Canadian Visa Requirements for Sailings and Cruise Travellers

Some countries require that you obtain official authorization (called a visa), before entering their country. New Canadian visa requirements affecting all Alaska sailings, Alaska tours and Canada & New England sailings that enter Canada.

Canadian Cruise Lines

Usually, there is a fee required. You are responsible for obtaining any necessary visas.

For U.S. citizens, if you have questions about visa requirements, please visit Zierer Visa Service and Holland America Line Member’s Page.

For Canadian citizens, if you have questions about visa requirements, please visit Visaconnection website.

For non-U.S. or non-Canadian citizens, please check with the embassies or consulates of each of the countries in your itinerary regarding visa requirements.

NEW Visa Waiver Program Requirements:
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) is undergoing changes. The US government plans to implement the Electronic System for Travel Application (ESTA) by January 12, 2009. ALL VWP travelers to the U.S. will be required to have an approved electronic travel authorization via ESTA.

Guests who are citizens of following VWP countries:
Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

New 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.

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

Security and enforcement at the Canada-United States border has been heightened. For this reason, more U.S. and Canadian citizens with past criminal charges or convictions are refused entry into Canada. Almost all convictions (including DUI, DWI, reckless driving, negligent driving, misdemeanor drug possession, all felonies, domestic violence [assault IV], shoplifting, theft, etc.) make a person inadmissible to Canada, regardless of how long ago they occurred.

It is recommended that persons who have been charged in the past or who have past convictions obtain the necessary documents before attempting to enter Canada.