I was declined boarding and now I found I was right and the cruise company was wrong

[easyboy]

When going to your Cruise Personalizer for the first time after booking, there are a number of pop-up boxes that you must confirm to have read before actually accessing your Personalizer. One of the pop-up boxes indicates itineraries/countries where nationalities are enumerated that does not need to secure a visa. If your nationality was not on the list, by default, you will need a visa. On our British Isles cruise, Ireland was one of the countries named as requiring visa for nationalities not listed. US citizens is one of the nationalities listed not required to have a visa.

If you, or anyone on your booking, were able to use your Personalizer for your booking, like reserved a shore excursion or booked transfers, then it means you have confirmed that Princess has already advised you that your nationality is not on the list with visa exemption, and thus the need for you to get the visa.

So Princess assumed that you have been informed of the requirement and already have a visa when you were checking-in. Having none would have been their reason to deny you boarding.

[caribill]

Actually that is an entirely true statement from Princess. If you had a medical emergency that required you to be disembarked in Ireland (it happens, I know as it happen to my Dad one time) then you would need the visa. If you didn't have the visa then, in that case, Princess would be in trouble for letting you on the cruise without the proper documents because they had Ireland as a planned stop. No matter how you try to rationalize your position you simply didn't follow through on what was your responsibility. Unfortunately you missed your cruise because of that.

 

I wonder what would happen if on a different itinerary while at sea a passenger had a medical emergency and the nearest ports (not on the ship's itinerary) would require a visa the passenger did not have.

 

Would the country involved just let the passenger die on the ship or would they have some sort of way to allow the passenger to get ashore and receive medical attention?

 

Would an airplane with a medical (or mechanical) emergency be allowed to land at an airport in a country that required visas nobody on the plane would have?

[broberts]

...Short of house arrest, the ship has no other assurance a passenger stays aboard. ....

 

Not so. The ship monitors every passenger departure, (you may recall the ding after inserting your card in the scanner every time you board and debark). Stopping someone who is breaking a promise to stay on board is trivial.

[indygirl99]

I am at a loss as to why the OP did not know what visa's were required.

 

I am a US citizen, living in Washington state taking a round trip to Alaska from Seattle.

 

I do not have a passport but do have an enhanced drivers license (and have been to Canada with the EDL) which is what I filled out in the required form on the personalizer.

 

I have received 6 emails from Princess, since I booked in Feb for my August cruise, stating a VISA may be required for Canada and spelling out what documents were accepted for embarkation. Also each of these emails stressed that a passport was the preferred document.

 

When I got the first one I went to the multiple sites to check if I needed a visa and what documents were okay. I came to the conclusion I was okay with my EDL but need to get my passport before our TA next year.

 

By the time I got the 6th email I started to think maybe I had miss read the approved documents so I called Princess.

 

They told me I was okay with the EDL but they preferred a passport.

 

She said the reason they send the multiple emails is that invariably someone will be denied boarding because they did not follow-through and get the appropriate VISA and then throw a fit that they are denied boarding and denied a return of their fare. She said it is very easy to prove Princess did their part by sending the emails and it is on the shoulders of the passenger to get any required VISA.

 

You can bet I will research and have any required VISA's before our TA. I don't want to be left at the pier.

[EastBay Cruisers]

I wonder what would happen if on a different itinerary while at sea a passenger had a medical emergency and the nearest ports (not on the ship's itinerary) would require a visa the passenger did not have.

 

Would the country involved just let the passenger die on the ship or would they have some sort of way to allow the passenger to get ashore and receive medical attention?

 

Would an airplane with a medical (or mechanical) emergency be allowed to land at an airport in a country that required visas nobody on the plane would have?

 

I believe the situation you are describing is a different situation than the one we are discussing.

 

 

We are discussing visa/passport requirements for ports of call that are listed on the ship's itinerary.

