Denied Boarding

[ChrisB123]

This is the first I've ever heard about Visa's being necessary for some ports. Seeing as I never go out of the country ( USA ) other then short trips to Mexico and a stop over in Canada on the way to Alaska, I've only concerened myself with a Passport. I've only ever heard that Visa's were for work. There are many people out in the world who do not travel the world and IMHO, the TA should be the one to clue people on to this requirement. That is their job, to make sure you have as pleasent a vacation as you can. For someone to state that people who don't know the requirements of another country are a lower order of human is just really wrong. :rolleyes:

[wieslaw]

This is the first I've ever heard about Visa's being necessary for some ports. Seeing as I never go out of the country ( USA ) other then short trips to Mexico and a stop over in Canada on the way to Alaska, I've only concerened myself with a Passport. I've only ever heard that Visa's were for work. There are many people out in the world who do not travel the world and IMHO, the TA should be the one to clue people on to this requirement. That is their job, to make sure you have as pleasent a vacation as you can. For someone to state that people who don't know the requirements of another country are a lower order of human is just really wrong. :rolleyes:

 

Hi,

I agree with you to some point - not all or even most TAs know about all the requirements for visas or passports. Cruise lines do not know them either - unless there is something very simple.

There is more and more people traveling all over the world and there are so many different regulations. There are so many people coming to US - some are going on cruises.

And many Americans are going to places that require visas.

There was a question from somone from England coming to the US and going on a cruise, about a visa for US - there is a waiver for the visa but depending on a "moral turpitude" .... how many TAs will know about that ?

There are different requirements for needing a visa for Canada for some citizens of European countries depending when their passport was issued.

There are so many different answers that most TAs will not have that knowledge.

But I also agree with you,

For someone to state that people who don't know the requirements of another country are a lower order of human is just really wrong. :rolleyes:[/quote

 

Very few of us got all the answers and know all the requirements. Even the proper gov. agencies sometimes give you the wrong information.

[dzcruisers]

There was one lady denied boarding by the airlines for her cruise because her passport expired in less than 3 months.

She worked for the airlines so she was able to fly to Detroit and get a new passport. Fortunately they had made plans to fly out a couple of days early. For other parts of the world most airlines require that your passport be good for 6 months from the date you are planning to come home. You can read it in Delta FAQ or the other airlines refer you to the official passport website which has the 6 month requirement. From the site below.......

 

If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/faq/faq_1741.html

[paul929207]

If you read thru the Princess Cruise Answer Book, it states that it is up to the passenger to obtain necessary visas. That should clue people that they need to check.

[sail7seas]

Many years ago, personal research for travel documents was more difficult.

In this computer age, most people can do a simple search and learn what they need to do themselves to ease their way for smooth travel.

 

[fcorey]

Yeah its another buyer beware situation here. I would guess that on your average week a ship has people from 30-50 countries. We always look at things here through the eyes of a US citizen for the most part. I know from personal experience dealing with Brazil that they are 100% reciprocal. If they make a US citizen jump through a certain hoop, its only because we make Brazilians do the same to come here. Its basically tit for tat.

 

With airlines if there is a visa requirement at the destination and you do not meet that requirement then they will not let you board. So its no surprise its the same for ships. Even if you arent getting off in a Brazilian port for example, you are still in there territorial waters.

 

This is an area a TA can help with, but is also easily found online. If you have issues with visas that need resolution there are numerous agencies that specialize in expediting vida applications and can assist you.

[fox566]

Brits have Visa waivers for most places, because we are so outstanding. Unless you are some sort of convict, then you don't.

 

I'm Welsh and we fall under the British category, seeing that is what we are.

 

Also I have travelled to America, into Canada and back a few times with no problems barring a few extra customs questions. sometimes I wonder if American and Canadian customs want tourists :p

[SadieN]

There was one lady denied boarding by the airlines for her cruise because her passport expired in less than 3 months.

She worked for the airlines so she was able to fly to Detroit and get a new passport. Fortunately they had made plans to fly out a couple of days early. For other parts of the world most airlines require that your passport be good for 6 months from the date you are planning to come home. You can read it in Delta FAQ or the other airlines refer you to the official passport website which has the 6 month requirement. From the site below.......

 

If possible, you should renew your passport approximately nine (9) months before it expires. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six (6) months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.

 

The airlines are enforcing the regulations of the countries they are flying into.

[paul929207]

Airlines and cruise lines can be fined if they bring someone who doesn't have the necessary documents to enter a country.

[G.M.T.]

