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Round trip cruises stopping in Canada for ex-felon


damiross
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As some of you may know Canada is very strict about allowing ex felons into their country. We would like to take a cruise to Alaska. Of course the ship has to stop in Canada.

 

Question: Does Canadian customs check all passengers for convictions and make them disembark and leave the country, even if the ship is only in port for a few hours and the person does not get off the ship to visit our so-called neighbors to the north?

 

Thanks for any guidance.

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I have heard that they are strict about admitting people with felony records, but I have a hard time believing that there is an effective mechanism to check - I have sailed from Seattle to Alaska and no one asked about my record (which happens to be clean) , and I cannot believe that every felony conviction in the US is made known to all relevant Canadian authorities.

 

That said - you should ask the so-called cruise line if they have any information on the matter and not rely on so-called posters on this so-called Cruise Critic site.

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Calling Canada ''so-c alled neighbors,d oes not seem like a help t o encouage them to welcome an ex-felon, as you put it. :eek:

 

Have you successfully completed any SENTEncing or probation?

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Calling Canada ''so-c alled neighbors,d oes not seem like a help t o encouage them to welcome an ex-felon, as you put it. :eek:

 

Have you successfully completed any SENTEncing or probation?

It's not me, it's a friend.

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I have heard that they are strict about admitting people with felony records, but I have a hard time believing that there is an effective mechanism to check - I have sailed from Seattle to Alaska and no one asked about my record (which happens to be clean) , and I cannot believe that every felony conviction in the US is made known to all relevant Canadian authorities.

 

That said - you should ask the so-called cruise line if they have any information on the matter and not rely on so-called posters on this so-called Cruise Critic site.

I did a lot of research. The USA and Canada share felon information with each other. However, I don't know if the USA is as strict as preventing EX-felons from visiting.

 

The only thing I couldn't find is what happens if the ex-felon stays on the ship and doesn't not touch Canadian soil (as opposed staying on a foreign registered ship).

 

Canada does have a program where they will look at the person's record. It costs $200 or more and there is no guarantee that they will allow the person into the country.

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I did a lot of research. The USA and Canada share felon information with each other. However, I don't know if the USA is as strict as preventing EX-felons from visiting.

 

The only thing I couldn't find is what happens if the ex-felon stays on the ship and doesn't not touch Canadian soil (as opposed staying on a foreign registered ship).

 

Canada does have a program where they will look at the person's record. It costs $200 or more and there is no guarantee that they will allow the person into the country.

Even if said friend doesn't get off the ship, technically he/she will be "in" Canada, once the ship ports.

 

It's really something that would have to be asked of, and answered by, Canadian officials.

 

It's my understanding that those people who aren't going to be permitted to enter Canada will be denied boarding the ship initially.

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As some of you may know Canada is very strict about allowing ex felons into their country. We would like to take a cruise to Alaska. Of course the ship has to stop in Canada.

 

Question: Does Canadian customs check all passengers for convictions and make them disembark and leave the country, even if the ship is only in port for a few hours and the person does not get off the ship to visit our so-called neighbors to the north?

 

Thanks for any guidance.

 

Let me help you with a few facts.

I have worked Alaska cruises nearly every year for the past 20 years. Some of my ships sailed from Seattle, and some from Vancouver.

 

US Immigration officials and Canadian Immigration officials share each other's criminal records systems.

 

Most American ex-felons don't even try to travel to Vancouver to board a ship - unless they have already been cleared by Canadian Immigration in advance.

 

Alaska cruises that sail from Seattle usually stop at Victoria on their way back to Seattle, in order to satisfy the American PVSA legal regulations.

 

72 hours before the ships arrive at Victoria, we must send a pre-arrival passenger manifest to Canadian Immigration.

 

During that 72 hour period, using that manifest, Canadian Immigration does a search for felons listed in the US criminal records system. The Canadian interpretation of a felony, or serious crime, is a bit more strict than the American one.

 

About 12 hours before we arrive at Victoria, we receive a list of passengers who must be refused exit at the gangway in Victoria. We are also instructed to contact those passengers a few hours before arrival to instruct them to expect an interview ( in their cabin ) by Canadian authorities when we arrive, and to let them know that they will not be allowed to leave the ship in Canada until the interview is concluded and the Authorities have approved them to go ashore.

