From UK, print out ESTA's

[champagne lover]

We came off Getaway from Miami yesterday, had a wonderful cruise, but in case this helps others. We arrived in Miami airport but as immigration is now automated our passports weren't stamped. When we checked in at the cruise terminal they asked for copies of our ESTAs, which fortunately I had. I was under the impression you don't need to take a copy with you but so glad that I had, not sure what would have happened if I didn't have the copies. Has anyone else experienced this?

[JohnIreland]

Only been asked for it on a TA from the UK to US.

 

As you said, the esta site says you don't need to print.

[casofilia]

We were asked to show ESTAs when we boarded in Quebec 18 months ago. Luckily we had them with us; two German parties had them in luggage and had to show them at Guest Services when their luggage was delivered.

 

We always carry a paper copy of those and the Canadian ETA just in case.

[Froggitt]

US immigration do not require a paper copy. NCL for some barmy reason do. It is the easiest document in the world to forge if you wanted to do so as NCL do not (and cannot???) check the details on it.....why is why the US immigration do not require a paper copy.

[Petitbotcottage]

On our first NCL cruise, we were asked when boarding in Jamaica for copies of the ESTA documents. Fortunately, I had printed them out and had them readily available. Other passengers did not and were still at check in on the ship when we proceeded to our cabin

[tjt87]

My wife and I were on the Getaway in November, we did not have hard copies of our ESTAs and neither were we asked to show them

[hawkeyetlse]

US immigration do not require a paper copy. NCL for some barmy reason do. It is the easiest document in the world to forge if you wanted to do so as NCL do not (and cannot???) check the details on it.....why is why the US immigration do not require a paper copy.

US immigration doesn't require a paper copy because they are the ones who issue ESTAs, so they have access to all of your information already. NCL has to do the best it can to make sure everyone has their documents. Sure, someone can attempt to board with a fake ESTA (what would they get out of this?) but I think it's more likely that by asking to see a print out, NCL catches people who think they have a valid ESTA for the cruise, but don't (for example, if it just expired, or if it expires during the cruise, they cannot use it to re-enter to the US).

[wales4ever]

Same thing on our HAL cruise in December. The last time we flew into Miami for a cruise it took us around 2 hours in a queue to get pat immigration ( photo fingerprints 1000 questions etc) Then had our passports stamped. This time all automated then showed the printed out photo to the immigration guy - who did not stamp our passports. When we arrived at the ship with our cruise documents, there was a problem as our passports had not been stamped.... so they had no record of us arriving in the US We also had our ESTAS and also our flight tickets which they copied.

[Froggitt]

NCL has to do the best it can to make sure everyone has their documents.

 

 

No it doesn't. What about personal responsibility? NCL ESTA involvement should end with reminding people on their travel documents and/or sending them an email. You don't see a line of Virgin Atlantic passengers at LHR printing off their ESTAs like you do at NCL boarding ports. What's the difference?

[hawkeyetlse]

No it doesn't. What about personal responsibility? NCL ESTA involvement should end with reminding people on their travel documents and/or sending them an email. You don't see a line of Virgin Atlantic passengers at LHR printing off their ESTAs like you do at NCL boarding ports. What's the difference?

I agree that people should also assume personal responsibility, but there are also consequences for NCL if they allow someone to board who has problems re-entering the US at the end of the cruise. So they are protecting themselves, too.

 

The difference with a transatlantic flight is that it lasts 5 or 10 hours, not 5 or 10 days. So the chances of someone's ESTA expiring en route is much higher with a cruise.

[philip_eunice1]

Thanks for the info

We will get our passports stamped in Dublin prior to flying to the US but will deff printing out or ESTA to save any Hassel never been asked for it before but want to avoid any hold up

 

 

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[SquishTheWhale]

Thanks for the post. I already have 4 copies of my ESTA printed out for our October trip! Interesting that they don't seem to understand that passports are no longer stamped?? I will keep my used air tickets as well as mentioned above.

[Bollinge]

We boarded a Transatlantic in Malaga, Spain, and at the check-in they asked everyone for a paper ESTA.

 

Nothing in the cruise paperwork mentioned it, and as a result there was chaos in the terminal where everyone had to research their ESTA email on a few laptops provided and then print them out on a couple of laser printers.

 

So just print your own copy at home and keep it with your passport!

 

 

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[kerryincork]

It's not an issue to print out an ESTA at home, but it is very annoying that NCL needs evidence of it. By the way I've yet to be asked for it at port.

 

Now theoretically I can see the need doing a TA. But an USA port where the foreign guest has already gone through passport control. Don't they trust their own boarder patrol to do their jobs?

 

There was thread on here recently where a guest was refused entry to the ship because they didn't have a printed version of ESTA and stamped passport, they complained & NCL apologised and gave them a full refund on the cruise.

 

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[jolgro]

We were asked for our ESTA on our febr. cruise out of Miami on the Getaway. I always bring my copy of it.

