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Travel Documents for Cruises

You've booked the flights, your cabin, and you've even decided what to pack. However, before going on your cruise, there are a few extra documents that you'll need to ensure that your visit goes smoothly.

Unlike travelling on a package holiday, the rules and regulations surrounding cruise travel documents are slightly more complicated than most other holidays as they take into consideration a number of different factors such as where you're going, what ports you'll be stopping at, and the duration of your cruise.

Even though you're not flying to each location, you will still need your passport to enter all countries in your cruise. You'll need to ensure that your passport has at least two blank pages in it and is valid six months after your cruise ends. It's also a good idea to take out a cruise travel insurance policy which will ensure that you're protected in case of costly medical treatment, cancellations or passport loss.

Visas for Cruises

Whether you'll need a visa for your cruise is entirely dependant on what countries you'll be visiting during your holiday. It's up to you to check whether you'll need a visa for your trip and to arrange that prior to when you leave, although many cruise lines have up-to-date visa application documents on their website.

You should take into consideration the country that you'll be flying from when applying for visas. For instance, British citizens visiting the USA will only need an ESTA, which you can apply for online and which will allow you to stay in the USA for three months visa-free. You can apply for an e-visa for most destinations. You must also check their regulations in terms of your arrival method. For instance, if you are visiting Canada, you'll only need an ETA if you're travelling to the country by air.

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