Can you cruise with a criminal record? The answer isn't cut and dry.
Understanding how different countries and immigration authorities handle felony records is important to ensuring a hiccup-free vacation.
In most cases, felons can generally go on a cruise, as there's no law prohibiting someone with a criminal record from boarding a ship.
Ron Harper, a Licensed Paralegal and owner of OTD Ticket Defenders Legal Service, told Royal Caribbean Blog that lines can deny boarding to individuals with felony convictions.
Additionally, some countries have strict entry restrictions and may refuse entry to felons. Harper explains,
"Just having a ticket to board a ship does not mean you will be allowed to enter each and every port of call."
Cruise lines are allowed to perform background checks
Cruise lines reserve the right to deny boarding to anyone with a criminal history that could put the safety of other passengers and crew at risk.
"Although there is no federal law that prohibits someone convicted of a felony from boarding a cruise ship, several large cruise lines (e.g., Carnival, Royal Caribbean) perform criminal background checks," Harper said.
According to Royal Caribbean's website, the cruise line checks booking details against law enforcement registers and its internal records for the safety of all customers.
Carnival Cruise Line also conducts criminal background checks to safeguard Carnival guests and crew members.
Their website is even more specific, adding that felons convicted of physical and/or sexual assault, armed robbery, and other violent crimes may be denied boarding.
Where are felons allowed to cruise?
Generally speaking, most convicted felons can cruise to places like The Bahamas and the Caribbean. However, certain countries may restrict entry to people with a criminal record.
"Most of the travelers believe that if they remain aboard the ship when they visit a port, they are not in trouble, but the fact is that the border agencies know about the ship by its manifest at least 96 hours before arrival," Barry Nussbaum, Owner and Senior Lawyer at Nussbaum Law in Ontario, said.
Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand are among the countries that felons cannot travel to, even if the departing cruise leaves from the United States.
According to Canada's laws, anyone with a criminal record is banned from entering the country, regardless of the crime's severity or when it was committed. Even minor offenses, like a DUI from college, may prevent entry unless an application for individual rehabilitation or a temporary resident permit is approved.
"I have witnessed families spend up to $5,000 on non-refundable tickets because they failed to obtain a Temporary Resident Permit or a full-fledged rehabilitation prior to going to the terminal," Nussbaum added.
With Canada being on the itinerary for nearly all Alaska cruises, voyages to The Last Frontier are off-limits to felons. The same applies to Canada/New England sailings from ports like Bayonne, New Jersey; Boston, Massachusetts; and Baltimore, Maryland.
Moreover, Caribbean cruises with scheduled stops in Mexico should be avoided, including popular Western Caribbean ports like Cozumel and Costa Maya, as well as Mexican Riviera destinations such as Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.
While less severe than Canada's laws, those who have committed a serious crime — think murder, smuggling, tax fraud, human trafficking, and vehicular theft — could be denied entry to Mexico. Generally speaking, minor infractions, like petty theft, are unlikely to prevent entry to Mexico on a cruise.
Moving on, travelers must meet the country’s character requirements to enter Australia or New Zealand, demonstrating that they are of good character.
When applying for New Zealand's Electronic Travel Authority clearance, travelers are required to disclose any issues or activities that could affect the country's decision. This means you must tell them if you've been involved in criminal or human rights abuse activities, or removed or deported from another country.
Similarly, to obtain the needed Electronic Travel Authority to enter Australia, you must declare all criminal conduct that you've been charged with, even if it is still awaiting legal action.
Nussbaum summarized that while destinations like The Bahamas or Mexico are generally less restrictive, countries such as Australia and New Zealand have strict character requirements that could make a vacation void before its commencement.
Harper continued to explain that those on probation may face even more issues:
"Probation can create yet another layer of complexity because, in general, international travel (or even intra-state travel) will require authorization from the probation officer who is responsible for supervising the individual."