 

We are discussing ports of call that are scheduled ports of call. The port authorities know in advance that the ship will arrive and passengers will be disembarking to move freely about the port city on shore excursion or on their own. - EBC

[hallasm]

I'm very confused - we sailed (using a US Passport) on the Caribbean Princess out of Southampton last August; our itinerary included Dublin, Cork, and Belfast as well as many other ports in Europe, Norway, Iceland, and the US. We needed no visa for any port or to board the ship. Has something changed in the last year that we need to know about for our next trip?

 

 

Don't worry. Not a problem for US passport holders - nothing has changed yet.

The OP obviously does not have an US passport and visa was required to enter Schengen. (Ireland).

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[MGAfhc]

I

 

Would an airplane with a medical (or mechanical) emergency be allowed to land at an airport in a country that required visas nobody on the plane would have?

 

This happened to my brother many years ago. A flight from England was diverted to a U.S. airport and many of the passengers did not have the proper paperwork. They had to stand under the plane for hours and eventually were bussed to the Canadian border under armed guard.

[princess C,is bad]

A UK visa allows you to enter the United Kingdom. Dublin is in the Republic of Ireland. It is an independent country and not part of the UK although it shares a border with Northern Ireland which is part of the UK.

:loudcry:

[Lady Arwen]

For some reason the OP has decided not share the country of his passport, which really is the crux of the matter. At this point we can only assume that the OP now understands that Princess is not at fault and this is one of those situations you learn from for the future. Advising the OP to obtain legal advice is ridiculous and a complete waste of time.

[princess C,is bad]

This maybe not be a problem for so many of you , but it is the principle that matters.

I was declined boarding the Caribbean Princess in Southampton, England because I didn't have a Visa for Ireland. I asked if I can stay on board during the stop in Ireland and I was declined that too. I am not an American citizen yet but all my family is. That was the worst day for all of us.

We were told by princess cruises staff that there was nothing to be done, so I kissed them goodbye , paid a hefty penalty for the Airline and a hotel in London to go home.

After the harsh and devastating situation, I sent an inquiry to the Irish Immigration Visa services in Dublin and the answer was(I didn't need a Visa if I would stayed on board) :o. I contacted Princess cruise post-cruise services, I was giving 3 reasons turned to be incorrect. I asked to talk to a different person or a supervisor I was told only one person will handle the complain and I can't talk to anybody else!

Please please tell me what to do? This is been very hard on all of us. :loudcry:

===============================================

Here is what I found

1- The immigration services of the concerned countrydo not care that there is a passenger on board the cruise ship {that is intheir water}

Does not have a Visa. There are hundreds of differentnationality staff on board without Visa (Myth Busted)

2-There are forms ( I saw it) a passenger should signbefore embarkation to agree to stay on board during a specific port stop.(MythBusted)

3-Your cruise card can be programmed to reflect somerestrictions easily, I was an IT(Myth Busted)

4-Medical Emergency evacuation needs a Visa? I don’tknow. I haven’t heard of Medics asking to see a Visa.

5-For so many nationalities a UK visa is all theyneed if any to go from Britain to Ireland, but I am one of the unfortunate.

It is a small mistake I madebut the banishment is very harsh and expensive. This is a business practice bythe cruise lines and it is discriminating. :loudcry:

[chengkp75]

===============================================

Here is what I found

1- The immigration services of the concerned countrydo not care that there is a passenger on board the cruise ship {that is intheir water}

Does not have a Visa. There are hundreds of differentnationality staff on board without Visa (Myth Busted)

3-Your cruise card can be programmed to reflect somerestrictions easily, I was an IT(Myth Busted)

4-Medical Emergency evacuation needs a Visa? I don’tknow. I haven’t heard of Medics asking to see a Visa.

