question about visas and/or esta for canadians cruising in carribean

[canadiancruisersh]

Hi we have booked a carribean cruise that leaves from fort lauderdale and goes to cozumel mexico,roatan honduras, belize city belize,costa maya mexico,

princess cays bahama,san juan puerto rico,grand turk turks and caicos, and amber cove dominican republic

wondering if we need visas or an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization )

tried googling it and i get different answers.

[CDNPolar]

I would contact the cruise line and/or your TA if using one.  You have so many destinations that it is not an easy answer.

 

I have been to most of your destinations on or off a cruise ship and never needed a Visa to enter any of them.

 

Again - contact the cruise line - they will know.  They will always say that it is your responsibility but they don't want a ship full of people who are ineligible to enter any country.

 

If you want to research yourself, don't just use Google, use the Canadian site that will give you entry requirements for any country that you are travelling to.  This is your best site for any country globally that you want to travel to. 

 

This is the travel advisories site that will tell you the state of affairs in that country as well as Entry and Exit Requirements. 

 

Choose your country, then hit GO, then go to entry and exit requirements link.  As a Canadian this site will tell you everything you need to know.

 

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories

 

[lx200gps]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  We have been on Princess  trips to every one of the ports you list within the last 18 months and have never needed any visa.

[canadiancruisersh]

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

I would contact the cruise line and/or your TA if using one.  You have so many destinations that it is not an easy answer.

 

I have been to most of your destinations on or off a cruise ship and never needed a Visa to enter any of them.

 

Again - contact the cruise line - they will know.  They will always say that it is your responsibility but they don't want a ship full of people who are ineligible to enter any country.

 

If you want to research yourself, don't just use Google, use the Canadian site that will give you entry requirements for any country that you are travelling to.  This is your best site for any country globally that you want to travel to. 

 

This is the travel advisories site that will tell you the state of affairs in that country as well as Entry and Exit Requirements. 

 

Choose your country, then hit GO, then go to entry and exit requirements link.  As a Canadian this site will tell you everything you need to know.

 

https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories

 

Thank you very much. The link is very helpful. Im still a little fuzzy on the answers concerning ESTA though.

Our travel agent said to talk to the cruise line directly which was my next step. Thanks again

 

[canadiancruisersh]

3 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  We have been on Princess  trips to every one of the ports you list within the last 18 months and have never needed any visa.

Thank you. The visas are a bit easier to find out about, but ESTA not so much. Have to do more research

[CDNPolar]

I believe that the ESTA would be listed in the Canadian Travel Advisory site too.

 

Where did you get the idea that any of these countries would have an ESTA requirement?

[CDNPolar]

If I am not mistaken the ESTA is a USA requirement that Canadians with a Canadian passport do not need.

 

None of the countries on your list would have a requirement tied to a US ESTA?

[LHT28]

What is your citizenship?

 

 Do you have a Canadian passport? if so take it

[Fouremco]

7 hours ago, canadiancruisersh said:

Hi we have booked a carribean cruise that leaves from fort lauderdale and goes to cozumel mexico,roatan honduras, belize city belize,costa maya mexico,

princess cays bahama,san juan puerto rico,grand turk turks and caicos, and amber cove dominican republic

wondering if we need visas or an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization )

tried googling it and i get different answers.

The link provided by @CDNPolar provides all the information that you will require. None of the countries that you will be visiting require an ESTA/ETA, which is why you are seeing no related information when you check the countries. If you did need and ESTA/ETA, you would see wording similar to this stated requirement for New Zealand:

 

 

 

[canadiancruisersh]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

The link provided by @CDNPolar provides all the information that you will require. None of the countries that you will be visiting require an ESTA/ETA, which is why you are seeing no related information when you check the countries. If you did need and ESTA/ETA, you would see wording similar to this stated requirement for New Zealand:

 

 

 

Thank you😀

[canadiancruisersh]

On 6/29/2023 at 8:37 AM, LHT28 said:

What is your citizenship?

 

 Do you have a Canadian passport? if so take it

 

On 6/29/2023 at 8:37 AM, LHT28 said:

What is your citizenship?

 

 Do you have a Canadian passport? if so take it

yes we do. always take passports. just not sure about visas

[canadiancruisersh]

On 6/29/2023 at 8:07 AM, CDNPolar said:

I believe that the ESTA would be listed in the Canadian Travel Advisory site too.

 

Where did you get the idea that any of these countries would have an ESTA requirement?

when i googled esta it said something about travelling from US ports

[canadiancruisersh]

On 6/29/2023 at 8:09 AM, CDNPolar said:

If I am not mistaken the ESTA is a USA requirement that Canadians with a Canadian passport do not need.

 

None of the countries on your list would have a requirement tied to a US ESTA?

fort lauderdale and san juan are classified as US destinations. Just iffy as to whether its necessary or not

[CDNPolar]

I think that this is about citizenship.  Your requirement for a ESTA will be based on that, not on where you travel though...  In my opinion.  

