Canada requirement’s on an Alaska cruise question.

[kona_wahine]

We have a large group cruising NCL in July and we all got a letter today from NCL as follows:

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. (END)

 

Most of us have passports but a couple in our group are using their government ID and birth certificate. I’ve looked at the website and am totally confused. We are all US citizens. A couple years ago it was the ArriveCAN and now this letter. Do we need a travel visa? When I put in the info it asks what doc we are using for travel and BC isn’t listed. We leave July 21 so exactly 2 months out. 

[Luv2cruz1000]

No longer have to do arriveCan. I wonder if they are referring to different countries citizenship than the USA. Anyone correct me If I am wrong, but no visa required, just passports ( I am unsure what alternate ID is acceptable.) 

[kona_wahine]

A birth certificate is ok, and they sent a letter a while back about Mexican citizenship requirements. We don’t even plan to get off the ship for the short stop in Victoria. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

If you are US citizens, or US Permanent Residents (Green Card holders), no Canadian Visa is needed to board a cruise ship in Seattle with the stop in Victoria, BC.,  Same is true for passport holders from EU countries, Australia, NZ, Japan, South Korea (as well as some other countries)

 

The big change was that now (2024) Mexican passport holders now are required to have a Canadian Visa, or they will be denied boarding in Seattle.  

[Aquahound]

👆 What he said.  He would know.  He's the one checking you in.  

 

I just cruised Quantum of the Seas with a stop in Victoria and can confirm he is 100% right.  

[kona_wahine]

Thank you! NCL sent us a letter a while back about the Mexico citizenship but then this new letter came and didn’t say anything about the Mexico citizenship, so it was confusing. 

[AlbaCrush]

21 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

If you are US citizens, or US Permanent Residents (Green Card holders), no Canadian Visa is needed to board a cruise ship in Seattle with the stop in Victoria, BC.,  Same is true for passport holders from EU countries, Australia, NZ, Japan, South Korea (as well as some other countries)

 

The big change was that now (2024) Mexican passport holders now are required to have a Canadian Visa, or they will be denied boarding in Seattle.  

My wife is a U.S Permanent Resident and has a Philippines Passport. Would she still need a visa to take a cruise to Canada? The Philippines isn't a nonexempt visa country but she does have her U.S Green Card 

[Ferry_Watcher]

12 hours ago, AlbaCrush said:

My wife is a U.S Permanent Resident and has a Philippines Passport. Would she still need a visa to take a cruise to Canada? The Philippines isn't a nonexempt visa country but she does have her U.S Green Card 

 

No Canadian visa is needed for US Green Card holders (US permanent residents) sailing to Alaska with a stop in Canada.   Just make sure that the Green Card hasn't expired, or if it has, she needs to have the paper work showing that she applied for the renewal and received the 24 or 48 month extension.

 

When you are checking in for your cruise, please have her present the check-in agent her Green Card and Philippines passport.  Expect to be sent to a counter check-in agent to complete the check-in process.

[AlbaCrush]

23 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

No Canadian visa is needed for US Green Card holders (US permanent residents) sailing to Alaska with a stop in Canada.   Just make sure that the Green Card hasn't expired, or if it has, she needs to have the paper work showing that she applied for the renewal and received the 24 or 48 month extension.

 

When you are checking in for your cruise, please have her present the check-in agent her Green Card and Philippines passport.  Expect to be sent to a counter check-in agent to complete the check-in process.

 

We received a letter from Carnival with a heading of Canadian Visa. It had her name and Country listed. It stated that some Legal Permanent Residents may need a visa based on their Nationality. Calling Carnival twice and they wouldn't tell us she was good but the agent at the gate knows what documents and if a visa is needed. We cancelled our cruise for this Sunday. I only lost $100 because it was a last minute deal. No biggie but it's so hard getting an answer. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

3 hours ago, AlbaCrush said:

We cancelled our cruise for this Sunday. I only lost $100 because it was a last minute deal. No biggie but it's so hard getting an answer. 

 

So sorry that this happened to you.  I think that the folks at the Cruise Lines don't/can't answer these inquiries about Visas due to liability reasons.   There are so many ports worldwide that these ships visit, and with so many nationalities involved, that it would be almost impossible to keep up with it all.   For what it is worth, I am one of those people at the pier who knows what citizenship documents are needed to board a RT trip cruise from Seattle to Alaska.

 

On the flip side, we have some US cruise passengers showing up at the terminal because they claim that someone from (cruise line) told them that their Driver's License was enough to get them on the ship to Alaska.  These passengers, if they can't get their US birth certificate from home, are still denied boarding.

 

Alaska is such a beautiful place to visit, I hope you decide to rebook in the future.

