Turned away by customs and missed the cruise

[garycarla]

Some folks here need to take a minute and think though this before posting worthless answers.

 

1 - It "appears" this person may not be a U.S. Citizen. Therefore all the rules are different.

 

2 - Customs did not stop them. The cruiseline has to make sure people have the right paperwork/documents before allowing someone to board. So they are the "official" for the moment. If the cruiseline allows someone without proper documents to enter another country, they are in serious trouble.

 

3 - This is an immigration issue, not customs.

[JohnIreland]

The cruise line is fined if they bring you to a country you can't legally enter.

[newmexicoNita]

United States citizens do not need a visa to visit Canada. Your USA passport is sufficient.

 

Nowhere has the OP stated he is a US citizen? I think this is the problem.

 

OP, all you can get back and yes, you can it back would be your port charges and maybe your taxes.

 

This is so sad:hopefully others on here will read your posting and be very careful about having the correct documents

 

jenseib: I too wodered what we don't know. I checked and found out what you did, he only posts rarely, which doesn't mean anything, but it does make one wonder if his post is for real, especially when he hasn't responded to the question: are you a US citizen?

Edited May 28, 2015 by newmexicoNita

[moonieelf]

The rule of thumb I've used when traveling internationally is to ask as many government officials as I can find. This would be on my level (as a US citizen), for any country I'll be passing through, and for the country I'll be visiting. I've been stopped at a border crossing once, because my Step-Father took a wrong turn and we ended up in Argentina. I had a visa to be in Brazil, not Argentina. It was a bit of a mess.

[luvtheships]

Ok, that could very well be. Still I am baffled why they turned them away. The only reason would be that they were not US citizens. I recently contacted the Port Operations about a different issue but asked if they could deny boarding and I was told no. But Canada can deny someone getting off the ship at their port and they would be notified at least 24 hours before docking there. Of course this issue might be different than the OP's. I wish he would come back and tell us more. With only 33 posts and the last one looks to be a couple of years ago, it makes me wonder if this is a legitimate post or if it is just someone who doesn't come on here often.

 

Cruise lines can and do deny embarkation to pax without proper visas.....

 

Try boarding a ship in Miami that ports in brazil without a Brazilian visa as an American citizen

 

Saying you will not debark in brazil and that's why you don't have one is useless

 

Google carnival splendor maiden South American voyage

 

150 pax denied in Miami.

 

Apparently the Ta screwed up I read but not sure of the exact detail of that

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Demonyte]

Nowhere has the OP stated he is a US citizen? I think this is the problem.

 

 

The answer you quoted wasn't for OP but another poster that clearly stated in the post (that the reply clearly and correctly quoted) having cruised with driver's license and birth certificate so they obiviously are US citizens.

[RuthlessBoss]

The answer you quoted wasn't for OP but another poster that clearly stated in the post (that the reply clearly and correctly quoted) having cruised with driver's license and birth certificate so they obiviously are US citizens.

 

The answer was about the OP;) What's wrong with that?

[ColinIllinois]

This thread is like an Abbott and Costello routine.

Edited May 28, 2015 by ColinIllinois

[triptolemus]

This thread is like an Abbott and Costello routine.

 

Most threads here are. What's your point? :)

[vicocala]

Nowhere has the OP stated he is a US citizen? I think this is the problem.

 

OP, all you can get back and yes, you can it back would be your port charges and maybe your taxes.

 

This is so sad:hopefully others on here will read your posting and be very careful about having the correct documents

 

jenseib: I too wodered what we don't know. I checked and found out what you did, he only posts rarely, which doesn't mean anything, but it does make one wonder if his post is for real, especially when he hasn't responded to the question: are you a US citizen?

 

I sometimes wish you would read all the posts before you comment. My post wasn't an answer to the OP but to another poster. Thanks.

[wzhao6898]

thank you all for the replies, it is definitely a good lesson learned, and I don't have anybody else but myself to blame. I booked the cruise for my mom, who has a Chinese passport and a US visa.

