MSC Miami Cruise on B2 Visa with Cuban Passport

[macun]

Apologize if this has been asked before but I could not find an answer and MSC cruises was absolutely no help.

 

I want to take my sister on a cruise out of Miami on the MSC Divina in June. She is here on an unexpired B2 visa. Her passport is Cuban.

 

My question is simple. Can she get on and off the boat? If she cant get off teh boat at the ports of call then so be it. I jsut want to make sure she can get back in the USA.

 

Does anyone know the answer to this or where I can get help. Contacting the Cuban embassy (as suggested by the MSC rep) is not an option.

 

Thanks Much in advance

[CruiserBruce]

MSC will not allow her on the ship if she can't get off at a port, as it would be next to impossible to truly guarantee she doesn't somehow slip off the ship.

 

I would look and see if a Cuban national can enter the countries on your cruise. So, do an internet search asking "can a Cuban national go to X" country. If the answers aren't clear, i would be contacting the embassy/consulate for that country here in the US.

[chengkp75]

Additionally, the OP needs to determine if the sister's visa is a single or multiple entry B2 visa. Unless specifically requested at application, the visa will not be a multiple entry. Therefore, when the sister leaves the US on the ship, she will not be eligible to re-enter the US at the end of the cruise, regardless of whether the visa has expired or not. That will have a much larger significance than individual port of call visas. If the B2 visa is not a multiple entry visa, MSC will not allow the sister to board.

[macun]

Additionally, the OP needs to determine if the sister's visa is a single or multiple entry B2 visa. Unless specifically requested at application, the visa will not be a multiple entry. Therefore, when the sister leaves the US on the ship, she will not be eligible to re-enter the US at the end of the cruise, regardless of whether the visa has expired or not. That will have a much larger significance than individual port of call visas. If the B2 visa is not a multiple entry visa, MSC will not allow the sister to board.

 

Thank you very much for teh reply. It is a multiple entry B2 visa. The MSC cruise in question out of Miami travels to Jamaica, CI, Cozumel and Bahamas and back Miami.

 

I would be ok if she just stays on board and doesn't get off the ship. What kinda surprised me was that the cruise operator on the phone had no clue or help or info whatsoever. If they know enough at time of embarkation to not let her on the boat, why wouldn't they know now on the phone and have me gamble on a ticket. Don't understand...

[Floridiana]

Check the consular websites of each island nation to make sure she can go ashore. I doubt that there will be a problem, but look it up anyway. The ship may not let her board if she can't go ashore because the ship will be in the island nation's waters. At boarding in Miami, those people won't have a clue either - I bet.

[chengkp75]

Thank you very much for teh reply. It is a multiple entry B2 visa. The MSC cruise in question out of Miami travels to Jamaica, CI, Cozumel and Bahamas and back Miami.

 

I would be ok if she just stays on board and doesn't get off the ship. What kinda surprised me was that the cruise operator on the phone had no clue or help or info whatsoever. If they know enough at time of embarkation to not let her on the boat, why wouldn't they know now on the phone and have me gamble on a ticket. Don't understand...

 

It doesn't matter whether or not she gets off the ship in ports, the ship will clear customs and immigration at each port, and all passengers and crew are considered to be entered into the country, even if they don't leave the ship.

 

The phone center operators, for all lines, really don't have a clue, and the check in personnel at the terminal are not cruise line employees, they are port authority personnel, and deal with CBP and visa issues on a daily basis.

[CruiserBruce]

 

I would be ok if she just stays on board and doesn't get off the ship.

 

If she chooses not to get off, that is one thing. But if, on a Cuban passport, she can't get off the ship in a given port/country, she will not be allowed to board the ship in Miami. She will be refused boarding, and no refund will be given.

[Algebralovr]

From a quick internet search, it is going to be difficult.

 

Pretty much every one of your ports requires a visa in advance, likely with a fee, for a citizen of Cuba. I didn't find the CI policy, but the other three seem to be that way.

 

The question then becomes, do you wish to send away for and pay for those visas? Do you live in a location that allows the two of you to go visit an embassy or consulate of each country and apply for a tourist visa in person, with whatever is required, since your sister may not be allowed to be without her passport and current visa to be in the US?

[macun]

Thank you all for your replies. Honestly my head hurts just thinking about all this.

 

I emailed the CBP on their website and asked this hypothetical question:

 

As a Cuban national with a Cuban passport visiting the usa on b2 visa with a valid !-94, can I board a closed loop cruise from Miami and be allowed to re-enter the usa?

 

Thanks much.

 

Julio

 

Here is the answer I got:

 

Dear Julio,

You need to have a multiple entry visa to re-enter the US.

 

Mark

 

About Visas - The Basics

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/frequently-asked-questions.html

 

Information for International Visitors to the US

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors

 

From this answer I gather that if she has a Multiple entry B2 visa not expired she can get on and off the boat at a minimum.

