purchase a refundable onward ticket while you are checking in if necessary.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by Scubafee

We (Australians) are travelling to the Bahamas & jumping on our friends boat to help deliver her to Australia. We don't want to purchase a return/exit flight, we have a letter from the owner of the boat of our intentions will this be enough?
TIA

Wont be enough. The problem will be the airline. The airline has the responsibility to return any passengers rejected by the recipient country. So the airline that flies you in needs to see a return ticket if things go wrong.

Just picture turning up at Sydney airport, on a busy Saturday morning with a one way ticket to Fiji and a letter from some no name. The checkin staff at the counter just wont process you. And obviously there's no one from Fiji Immigration on hand at Sydney airport to talk to. It's all just too hard, easier to not give the boarding pass. Next please.

You always need a refundable return ticket.

[jmschmidt]

Shouldn't be a problem with the airline (not on Delta anyway) or customs (US or Bahamas) but carrying an official looking Crew Letter (with a current date) is always a good idea whether paid crew or not.

On a delivery gig my skipper wanted to leave Bimini at zero dark 30 before we could clear out. So when I got home I scanned and printed all my US and Bahamian documents (including my USCG master's ticket) and mailed them to the Bahamian Government agency in charge of such things (with a polite letter of explanation) just in case I came back one day and their system showed that I had never left.

[alansmith]

Not that it matters... but when are you supposed to meet up for this delivery?

[Scubafee]

Originally Posted by alansmith

Not that it matters... but when are you supposed to meet up for this delivery?

The boat is leaving Florida Fort Pierce around 14/15th June. We will meet them sometime after 19th June.

We can not transit thru US due to visa delay, we will fly to Santiago onto Panama then Bahamas.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by jmschmidt

Shouldn't be a problem with the airline (not on Delta anyway) or customs (US or Bahamas) but carrying an official looking Crew Letter (with a current date) is always a good idea whether paid crew or not.

On a delivery gig my skipper wanted to leave Bimini at zero dark 30 before we could clear out. So when I got home I scanned and printed all my US and Bahamian documents (including my USCG master's ticket) and mailed them to the Bahamian Government agency in charge of such things (with a polite letter of explanation) just in case I came back one day and their system showed that I had never left.

I've been in and out of the Bahamas more times than I can count.

Save the four times (originating in and returning from Marsh Harbour) I flew back to the states (which may have had such a clear-out as part of the airline process), I've never said boo to anyone.

When my son flew in to crew back with me, when my wife had to go back earlier than our weather window allowed, he didn't clear out, either.

And, to the OP's issue, he had a copy of my cruising permit, and the "hotel" was Flying Pig, Marsh Harbour; he had no issues about getting a one way inbound ticket, nor any issues from customs and immigration.

Amusingly, I was given a lot of electronic hassle (could not pre-check either on computer or at the airport kiosk, on my return from my last out/in; they wanted to see a return ticket, which my ticket into MHH WAS, already

[Scubafee]

Hi everyone, thanks for your replies. We arrived safely @ Nassau with only a few question asked before boarding in Melbourne & Santiago, Chile. We armed ourselves with all documentation from skipper & owner. We did not have a copy of the cruising permit as they had only checked into West End the day before.
We were questioned once arrived in Nassau all they wanted was the boat name & contact details for owner, that was it. So no exit flight required [emoji847]