During the busy summer travel season, CCL-Carnival Cruise Line is expanding the use of facial biometric technology to speed up the debarkation process for its guests. This partnership with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has already benefited 3+ million CCL tourists.
9 out of CCL's 14 American homeports (Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, Jacksonville, New York City, Baltimore, Mobile, Galveston, Long Beach/Los Angeles) now utilize this secure and streamlined technology. This deployment of facial biometrics in the cruise industry is the largest, and it has resulted in an average 30% reduction in the time taken for the debarkation process at these ports.
Christine Duffy (CCL's President) expressed the company's commitment to making the debarkation process as straightforward as possible for their guests. The partnership with CBP and the use of this technology not only increase efficiency but also provide guests with a sense of safety and security, knowing that their information is well-protected.
The process itself is simple: when guests leave the ship at the end of a closed-loop cruise, they stop at a kiosk equipped with a camera and have their photo taken. Within seconds, the facial biometrics system compares the image to the guest's passport or visa photo, achieving an accuracy rate of over 98% to verify their identity.
Diane J. Sabatino, Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Field Operations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, expressed enthusiasm for expanding the use of facial biometrics to enhance the passenger experience through public-private partnerships with the cruise industry. The collaboration with CCL aims to transform cruise shipping operations by leveraging technology and improved processes while also strengthening data-sharing agreements to enhance security at American seaports.
Americans and certain foreign nationals who prefer not to use facial biometrics can request a manual document check from a CBP Officer, adhering to existing admission requirements into the USA.