Required Travel Documentation and Information for Cruise Holidays

Carefully read the documentation that each guest must present at the pier prior to boarding. Travel to some destinations require special visas and travel authorizations. The information below explains what is required when travelling to each destination and how to obtain this documentation.

(Applicable for Alaska, Pacific Coastal, Hawaii & Canada New England Itineraries departing from a Canadian Port City – ie: Vancouver and Quebec City)

New Entry Requirements Effective September 29, 2016: Visa-exempt foreign nationals who enter Canada by air, must obtain and have in their possession a Canadian Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA).

The eTA is not required by the following:

• US passport holders
• Canadian passport holders
• Dual citizens (citizens of Canada and a visa-exempt country)
• Canadian permanent residents (Guests with permanent residency status granted by the Canadian government which are not citizens of Canada)
• Passengers arriving in Canada by land or sea

To apply for a Canadian eTA, please click on the following link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta-start.asp. Guests may be denied boarding by the airline carrier or Norwegian Cruise Line without having proper documentation upon check-in.

For additional information regarding Canada’s new eTA requirement, please visit the following website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp

Visa Restrictions for Canada

Based on Canadian entry requirements, some passengers may require a valid Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) in order to visit or travel through Canada. Click here for more information.

Is it legal for U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba?
Yes. OFAC regulates travel to Cuba pursuant to the Helms-Burton Act and other pertinent regulations. Currently, there are 12 categories of authorised travel to Cuba. Effective November 9, 2017, individual people-to-people exchanges are no longer authorised by OFAC. However, guests who booked their cruise before June 16, 2017 may choose to still engage in individual people-to-people travel or group people-to-people travel sponsored by Norwegian or a third party U.S. sponsoring organisation. Group people-to-people travel is one of the ways for Americans to visit Cuba and gives you an opportunity to discover Cuba through its people and from a local perspective. All guests will be required to certify that their activities meet the requirements above, so you must retain records of your activities whether or not they are offered by Norwegian for a period of 5 years. For additional information on group people-to-people exchanges, please refer to FAQ "What is a group people-to-people exchange?".

Click here for the FAQs issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury that cover many of the questions directly related to regulations regarding travel to Cuba.

Do I need a passport to travel to Cuba?
Yes. A valid passport* is required for all guests to travel to Cuba. We recommend guests review the passport requirements of travel to Cuba from their home country and that the expiration of your passport be greater than six months from the date of your voyage.
*NOTE: All guests must have a valid passport book for travel. A passport card WILL NOT be accepted.

How do I prove compliance with OFAC requirements during my cruise?
All travellers to Cuba must be able to prove that their trip was comprised of OFAC-compliant activities. Guests should keep a log of their activities and keep the log for 5 years. Guests may also request that Norwegian keep a record of their itinerary and shore excursion activity if Norwegian is the U.S. sponsoring organisation providing any group people-to-people exchanges to the guest.

Will non-U.S. guests be allowed to travel on these sailings?
Yes. As with travellers from the United States, non-U.S. guests will need to certify that they are travelling under one of the approved OFAC categories, keep records of their activities and sign affidavits confirming they are doing so.

Visa Considerations for Guests Cruising to Cuba

Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?
The Cuban government requires anyone who is travelling to Cuba on a passport other than a valid Cuban passport to obtain a visa prior to their arrival into Cuba. For all visitors who were not born in Cuba, this visa, also known as a "tourist card" (for U.S. residents, this visa also known as a "rosada" must have a pink and blue background; for non-U.S. residents, this visa is issued by the Cuban embassy or consulate in the background colours applicable to their country of residency), is required to enter Cuba for non-business purposes. The Cuban visa is valid for a single entry and allows the holder to stay in Cuba for 30 days. U.S. residents may obtain this visa (or "rosada") through Norwegian for a separate processing and procurement fee of or on your own. For non-U.S. residents, if the Cuban visa issued by the Cuban embassy or consulate in the background colours applicable to your country of residency is not accepted by Cuban immigration officials, you will be required to purchase the same Cuban visa (or "rosada") as a U.S. resident. Please note that you will not be allowed to board the vessel without proof of acquiring a Cuban visa.

