Arrive can Back-to-Back Question

[gdy0354]

I am going on B-B Boston-Montreal/Montreal-Boston this weekend.

Last question on Arrive Can questionnaire:

Is your cruise terminating in Canada?

Technically they are two separate cruises, but same cabin and continuing back to Boston.

How are cruisers answering the last question? Yes, or no?

[princeton123211]

4 hours ago, gdy0354 said:

Is your cruise terminating in Canada?

Technically they are two separate cruises, but same cabin and continuing back to Boston.

How are cruisers answering the last question? Yes, or no?

My guess is the answer is no (which is what I would answer)-- they are more interested in if you are disembarking in Canada and either flying or driving home, which you are not. Canada most likely looks at this as a long round trip cruise from Boston and you have a scheduled departure date from Canada back to the US. 

 

It most likely is worth a call into your cruise line or ask the Pursers office when you board in Boston. 

[gdy0354]

1 minute ago, princeton123211 said:

My guess is the answer is no (which is what I would answer)-- they are more interested in if you are disembarking in Canada and either flying or driving home, which you are not. Canada most likely looks at this as a long round trip cruise from Boston and you have a scheduled departure date from Canada back to the US. 

 

It most likely is worth a call into your cruise line or ask the Pursers office when you board in Boston. 

Thanks for your reply. My cruise consultant called me back and said answer no to that question.

[GTJ]

7 hours ago, gdy0354 said:

I am going on B-B Boston-Montreal/Montreal-Boston this weekend.

Last question on Arrive Can questionnaire:

Is your cruise terminating in Canada?

Technically they are two separate cruises, but same cabin and continuing back to Boston.

When the United States government considers cabotage issues, it looks at each individual's initial point of embarkation and the ultimate point of that individual's disembarkation, and not at any intermediate break point where the carrier may artificially "end" one cruise and "begin" a second cruise. For example, if the the carrier offered, say, a one-way cruise from Boston to Montréal, and then the same vessel was scheduled to cruise from Montréal to New York, the United States government would view an individual's B-B itinerary as one going from Boston to New York, passing through only nearby foreign ports enroute . . . and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would impose a fine on the carrier for having transported a passenger from Boston to New York without having visited a distant foreign port in violation of the Passenger Vessel Services Act (and for that reason the carrier would likely have refused to even book such a B-B cruise).

 

I would image that Canadian immigration would use the same legal reasoning. It seems unlikely that the statute or implementing regulation would be so detailed, and the practical answer would be discretionary with the individual immigration officials in charge of deciding whether to admit or deport persons arriving in Canada. And to make it clear to such officials that "your" cruise does not end in Montréal, I would have, and be prepared to present to immigration officials, all ticketing paperwork showing "your" complete cruise as being Boston-to-Boston, round-trip. I have not studied the relevant Canadian law here, so do not take my speculation as legal advice.

 

4 hours ago, gdy0354 said:

My cruise consultant called me back and said answer no to that question.

Your "cruise consultant" is almost certainly not a Canadian immigration official, and is probably not an attorney qualified to give you legal advice. It might possibly be practical advice from someone with first-hand knowledge of actual practice, but I would be careful of relying on it, particularly when the communication has been given orally and not in writing.

 

Be careful of persons from whom you accept legal advice. And keep in mind that, ultimately, decisions are made by immigration officials, not by cruise line personnel or other persons advising you, and Canadian immigration officials have, in some cases, imposed unexpected and harsh consequences.