It is a small mistake I madebut the banishment is very harsh and expensive. This is a business practice bythe cruise lines and it is discriminating. :loudcry:

 

Actually:

 

1. Please cite factual evidence where immigration officials don't care about people on ships not having visas. I have been on ships where we had stowaways, who jumped from the ship to enter the US illegally, and you can bet that not only was CBP interested that they didn't have visas, and they hold the shipping company liable for recovering the illegal immigrant, paying for their room, board, and security until they can be repatriated, and also for the cost of repatriation. Every crew member on the ship, regardless of nationality have a crew visa or a merchant mariner's document which acts as the same. (Myth Confirmed)

 

2. The cruise card can be programmed to limit spending (for minors), limit drinking (also minors), and even quarantine to cabin (set by medical), and yes to flag you to security at the gangway if you haven't paid your bill, or have some item in the naughty room to collect. They can flag you to restrict you from disembarking. (Myth Confirmed)

 

4. No, the medics won't ask for the visa (you're just being dense), but as soon as you need to leave the country once your medical problem is over, they will be looking for an entry visa for both the patient and anyone who accompanied him off the ship.

 

This is not a "business decision" by the cruise line, it is a legal decision of the country involved. Sorry, but you are wrong.

[princess C,is bad]

Actually:

 

1. Please cite factual evidence where immigration officials don't care about people on ships not having visas. I have been on ships where we had stowaways, who jumped from the ship to enter the US illegally, and you can bet that not only was CBP interested that they didn't have visas, and they hold the shipping company liable for recovering the illegal immigrant, paying for their room, board, and security until they can be repatriated, and also for the cost of repatriation. Every crew member on the ship, regardless of nationality have a crew visa or a merchant mariner's document which acts as the same. (Myth Confirmed)

 

2. The cruise card can be programmed to limit spending (for minors), limit drinking (also minors), and even quarantine to cabin (set by medical), and yes to flag you to security at the gangway if you haven't paid your bill, or have some item in the naughty room to collect. They can flag you to restrict you from disembarking. (Myth Confirmed)

 

4. No, the medics won't ask for the visa (you're just being dense), but as soon as you need to leave the country once your medical problem is over, they will be looking for an entry visa for both the patient and anyone who accompanied him off the ship.

 

This is not a "business decision" by the cruise line, it is a legal decision of the country involved. Sorry, but you are wrong.

===============================================

here is a copy of the Irish immigration

Subject:Re: Visa requirement for cruising the British Isles

From:

visamail@justice.ie

To:

watson@yahoo.com

Date:

Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 11:44:10 AM EDT

DearXXXXXX

Thank you for your email of 19/07/2017. If at any time you would be going

through the Irish Immigration check, you will require a visa. However if

you are not leaving the ship at any time during your cruise, you will not

require a visa.

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Visa Customer Services

Visa Office, Dublin

Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service

==================================================================

 

 

[princess C,is bad]

===============================================

here is a copy of the Irish immigration

Subject:Re: Visa requirement for cruising the British Isles

From:

visamail@justice.ie

To:

watson@yahoo.com

Date:

Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 11:44:10 AM EDT

DearXXXXXX

Thank you for your email of 19/07/2017. If at any time you would be going

through the Irish Immigration check, you will require a visa. However if

you are not leaving the ship at any time during your cruise, you will not

require a visa.

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Visa Customer Services

Visa Office, Dublin

Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service

==================================================================

 

I have no problem to say it is Egyptian passport , it was so many different post I replied toI 'm not saying that a program is in place to flag a passenger at the exit, I am saying that such a feature can be added almost like the way they program hotel keys :loudcry:

 

[CMHCruiseCouple]

What ever compassion I had for the OP is but a mere wisp this morning. OP has to this point not shared his/her passport origin, which may be the root of the pox upon their house. So many on this board have freely given time and experience to OP without the decency of a response to a simple question.

 

I say enough is enough. Hard lesson learned. Stop blaming others for your negligence. Princess would not board you, under the know circumstances, I know of no other cruise line that would board you. And I, empahtically, would not board you. And enough with the "discrimination;" claim. All logic has left this discussion.

 

And the rest of us : Let's all move on. It's time for an umbrella drink :)

 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

[CMHCruiseCouple]

The OP posted the above statement about an Egyptian passport as I was typing my response above. Thanks for finally clearing up that mystery.

 

I stand by the rest of my comment. Time to move on.

