Canadian Customs and legal issues

[kona_wahine]

Asking for one person in our group: we have a large group planning a cruise on Norwegian for July 2024 to Alaska. One person had a felony in his very young life, did his time, paid his debt, and has had no legal issues for the last 20 plus years. Now, I know Canada won’t let a felon, including dui, into Canada. We have a short stop in Victoria, he will not get off the ship. My question is if anyone has any experience or knows first hand if he is asking for problems booking this trip. We don’t want him to pay and then be turned down when checking in. He will cruise with a birth certificate and government ID, not a passport. Thanks in advance for any advice. 

[CruiserBruce]

It would be an Immigration issue, not Customs. If you do a search on this board, the West Coast Departures board, or the Canada (Pacific) board, you will find various threads on the topic.

 

The "won't get off the ship" solution for this and visa requirements sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. Typically the country gets passenger lists in advance, and requires the cruise line refuse boarding to anyone that doesn't meet entry rules. I don't think a criminal background check is part of the situation, tho.

[Ferry_Watcher]

I work check-in for cruise lines in Seattle, and earlier this season I was on a Alaska cruise myself.  During our Skagway port-of-call I had time to chat with out White Pass train excursion bus driver (train up / bus down).  I was basically asking him about the requirement of passports for the excursion, and our discussion veered into him telling me that he has had passengers denied entry during a White Pass van up / train down excursion - which surprised me. 

I knew that anyone in that gray area of a old DUI definitely had to skip getting off the ship in Victoria, BC, but I never considered Skagway's White Pass rail excursion to also be potentially a problem.

 

What I learned from this driver is that our Canadian friends take their rules seriously, and best not to put yourself in an awkward position.  When we check passengers in Seattle, we have no idea about their past, nothing pauses our check-in process and we have never had someone denied for some mysterious reason.  So your travel friend won't have any problem getting on the ship in Seattle (assuming he has has his gov't issued birth certificate and gov't issued photo ID.  Since he is traveling with just his BC and not a passport, he can't do the White Pass train excursion anyway, but knowing that the Canadians do stop visitors with DUIs or past felonies is good knowledge. 

So for folks with a problematic past - avoid the White Pass train excursion, and just stay on the ship while in Victoria BC.

[Heidi13]

10 hours ago, kona_wahine said:

Asking for one person in our group: we have a large group planning a cruise on Norwegian for July 2024 to Alaska. One person had a felony in his very young life, did his time, paid his debt, and has had no legal issues for the last 20 plus years. Now, I know Canada won’t let a felon, including dui, into Canada. We have a short stop in Victoria, he will not get off the ship. My question is if anyone has any experience or knows first hand if he is asking for problems booking this trip. We don’t want him to pay and then be turned down when checking in. He will cruise with a birth certificate and government ID, not a passport. Thanks in advance for any advice. 

 

As Ferry-Watcher mentioned, you will have no issues boarding the vessel in Seattle, as the cruise lines have no access to the database. Shortly after departure from the final US port, the ship transmits the manifest to Canada Border Services.

 

They review the list and will advise the ship if they have issues with any pax. This can be a simple do not let ashore to requesting an interview onboard. What steps are taken is at the discretion of the Border agent. If an interview is requested, the steps after the interview again depend on the Border agent, which can be simply not being permitted to depart the vessel, to being removed from the vessel in cuffs.

 

Not getting off the ship does not mean the person has not entered Canada, as they entered Canada when the ship entered Canadian Waters.

[kona_wahine]

Thank you all, very helpful! I did know about the RR, I researched it for our trip last year. I’ll head over to the west coast departures and search around. Thanks again! 

[martincath]

Just to add that without details of exactly what crime was committed in Canadian terms, even with felonies there's still a chance that your group member might be allowed in - the general rule of thumb for being 'deemed rehabilitated' at the border is 5 to 10 years after all sentences, fines, parole etc. end depending on the crime. Serious crimes - 10+ year sentences by Canadian standards, which includes DUIs these days - you need to fill the paperwork and pay the fees for a 'pardon' or else have a very strong reason for a short visit (things like funerals, dying family members, coming up to retrieve a minor family member because someone else got sick or died get sympathetic treatment - "I fancy a vaycay in the Great White North" not so much!!!)

 

So I would certainly PLAN for their entry to be denied - but with as you say their 'debt paid' 20+ years ago, even if it was a serious crime just keeping them on the ship seems by far the most likely action taken by CBSA. If they are interviewed with the potential of being allowed in just be honest and polite  and they just may be able to join the rest of you in Victoria to enjoy the delights of civilized-temperature beer and Kinder Surprise Eggs (though for <insert preferred Deity>'s sake, don't try bringing any back onboard and end up with further offences on their file!!!!!)

[kona_wahine]

Thanks Martin. I think it’s more likely he won’t even try, just enjoy the ship. It’s such a short stop that it’s really not a big deal.