North American residents ONLY

[drsel]

What will happen if a US travel agent books a Holland America or Princess cruise for a non North American resident?

 

Will the passengers be denied boarding?

OR

Will the passengers be allowed boarding & the agent get penalized ?

 

 

[Steelers36]

Don't see how the first option could happen as that wouldn't be something checked at check-in.  Also, the client profile, includes passport info, so it should be pretty obvious not a N.A. citizen.  That said, there are citizens of overseas countries who live in Canada and USA.

[drsel]

9 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

 That said, there are citizens of overseas countries who live in Canada and USA.

Correct, so a foreign passport holder could still be a North American resident 

[drsel]

13 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Don't see how the first option could happen as that wouldn't be something checked at check-in.

Only the passport is checked, right?

[Steelers36]

10 minutes ago, drsel said:

Only the passport is checked, right?

These days, more.  Vaccination proof, possibly a C-19 test result, credit card compare to one on file, health Q&A.

[kiwimum]

As a resident, not citizen, my credit card is checked when boarding.  

[cr8tiv1]

53 minutes ago, drsel said:

What will happen if a US travel agent books a Holland America or Princess cruise for a non North American resident?

 

Will the passengers be denied boarding?

OR

Will the passengers be allowed boarding & the agent get penalized ?

 

I once asked my TA if she would book someone not from the US (citizen).  She said she could not (would not?) be able to do that.  I am wondering if there is a code of ethics for Travel Agents.  

[skynight]

Basically it isn't the citizenship of the person booking it is the address. Princess generally allows  bookings for US, Canada, Puerto Rico, residents through US based travel agents. There might be some additional locations like USVI, Mexico, but not certain. Some people residing in Europe have been able to book through US based TAs using a US address. Example, person resides in Europe, family resides in the US. Once booked the passenger will be able to board, providing all documentation is in order, including proper passport and proper visas, if required. Don't believe the ship's staff checks or cares how the sailing was booked.

I don't think either one of the OPs points would happen. 

[Tedferg]

16 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

 That said, there are citizens of overseas countries who live in Canada and USA.

Our fellow travelers are US residents, green card holders and travel on a UK passport - they have never had a problem.

[Lady Arwen]

My husband is a British citizen and a permanent resident of Canada travelling on a UK passport.  He books and pays for cruises all time and has done for years without issues.  Never asked to see his credit card, just the usual ID when boarding.  As a matter of fact, not once has anyone even commented on his citizenship.

[antsp]

Always use to book with us travel agents, even though I'm based in the UK. It's not a problem in any way 

[mjmalino]

It comes down to address and, I think, currency. The US offices (and website) of Princess and Holland require a US address for booking as well as US and Canadian currency. That is why there is a European office for residents of Europe. 

[Lady Arwen]

1 hour ago, mjmalino said:

It comes down to address and, I think, currency. The US offices (and website) of Princess and Holland require a US address for booking as well as US and Canadian currency. That is why there is a European office for residents of Europe. 

They do not require a US address for booking.  Canadian addresses are perfectly acceptable.  Canadians can easily book with a US travel agency and pay in US dollars using a Canadian address or in Canadian dollars with a Canadian travel agency.  Europeans can book with a US travel agency and pay in US dollars.  Pre-Covid we arranged a family cruise for Americans, Canadians and Europeans with one travel agent and we all paid in US dollars. 

[mjmalino]

3 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

They do not require a US address for booking.  Canadian addresses are perfectly acceptable.  Canadians can easily book with a US travel agency and pay in US dollars using a Canadian address or in Canadian dollars with a Canadian travel agency.  Europeans can book with a US travel agency and pay in US dollars.  Pre-Covid we arranged a family cruise for Americans, Canadians and Europeans with one travel agent and we all paid in US dollars. 

I stand corrected, they do allow Canadian currency. 

[SiliconCruiser]

Princess does charge higher passage rates for residents from foreign countries.  So if the passenger is has a foreign passport and cannot provide proof of residency in a domestic country (e.g. U.S. or Canada) they may be refused passage at the domestic rate.  That being said, travel agents who are not of native domestic occupancy will usually find ways around that and get domestic rates for foreign relatives of domestic customers.

 

[john watson]

On 8/30/2022 at 4:12 AM, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I once asked my TA if she would book someone not from the US (citizen).  She said she could not (would not?) be able to do that.  I am wondering if there is a code of ethics for Travel Agents.  

 

The rules changed many years ago where the major US cruise lines decided that non-US and non-North American cruise passengers should be restricted on whether they could book and travel with the cruise lines.  Generally, no they may not but there are a number of exceptions; foreign nationals/passport holders may book where they include a US citizen (not sure if this is in the same cabin), where they have a US address or where they booked a cruise prior to the restrictions being introduced where they may book with the same travel agent but only with the same cruise line/s.