If an airline accepts and trasnport a passenger with incorrect passport and / or visa documentation then the arrival country acn and certainly do refuse entry to that person and they are transported back at the airlines expense.

 

Ron

[Stella's Tips]

I would expect a TA to know the rules regarding Visa's and to inform clients when they are required.

Sometimes I think the TAs are just there to make the sale which is unfortunate. My mom was a travel agent so I know what must be told to passengers. We had two ships leaving from NYC today, and low and behold, a woman walked in with just her driver's license! She said "my travel agent said I didn't need my birth certificate!" She almost ran out crying but we told her to have someone fax over a copy of her BC. She finally found someone to fax it over and she's on her way to the Bahamas with her family. What a way to start a vacation!!

[80sGirl]

Stella, the lady with the drivers license is lucky then. I had a client (I am a TA and am very clear with clients about documentation) who I told THREE times in a month that she needed her birth certificate with another form of government issued ID. She went looking for it the night before the sailing, couldn't find it and Royal Caribbean said she would not be allowed to board and that a fax of her birth certificate (from the city hall where her record was kept) wasn't good enough.

[themnms]

Stella, the lady with the drivers license is lucky then. I had a client (I am a TA and am very clear with clients about documentation) who I told THREE times in a month that she needed her birth certificate with another form of government issued ID. She went looking for it the night before the sailing, couldn't find it and Royal Caribbean said she would not be allowed to board and that a fax of her birth certificate (from the city hall where her record was kept) wasn't good enough.

 

 

suprises me that people have no clue that they will need documentation to travel

[Loonbeam]

She got really lucky. Technically a fax is not acceptable because it does not have the raised seal...

 

Sometimes I think the TAs are just there to make the sale which is unfortunate. My mom was a travel agent so I know what must be told to passengers. We had two ships leaving from NYC today' date=' and low and behold, a woman walked in with just her driver's license! She said "my travel agent said I didn't need my birth certificate!" She almost ran out crying but we told her to have someone fax over a copy of her BC. She finally found someone to fax it over and she's on her way to the Bahamas with her family. What a way to start a vacation!![/quote']

[jennb101]

I thought you couldn't even use a birth certificate now-I thought everything had to be a passport?

[paul929207]

I thought you couldn't even use a birth certificate now-I thought everything had to be a passport?

You can use BC with a government issued photo id only for cruises that are roundtrip from a US port and only go to countries on the approved list - includes Canada, Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico.

[6rugrats]

I thought you couldn't even use a birth certificate now-I thought everything had to be a passport?

Not for a US citizen on a closed-loop cruise (one that leaves and returns to a US port). They still only need an official BC and photo id.

 

Requiring a passport would make things much easier, and I am always puzzled at people's resistance (yes, I know they cost money) in obtaining one.

[dawnvip]

A good reference site to start is visahq.com. They let you select country of origin and see at a glance what visas you need.

 

I don't really like this site because it fails to tell you whether you can get the required visa at the entry point or if you have to apply ahead of time. visahq is in the business of obtaining visas for people and making a healthy profit while they're at it. For instance, all US and Canadians can enter Indonesia and buy a visa at the airport when they land for $20 US. visahq charges $145 for this same visa!

[wallie5446]

You can use BC with a government issued photo id only for cruises that are roundtrip from a US port and only go to countries on the approved list - includes Canada, Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico.

 

In our doc's we got last week for our upcoming western Carib route, it states we need a Passport. BC and a DL wont get you on the Ship anymore.

[paul929207]

In our doc's we got last week for our upcoming western Carib route, it states we need a Passport. BC and a DL wont get you on the Ship anymore.

That is an RCCL requirement, not a US government one unless you are going somewhere in ceentral America that is not included in the Western Hemisphere Initiative.

[njhorseman]

In our doc's we got last week for our upcoming western Carib route, it states we need a Passport. BC and a DL wont get you on the Ship anymore.

 

Nah...you're on a closed loop cruise, right? Was that information from a (possibly well-intentioned but misinformed) travel agent, or the cruise line itself? I can tell you that is not the law, and your cruise line, Royal Caribbean, agrees. While a passport is recommended, it's not required:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/passportGuidelines.do

 

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same port in the U.S.) will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as a government-issued birth certificate and laminated government issued picture ID, denoting photo, name and date of birth. A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original, notarized or certified copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issues by DOS, or Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

 

 

And here's the law:

 

The US regulation is 22 CFR § 53.2 (b)(2) which reads as follows:

 

 

Quote:

Exceptions.