 

Upon arrival, the ship is normally cleared very quickly, and most of the passengers can go ashore.

Then the Canadian Authorities, escorted by ship security, go to each cabin in question and interview the specific passengers.

The interviews vary, but typically they last about 20 minutes. Ship personnel are usually not informed about the subject or content of the interviews.

 

After the interview, one of three things happens:

1. The officer informs ship security to allow the passenger(s) to go ashore.

 

2. The officer informs ship security to continue to refuse exit for the passenger(s) while the ship is in Canada.

 

3. The officer arrests the passenger(s), and they go off in handcuffs. In this case, security and housekeeping pack up their belongings and offload them to the ship's agent.

 

On an average Victoria port call with a 2,000 passenger ship, somewhere between 5 and 10 passengers are on the Canadian interview list.

 

Generally, after the interviews, about two-thirds of the interviewees are allowed to go ashore, the other one third are blocked at the gangway (they are instructed not to leave the ship in any Canadian Port), and about once or twice a month, somebody goes off in handcuffs.

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.

 

It's my understanding that those people who aren't going to be permitted to enter Canada will be denied boarding the ship initially.

 

That's my understanding also. Don't have first hand knowledge though.

 

Sure would suck to arrive at the port to begin your vacation, only to be denied boarding because you have a felony on your record and Canada says Not On Our Watch will you enter our country.

 

I have been denied entry into Canada because I didn't have a signed letter from my daughters mother giving me permission to take daughter into Canada for a day visit.

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That's my understanding also. Don't have first hand knowledge though.

 

Sure would suck to arrive at the port to begin your vacation, only to be denied boarding because you have a felony on your record and Canada says Not On Our Watch will you enter our country.

 

I have been denied entry into Canada because I didn't have a signed letter from my daughters mother giving me permission to take daughter into Canada for a day visit.

 

Your understanding is incorrect.

The cruise line has no way of knowing or checking a passenger's criminal past.

We also have no knowledge of the parameters used by Canadian Immigration to determine if you will be confined to the ship in a Canadian Port, or allowed to disembark - or arrested.

If you contact the cruise line before your cruise and inform them that you are an ex felon, they will probably warn you of the possible complications in Canada.

 

American ex felons who contact the Canadian authorities in advance of the cruise do have options for settling their status with the Canadian Government, possibly allowing them easier entrance into Canada.

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Let me help you with a few facts.

I have worked Alaska cruises nearly every year for the past 20 years. Some of my ships sailed from Seattle, and some from Vancouver.

 

US Immigration officials and Canadian Immigration officials share each other's criminal records systems.

 

Most American ex-felons don't even try to travel to Vancouver to board a ship - unless they have already been cleared by Canadian Immigration in advance.

 

Alaska cruises that sail from Seattle usually stop at Victoria on their way back to Seattle, in order to satisfy the American PVSA legal regulations.

 

72 hours before the ships arrive at Victoria, we must send a pre-arrival passenger manifest to Canadian Immigration.

 

During that 72 hour period, using that manifest, Canadian Immigration does a search for felons listed in the US criminal records system. The Canadian interpretation of a felony, or serious crime, is a bit more strict than the American one.

 

About 12 hours before we arrive at Victoria, we receive a list of passengers who must be refused exit at the gangway in Victoria. We are also instructed to contact those passengers a few hours before arrival to instruct them to expect an interview ( in their cabin ) by Canadian authorities when we arrive, and to let them know that they will not be allowed to leave the ship in Canada until the interview is concluded and the Authorities have approved them to go ashore.

 

Upon arrival, the ship is normally cleared very quickly, and most of the passengers can go ashore.

Then the Canadian Authorities, escorted by ship security, go to each cabin in question and interview the specific passengers.

The interviews vary, but typically they last about 20 minutes. Ship personnel are usually not informed about the subject or content of the interviews.

 

After the interview, one of three things happens:

1. The officer informs ship security to allow the passenger(s) to go ashore.

 

2. The officer informs ship security to continue to refuse exit for the passenger(s) while the ship is in Canada.

 

3. The officer arrests the passenger(s), and they go off in handcuffs. In this case, security and housekeeping pack up their belongings and offload them to the ship's agent.

