HA is consciously engaging in highly unethical actions and disregards customer concer

[sail7seas]

Seeing HAL sometimes has issues getting accurate information out about Signature Beverage Packages, Dining options, pool towels, Room Service, laundry packages (you get my point) by 'some' of their telephone reps, does anyone really want to depend on those same phone reps to give info re: required travel documents?

 

Sure, most folks think and (rightly ?) expect to call their travel supplier and get dependable information but those of us here on CC read almost daily about a phone rep giving inaccurate information to a caller. In all fairness, there are some very well trained and experienced reps but some who are not. How do we know which give good info?

 

It is up to us to take personal responsibility and take the blame on ourselves when we fail to manage our own requirements.

 

HAL does not want to be in the 'Visa/Travel Document Advice Business'.

Why would they?

 

Edited September 9, 2015 by sail7seas

[serendipity1499]

I hadn't visited this part of HAL's website for some time, as I use other sources for visa information, so I thought I'd take a look. It currently states for Canada:

 

I don't know how HAL could be more explicit in explaining the visa requirements and the consequences of not meeting them. At a certain point, the individual traveller needs to take personal responsibility for undertaking due diligence when travelling.

 

As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

 

Completely Agree!

 

So now I have a really dumb question about my first suggestion to have visa checks during online check-in. If it is so impossible for a company to know what is required when a person checks in on-line, then how do they have the information when the person is at the ship?

I'm not arguing that people should do their homework, just wondering how this works. It wouldn't have to be a legal problem if they didn't say "we're guaranteeing that you have everything needed to board" and included the disclaimed that you are responsible. It just seems that it would be a nice thing to do as they seek to attract a wider range of nationalities using their product.

 

Suggest you read post No. 23..It is on the HAL WEB site! This is what is on the HAL WEB site: Quote Canadian visa requirements affecting all Alaska sailings, Alaska tours and Canada & New England sailings that enter Canada:

 

If you are a NON-U.S. or NON-CANADIAN citizen, you will be DENIED BOARDING without compensation if you do not hold the proper VISA documents! Regardless of what your Consulate official may advise, Canadian officials WILL NOT allow guests to remain onboard while in a Canadian port without proper documentation, so you will be denied boarding if the visa is not presented at the pier at the time of your scheduled cruise departure. To learn more, please visit:

 

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/index.asp

 

U.S. citizens are NOT required to obtain a Canadian Visa. To verify if your nationality requires a Canadian visa, please visit the following Canadian immigration website, which may be useful to determine what is required:

 

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp unquote

 

The Gate Agents only need the correct info for the Cruise or flight they are checking in, & nothing else!

 

Sail said it in a previous post: Quote It is up to us to take personal responsibility and take the blame on ourselves when we fail to manage our own requirements. Unquote What amazes me is that so many are teaching their own children not to take personal responsibility or the blame for their own actions or inactions ..:confused: It's much too easy to blame someone else! What is this world coming to?:eek:

Edited September 9, 2015 by serendipity1499

[mountainmare]

So again my dumb question is how is someone allowed to check in online without having all required documentation? I"m not saying that HAL should get their documents for them, but couldn't there be a check-off box or flag that says, do you have required visa and then the link instead of being somewhere on the website.

I guess I'll just agree to disagree.

[iancal]

If you are looking to blame someone for this unfortunate situation then I believe that the answer is fairly straightforwarward.

 

Look in the mirror.

 

Accept responsibility for your own actions or inactions.

 

When it comes to entry or visa requirements for foreign countries it seems a little odd to rely on a cruise line or TA. Their vacation and money is not at stake hence we never bother with them. We look up the country requirements and ensure that we are in compliance. It is really not a difficult task.

 

Given HAL's reputation for incorrect information I cannot imagine relying on their data for such an important item

Edited September 9, 2015 by iancal

[sail7seas]

So again my dumb question is how is someone allowed to check in online without having all required documentation? I"m not saying that HAL should get their documents for them, but couldn't there be a check-off box or flag that says, do you have required visa and then the link instead of being somewhere on the website.

I guess I'll just agree to disagree.

 

The answer seems to be few, if any of us, think that is the cruise line's responsibility and they want to stay as far away from being involved in guests obtaining their required documentation as they can. The more HAL (any carrier/cruise line) has to do with assistance in providing travel document information the more responsibility they could expose themselves to if the traveler fails to obtain what they need.

 

Short answer, IMO, they don't want anything to do with it.