[latserrof]

===============================================

It is a small mistake I made :loudcry:

 

OP: OK, so you admit it was your mistake, but you still expect Princess to change its policy/procedures to somehow accommodate everyone like you who doesn't comply with the rules? Or just you?

[chengkp75]

===============================================

here is a copy of the Irish immigration

Subject:Re: Visa requirement for cruising the British Isles

 

From:

visamail@justice.ie

To:

watson@yahoo.com

Date:

Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 11:44:10 AM EDT

DearXXXXXX

Thank you for your email of 19/07/2017. If at any time you would be going

through the Irish Immigration check, you will require a visa. However if

you are not leaving the ship at any time during your cruise, you will not

require a visa.

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Visa Customer Services

Visa Office, Dublin

Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service

==================================================================

 

 

 

Please note the part I've highlighted in red. When the ship enters the port, an Immigration official, in this case a Garda officer, comes onboard and "clears" the entire ship (passengers, crew, and onboard stores of food, water, fuel, and such things) through the immigration check. Typically, at the same time, they clear the ship out of the country as well. I don't believe the person at the visa office knows the Garda's procedures for clearing a ship.

[mackilbeggan]

This maybe not be a problem for so many of you , but it is the principle that matters.

I was declined boarding the Caribbean Princess in Southampton, England because I didn't have a Visa for Ireland. I asked if I can stay on board during the stop in Ireland and I was declined that too. I am not an American citizen yet but all my family is. That was the worst day for all of us.

We were told by princess cruises staff that there was nothing to be done, so I kissed them goodbye , paid a hefty penalty for the Airline and a hotel in London to go home.

After the harsh and devastating situation, I sent an inquiry to the Irish Immigration Visa services in Dublin and the answer was(I didn't need a Visa if I would stayed on board) :o. I contacted Princess cruise post-cruise services, I was giving 3 reasons turned to be incorrect. I asked to talk to a different person or a supervisor I was told only one person will handle the complain and I can't talk to anybody else!

Please please tell me what to do? This is been very hard on all of us. :loudcry:

What citizenship do you hold?

 

Sent from my XT1650 using Forums mobile app

[harz99]

A mere 5 posts earlier your question was answered - Egyptian.

 

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Forums mobile app

[spyro1952]

===============================================

here is a copy of the Irish immigration

Subject:Re: Visa requirement for cruising the British Isles

 

From:

visamail@justice.ie

To:

watson@yahoo.com

Date:

Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 11:44:10 AM EDT

DearXXXXXX

Thank you for your email of 19/07/2017. If at any time you would be going

through the Irish Immigration check, you will require a visa. However if

you are not leaving the ship at any time during your cruise, you will not

require a visa.

 

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Visa Customer Services

Visa Office, Dublin

Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service

==================================================================

 

I have no problem to say it is Egyptian passport , it was so many different post I replied toI 'm not saying that a program is in place to flag a passenger at the exit, I am saying that such a feature can be added almost like the way they program hotel keys :loudcry:

 

 

Dude, PCL is a private company held by Carnival Corp. They can essentially deny boarding to anyone if the proper paperwork is not presented at embarkation. If their rule is that you need a Visa to get into Ireland, it doesn't matter what the Irish government says. The Irish government has nothing to do with PCL policies. You should have known all of this before you left. If you hold an Egyptian passport, then get information from your government what you need to travel docs you need to be permitted entrance to various countries. This is not the responsibility of Princess or the reps that check you in at embarkation, it is YOUR responsibility.

[broberts]

===============================================

Here is what I found

1- The immigration services of the concerned countrydo not care that there is a passenger on board the cruise ship {that is intheir water}

Does not have a Visa. There are hundreds of differentnationality staff on board without Visa (Myth Busted)

2-There are forms ( I saw it) a passenger should signbefore embarkation to agree to stay on board during a specific port stop.(MythBusted)

3-Your cruise card can be programmed to reflect somerestrictions easily, I was an IT(Myth Busted)

4-Medical Emergency evacuation needs a Visa? I don’tknow. I haven’t heard of Medics asking to see a Visa.