(b) A U.S. citizen is not required to bear a valid U.S. passport to enter or depart the United States:

 

(2) When traveling entirely within the Western Hemisphere on a cruise ship, and when the U.S. citizen boards the cruise ship at a port or place within the United States and returns on the return voyage of the same cruise ship to the same United States port or place from where he or she originally departed. That U.S. citizen may present a government-issued photo identification document in combination with either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before entering the United States; if the U.S. citizen is under the age of 16, he or she may present either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;

[njhorseman]

That is an RCCL requirement, not a US government one unless you are going somewhere in ceentral America that is not included in the Western Hemisphere Initiative.

 

No...Royal Caribbean doesn't say that...see my previous post. Crystal is the only cruise line I've found that says you must have a passport even if the government doesn't require it...there might be others, but certainly none of the mass market lines.

 

The actual DHS regulation, also cited in my post, makes no reference to WHTI countries, and the cruise lines were informed two years ago when the rule was first put into place that the closed loop cruise exception does not require the country to be one named by the WHTI. At least one cruise line, Holland America, actually makes specific reference to that in their passport FAQ:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Cruise+Preparation&contentMenu=Essential+Documentation&contentSubMenu=Do+I+Need+A+Passport%3F

 

 

Recent guidance from the Department of Homeland Security indicates the documentary requirements under WHTI for closed-loop cruises are not limited to cruises that travel only to contiguous territories or adjacent islands. This means U.S. citizens calling on ports in Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica and Belize will also be exempt from the passport requirement.

[Mr_Cruise]

It happens much more frequently on Alaskan cruises, especially out of Seattle, as the majority all have to visit a Canadian port. The reason it happens more often to Alaska is because on the East Coast the itineraries are generally called "Canada New England" so people keep Canada more top of mind when planning their vacations, whereas cruises out of Seattle are generally called "roundtrip Alaskan cruise" and sometimes people don't realize they're also visiting Canada.

 

With that said, those that travel with foreign Passports (not USA or Canadian etc.) should know what requirements and restrictions apply to them. And if for some reason they don't, it is their responsibility to find out (their TA should tell them, but even if they book direct the cruise line's tell them too; plus it's within the online check-in as well - but sometimes language barriers are a factor).

 

I agree... no matter how it slips through the cracks, it is very sad.

[wallie5446]

U.S. Citizen Passport Requirement

 

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) when fully implemented on June 1, 2009 will require all travelers to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda to present a valid passport or other approved document that establishes the bearer's identity and citizenship in order to enter or reenter the United States.

 

Passport Requirements

 

A valid passport is a requirement for air travel to / from Canada, Mexico the Caribbean and Bermuda

 

Effective June 1, 2009 only a valid passport (unless otherwise noted below) or other WHTI compliant document will be accepted for entry or re-entry into the United States. For a list of all approved documents visit: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html#compliant_document

 

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same port in the U.S.) will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as a government-issued birth certificate and laminated government issued picture ID, denoting photo, name and date of birth. A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original, notarized or certified copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issues by DOS, or Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

 

Note: Baptismal papers and hospital certificates of birth are not acceptable. Voter registration cards or Social Security cards are not considered proof of citizenship.

 

OK, I temper my comment. But most people do not know that there are '2 types' of BC's. We had used our Hospital Certs since 1987 to cruise, which will not work any longer.

[njhorseman]

U.S. Citizen Passport Requirement

 

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) when fully implemented on June 1, 2009 will require all travelers to and from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda to present a valid passport or other approved document that establishes the bearer's identity and citizenship in order to enter or reenter the United States.

 

Passport Requirements

 

A valid passport is a requirement for air travel to / from Canada, Mexico the Caribbean and Bermuda

 

Effective June 1, 2009 only a valid passport (unless otherwise noted below) or other WHTI compliant document will be accepted for entry or re-entry into the United States. For a list of all approved documents visit: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html#compliant_document

 

U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same port in the U.S.) will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of citizenship, such as a government-issued birth certificate and laminated government issued picture ID, denoting photo, name and date of birth. A U.S. citizen under the age of 16 will be able to present either an original, notarized or certified copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issues by DOS, or Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

 

Note: Baptismal papers and hospital certificates of birth are not acceptable. Voter registration cards or Social Security cards are not considered proof of citizenship.

 

OK, I temper my comment. But most people do not know that there are '2 types' of BC's. We had used our Hospital Certs since 1987 to cruise, which will not work any longer.

 

 

Now that's horse of a different color...;)