 

The information on Canadian government web site is confusing, because had she arrived in Vancouver directly from Beijing, and got a cruise to Alaska, she wouldn't have needed a visa (TSV exemption). But she stopped by San Diego first.

 

I was just hoping NCL would help their customer a little bit more, and according to the customs officer, they've seen this a lot.

 

Oh, well. Thanks again, and happy sailing.

[spookyfudge]

No, you will not get your money back from cruise line. Your travel agent should have gotten you proper travel documents. See the agent.

 

Sent from my KFTHWI using Forums mobile app

[martincath]

I'd avoided posting until now because there were simply too many possibilities for incorrect assumptions about citizenship etc.

 

However now you've confirmed the situation I feel obliged to clarify that in fact she would have been turned away at Vancouver even if she had wanted to go straight to her cruise - the China Transit Program only applies to pax transiting to the US on a direct, same-day flight, not cruise (they even restrict which airlines you can fly in on). There is no other Visa exemption for citizens of PRC.

 

The website is extremely straightforward about this, and all other nationality/visa information - pick your citizenship from a dropdown menu, hit Go, and you are told whether you need a visa in simple Yes or No terms, then any possible exemptions are given immediately below that line (in this case, for in-transit pax there's a link to the CTP which also lays out in very plain language bullet-points all the criteria which must be met).

 

It sucks that your holiday plans were ruined by a failed research roll, but at least nobody was hurt except financially - and I bet all your future travel plans will be very, VERY well-researched!

[zqvol]

thank you all for the replies, it is definitely a good lesson learned, and I don't have anybody else but myself to blame. I booked the cruise for my mom, who has a Chinese passport and a US visa.

 

The information on Canadian government web site is confusing, because had she arrived in Vancouver directly from Beijing, and got a cruise to Alaska, she wouldn't have needed a visa (TSV exemption). But she stopped by San Diego first.

 

I was just hoping NCL would help their customer a little bit more, and according to the customs officer, they've seen this a lot.

 

Oh, well. Thanks again, and happy sailing.

 

Of course, if she had flown directly into Vancouver she would have had to get the Canadian visa to go there directly.

[jenseib]

Cruise lines can and do deny embarkation to pax without proper visas.....

 

Try boarding a ship in Miami that ports in brazil without a Brazilian visa as an American citizen

 

Saying you will not debark in brazil and that's why you don't have one is useless

 

Google carnival splendor maiden South American voyage

 

150 pax denied in Miami.

 

Apparently the Ta screwed up I read but not sure of the exact detail of that

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Thanks...the issue I called about was not about a Visa though.

[njhorseman]

Ok, that could very well be. Still I am baffled why they turned them away. The only reason would be that they were not US citizens. I recently contacted the Port Operations about a different issue but asked if they could deny boarding and I was told no. But Canada can deny someone getting off the ship at their port and they would be notified at least 24 hours before docking there. Of course this issue might be different than the OP's. I wish he would come back and tell us more. With only 33 posts and the last one looks to be a couple of years ago, it makes me wonder if this is a legitimate post or if it is just someone who doesn't come on here often.

 

Thanks...the issue I called about was not about a Visa though.

 

Canada often denies disembarkation privileges for cruise ship passengers with a criminal record...and to the dismay of many this includes a DUI conviction...something not often thought of as "criminal" here in the U.S. You will be allowed to board the ship in the U.S., but you have to stay on board during its Canadian port call.

 

Of course we subsequently learned that the OP's problem was in fact a visa issue. Cruise lines will not allow passengers to board without proper visas.

[adjjb12]

 

The information on Canadian government web site is confusing, because had she arrived in Vancouver directly from Beijing, and got a cruise to Alaska, she wouldn't have needed a visa (TSV exemption). But she stopped by San Diego first.

 

I was just hoping NCL would help their customer a little bit more,

 

Had she arrived in Vancouver, she still would have needed the Canadian Visa to arrive in Vancouver.

 

I'm not sure what else they can do, it cleary says the Visa requirements on the NCL website.

