As European countries issue new warnings about travel to the U.S. amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, some cruise passengers are becoming concerned about their travel plans.
For Canadians with plans to cruise from U.S. departure ports, the reports of European and Canadian tourists being turned away and even detained at airports and border crossings are unsettling.
Related: More countries are now telling their citizens not to travel to the U.S.
Canadian lawmaker Charlie Angus, a member of Canada’s parliament, held a news conference on March 20 urging Canadians to avoid all travel to the U.S.
“What concerns me is the targeting of Canadian citizens who are crossing the border to work or to visit,” Angus explained. “We have seen too many stories of citizens being pulled out of airport lines and being fingerprinted and deported as though they were criminals.”
Although Canadians are taking these threats seriously, some don’t want to call off cruise vacations that they’ve been looking forward to, even though they leave from U.S. ports.
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Some Canadian Disney Cruise Line passengers are worried that they won’t be able to make it through border crossings to get to the ship.
Image source: Daniel Kline/ComeCruiseWith.com
Canadian Disney cruise passenger seeks reassurance on U.S. travel
One Canadian Disney cruise passenger recently turned to the DCL community on Reddit for advice on the worrisome U.S. travel situation.
“With the UK and Germany both issuing formal travel advisories to the US, Canada is close to doing the same thing, and more countries will be doing the same — I am starting to get really worried about my upcoming cruise in July,” Reddit user Minimum-Landscape120 posted. “Please reassure me because I really don’t want to cancel. But at the same time, I want to be realistic.”
While a number of passengers who commented in the thread noted that the cruiser’s concerns are valid, a few suggested that tourists traveling for a short-term trip with proper documentation and proof of a booked return trip likely won’t be severely scrutinized.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line makes plea amid America’s growing divisions
Another Canadian Disney cruiser explained that this is why they haven’t changed their U.S. travel plans.
“Canadian. Leaving for Florida next month. Still going,” Jitsoperator shared. “To my understanding, if you are coming for tourist stuff, U.S. is ok with that. It’s if you are coming for a longer stay and don’t have your story and documents in order — that’s the trouble.”
For other Canadian Disney cruisers, the promise of a magical vacation at sea isn’t worth the stress of crossing the border to get there.
Some Canadian Disney cruisers are altering their vacation plans
Some Canadian Disney cruisers have opted to cancel their cruises and vacation elsewhere amid the uncertainty and rapid deterioration of U.S. – Canada relations.
“We cancelled ours (we are Canadian) that was booked for September with all the nonsense and rhetoric going on, and booked an all-inclusive in Jamaica instead,” DarthKavu shared. “Even with doing some excursions in Jamaica, and flights vs just the cruise (no flights, excursions, etc.) we saved about $1500 and don’t have the added stress that we’ll get stopped by the gestapo for being non-American. Nothing against the American people, just the regime currently tearing the country apart.”
Other Canadian travelers have decided to stick with Disney Cruise Line but move their bookings to ships sailing far from the U.S.
Related: Trade war takes aim at cruise line stops in Canada
“I’m Canadian and had a cruise on the Disney Magic leaving from Galveston for March break next year. I ended up changing my reservation to the Disney Adventure in Singapore,” Raccoonboots explained. “I just didn’t feel like having anxiety about it for the next year. After I changed it, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders and I can feel excited about my trip again.”
Some Canadians say their reason for changing vacation plans comes down to a desire to no longer spend their money in the U.S.
“It’s not just a safety issue for me as a Canadian. I simply don’t want to support the US economy. Canadians staying home en masse sends a message and hits them where it hurts (money),” ReserveOld6123 explained. “That said, I would also feel potentially unsafe. It’s not worth the stress. There is a big world out there.”
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