Carnival Cruise Line is expanding its use of facial biometric technology to speed up the debarkation process and its partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to the improve customer experience, according to a press release.

“Expanding this technology at our U.S. homeports ensures we’re doing everything we can to make the debarkation process as simple as possible for our guests,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Thanks to our partnership with CBP, these technology solutions make the process more efficient, while giving guests a sense of safety and security, knowing their information is protected.”

Nine of Carnival’s 14 U.S. homeports are using the technology, including Miami, Port Canaveral, Tampa, Jacksonville, New York, Baltimore, Mobile, Galveston and Long Beach. At these homeports, the debarkation process has been expedited by an average of 30 percent.

Guests disembarking the ships after a cruise stop at a kiosk with a camera to take a photo and the image is biometrically compared to their passport or visa photo within seconds to verify the guest’s identity with over 98 percent accuracy.

“CBP is excited to expand the use of facial biometrics in the debarkation process to further secure and streamline the passenger experience through public/private partnerships with the cruise industry,” said Diane J. Sabatino, deputy executive assistant commissioner, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “Through our partnership with Carnival Cruise Line, we will continue to transform cruise operations by leveraging technology and enhanced processes while also strengthening our data sharing agreement to further secure U.S. seaports.”

U.S. travelers and select foreign nationals who prefer to avoid the facial biometric process can request a manual document check from a CBP Officer.