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2015 by sail7seas

[Jade13]

I hadn't visited this part of HAL's website for some time, as I use other sources for visa information, so I thought I'd take a look. It currently states for Canada:

 

 

 

I don't know how HAL could be more explicit in explaining the visa requirements and the consequences of not meeting them. At a certain point, the individual traveller needs to take personal responsibility for undertaking due diligence when travelling.

 

As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

 

Has the OP come back and clarified what country they are from and why they were denied boarding? Was it because they did not have a Canadian Visa, and/or had a child with them that did not have the Visa?

[Khaos WolfKat]

So again my dumb question is how is someone allowed to check in online without having all required documentation? I"m not saying that HAL should get their documents for them, but couldn't there be a check-off box or flag that says, do you have required visa and then the link instead of being somewhere on the website.

I guess I'll just agree to disagree.

 

Once again, it is listed on the page with the on line check in, with a link to more information. No, there isn't a box to check off that you've done it on the check in page, but the printable documents you are instructed to print off DO have a check list included, and that's on it, as well as, again, a link.

 

AND the reminder, plus link are on several other places on the HAL website. Unless someone is wilfully ignoring the things they supposedly have read and agreed to when they book a cruise, there is just NO WAY to miss this information.

 

This sort of thing is not at all new to me.

I field support tickets, reject posts, and deny access all the time to people for the simple reason that they went straight to checking off the "I agree" boxes, without actually reading the rules/instructions/guidelines/requirements/etc. More often than not, they blame the site and/or site admins for their troubles, even though someone (often me!) has put forth the time and effort to spell it all out for them.

 

Hence, the not really a joke - joke, "Help desk - we read your manual for you"

[Hlitner]

WOW! What a rant. But we think that HAL, and other cruise lines, are pretty consistent when it comes to Passport/Visa issues. The cruise lines cannot (and often do not have the info) to analyze the travel situation for every traveler. For example, a US Passport holder (which is normally sufficient to travel into Canada) might be denied entree into Canada because of a previous arrest record in the USA.

 

So, there are about 200 countries in the world who issue Passports, Visas, etc. The travel rules vary for each country which means there are literally thousands of possibilities when it comes to entree requirements. Each traveler is responsible for themselves to check the rules (all of which are online). DW and I have done a lot of travel to and on 6 Continents and at times have spent hours checking and rechecking all the various Passport, Visa and entree rules. For example, some countries will let us enter with 3 months remaining on a valid Passport while other countries might require 6 months. Some countries (like Turkey) have separate rules for cruisers versus those who arrive via air. Some countries sell several types of Visas such as "single entree" and "multiple entree." Once could write a book about all the possibilities.

 

It is a shame that the OP ran into an entree issue, but it was their responsibility to check on the requirements. And we have often posted that folks should NOT rely on cruise lines for such info, but need to also check with the appropriate government web sites (or even call their consulate).

 

Hank

Edited September 9, 2015 by Hlitner

[Fouremco]

3- Correct information from e-mails send to the customer during the registration process. I received an e-mail telling me that my on-line registration was completed successfully on July 24th, 2015. The online registration included information about my passport and my visas, the same information HA asked me at at the moment of embarkation, but HA gave two radically different responses in the two occasions.

 

So again my dumb question is how is someone allowed to check in online without having all required documentation? I"m not saying that HAL should get their documents for them, but couldn't there be a check-off box or flag that says, do you have required visa and then the link instead of being somewhere on the website.

I guess I'll just agree to disagree.

Mountainmare, the OP has not returned to provide any additional information that might shed light on exactly what happened, but as you can see in the above extract (my highlighting) he did provide visa information during his on-line checkin. Precisely what passport and visa information he provided and why it generated "radically different responses" from HAL we don't know.

 

One possibility, and this is pure conjecture on my part, is that he submitted for one or more members of his party details of a valid travel document that subsequently expired or was otherwise deemed unacceptable at the time of embarkation.

 

As has been reiterated here several times, HAL actively provides notification of requirements. This is from my booking confirmation emailed to me for an upcoming cruise:

 

2. Each country has its own entry requirements, and guests are personally responsible to have the necessary documents when

boarding. Holland America Line highly recommends that all guests carry a passport that is valid for at least six months

beyond the completion date of your travel, proof of required immunizations & visa(s) and proof of eligibility to enter Canada

(for applicable itineraries). Guests traveling on any Yukon Land+Sea Journey which includes a flight between Dawson City,

Yukon, Canada and Fairbanks, Alaska, USA are required to have a valid passport in order to clear immigration and customs

for entry at the airport.

