Alaska cruise boarding requirements for UK citizen

[bobbyh1998]

I have an Alaska cruise booked and wondering what visa I need to board. I think it is just an eTA, but not entirely sure as have read conflicting information. Has anyone from the UK been on an Alaska cruise? If so, what visas did you need to board? 

Thanks.

[FionaMG]

2 hours ago, bobbyh1998 said:

I have an Alaska cruise booked and wondering what visa I need to board. I think it is just an eTA, but not entirely sure as have read conflicting information. Has anyone from the UK been on an Alaska cruise? If so, what visas did you need to board? 

Thanks.

In full disclosure, I haven't done an Alaska cruise but the Canadian government website says the eTA is for visa-exempt individuals (which includes British citizens) flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport but that these individuals do not require an eTA if arriving by car, bus, train or boat (including a cruise ship). See: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta/facts.html

So, whether or not you need the eTA will depend on where your cruise starts and how you are getting there.

However, you WILL need an ESTA, which is the US equivalent of Canada's eTA. Past experience of cruising from US ports tells me that you WILL be asked for this, even if your cruise departs from a US port and you would have had to have it to even get there in the first place.