5-For so many nationalities a UK visa is all theyneed if any to go from Britain to Ireland, but I am one of the unfortunate.

It is a small mistake I madebut the banishment is very harsh and expensive. This is a business practice bythe cruise lines and it is discriminating. :loudcry:

 

I agree that you had an unfortunate experience. A significant reason appears to be that you made an assumption without taking the time to fully verify it. The assumption wasn't wrong, it just did not take into account the fact that the cruise line might have strict policies that do not entirely match entry requirements of countries being visited.

 

I am still unclear on the sequence. When you were denied boarding, were you not offered the form you mention that would allow you to stay aboard?

[The Wilkies]

The ship tracks you and registers each time you leave and return.

 

As an aside, we borrowed back our passports in South America so that we could have them stamped at "the bottom of the world" post office. Security knew when we left the ship and made us go straight to Customer Relations to hand them back as soon as we got back on board.

 

So they could have stopped you getting off the ship.

[spyro1952]

I agree that you had an unfortunate experience. A significant reason appears to be that you made an assumption without taking the time to fully verify it. The assumption wasn't wrong, it just did not take into account the fact that the cruise line might have strict policies that do not entirely match entry requirements of countries being visited.

 

I am still unclear on the sequence. When you were denied boarding, were you not offered the form you mention that would allow you to stay aboard?

 

His/her travel documents were not in order - the cruise line is not responsible nor do they have to make any special arrangements to assure he doesn't get off the ship.

[SantaFeFan]

Not so. The ship monitors every passenger departure, (you may recall the ding after inserting your card in the scanner every time you board and debark). Stopping someone who is breaking a promise to stay on board is trivial.

 

As an aside, we borrowed back our passports in South America so that we could have them stamped at "the bottom of the world" post office. Security knew when we left the ship and made us go straight to Customer Relations to hand them back as soon as we got back on board.

 

So they could have stopped you getting off the ship.

 

The point isn't whether the cruise line can or cannot not stop someone from getting ff the ship. The point is why should it be the cruise line who must police who can and cannot get off because the passengers have inadequate documentation to get off at a port. It is clearly the passenger's responsibility to have the proper documentation. I fail to understand why some people seem to believe that the cruise line should be baby sitting their passengers instead of the passengers being responsible for providing proper documentation.

 

It must be more of that "blame someone else" mentality that is so prevalent these days. Seems that more and more, taking responsibility for one's own actions seems to be becoming a quaint relic from the past.

[RU_Gremlin]

As an aside, we borrowed back our passports in South America so that we could have them stamped at "the bottom of the world" post office. Security knew when we left the ship and made us go straight to Customer Relations to hand them back as soon as we got back on board.

 

So they could have stopped you getting off the ship.

 

Sure, the ship could stop him, or take him at his word, or otherwise. As other people have addressed, though, what if there was an illness to him or his family that required being removed from the ship? How about an onboard emergency that required everyone to get off? What if he said that he'd stay in his room and then decided to try to find a way to sneak around security, or took the keycard of someone who looked like him (maybe traded with a relative)?

 

 

Also, according to the webpage for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for Ireland, a visa is required to enter Ireland (https://www.dfa.ie/irish-embassy/egypt/our-services/visas/visas-for-ireland/). Also, according to their immigration website, "All passengers and crew on cruise ships seeking to land in the State remain subject to the requirement to present to an immigration officer and produce his or her passport or other document satisfactorily establishing identity and nationality (including where appropriate the possession of a valid Irish Visa) and be subject to the normal checks in accordance with the Immigration Acts." (http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Streamlined%20immigration%20arrangements%20in%20Ireland%20for%20cruise%20liners%20for%202012%20season)

 

Maybe your contact has incorrect information rather than every person you've talked to at Princess. I, with one search, found two Irish websites that clearly state the requirement to have a visa. Sorry, but I think this one is on you, as are the expenses associated.