 

Regards John

[sandancer]

On 8/30/2022 at 9:49 PM, antsp said:

Always use to book with us travel agents, even though I'm based in the UK. It's not a problem in any way 

Us too. Have been using a US agent for several years with no issues. Right now I would hesitate as the currency exchange rates would cancel out any benefits. XE rate today 1.16 and that’s the bank rate. Tourist rates are even lower. 

[Cruise Wonderland]

On 8/30/2022 at 11:12 AM, cr8tiv1 said:

I am wondering if there is a code of ethics for Travel Agents.  

 

Theoretically, yes there is. From the TA terms and conditions,

 

TA agrees that it will not sell Princess and Cunard Line products and services to guests residing outside the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and Mexico.

 

TA agrees that in the event of any violation of the foregoing restriction, Cruise Line will not pay any commissions of any kind on such bookings to TA nor will revenue from such bookings be included in TA’s growth goal programs, incentives, cooperative fund calculations, tour conductors or other amenities. Repeat violations may result in TA’s loss of the right to sell Cruise Line products and services.

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, Cruise Wonderland said:

 

Theoretically, yes there is. From the TA terms and conditions,

 

TA agrees that it will not sell Princess and Cunard Line products and services to guests residing outside the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and Mexico.

 

TA agrees that in the event of any violation of the foregoing restriction, Cruise Line will not pay any commissions of any kind on such bookings to TA nor will revenue from such bookings be included in TA’s growth goal programs, incentives, cooperative fund calculations, tour conductors or other amenities. Repeat violations may result in TA’s loss of the right to sell Cruise Line products and services.

Does anyone know to what extent this is actually enforced?

[Guest ldtr]

Keep in mind that Carnival Corp  is incorporated in the UK as well as Panama. With the UK PTR the terms for a UK booking are different than a US booking. If someone is a UK resident and books a trip with a company in the UK, those terms must apply. Since Carnival has a UK presence (required when it purchased P&O and Princess) it cannot knowingly book a UK resident under US terms. Thus the current restrictions. If one works hard enough they can find a way around it and book US fares and US terms, by making it look like they are North American residents, but by doing so they forfeit and PTR protections.

 

Some other countries have similar laws requiring companies with a presence in their country to book their residents under the terms for that country.

Edited September 2, 2022 by ldtr

[SiliconCruiser]

Princess normally charges more for cruises booked from outside of the U.S. or from foreign travel agents.  As an example, if the cruise is booked for someone residing in Asia or the Middle East, the fare will be higher (sometimes significantly higher) than a fare booked from the U.S.  That being said, TAs catering to immigrant communities, have engineered their own devices to work around these surcharges if there is a relative or friend living in the U.S.

[antsp]

47 minutes ago, SiliconCruiser said:

Princess normally charges more for cruises booked from outside of the U.S. or from foreign travel agents.  As an example, if the cruise is booked for someone residing in Asia or the Middle East, the fare will be higher (sometimes significantly higher) than a fare booked from the U.S.  That being said, TAs catering to immigrant communities, have engineered their own devices to work around these surcharges if there is a relative or friend living in the U.S.

This is not exactly correct, Princess will almost give away last minute cruises to the local market. Cruises ex Southampton are extremely low priced in the UK as a last minute bookings, from the USA very high. I have access to USA and UK prices and there is no set rule on how cruises are priced. 

[SiliconCruiser]

19 hours ago, Cruise Wonderland said:

 

 

TA agrees that it will not sell Princess and Cunard Line products and services to guests residing outside the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and Mexico.

 

 

Some TAs within the U.S. establish their own standards based upon their own country of origin, and offer pricing that will vary based upon the U.S. incentives.

 

[SiliconCruiser]

3 hours ago, antsp said:

This is not exactly correct, Princess will almost give away last minute cruises to the local market. Cruises ex Southampton are extremely low priced in the UK as a last minute bookings, from the USA very high. I have access to USA and UK prices and there is no set rule on how cruises are priced. 

My reference was not to drop&go prices, but rather to existing prices for U.S. passenger, and where some agents who cater to non-U.S. passengers will find creative means to offer U.S. passenger prices to passengers from outside of the U.S.

[caribill]

On 8/29/2022 at 9:17 PM, drsel said:

What will happen if a US travel agent books a Holland America or Princess cruise for a non North American resident?

 

Will the passengers be denied boarding?

OR

Will the passengers be allowed boarding & the agent get penalized ?

 

 

 

If a non-North American resident manages to book a fare that is only for North American residents, that is not something that would be checked when checking in for the cruise.