 

 

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[hawkeyetlse]

Now theoretically I can see the need doing a TA. But an USA port where the foreign guest has already gone through passport control. Don't they trust their own boarder patrol to do their jobs?

It's not a matter of trusting border control. Just because someone entered the US legally sometime in the past does not mean that they are still in the US legally, or that they have adequate travel documents to board a cruise that leaves and re-enters the US.

There was thread on here recently where a guest was refused entry to the ship because they didn't have a printed version of ESTA and stamped passport, they complained & NCL apologised and gave them a full refund on the cruise.

I believe you are referring to this thread:

Denied boarding -bevare if you hold a previus us visa

 

Everyone in that case had print-outs of their ESTAs. That was not the issue. I have not heard of anyone being denied boarding for not having a printed ESTA.

[casofilia]

For those that are interested Princess has the following in its"Travel Itinerary and Notifications":-

 

UNITED STATES VISA REQUIREMENT

 

A United States visa is required for certain nationalities. If you are an eligible passport holder from a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) country, you will be able to enter/exit the U.S. without a visa provided you are in possession of a biometric passport AND pre-register online for the VWP through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

ESTA applications may be made online at: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ and, if required, must be completed at least 72 hours before you board your cruise. We recommend you bring a printout of your approved application to cruise check-in to speed immigration processing.

 

This is for a cruise from the UK to the USA.

Edited March 8, 2017 by casofilia
Addition

[Blondie008]

Without exception - on every cruise and cruiseline, we have travelled on a TA cruise. we have been asked to present our ESTA at Barcelona prior to the cruise.

We also receive a call from our travel agent to remind us to print a copy and receipt of payment.

In saying that - our cousin last year, travelling with us, landed in the USA with an Esta which although not out of date, related to his former passport. Although the ESTA is valid for two years, if you change your passport during those two years you must also apply for a new Esta. Something that is not very clear. He was taken away for clearance - Another long wait (PITA) added to the already long immigration arrival queue time. It has been checked by NCL in Barcelona - and no one picked up on it there. Not NCLs fault of course, our bad totally.

So note to UK residents - if you change out your passport - apply for a new ESTA with the new passport number.

[casofilia]

{Snipped}

So note to UK residents - if you change out your passport - apply for a new ESTA with the new passport number.

 

This is true for everyone who changes their passport; new passport -->> new ESTA.

[tjt87]

Where does it say on the NCL site that you need to bring a hard copy of your ESTA? I couldn't find it

[casofilia]

Where does it say on the NCL site that you need to bring a hard copy of your ESTA? I couldn't find it

 

I don't know if it does; I was just pointing out what Princess has in their information; in case anyone travelling with NCL was interested.

 

It is also what a number of people, myself included, have found to be the case when checking in to travel from outside the USA to the USA on NCL using a passport where an ESTA was necessary to enter the USA.

[tjt87]

I don't know if it does; I was just pointing out what Princess has in their information; in case anyone travelling with NCL was interested.

 

It is also what a number of people, myself included, have found to be the case when checking in to travel from outside the USA to the USA on NCL using a passport where an ESTA was necessary to enter the USA.

 

Hi Mike,

Wasn't trying to sound critical so sorry if it came over that way. It's just that I've been out of Miami for the last 3 years and I never print my ESTA off and have never been asked for one.

 

I was trying to work out if it was a new policy but could not find it on the NCL site, is it there?

[Froggitt]

For those that are interested Princess has the following in its"Travel Itinerary and Notifications":-

 

UNITED STATES VISA REQUIREMENT

 

A United States visa is required for certain nationalities. If you are an eligible passport holder from a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) country, you will be able to enter/exit the U.S. without a visa provided you are in possession of a biometric passport AND pre-register online for the VWP through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

ESTA applications may be made online at: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ and, if required, must be completed at least 72 hours before you board your cruise. We recommend you bring a printout of your approved application to cruise check-in to speed immigration processing.

 

This is for a cruise from the UK to the USA.

Immigration processing being a function of CBP rather than the cruise line, they are not interested printouts of your ESTA, fake or real.

[Froggitt]

It's not a matter of trusting border control. Just because someone entered the US legally sometime in the past does not mean that they are still in the US legally, or that they have adequate travel documents to board a cruise that leaves and re-enters the US.

I believe you are referring to this thread:

Denied boarding -bevare if you hold a previus us visa

 

Everyone in that case had print-outs of their ESTAs. That was not the issue. I have not heard of anyone being denied boarding for not having a printed ESTA.

Epic TA last October, noone was allowed boarding unless they had a printed ESTA. They had a whole room set up with 10 laptops and a printer just for that purpose (both printing and applying/printing).

[hawkeyetlse]

Epic TA last October, noone was allowed boarding unless they had a printed ESTA. They had a whole room set up with 10 laptops and a printer just for that purpose (both printing and applying/printing).

I know that. But no one was denied boarding in the end because they didn't show up with a printout, were they?