The Cuban visa is a two-part card. Cuban immigration officials will take both parts upon arrival in Cuba.

For information on requirements for persons born in Cuba, please refer to FAQ "Requirements for Travellers Born in Cuba" below.

Requirements for Travellers Born in Cuba
Guests born in Cuba who emigrated before January 1, 1971 and reside in a country outside of Cuba are required to carry either (i) a valid Cuban passport with a habilitación (entry permit) and a valid prórroga (passport extension that must be obtained every two (2) years) or (ii) a valid passport from your country of citizenship along with an HE-11 visa obtained from the Cuban embassy or consulate in your country of residency (except in those cases where such country has entered into a visa exemption agreement with Cuba) for entry to and departure from Cuba. Effective January 1, 2018, Cuba will no longer require a habilitación (entry permit). The estimated processing time for an HE-11 visa is up to 60 days.

Guests born in Cuba who emigrated on or after January 1, 1971 and reside in a country outside of Cuba are required to carry a valid Cuban passport with a habilitación (entry permit) and valid prórroga (passport extension that must be obtained every two (2) years) for entry to and departure from Cuba. These guests do not need a Cuban visa. Effective January 1, 2018, Cuba will no longer require a habilitación (entry permit). The estimated processing time for a Cuban passport is up to 6 months.

Guests born in Cuba who require a visa or passport should contact the Cuban embassy or consulate in their country of residency. Those residing in the United States may contact the Cuban Embassy in Washington, DC:

Embassy of the Republic of Cuba
2630 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
http://misiones.minrex.gob.cu/en/usa/consular-services
Email: recepcion@usadc.embacuba.cu
Phone: (202) 797-8518 extension 600

In addition, there are several companies that offer visa/passport processing services to guests to assist in obtaining a visa and/or a Cuban passport, including:

The website of the US Embassy in Cuba http://havana.usembassy.gov/service.html states that U.S. citizens who are Cuban-born will be treated in Cuba solely as Cuban citizens and the Cuban government may require these individuals to enter and depart Cuba using a Cuban passport. Using a Cuban passport for this purpose does not jeopardize one's U.S. citizenship; however, such persons must use their U.S. passports to enter and depart the United States. Citizens of countries other than the United States should check with their embassies in Cuba for regulations pertaining to their citizenship and use of passports.

Click here for more Cuba FAQs.

Norwegian Cruise Line has partnered with VisaCentral to provide our guests with comprehensive, accurate information regarding travel visas. Some of VisaCentral’s guest travel services include visa application kits and assistance with obtaining other visas where required. Visit the Global Visa Support Centre on the VisaCentral (http://visacentral.com/Norwegian-cruise-line-splash?login=103407) page for assistance with visa applications.

Electronic Travel Authorisation - for Citizens of Visa Waiver Programme Countries (VWP) Entering the United States
Per the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) requirements, all VWP travellers must obtain an electronic travel authorisation prior to boarding a travel carrier to enter the United States. This can be done by completing the online application on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website. Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. However, DHS recommends that applications be submitted no less than 72 hours prior to travel.

Schengen Visas - for Entry to the European Union for Applicable Nationalities
The Schengen Agreement (effective March 26, 1995) is an agreement between several member states of the European Union (EU) to remove immigration controls for travel within their collective territories. This creates a "borderless" region known as the Schengen Area, which changes the procedures for entering, connecting or travelling between any of the Schengen States. Click here for more information.

There are four types of Schengen visas; Type C is the one typically needed by passengers, which can be issued by any one of the Schengen states and is valid for all the others. Due to the type of itineraries in Europe, The Schengen Agreement maintains that certain nationalities require a visa to enter the EU zone. Guests who are not US, Canadian, or European nationals are strongly encouraged to contact the nearest EU-member country embassy to determine if a Schengen visa is necessary.

Birth Certificates
To obtain an original or state certified copy of a birth certificate, you can contact your hospital of birth or the Vital Statistics Department of the County where you were born.

Passports
For more information on obtaining a passport, please visit the U.S. Passports & International Travel website, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, or VisaCentral.

Government-issued Photo I.D.’s
You can usually obtain a state-issued photo I.D. from your local driver’s license/Division of Motor Vehicles office. Contact your local office or visit your state’s DMV website for more information and instructions. You can also refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to access their list of State Departments of Motor Vehicles.

