Documents for an Alaska cruise from Seattle

An Alaska cruise from Seattle never stays inside the United States. Every round trip on this site's schedule calls at a port in British Columbia, almost always Victoria, and a few of Holland America's longer trips stop at Prince Rupert instead. In a 2019 notice to Seattle passengers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection wrote: "Almost all Alaska cruises stop in Victoria, Canada, which constitutes foreign travel."

So you pass through Canadian checks on the way and U.S. checks on the way home, and you need documents that satisfy both.

Why the ship stops in Canada

A U.S. law, the Passenger Vessel Services Act, limits what foreign-flagged ships can do between U.S. ports. In 2021, when Canada had closed its ports, Congress passed a temporary law letting "specific foreign-owned and foreign-flagged cruise ships" sail between Washington and Alaska without the stop. Its official summary explains why that was needed: "Under current law, these ships cannot transport passengers from one U.S. port to another without stopping in a foreign country." That exception ended in March 2022 at the latest, so the Canadian stop is back on every itinerary.

The same law is why you can't end a Seattle round trip early in Alaska. CBP's regulation says that on a voyage to U.S. ports and a nearby foreign port, a passenger who disembarks "at a coastwise port other than the port of embarkation" breaks the law, and the penalty is charged for each passenger landed. Plan to board and leave the ship in Seattle.

Is a passport mandatory?

For a U.S. citizen on a round trip from Seattle, not always. The government rules below accept a birth certificate and photo ID. But a passport is mandatory in these cases:

• You aren't a U.S. citizen or a U.S. green card holder. Other nationalities need a passport to enter both the United States and Canada. See other nationalities below.
• Children are traveling with only one adult. Holland America and Princess both require a valid passport for every guest in the party when minors are traveling with only one adult, 21 or older.
• Your cruise doesn't start and end in Seattle. The birth certificate exception only covers closed-loop cruises, which CBP defines as cruises that "begin and end at the same U.S. port". A one-way trip from Seattle to Vancouver doesn't qualify, and if you fly home from Canada you need a passport for the flight (see below).
• You book a shore excursion that crosses into Canada by land. In Skagway, the White Pass & Yukon Route railway lists "Passport required" for its trips to Fraser in British Columbia and on to Whitehorse in the Yukon. Its White Pass Summit Excursion, which turns back at the summit, says "No passport required".
• You have to fly home from a foreign port. If an emergency takes you off the ship in Victoria, a birth certificate won't get you onto the flight back. CBP's list of documents for entering the United States by air is a U.S. passport, a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card, or military or merchant mariner papers on official business. It adds that children need their own passport by air too.

Every line that publishes advice on this recommends a passport anyway. Princess says "We highly recommend a passport." Celebrity says "We always recommend you bring a U.S. passport onboard, regardless of your cruise itinerary." Holland America's Seattle page says a valid passport "is strongly recommended for all Alaska cruises", and Royal Caribbean's Alaska guide says that "bringing a passport is highly recommended". Virgin Voyages goes further: its voyages "require" a valid passport, and closed-loop sailings from Seattle are an exception it makes, not the rule.

If you do travel on a passport, check the expiry date. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Virgin Voyages all say it must be valid for at least 6 months after the cruise ends.

U.S. citizens

A cruise that starts and ends at the same U.S. port is what CBP calls a closed loop. For those, CBP says U.S. citizens "are able to enter the United States with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID." Its FAQ lists the proofs of citizenship it accepts: "an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization."

The same CBP page adds that "you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting," and tells you to check with your cruise line.

Canada's rules for the Victoria stop line up with that. The Canada Border Services Agency's cruise guide says U.S. citizens do not need a passport to enter Canada, but "must provide sufficient documentation to establish their identity and citizenship." On its general page, CBSA recommends a valid passport and lists a birth certificate and a U.S. enhanced driver's license among the other documents it accepts. If your proof of citizenship has no photo, it may ask for a separate photo ID.

Other documents CBP accepts at a sea border include a U.S. passport card, an enhanced driver's license and a NEXUS card. CBSA accepts NEXUS too but still tells travelers to carry a passport or proof of permanent residence.

The cruise lines are stricter about the birth certificate than CBP. CBP accepts "an original or copy", but Royal Caribbean asks for an "Original U.S. Birth Certificate", Princess for "an original or certified copy", and Norwegian says "Photocopies or pictures of documents will not be accepted." Holland America's own pages disagree with each other on photocopies. Bring the original or a certified copy, not a photocopy.

Children need less. Royal Caribbean says guests 15 and under need only the birth certificate, without a photo ID, and Princess says the same for U.S. and Canadian citizens 15 and younger.

Children

CBP says U.S. and Canadian citizen children under 16, or under 19 when traveling with a school, religious or youth group, "need only present a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship." CBP's 2019 Seattle notice words the age limit as "16 and under", so if your child is exactly 16, check with the line.

Green card holders

CBP says U.S. lawful permanent residents "must continue to present a valid Permanent Resident Card. A passport is not required." The closed-loop birth certificate rule above is written for U.S. citizens, so bring the card.

For Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says that if you're entering "by land or water directly from the US", your valid green card is enough and you don't need your passport. Permanent residents of the United States are also exempt from Canada's electronic travel authorization.

Other nationalities

Everyone else needs a passport. To enter the United States, CBP says a foreign national needs a passport and a valid visa, unless they are a Visa Waiver Program citizen, a U.S. permanent resident or a Canadian citizen. Since October 2022, Visa Waiver travelers arriving by sea need an approved ESTA, as they do by air.

For the stop in Canada, a citizen of an eTA country arriving by cruise ship does not need an eTA but does need a valid passport. Citizens of countries that need a Canadian visitor visa need one for a cruise stop as well. IRCC says you need it "even if you're not leaving the ship", and CBSA applies the visa and document rules to every passenger, whether or not they go ashore.

On the ship

For the first Canadian port, everyone on board fills in a Canadian declaration, Form E311, which the cruise line collects, including from passengers who stay on board.

Your cruise line has the final word on what it lets you board with. Check its documents page for your sailing before you travel.