The last thing a person wants is to bag a real bargain or a true treasure while abroad or in the warm, southern islands, only to find out on return to port that you either owe a big chunk of duty, or it's going to be confiscated.

To avoid a crushing disappointment or huge duty bill when you disembark, you need to check out the duty-free allotments for the countries that you will visit, before you even board the ship. This is an essential part of your cruise planning, and will make the end of it more pleasant, and the process of clearing Customs much faster, if you know what you are doing and are prepared with all documents, receipts and paperwork related to your purchases.

Duty-free exemptions vary, with amounts of $200, $800 and $1600 being the most common. But on a cruise where you visit several different countries, and the exemption varies, it means accurate recording of your purchases is a must. Keep all receipts and an organized list of what you purchased and where, in your purse or carry-on luggage, ready to present to the Customs officer. Remember, anything not declared, even if left off accidentally, can be confiscated.

Some cruises also visit U.S. possessions, such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, where purchases would not qualify for duty, but which still need to be declared. Items that you have mailed must still be declared, but cannot be counted as part of your exemption, because all items for declaration must be in your possession at the time.

One thing to be careful of is how often you travel outside the country and purchase things. A duty-free exemption can only be taken every 30 days. That means if you traveled to Canada and brought back $200 worth of goods less than a month before your return from a cruise, you will have no duty free exemption available to you, not even the “balance” of the exemption from your trip North. In that case, you may want to voluntarily pay duty on the Canadian purchases to protect your vacation shopping spree.

More information on duty, exemptions, and the process of declaration, can be found on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection site at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/