bahamas, in by air out by boat

If I fly into the Bahamas and return by personal boat,if there anyway avoiding purchasing an round trip airline ticket ?

motion30 said:

If I fly into the Bahamas and return by personal boat,if there anyway avoiding purchasing an round trip airline ticket ?

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Yes, you need to get a copy of the cruising permit for the boat you are meeting so you can present it at check in with the airline you are flying in on and to immigration when you land in the Bahamas.

I've done this several times flying into Marsh Harbour. I just booked a one way ticket from Ft. Lauderdale to Marsh Harbour and cleared Bahamian customs at the MH airport. The only time I was ever asked to show my cruising permit was when I was bringing in boat parts and didn't want to pay duty on them.

Cleared back into the US with no problems as well.

If the airlines or customs asks, just tell them you are returning via private vessel, they may want to know the boat name and where it lies, probably nothing beyond that.

A copy of your cruising permit would be the safest way to go, but if you don't have it I wouldn't sweat it too much.

Dougcole said:

A copy of your cruising permit would be the safest way to go, but if you don't have it I wouldn't sweat it too much.

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I would sweat it. Yes you sometimes get by without it. But I know some one who was denied boarding till they got a copy of the cruising permit faxed to the airline.

Some times a letter from the captain with the ships stamp and details in it will work too.

It's up to the each airline and each counter person as to how lenient they want to be with the rules. So I prefer not to risk getting some one who is having a bad day and wants to pass that along to me.

Better safe than sorry, sure.

I wouldn't say you "sometimes" get by without it, though. More accurate would be to say that it is highly unlikely that you will be asked for that document, but it is possible, and it would be a real pain if you were asked and didn't have it.

No disrespect intended Doug, but I have done this more than 20 times in the past 10 years (flown in to MHH - cruised out) and at least half the time they required seeing the cruising permit. I actually had a temp crewmember flying in for one trip that was denied boarding because they had lost the permit. Not worth taking the chance IMHO.

Good advice here. If you are on your own vessel, then have the cruising permit (or a copy). If joining another's vessel, you generally need a letter from the Captain with boat details , intinerary and stating that you are joining the crew. Many countries will not allow you to fly in on a one-way ticket. Always better to have the documents and not need them than to need them and not have them!

Thanks.guys. my crew made..it with no problem by showing permit