 

On an average Victoria port call with a 2,000 passenger ship, somewhere between 5 and 10 passengers are on the Canadian interview list.

 

Generally, after the interviews, about two-thirds of the interviewees are allowed to go ashore, the other one third are blocked at the gangway (they are instructed not to leave the ship in any Canadian Port), and about once or twice a month, somebody goes off in handcuffs.

Very informative, thank you.

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As some of you may know Canada is very strict about allowing ex felons into their country. We would like to take a cruise to Alaska. Of course the ship has to stop in Canada.

 

Question: Does Canadian customs check all passengers for convictions and make them disembark and leave the country, even if the ship is only in port for a few hours and the person does not get off the ship to visit our so-called neighbors to the north?

 

Thanks for any guidance.

 

What do you mean by ex felon? Has the person's felony been expunged by a court? Otherwise, if the person has a felony on their record, they are still legally a felon, even if they have paid their dues in prison or by fine or whatever was legally required of them. Canada will not allow a felon into their country. If the felony has been expunged, then it should not be a problem, but before booking, I would contact Canada's embassy to find out if the person can enter on a cruise.

 

Alternatively, there are some cruises that start in the Orient and then cruise Alaska and never go into Canada at all such as Silversea.

 

There are also some smaller cruises that are within Alaska only. For example Llinblad:

https://www.expeditions.com/destinations/north-america/alaska/itineraries/exploring-alaskas-coastal-wilderness/overview/

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Your understanding is incorrect.

The cruise line has no way of knowing or checking a passenger's criminal past.

We also have no knowledge of the parameters used by Canadian Immigration to determine if you will be confined to the ship in a Canadian Port, or allowed to disembark - or arrested.

If you contact the cruise line before your cruise and inform them that you are an ex felon, they will probably warn you of the possible complications in Canada.

 

American ex felons who contact the Canadian authorities in advance of the cruise do have options for settling their status with the Canadian Government, possibly allowing them easier entrance into Canada.

 

I am sure the above is correct, but I wonder how detailed and thorough the passenger manifest is. After all, the cruise line only wants to see a birth certificate and a driver's license. Would someone named John Smith, who boarded with a Delaware driver's license, who had an old Colorado felony conviction on his record be so completely flagged by the cruise line on the manifest they submit to Canadian authorities that a conviction the line had no knowledge of would be picked up by the Canadians so that one particular John Smith, out of possibly six with the same name, be nailed?

 

Just wondering.

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I am sure the above is correct, but I wonder how detailed and thorough the passenger manifest is. After all, the cruise line only wants to see a birth certificate and a driver's license. Would someone named John Smith, who boarded with a Delaware driver's license, who had an old Colorado felony conviction on his record be so completely flagged by the cruise line on the manifest they submit to Canadian authorities that a conviction the line had no knowledge of would be picked up by the Canadians so that one particular John Smith, out of possibly six with the same name, be nailed?

 

Just wondering.

 

The cruise line doesn't flag anyone on the manifest. The whole reason that CBP allows cruise ship passengers to use the DL/BC form of identification is that they use this information to look up people for the length of the cruise, if necessary, rather than having a couple of hours like they do when an international airline flight submits their manifest (for the airline arrivals, they use the passport background search as their starting point). Just like CBP, CBPS will have 72 hours to run each and every passenger through the criminal databases, and the use of birthdate and place, provided on the birth certificate narrows the name search down to one or at most two (very infinitesimal odds of two people with same name, same birthdate, and same birth place).

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"As some of you may know Canada is very strict about allowing ex felons into their country. We would like to take a cruise to Alaska. Of course the ship has to stop in Canada.

 

Question: Does Canadian customs check all passengers for convictions and make them disembark and leave the country, even if the ship is only in port for a few hours and the person does not get off the ship to visit our so-called neighbors to the north. "

 

 

FYI: Canadians are turned away at the US border for past convictions many times. Some infractions are 30-40 years old with nothing since then and no previous trouble crossing the border. It all depends on the agent on duty as to how deep they dig into a persons history. I've also read on some of the Alaskan excursions (I'm sailing on one this year) that your passport is needed as you do cross into Canada. ie. the train in Skagway.

 

 

Happy sailing from a "so-called neighbour to the North" ;)

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As some of you may know Canada is very strict about allowing ex felons into their country. We would like to take a cruise to Alaska. Of course the ship has to stop in Canada.