[CruiserBruce]

I think you are missing the point. It has already been established she can re-enter the US. But, if, due to her Cuban passport, she can't legally enter one of the countries the ship stops at on the cruise, the cruise line will not let her board in Miami. The cruise line is not allowed to help people enter a country illegally. Docking at a pier in a country is entering that country.

[chengkp75]

Thank you all for your replies. Honestly my head hurts just thinking about all this.

 

I emailed the CBP on their website and asked this hypothetical question:

 

As a Cuban national with a Cuban passport visiting the usa on b2 visa with a valid !-94, can I board a closed loop cruise from Miami and be allowed to re-enter the usa?

 

Thanks much.

 

Julio

 

Here is the answer I got:

 

Dear Julio,

You need to have a multiple entry visa to re-enter the US.

 

Mark

 

About Visas - The Basics

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/frequently-asked-questions.html

 

Information for International Visitors to the US

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors

 

From this answer I gather that if she has a Multiple entry B2 visa not expired she can get on and off the boat at a minimum.

 

While the information given to you by CBP is correct, it isn't complete. Their information deals only with exit and entry into the US. When the cruise line transports you to a foreign country, they have the right to ensure that the passenger has the required visa for all countries visited. If she does not have a required visa, they can refuse to allow her to board, with no recourse for refund of the cruise price. As I've said, it doesn't matter whether she remains onboard in the foreign ports or not, as far as the customs and immigration at each port, every passenger onboard must clear into and back out of the country, essentially entering the country, and if she were to be onboard without a required visa, the ship could be liable for fine and/or the cost to escort the passenger under guard to the airport and pay for the flight out of the country. This is why the cruise line will check for required visas, and deny boarding to anyone without a visa.

[macun]

While the information given to you by CBP is correct, it isn't complete. Their information deals only with exit and entry into the US. When the cruise line transports you to a foreign country, they have the right to ensure that the passenger has the required visa for all countries visited. If she does not have a required visa, they can refuse to allow her to board, with no recourse for refund of the cruise price. As I've said, it doesn't matter whether she remains onboard in the foreign ports or not, as far as the customs and immigration at each port, every passenger onboard must clear into and back out of the country, essentially entering the country, and if she were to be onboard without a required visa, the ship could be liable for fine and/or the cost to escort the passenger under guard to the airport and pay for the flight out of the country. This is why the cruise line will check for required visas, and deny boarding to anyone without a visa.

 

Understood. This is where the cruise company I feel has failed me. They are in a better position to tell me if I need a visa for her for Jamaica/GCI/Mexico and Bahamas. So if I book this cruise and do the online check in and pay and show up at the embarkation port, Miami, they can deny her entry and keep our money. That just doesn't seem right.

[macun]

From the CBP website

 

" You should always check with your cruise ship, travel agent and or destination country to confirm the requirements for entry into the foreign countries you will be visiting. "

 

LOL never ending do-loop.

[NMLady]

Understood. This is where the cruise company I feel has failed me. They are in a better position to tell me if I need a visa for her for Jamaica/GCI/Mexico and Bahamas. So if I book this cruise and do the online check in and pay and show up at the embarkation port, Miami, they can deny her entry and keep our money. That just doesn't seem right.

 

Re-read the last sentence of post number 6. The phone reps are in no position to know the rules for every Passenger,, especially those on non-US passports. It is the port employees checking you in who make that determination.

 

You need to check the rules for each island being visited.

[NMLady]

From the CBP website

 

" You should always check with your cruise ship, travel agent and or destination country to confirm the requirements for entry into the foreign countries you will be visiting. "

 

LOL never ending do-loop.

 

OP needs to ckeck requirements for each "destination country". She has not yet done that.

[CruiserBruce]

Understood. This is where the cruise company I feel has failed me. They are in a better position to tell me if I need a visa for her for Jamaica/GCI/Mexico and Bahamas. So if I book this cruise and do the online check in and pay and show up at the embarkation port, Miami, they can deny her entry and keep our money. That just doesn't seem right.

 

Most cruise lines will also state the passenger is always ultimately responsible to make sure their passport and related documents are current and meet requirements. It is NOT possible for every cruise rep to know the visa and passport requirements of all 170+ countries in the world.

[chengkp75]

From the CBP website

 

" You should always check with your cruise ship, travel agent and or destination country to confirm the requirements for entry into the foreign countries you will be visiting. "

 

LOL never ending do-loop.

 

Not a "do-loop" at all. You must contact the embassies or consulates for the countries the cruise visits in order to determine if they require a visa, and then arrange for the proper application and send them the passport, or whatever process they require. You can also look at visa services, which can give advice on which countries require visas for a Cuban citizen, and lead you through the visa process and maybe even expedite the process. Two previous posters have either told you to contact the consulates on your own, or have checked country websites and found that visas are required. So now it is up to you and your sister to do your homework and get the visas.

 

I believe the airlines handle this in the same way. It is up to the passenger to obtain all required travel documentation, and if you show up to fly without it, they will simply refuse you boarding, and not refund your fare.

 

Not sure why you seem to be hesitant to contact the "destination countries" as suggested in the CBP website.

Edited April 4, 2016 by chengkp75