 

Then from my Express Docs:

 

VISAS AND VACCINATIONS

Visas: Certain countries require that you obtain official authorization

(called a visa) before entering the country, and some countries require

that you obtain a visa regardless of whether you plan to go ashore in

that particular port or not. Usually there is a fee required. Guests are

responsible for verifying and obtaining any necessary travel

documents for entry and exit to the countries visited, as these

requirements vary depending on the specific port and nationality of

the traveler. This includes payment of all costs related to

arrangements to obtain entry to the countries you visit. Boarding

may be denied or fines levied against those guests arriving at the

pier without the proper documentation, and those guests will not be

eligible for a refund. Payment of any fines levied is the responsibility

of the individual guest. Please note that fees and visa requirements are

subject to change without notice.

 

Plus Know Before You Go:

 

VISAS

Certain countries require that you obtain official authorization

(called a visa) before entering the country, and some countries

require that you obtain a visa regardless of whether you plan to

go ashore in that particular port or not. Usually there is a fee

required. Guests are responsible for verifying and obtaining

any necessary travel documents for entry and exit to the

countries visited, as these requirements vary depending on

the specific port and nationality of the traveler. This includes

payment of all costs related to arrangements to obtain entry

to the countries you visit. Boarding may be denied or fines

levied against those guests arriving at the pier without the

proper documentation, and those guests will not be eligible

for a refund. Payment of any fines levied is the responsibility of

the individual guest. Please note that fees and visa requirements

are subject to change without notice.

 

So, no need to go searching on the website, all of the information is provided to passengers, and not just once. You can disagree, as is your right, but it seems that HAL does an excellent job in providing passengers the information they require,; they just can't make them read it. I'm sure if there was a major glitch in HAL's process, it would have been identified, given the thousands (hundreds of thousands?) of passengers annually who require require visas for their cruises. No, the problem isn't with the system, but the very few who simply work outside the system.

Edited September 9, 2015 by Fouremco

[RAYSAN11]

If HAL cannot keep up visa information for the passengers how do they know who to deny boarding to

[Sow There]

If HAL cannot keep up visa information for the passengers how do they know who to deny boarding to

 

Exactly right.

 

It sounds to me like the decision to deny boarding was either an arbitrary (baseless) one made by the HAL boarding staff, which is clearly unfair, or was based on a legitimate issue with the documentation, which means that HAL has a detail summary of all of the visa information that they should be sharing with the paying customer; not just the HAL boarding staff.

[NMLady]

The people checking passengers in at the ship are not cruise line employees but port employees so are probably more knowledgeable about requirements. I would think that non-Usa passengers are flagged for furthervscreening by someone knowledgeable. They might even be UBP employees?

Edited September 9, 2015 by NMLady

[Host Walt]

Based on several recent posts that had to be removed, it appears that some may have missed this post so I am repeating it.

 

Most of the posts in this thread have been removed because they are in direct contravention of the Cruise Critic guidelines to which you all agreed to adhere when you registered.

 

While there are legitimate questions that can be asked, there were way too many posts literally accusing the OP of prevarication. Personal attacks like that are totally unacceptable.

 

Quoting from our guidelines:

 

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We realize that in some instances, this happens naturally. However, it does appear to be intentional by certain members. Please be considerate of your fellow members; posting off topic within a discussion -- 'hijacking' -- is boring and only wastes everyone's time. Think twice and, for some of you, even three times before posting off topic in an existing discussion: not "thinking" may result in loss of your posting privileges on Cruise Critic.

[tomvet]

It would be impossible to have an up-to-date computer program to check each persons visa requirements.. I worked in the Airline Industry & we had huge books which were constantly being updated on all the entry requirements & changes made by each country in the world! All we could do was tell the Passenger that it was his/her responsibility to see that he had the proper documentation prior to boarding..

 

As Fouremco mentioned there are 195 independent states (countries) & each one of these countries have individual entry requirements which can vary from person to person.. Many of these countries have complex laws which constantly change.. If my company carried a person into a country who did not have the proper documentation, we would be required to assign an armed guard to take the passenger into a hotel, pay for that hotel with all meals of both the guard & the Passenger & then take the Passenger on the next flight out of that country.. In addition we (the carrier) who permitted the passenger to travel had to pay a hefty fine..

 

 

 

Completely agree it is the Passengers responsibility to have the required visas & all documents must be in order before he/she can be boarded!

 

Ok! Turn this around. You state that the conditions can change so fast that the carrier cannot be responsible and this is the line that carriers take. However, if it happens so fast can it be reasonable to expect the passenger to keep abreast e.g. I purchase a ticket to Kenya in Jan for travel in April, I check that Irish citizens do not need a Visa. In March Kenya require Irish citizens require a Visa to enter. This goes unnoticed by me and I cannot travel in April. Is it reasonable to expect me the passenger to check things on a daily basis as information and conditions change.

 

On the other hand if conditions change the airlines do inform their staff how else would they know who to deny boarding etc. So if they can get the message out to their ground staff, why not to their impending passengers. I am not saying that they should hand hold the passenger and get the Visa etc for them, but they have databases with folks contact details and destinations etc and a simple SMS message to alert 'new entry requirements for IE pax to Kenya' could be sent to the pax - after all they have to tell the ground staff or their handling agents so why not tell the pax at the same time!

[serendipity1499]

If HAL cannot keep up visa information for the passengers how do they know who to deny boarding to

 

Did you read this thread in it's entirety? No one ever said they can't keep up visa information.. It was said it would be impossible to put it into a program which flagged every passport in the world, since visa info changes constantly for the types of Passports being used..

 

As I previously mentioned the Check-in Agents only have to know what visa's are required for the cruise they are checking in.. Nothing more.. They only check in one cruise.. And as Fourmco mentioned on the HAL WEB site there are several warnings for all Psgrs who are going to Alaska, which state a Visa for Canada is needed if you are not traveling under a U.S. or a Canadian Passport! The same warnings are on your tickets..If anyone bothers to read them..

 

When DH & I went to Antarctica via South America, the check-in Agents checked to see that we had our needed visa's...

 

It's not HAL's responsibility to advise the Psgrs what Visa's are needed! Visa info changes constantly!

 

Every time I travelled on an airline only the check-in Agents had the most up to date info for the ONE flight they were checking in, & I travelled all over the world both for business & pleasure..It always was my responsibility as the Passenger to get the needed visa's... If I didn't have the required visa for the fight I would have been denied boarding.. Every time I had to get a visa for Brazil I was very nervous only because I had to mail my passport to the Consulate & I was so afraid it would get lost in the mail..Most of my other Visa's I was able to get in person when I lived in NYC..

Edited September 9, 2015 by serendipity1499

[tomvet]

They could add another check-mark box to the online process. Something like "Have you checked that you have all the visas and other documentation you need." Or at some point in the process, have a box with big bold lettering "Please make sure that you have obtained all visas and other documentation you will need for your trip."

 

In the case of visas for Canada, it seems pretty simple. I think the rule is that US/Canadian citizens don't need a visa, everyone else does. But for other countries it's more complicated. The people checking you in for an Alaska cruise only need to know the rules for the US and Canada. But for HAL as a company to know all the rules of all the countries is an invitation for a slip-up.

 

I haven't flown to a country where I need a visa recently, so I'm not sure, but I don't think airlines give out visa information.

 

Not true. Irish and most EU passport holders can participate in the US Visa Waiver programme (though the ESTA is a sort of Visa) and don't need a Canadian Visa. I have done an ex Seattle Alaska cruise with out the need for a VISA.

[Fouremco]

If HAL cannot keep up visa information for the passengers how do they know who to deny boarding to

I think that there are two related but separate issues at play here that is leading to some confusion, particularly as it pertains to the role that HAL can or should play.

 

First, whether or not someone requires a visa to enter Canada is not difficult to determine. The GOC has a very good website that allows would-be visitors to determine whether they need a visa, and HAL can readily make that determination.

 

The second issue concerns admissibility and is far more complex. Just because you need a visa doesn't mean that the country will issue you one. Here's a partial list of some of the reasons why someone wanting to enter Canada might be deemed inadmissible and not be issued a visa:

 

Security reasons, including:

 

espionage

subversion (attempts to overthrow a government, etc.)

violence or terrorism, or

membership in an organization involved in any of these

 

Human or international rights violations, including:

war crimes

crimes against humanity

being a senior official in a government engaged in gross human rights violations or subject to international sanctions

 

committing a serious crime that would be punishable by a maximum prison term of at least 10 years in CanadaFootnote 1

 

having been convicted of a crime, including driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol

 

organized crime, including membership in an organization that takes part in organized criminal activity, people smuggling or money laundering

 

health grounds – if their condition is likely to:

endanger public health or public safety, or

cause excessive demands on health or social services (some exceptions exist

 

financial reasons – if they are unable or unwilling to support themselves and their family members

 

misrepresentation, which includes providing false information or withholding information directly related to decisions made under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)

 

failure to comply with any provision of IRPA or

having an inadmissible family member.

 

So it's entirely reasonable to expect HAL to "keep up visa information" if you are speaking of knowing what travel documents a passenger might require at embarkation. Whether or not a specific passenger might admissible, however, is an entirely different matter. It falls well outside HAL's purview and they have neither the information nor expertise to make such a determination.

[Shmoo here]

Ok! Turn this around. You state that the conditions can change so fast that the carrier cannot be responsible and this is the line that carriers take. However, if it happens so fast can it be reasonable to expect the passenger to keep abreast e.g. I purchase a ticket to Kenya in Jan for travel in April, I check that Irish citizens do not need a Visa. In March Kenya require Irish citizens require a Visa to enter. This goes unnoticed by me and I cannot travel in April. Is it reasonable to expect me the passenger to check things on a daily basis as information and conditions change.

 

On the other hand if conditions change the airlines do inform their staff how else would they know who to deny boarding etc. So if they can get the message out to their ground staff, why not to their impending passengers. I am not saying that they should hand hold the passenger and get the Visa etc for them, but they have databases with folks contact details and destinations etc and a simple SMS message to alert 'new entry requirements for IE pax to Kenya' could be sent to the pax - after all they have to tell the ground staff or their handling agents so why not tell the pax at the same time!

 

Certainly not on a daily basis, but, as it's on me, the passenger, to make sure my documents are effective for my trip, yes, I need to keep up on what the requirements are.

 

We recently took a river cruise in Europe. When we made the reservation, I checked the various countries we'd be visiting for passport/visa requirements. And I re-checked at least 2 other times in the 18 months prior to the trip, including a month before the trip, in case something had changed.

[tomvet]

VISAS

Certain countries require that you obtain official authorization

(called a visa) before entering the country, and some countries

require that you obtain a visa regardless of whether you plan to

go ashore in that particular port or not. Usually there is a fee

required. Guests are responsible for verifying and obtaining

any necessary travel documents for entry and exit to the

countries visited, as these requirements vary depending on

the specific port and nationality of the traveler. This includes

payment of all costs related to arrangements to obtain entry

to the countries you visit. Boarding may be denied or fines

levied against those guests arriving at the pier without the

proper documentation, and those guests will not be eligible

for a refund. Payment of any fines levied is the responsibility of

the individual guest. Please note that fees and visa requirements

are subject to change without notice.

 

What happens if the change occurs when you physically do not have time to make the application or you may be already travelling. How many of us travel for months on end - check everything before we go and things change while we are on the road. How many of us up date ourselves once travelling?

 

As regards it is one set of ground staff that check in one cruise - while this is true however, this information is most likely issued to each check in port from a central department. I cannot believe that each cruise port would operate autonomyinally (is that a word?). Remember the permutations for a checkin agent is 195 possible passports by the number of countries visited! So if Burundi passport holders suddenly need a visa for Dominica, this I believe would come to the checkin staff from a central department within HAL rather than the port sussing it out and running solo.

 

I still think the carrier could be more proactive with information.

[Fouremco]

Ok! Turn this around. You state that the conditions can change so fast that the carrier cannot be responsible and this is the line that carriers take. However, if it happens so fast can it be reasonable to expect the passenger to keep abreast e.g. I purchase a ticket to Kenya in Jan for travel in April, I check that Irish citizens do not need a Visa. In March Kenya require Irish citizens require a Visa to enter. This goes unnoticed by me and I cannot travel in April. Is it reasonable to expect me the passenger to check things on a daily basis as information and conditions change.

 

On the other hand if conditions change the airlines do inform their staff how else would they know who to deny boarding etc. So if they can get the message out to their ground staff, why not to their impending passengers. I am not saying that they should hand hold the passenger and get the Visa etc for them, but they have databases with folks contact details and destinations etc and a simple SMS message to alert 'new entry requirements for IE pax to Kenya' could be sent to the pax - after all they have to tell the ground staff or their handling agents so why not tell the pax at the same time!

You've some interesting points. While I still believe that a traveller must take responsibility for his or her travel, I agree that it wouldn't be difficult for HAL to notify all of the passengers on a given cruise if there was a change in requirements. Having said that, I'm not sure that HAL doesn't, but I'm not aware of any situation where such a notification was required. Let's not forget that in this case, we are not talking about any changes to the visa requirements.

[tomvet]

Certainly not on a daily basis, but, as it's on me, the passenger, to make sure my documents are effective for my trip, yes, I need to keep up on what the requirements are.

 

We recently took a river cruise in Europe. When we made the reservation, I checked the various countries we'd be visiting for passport/visa requirements. And I re-checked at least 2 other times in the 18 months prior to the trip, including a month before the trip, in case something had changed.

 

Unless your cruise took you into the Customs Union, you were sailing in a very stable part of the world in terms of Visas - Schengen covers most of them! Not exactly intricate. And what would happen if something changed inside the month where a Visa may take over 3 weeks to obtain!

[Shmoo here]

Unless your cruise took you into the Customs Union, you were sailing in a very stable part of the world in terms of Visas - Schengen covers most of them! Not exactly intricate. And what would happen if something changed inside the month where a Visa may take over 3 weeks to obtain!

 

My point was, it's on ME to make sure I have what I need. There's no way I'm going to trust a cruise line, airline, or even my personal travel agent to keep me apprised of what's required.

 

Yes, in a "stable" area (whatever that may mean) you wouldn't necessarily need to monitor it as closely. If, however, you're traveling into/through an area that has (political/immigration) issues, then you have to check more frequently.

 

As long as I have what's required on the day of travel, they will have to work with me if something changes enroute.

[serendipity1499]

Ok! Turn this around. You state that the conditions can change so fast that the carrier cannot be responsible and this is the line that carriers take. However, if it happens so fast can it be reasonable to expect the passenger to keep abreast e.g. I purchase a ticket to Kenya in Jan for travel in April, I check that Irish citizens do not need a Visa. In March Kenya require Irish citizens require a Visa to enter. This goes unnoticed by me and I cannot travel in April. Is it reasonable to expect me the passenger to check things on a daily basis as information and conditions change.

 

On the other hand if conditions change the airlines do inform their staff how else would they know who to deny boarding etc. So if they can get the message out to their ground staff, why not to their impending passengers. I am not saying that they should hand hold the passenger and get the Visa etc for them, but they have databases with folks contact details and destinations etc and a simple SMS message to alert 'new entry requirements for IE pax to Kenya' could be sent to the pax - after all they have to tell the ground staff or their handling agents so why not tell the pax at the same time!

 

You make a good point Tom, & I don't know the answer to that, but as I said the gate check-in agents only have to worry about the most up to date info for ONE flight or One cruise.. If you were going on multiple flights such as NYC to Brussels with a layover in Europe, the gate agent at Kennedy would only check your credentials to Brussels...Then when you tried to board in Brussels to Kenya the gate Agent in Brussels would check if a visa was needed.. But if you were going on a direct connection then the gate agent in Kennedy should check to see if you have all the needed documentation for both flights.. But it is still the Passengers responsibility! We had cases where the rules had actually changed & some Psgrs were denied boarding.. And even though I hate to admit it, we also had cases where the gate Agent slipped up & boarded a Psgr without proper documentation & there was H*** to pay with Immigrations when the Psgr arrived at JFK! In those cases we had to hire an armed guard to stay with the Psgr. until he was either cleared or flown back to Europe at OUR expense..

 

When you travel you should check the rules periodically, not check in July for a January flight & leave it at that.. When I travel I always check out the rules for each country I'm going to about 4-6 weeks prior to departure.. That's another reason to have a travel Agent, who should constantly stay abreast of all these changes for their passengers..

Edited September 9, 2015 by serendipity1499

[serendipity1499]

By the Way.. I find this thread to be quite interesting!:) Only wish the OP would come back to tell us exactly why he was denied boarding..

 

It's fun to have a conversation such as this instead of can I get away with smuggling liquor on board or can I cancel the HSC.. LOL:D

Edited September 9, 2015 by serendipity1499

[galensgrl]

Having read the OP's story, I am a little confused regarding the need for a Visa to travel to/through Canada. If anyone can answer this, thank you. My question is this - we are taking a 9 day cruise of the Atlantic Coast next April on the Veendam. So, a New England into Canada cruise, embarking in Boston and disembarking in Montreal. We will be driving home as it's only a few hour drive. We are US citizens with passports, are Visas required to enter Canada as well? I know there must be others that have done the New England Canada cruise, and wondered of you would share your experience. Thank you.

 

Lorie