Thank you for your response. Yes we tried calling again and got told the same thing word for word, go to the website.
When we booked I saw that part about ID and birth certificate too and figured he would be ok. However if you scroll further down on the page it gets more confusing when talking about going through CA via plane or cruise ship. Wording is similar to the letter below.
The letter instructs you to go to the website but never calls out what nationalities need a visa. It asks you if you have a green card, alien ID but doesn't address a birth certificate and ID.
Here is the letter;
September 24, 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.
Thank you again for choosing Norwegian Cruise Line, and we look forward to welcoming you aboard very soon.
Sincerely,
Norwegian Cruise Line