 

http://www.ncl.com/about/required-travel-documentation#ofac

Visa Restrictions for Canada

 

Due to strict Canadian entry requirements, immigration officials have advised Norwegian Cruise Line that citizens from certain countries require a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) in order to visit or transit Canada. Passengers who are not U.S. or Canadian citizens should check the following web site for a listing of restricted nationalities to determine if a TRV is necessary: http://www.cic.gc.ca. Subsequently, passengers belonging to nationalities that require a visa will be denied boarding if they do not possess such a visa. Exceptions will be made for U.S. Alien Resident Card (ARC) and Canadian Residency Permit (CRP) holders.

 

Then when you click that website posted on ncl.com, within a few clicks you reach a drop down menu to pick the country you're a citizen of to see if you need a visa.

[newmexicoNita]

thank you all for the replies, it is definitely a good lesson learned, and I don't have anybody else but myself to blame. I booked the cruise for my mom, who has a Chinese passport and a US visa.

 

The information on Canadian government web site is confusing, because had she arrived in Vancouver directly from Beijing, and got a cruise to Alaska, she wouldn't have needed a visa (TSV exemption). But she stopped by San Diego first.

 

I was just hoping NCL would help their customer a little bit more, and according to the customs officer, they've seen this a lot.

 

Oh, well. Thanks again, and happy sailing.

 

I am sorry this had to happen to you but I am wondering why you would even think NCL should come to the rescue at all except for the port charges maybe?

[jenseib]

Canada often denies disembarkation privileges for cruise ship passengers with a criminal record...and to the dismay of many this includes a DUI conviction...something not often thought of as "criminal" here in the U.S. You will be allowed to board the ship in the U.S., but you have to stay on board during its Canadian port call.

 

Of course we subsequently learned that the OP's problem was in fact a visa issue. Cruise lines will not allow passengers to board without proper visas.

 

Thats exactly the issue I called about. It wasn't my issue thank goodness. ;) But I had to find out for someone else. Also after calling and emailing what seemed like everyone on the planet.... I found out that if the DUI has been more than 10 years ago it is overlooked/forgiven.

[EyeSeaEwe]

The easiest solution is to just get a passport whether you need one or not.

[sparks1093]

The easiest solution is to just get a passport whether you need one or not.

 

The person in question had a passport but they failed to obtain a visa as is required for citizens of her native land. Sometimes having a passport is not enough.

[NMLady]

The easiest solution is to just get a passport whether you need one or not.

 

The person OP is asking about has a passport but it is China passport so requires visa for Canada.

[garycarla]

The easiest solution is to just get a passport whether you need one or not.

 

Did you really just post this?

 

They had a passport. It was a VISA for a non U.S. Citizen that was in question.

 

 

( I started my reply before the other two posters jumped in and I did not see their response until after I posted mine, but I will still leave mine)

 

And yes, this whole thread, like many others is like an Abbott and Costello routine.

Edited May 29, 2015 by garycarla

[maggieworkman]

I want to clarify something about Alaska cruises roundtrip from Seattle. For the record my family and I (me, DH, DDs) all have U.S. passports. We are going on the Pearl with extended family and I am sort of the leader. I want to post info about documents on our Facebook group so that everyone has time to get what they need.

 

They can cruise with a certified birth certificate and drivers license since it is round trip from Seattle. Right? I imagine the women should bring marriage license (just in case) if they are using a birth certificate that obviously has their maiden name and not their married one.

 

However, if we do an excursion in Skagway that crosses the border, they need their passport. Would a passport card work for this if we are driving and/or taking a bus tour and/or the train?

 

If we get off the ship in Victoria and go to the Butchart Gardens, do they need a passport?

 

Thanks,

Maggie

Edited February 18, 2016 by maggieworkman

[triptolemus]

Read, understand and share this regarding NCL required travel documentation:

 

https://www.ncl.com/about/required-travel-documentation

 

Read, understand and share this information regarding the US Passport Card:

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/card.html

 

Read, understand and share this information regarding entering Canada at Victoria:

 

http://www.tourismvictoria.com/plan/travel-tips/passports/

 

And a little more...

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/canada.html

 

(Your answers: yes, yes, and yes.)

Edited February 18, 2016 by triptolemus