Canada visa question

[Apple888888]

Hello,

 

We are US citizens with US passports.  We'll be sailing on NCL Joy back to back from NY to Quebec (9/4 to 9/13/2023) and from Quebec (9/13 to 9/20/202) back to New York. Do we need visas to visit Canada?  We are a bit confuse since we just got this email from NCL.  Thanks!

 

August 28, 2023

 

Dear Valued Guest,

 

On behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), we thank you for your loyalty and for making us your vacation of choice. We have important information regarding your upcoming voyage. In advance of your cruise vacation, we want to ensure that you are fully aware of the local travel requirements for entry into Canada. If arriving to, or transiting through, Canada by plane many nationalities need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or Visitor Visa that must be applied for in advance of arrival. For guests arriving to Canada by cruise ship, only a Visitor Visa is required of many nationalities. To check requirements for individual nationalities, and for further information, we strongly recommend all guests visit https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp as soon as possible, in order to allow enough time for any required applications. Failure to provide the required visas and documentation will result in denial of boarding for your cruise and the inability to extend any refund of your cruise fare. For more information on the required documentation to sail, please visit www.ncl.com/traveldocs. As a reminder it is your responsibility to ensure you have the necessary documentation and/or visas for your itinerary.

[njhorseman]

48 minutes ago, Apple888888 said:

Hello,

 

We are US citizens with US passports.  We'll be sailing on NCL Joy back to back from NY to Quebec (9/4 to 9/13/2023) and from Quebec (9/13 to 9/20/202) back to New York. Do we need visas to visit Canada?  We are a bit confuse since we just got this email from NCL.  Thanks!

 

August 28, 2023

 

Dear Valued Guest,

 

On behalf of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), we thank you for your loyalty and for making us your vacation of choice. We have important information regarding your upcoming voyage. In advance of your cruise vacation, we want to ensure that you are fully aware of the local travel requirements for entry into Canada. If arriving to, or transiting through, Canada by plane many nationalities need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or Visitor Visa that must be applied for in advance of arrival. For guests arriving to Canada by cruise ship, only a Visitor Visa is required of many nationalities. To check requirements for individual nationalities, and for further information, we strongly recommend all guests visit https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp as soon as possible, in order to allow enough time for any required applications. Failure to provide the required visas and documentation will result in denial of boarding for your cruise and the inability to extend any refund of your cruise fare. For more information on the required documentation to sail, please visit www.ncl.com/traveldocs. As a reminder it is your responsibility to ensure you have the necessary documentation and/or visas for your itinerary.

That email is sent to everyone, but as it says only some nationalities (not everyone) will require a visa or eTA.

 

US citizens don't need a visa or eTA to visit Canada. Here's official information from the Government of Canada:

https://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=1116&top=16

I am an American citizen. What do I need to enter Canada?

American citizens, including American-Canadian citizens, must carry proper identification and meet the basic requirements to enter Canada. You do not need a Canadian passport, a Canadian visa or an eTA to enter Canada if you are travelling with a valid U.S. passport.

[Apple888888]

Thanks!!👍

[LHT28]

You can check your Government  site  for  lots of good info  when you travel outside of the USA

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Canada.html

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

You can check your Government  site  for  lots of good info  when you travel outside of the USA

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Canada.html

Unfortunately the US Department of State's website is just loaded with errors and omissions with regard to cruise travel by US citizens. The most glaring problem is the omission of accurate information about the WHTI and closed loop cruise exception to the passport requirement for most cruises to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. It's mentioned in the information for some countries, but not anywhere near all.

[LHT28]

Sounds like the OP is on a B2B  not closed loop cruise

Is this possible  ?

I would have thought it violated the PVSA ?

[Apple888888]

We are doing B2B NY to Quebec and Quebec to NY.  What is PVSA?  We'll be docking in Quebec for 2 days before heading back to NY.

[njhorseman]

52 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Sounds like the OP is on a B2B  not closed loop cruise

Is this possible  ?

I would have thought it violated the PVSA ?

It's a closed loop B2B...NYC to Quebec City to NYC.  There's no PVSA violation because the ship makes the required port call in a foreign country, Canada. What matters for the PVSA is where you...the passenger...embark and disembark. If the passenger embarked in NY City and disembarked in, say, Boston, it would be a PVSA violation.

Edited August 29, 2023 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

2 minutes ago, Apple888888 said:

We are doing B2B NY to Quebec and Quebec to NY.  What is PVSA?  We'll be docking in Quebec for 2 days before heading back to NY.

PVSA is the Passenger Vessel Services Act. It dictates where and how a foreign flagged cruise ship is permitted to transport passengers in the USA. Don't worry about it...your itinerary is fine, and you have US passports so no other documentation is required as I cited in my initial reply to your post.

[Apple888888]

Thanks!!

[shippmates]

I have a sailing on the QM2 that is going from NYC to Quebec and returning to NYC.  It was booked as a 14 day roundtrip NYC-NYC.  This is one way to not have any issues in Canada.