 

Here is some additional information regarding US Permanent Residents and travel to Canada.

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html#lawful-pr-us

[Need-help]

Hello, we have an upcoming trip to Alaska thru NCL on Aug 25, 2024 boarding from Seattle. My parents from India are accompanying us on the cruise. They are Indian citizens with indian passports and valid US visitor visa. The ship is going to make a stop at British Columbia on our way back to Seattle. Will my parents need Canadian visa even if we are not planning to leave the ship while docked in Canada? 

[Heidi13]

10 hours ago, Need-help said:

Hello, we have an upcoming trip to Alaska thru NCL on Aug 25, 2024 boarding from Seattle. My parents from India are accompanying us on the cruise. They are Indian citizens with indian passports and valid US visitor visa. The ship is going to make a stop at British Columbia on our way back to Seattle. Will my parents need Canadian visa even if we are not planning to leave the ship while docked in Canada? 

 

Indian citizens require a Visa to enter Canada. By being on the ship, you have already entered Canada before it docks, so a Visa is required.

 

If they don't have a Visa, they can be denied boarding in Seattle.

[Ferry_Watcher]

@Need-help RE sailing to Alaska - Travelers with passports from India, who are not US Permanent Residents, will be denied boarding if they do not have a Canadian Visa.

 

It is good that you are asking now, as many of the passengers denied at the pier in Seattle are foreign friends & family traveling with their US hosts who believed that all was needed was their US Visa with multiple entries.   Canada sets its own terms and conditions, and it is enforced at embarkation.

[sarafina]

What about cruising from Vancouver from and flying in from the US?  We have our passports, but that means we must pass customs in Vancouver when we get off the airplane.  Same deal?  No visa required for US citizens with passports?  TIA.

[cruiseryyc]

3 hours ago, sarafina said:

What about cruising from Vancouver from and flying in from the US?  We have our passports, but that means we must pass customs in Vancouver when we get off the airplane.  Same deal?  No visa required for US citizens with passports?  TIA.

US citizens do not require a Visa to enter Canada, just a valid passport.  Yes you will go through Canadian Border Services when arriving at the Vancouver airport.  Then you will go through US Border Services before boarding the ship.  When you disembark from the ship, you will go through Canadian Border Services at the pier, then US Border Services at the airport before boarding your plane.

[DougH]

Be wary if anyone in your group has a DUI or felony arrest. Check requirements you don't want to be denied entry into Canada

[Son of a son of a ...]

On 8/22/2024 at 1:45 PM, DougH said:

Be wary if anyone in your group has a DUI or felony arrest. Check requirements you don't want to be denied entry into Canada

conviction, not arrest.

[Aquahound]

2 hours ago, Son of a son of a ... said:

conviction, not arrest.

 

No, DougH was correct.  Canada clearly says, "arrested or convicted."

 

Entering Canada with a DUI - Canada DUI Entry 2024 (canadaduientrylaw.com)

[d9704011]

4 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

No, DougH was correct.  Canada clearly says, "arrested or convicted."

 

Entering Canada with a DUI - Canada DUI Entry 2024 (canadaduientrylaw.com)

Nope.... convicted of a (Canadian) criminal offence.  We still work under the notion of having go face the courts....

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/overcome-criminal-convictions.html

[Aquahound]

16 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Nope.... convicted of a (Canadian) criminal offence.  We still work under the notion of having go face the courts....

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/overcome-criminal-convictions.html

 

Um, the link you just provided says "if you have committed or been convicted of a crime".  

Edited August 26 by Aquahound

[Cruzaholic41]

Aquahound is correct. Hubby is CBP and has done a lot of work with Canada’s CBSA. We share our NCIC data with Canada. If you have been arrested for DUI or numerous other covered offenses but not yet convicted, Canada will see it and will most likely deny entry.  

[d9704011]

31 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

Um, the link you just provided says "if you have committed or been convicted of a crime".  

Committed... When, exactly, is that formally determined?

[Aquahound]

3 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Committed... When, exactly, is that formally determined?

 

Very simple.  Upon arrest.  🤷‍♂️

[d9704011]

4 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Committed... When, exactly, is that formally determined?

Well, I have done some additional reading and will take back my assertions.  Being charged outide Canada with a DUI may make a person inadmissible, whether they have yet been tried.

[d9704011]

4 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

Very simple.  Upon arrest.  🤷‍♂️

I don't agree with that; I'd say it is more a matter of 'alleged to have committed' but I won't pursue this one as I believe the kernel of the issue is being charged with the offence and until it's dismissed (if that happens, of course) the person may be inadmissible.

Edited August 26 by d9704011