ESTA for Alaska on NCL

[sjb-firsttimer]

Hello,

This is first post and will be my first cruise. I'm travelling from Vancouver in August to Alaska with NCL and I have completed the ESTA for authorisation to travel into Alaska.

The travel agent has told me, not to put an address on the ESTA and just specify the cruise company NCL as the carrier and that will be ok. Is this sufficient or do I need to add the name of the ship as well (as an address)? I suspect the travel agent probably is correct, as we will be entering via a port and customs will be two and two together, however I just wanted to check what other people's experiences are with the ESTA.

The ESTA is authorised, so I can updated it if necessary, I'm just uncertain as I haven't travelled back to the US on an ESTA before.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[big green]

just get a passport and a visa if required ( if needed).

Big Green

[calmac]

Originally Posted by big green

just get a passport and a visa if required ( if needed).

Big Green

Sorry, but how is that the best advice relating to ESTA?

OP, sorry can't help as I've still to complete my ESTA form.

[time2cruise1]

Originally Posted by calmac

Sorry, but how is that the best advice relating to ESTA?

OP, sorry can't help as I've still to complete my ESTA form.

Neither do I. The HELP pages for ESTA are not clear either.

Can't hurt to add the name of the ship.

[big green]

i just read that a ETSA is not required for people from the United Kingdom
which includes Scotland for entry into the US on a US government web site.
Big Green

[CanadianTwosome]

Originally Posted by sjb-firsttimer

Hello,

This is first post and will be my first cruise. I'm travelling from Vancouver in August to Alaska with NCL and I have completed the ESTA for authorisation to travel into Alaska.

The travel agent has told me, not to put an address on the ESTA and just specify the cruise company NCL as the carrier and that will be ok. Is this sufficient or do I need to add the name of the ship as well (as an address)? I suspect the travel agent probably is correct, as we will be entering via a port and customs will be two and two together, however I just wanted to check what other people's experiences are with the ESTA.

The ESTA is authorised, so I can updated it if necessary, I'm just uncertain as I haven't travelled back to the US on an ESTA before.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I think you should be aware that there was recently a thread here regarding US Customs in Vancouver. I believe the poster was from the UK, and faced incredibly long lines as a non-US or Canadian citizen. They also stated at one point that they had completed their ESTA, but were still required to go through the lines with everyone else. Their recommendation was to arrive as early as possible. Hopefully your experience will be better than theirs!

[calmac]

Originally Posted by big green

i just read that a ETSA is not required for people from the United Kingdom
which includes Scotland for entry into the US on a US government web site.
Big Green

This is from an official US government site

Passport holders from your country [United Kingdom] can visit the United States under the Visa Waiver Program with an approved ESTA, which became mandatory on January 12, 2009.

[big green]

Originally Posted by calmac

Sorry, but how is that the best advice relating to ESTA?

OP, sorry can't help as I've still to complete my ESTA form.

your right---there will still be lines for non US citizens at the different
boarder entry points--especailly when there are a lot
of foreigners coming in like a flight from europe--just like the lines
I had to wait in the last time I flew to London. i would assume the
United Kingdom would be very concerned about border security.

Big Green

[sjb-firsttimer]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I've updated my ESTA with the address 'Norwegian Sun - Cruise Ship' and the state 'Alaska'.

Do not like the quality of the ESTA website, leaves me very nervous. When I updated the application, all of the email address, port of entry fields re-appeared blank and I had too re-enter them again, with the address.

When updating the application, it says 'Update Sucessful' and leaves you on the same screen. Bit nerve racking, however I guess these sorts of questions can be asked by customs, if they need this sort of info and that's probably why the site works in that way. The most important pieces of information e.g. passport no, etc can't be changed and these are the key pieces that authorise the application.