 

For instance, if I need a Visa or ESTA as a Canadian to travel somewhere, but an American Citizen does not, I still need that Visa even if I drive to Buffalo and fly from there....

 

If I am reading your response correctly.

 

I know that sometimes these requirements are confusing, but if you can truly find the country specific site and look at the entry requirements, that is your best bet.

 

No one wants to land somewhere and be denied entry....

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

I think that this is about citizenship.  Your requirement for a ESTA will be based on that, not on where you travel though...  In my opinion.  

 

For instance, if I need a Visa or ESTA as a Canadian to travel somewhere, but an American Citizen does not, I still need that Visa even if I drive to Buffalo and fly from there....

 

If I am reading your response correctly.

 

I know that sometimes these requirements are confusing, but if you can truly find the country specific site and look at the entry requirements, that is your best bet.

 

No one wants to land somewhere and be denied entry....

The only country that requires an ESTA for some visitors is the United States.  ESTA, or Electronic System for Travel Authorization, is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

 

There are a number of terms that people are treating as interchangeable, but just as not all tissues are Kleenex, not all travel authorizations are visas or ESTA's. This website does a pretty good job of listing most of the common authorizations and their application: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/markets/digital-identity-and-security/government/eborder/electronic-travel-authorization

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, canadiancruisersh said:

 

yes we do. always take passports. just not sure about visas

Have not been to a caribean port that required Canadian Citizens  to have a VISA

 

I think you are  looking to complicate  matters more than needed

 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, canadiancruisersh said:

fort lauderdale and san juan are classified as US destinations. Just iffy as to whether its necessary or not

I think you are reading too much into this

If you are  a Canadian citizen by birth you are fine with your Canadian passport

 If you are a Canadian citizen by other means  then yes  look at what is required

 

 So what category to you fit into?

 

[canadiancruisersh]

44 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Have not been to a caribean port that required Canadian Citizens  to have a VISA

 

I think you are  looking to complicate  matters more than needed

 

not looking to complicate things. just getting confused. we last cruised the caribean in 2016, but i dont remember hearing anything about esta at that time. The confusing part is that some of the ports are other countries and some are US. 

Thanks for your advice

[canadiancruisersh]

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

The only country that requires an ESTA for some visitors is the United States.  ESTA, or Electronic System for Travel Authorization, is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

 

There are a number of terms that people are treating as interchangeable, but just as not all tissues are Kleenex, not all travel authorizations are visas or ESTA's. This website does a pretty good job of listing most of the common authorizations and their application: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/markets/digital-identity-and-security/government/eborder/electronic-travel-authorization

Thank you. That is helpful. Still trying to wrap my head around it. Says if you want to travel under the visa waiver program, then you need esta. I guess if none of the ports say they need a visa(including the 2 us ports)then i shouldnt need an esta either. Just want to make sure.

[canadiancruisersh]

This is what comes up when i google esta.

"

Do I need ESTA for Caribbean cruise?

 

 

Do you need an ETSA for a Caribbean cruise? You don't need a visa or ETSA to go on a Caribbean cruise as you can enter visa-free. Instead, you'll only need your passport. However, if you're going to be in transit or setting off from a US port, you must apply for an ETSA for entry to the United States."

The cruise leaves from fort lauderdale which IS a US port. 

see my confusion?

[gnome12]

21 minutes ago, canadiancruisersh said:

This is what comes up when i google esta.

"

Do I need ESTA for Caribbean cruise?

 

 

Do you need an ETSA for a Caribbean cruise? You don't need a visa or ETSA to go on a Caribbean cruise as you can enter visa-free. Instead, you'll only need your passport. However, if you're going to be in transit or setting off from a US port, you must apply for an ETSA for entry to the United States."

The cruise leaves from fort lauderdale which IS a US port. 

see my confusion?

Canadian citizens travelling with a Canadian Passport do not need an ESTA.

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1094?language=en_US

[Fouremco]

54 minutes ago, canadiancruisersh said:

The cruise leaves from fort lauderdale which IS a US port. 

see my confusion?

The information you have quoted in post #20 is intended for a broad international audience. Depending on a cruise passenger's citizenship and passport, there are numerous levels of travel authorization required to enter the US. As a Canadian citizen travelling on a Canadian passport, no visa or ESTA is required. Even a passport isn't required for your US entry, as there are several alternatives to prove your Canadian citizenship.

[canadiancruisersh]

48 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

Canadian citizens travelling with a Canadian Passport do not need an ESTA.

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1094?language=en_US

Thats very clear.  Thank you. One thing though. Article says by land. We would be flying into fort lauderdale.

 

[LHT28]

one question just to clarify things

 

 Are you a Canadian Citizen by birth ?

 

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, canadiancruisersh said:

Thats very clear.  Thank you. One thing though. Article says by land. We would be flying into fort lauderdale.

 

That is NOT for Canadian citizens traveling with a Canadian passport.  It is for citizens of other VWP countries.