 

Question: Does Canadian customs check all passengers for convictions and make them disembark and leave the country, even if the ship is only in port for a few hours and the person does not get off the ship to visit our so-called neighbors to the north?

 

Thanks for any guidance.

 

 

There's no such thing as an ex-felon. Even after a completed sentience, that person still is a convicted felon. And Canadians have been refused smutty to the US for much more minor offences - some of which aren't even criminal convictions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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There's no such thing as an ex-felon. Even after a completed sentience, that person still is a convicted felon. And Canadians have been refused smutty to the US for much more minor offences - some of which aren't even criminal convictions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Thank you for this. I have been shaking my head tryingt o figure out how someone is an ex-felon. Once a felon,, always one. Though they may have met the terms of whatever sentence, probation etc, they are a felon.

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And Canadians have been refused smutty to the US for much more minor offences - some of which aren't even criminal convictions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Oh dear......I was posting from my iPhone, and I couldn't preview or edit. "smutty" should be "entry", and "offences" should be "offenses".

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The cruise line doesn't flag anyone on the manifest. The whole reason that CBP allows cruise ship passengers to use the DL/BC form of identification is that they use this information to look up people for the length of the cruise, if necessary, rather than having a couple of hours like they do when an international airline flight submits their manifest (for the airline arrivals, they use the passport background search as their starting point). Just like CBP, CBPS will have 72 hours to run each and every passenger through the criminal databases, and the use of birthdate and place, provided on the birth certificate narrows the name search down to one or at most two (very infinitesimal odds of two people with same name, same birthdate, and same birth place).

 

So the Canadians have access to criminal records for every US jurisdiction going back decades - and actually compare every name on the manifest submitted by the cruise line with all such such records? I am not saying that they would not, but it does seem like a massive exercise.

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So the Canadians have access to criminal records for every US jurisdiction going back decades - and actually compare every name on the manifest submitted by the cruise line with all such such records? I am not saying that they would not, but it does seem like a massive exercise.

You do realize that the Canadian government has computer systems just as modern as your American ones, right? It's not as if they had some poor clerk down in a cellar manually entering every cruiser's name and data into a logbook.

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So the Canadians have access to criminal records for every US jurisdiction going back decades - and actually compare every name on the manifest submitted by the cruise line with all such such records? I am not saying that they would not, but it does seem like a massive exercise.

 

Canada has access to NCIC and is the only country outside the U.S. that has access. Private entities such as cruise ships do not have access.

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You do realize that the Canadian government has computer systems just as modern as your American ones, right? It's not as if they had some poor clerk down in a cellar manually entering every cruiser's name and data into a logbook.

 

Of course they have - and perhaps the US provides data to Canada covering every felony conviction, and there were never any typos or mis-spelling, or deleted middle initials, on any of that data - and the clerks checking in passengers - relying on some barely legible old birth certificates, which themselves may have had typos, and the drivers licenses themselves may have had typos or mis-spellings - and those clerks never made errors in preparing the lists for the manifest.

 

Again, just wondering.

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You do realize that the Canadian government has computer systems just as modern as your American ones, right? It's not as if they had some poor clerk down in a cellar manually entering every cruiser's name and data into a logbook.

Well done, keep up that false front and our national secret, secret. Truth of the matter is no such computers exist. In actuality we have a great many clerks who manually have to look up these records. In typical Canadian bureaucracy though, their desks are located on one floor and the records are kept several floors below in a secure basement area. And due to security rules they are only allowed to review one set of books at a time. Consequently, each clerk must travel up and down the stairs several times just to vet the records of one individual. It could be that a great many are not approved simply because by the time the application screening has been completed the reviewer has lost all sense of empathy for others.

 

Older staff who find the stairs too difficult have a 'runner' assigned that they share amongst several other record researchers. In order to not be discriminatory there is no means test to determine if one actually does need a runner. These runners are known for their great stamina and tremendously strong legs. Their appearance can be rather startling at first glance. The Canadian Olympic Committee has been lobbying to have a demonstration stair climbing event at upcoming Olympics in the hopes of it becoming an official event. They anticipate we will have a leg up on entries from other countries for the first few Olympics.

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