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Per the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) requirements, all VWP travellers must obtain an electronic travel authorisation prior to boarding a travel carrier to enter the United States. This can be done by completing the online application on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website. Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. However, DHS recommends that applications be submitted no less than 72 hours prior to travel. In most cases you will receive a response within seconds. Potential responses include:

• Authorisation Approved
• Travel Not Authorised: Travellers must obtain a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate before travelling to the U.S.
• Authorisation Pending: Travellers should check the ESTA website for updates and final response.

An approved travel authorisation will be:

• Required for all VWP travellers prior to boarding a travel carrier to enter the United States under the VWP.
• Valid unless revoked, for up to two (2) years or until the traveller's passport expires, whichever comes first;
• Valid for multiple entries but not a guarantee of admissibility to the United States at a port of entry.

Visas

Norwegian Cruise Line guests can contact VisaCentral for visa enquires or assistance with the visa application process. Norwegian Cruise Line guests receive discounted VisaCentral service fees. Be sure to access the VisaCentral website at http://visacentral.com/Norwegian-cruise-line-splash?login=103407 or calling (844) 834-5702 and reference account 75006 when calling to receive the discounted rates.

Note: These terms are effective at the time of boarding.

Travelling with Infants:

• At least six (6) months of age on the day of boarding
• At least twelve (12) months of age on the day of boarding if your cruise has 3 or more consecutive days at sea.

Travelling with Minors and Young Adults:
Norwegian Cruise Line’s policy dictates that a minor or young adult must be accompanied in the same stateroom (or connecting stateroom) by a passenger 21 years of age or older at the time of boarding.

• Minors – an individual under the age of 18 on the day of embarkation/boarding.
• Young Adult– an individual between the ages of 18 and 20.

Note: Two people under the age of 21 may travel together in the same stateroom if they are a married couple and provide proof of marriage to a Norwegian Cruise Line representative at the pier prior to boarding.

Travelling with Minors Unaccompanied by Parent or Legal Guardian*:

For passengers under the age of 18 travelling with an accompanying adult, who is not the minor's parent or legal guardian, a Parent/Guardian Consent Form that authorises the minor's travel and further authorises medical treatment in case of an emergency must be delivered to a Norwegian representative at the pier during check-in. Failure to produce this letter at embarkation may result in boarding being denied. Both living parents/legal guardians must sign and complete this form and attach a copy of his/her driver's license or other government issued identification. Minors of the same parent(s)/legal guardian(s) may be listed on the same form:

1. Download and Complete the Parental Consent Release form (PDF)

Minors or the same parent(s)/legal guardian(s) may be listed on the same form

2. Copy of both parents/legal guardians Driver’s License or other Government Issued ID

Adoptive parents, legal guardians or persons separated or divorced are advised to keep legal and other relevant documents available in order to clarify custody rights.

*If travelling to Canada, you’ll need the following document in addition to items #1 and 2 (Alaska, Pacific Coastal, and Canada/New England Itineraries):

Canadian entry requirements stipulate that a child under the age of 18 travelling alone, or with person(s) other than both parents, should be in possession of a letter (preferably notarised) from the parents or legal guardian containing:

• Authorisation for the child to travel with another person and to be outside the country;
• The name and a 24-hour contact telephone number of the parents or guardian;
• The destination and length of stay in Canada.

OFAC Sanctions/Regulations
The United States Department of the Treasury through the Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") has issued a series of comprehensive sanctions against various countries, specifically:

• Crimea
• North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)
• Cuba
• Sudan
• Syria
• Iran

These sanctions limit the ability of cruise lines to conduct business with these countries and their citizens, which includes allowing certain citizens of those countries to sail onboard our ships. Accordingly, it is Norwegian's policy that if you are a citizen or resident of one of these sanctioned countries, we will be unable to accept your cruise reservation unless you can satisfy the following conditions:

• Provide proof of citizenship in a non-sanctioned country; OR
• Provide proof of residency in a non-sanctioned country AND evidence that you are funding the cruise, including all onboard charges, through a bank associated with a non-sanctioned country.

You must be able to satisfy all of the above criteria in order to sail onboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship.