Cruising with a DUI

[dennisbryce]

We are supposed to be cruising in May to Alaska out of Seattle and back to Seattle. I have just learned in the last week that my dh who has a dui from 10 years ago may be denied boarding in Seattle. Has anyone had any experience with this? We don't have enough time to apply for anything as we have less than 100 days.
Very confused

 

[mom2aidanNpiper]

We are supposed to be cruising in May to Alaska out of Seattle and back to Seattle. I have just learned in the last week that my dh who has a dui from 10 years ago may be denied boarding in Seattle. Has anyone had any experience with this? We don't have enough time to apply for anything as we have less than 100 days.
Very confused

While I have no experienc with this, I did a quick google search (more out of curiousity because I didn't even know this policy existed)

Looks like RT in and out of Seattle is fine, and otherwise most people are fine too (in and out of Vancouver, provided it's a long time that has passed).

Here is the cruise critic thread I found that may help http://boards.cruisecritic.com/archive/index.php/t-1292558.html

 

[kcashner]

100 days should be plenty of time if you need some documentation.

I'd start with an immediate call to DCL or your travel agent. This needs to be handled thru official channels rather than DIS advice.

 

[dennisbryce]

We talked to Disney and they won't say with either way. We talked to someone at the Canadian consulate on the phone and he said he didn't seem to think we would have a problem. He gave us an email address and we have e-mailed and no responce. If you go on the website for Canada it states the paperwork can take 6 months to a year so that does not leave us with any time. We actually have less then 80 days.

Just wondering if anyone has had any experince or knowledge
Wasn't looking for legal advice

 

[peimikes]

American entering Canada or the other way around can be refused entry in to the country if they have any form of criminal record regardless of time since their conviction. A man from our province several years ago tried to enter Maine with a very old DUI conviction he was stopped by American Border guards and arrested, it took 6 months before he was released by Maine authorities sent back to Canada and told he could never enter The US again. Here is and old news story and the link to it.


Canada Would Ban Bush - But There Are Loopholes By Rebecca Cooper (ABC News)

W A S H I N G T O N, Nov. 3 - Even if George W. Bush is elected president, he may need special permission to get into Canada because of his arrest for drunken driving.

The Republican candidate for president acknowledged for the first time on Thursday that he was arrested for driving under the influence on Labor Day weekend in 1976, near his family home in Kennebunkport, Maine.

According to Canada's Criminal Code, Bush is deemed an "inadmissible" person, in violation of Section 19 (2) (a.1) of the Immigration Act of Canada.

In other words, he has committed a crime considered an indictable offense in Canada, and, because of that he is banned.

http://www.drunkdrivingdefense.com/consequences/bush-dui.htm

 

[NWDAD]

Don't know about boarding in Seattle but crossing into Canada by Car you can not go into Canada with a DUI any time in your past. There might be a fee? I would call US Customs DCL might not know.

Kevin

 

[Floridagram]

I don't know why this would be an issue getting on in Seattle. That is in t
he US. It seems the worst thing that could happen is if your ship stops in Canada you may not be allowed to get off there. In the US you should be fine.

We won a trip to Lake Louise a few years ago. I was stressing because my husband had a DUI 30 years ago. We decided to take our chances and it never came up.

 

[queenreen]

100 days should be plenty of time if you need some documentation.

After looking into it, it can take up to 6 months to get a response from Canada. You would think there would be a disclaimer on the DCL website about this.

How many stops do you have in Canada?

 

[dennisbryce]

After looking into it, it can take up to 6 months to get a response from Canada. You would think there would be a disclaimer on the DCL website about this.

How many stops do you have in Canada?

We have one stop in Victoria and it is for 3 hours...

 

[sayhello]

I don't know why this would be an issue getting on in Seattle. That is in t
he US. It seems the worst thing that could happen is if your ship stops in Canada you may not be allowed to get off there. In the US you should be fine.

We won a trip to Lake Louise a few years ago. I was stressing because my husband had a DUI 30 years ago. We decided to take our chances and it never came up.

The thing is, once you board the ship, DCL takes responsibility for everyone on the ship, and their entrance and exit from foreign countries. On a closed loop cruise, you never need your passport or birth certificate once you are on the ship. They don't check your documentation when you disembark at a port for the day. They just check your KTTW card and a photo ID. The entire ship is cleared (or not cleared) through customs, not the individual people. So if anyone is ineligible to enter one of the ports that the ship docks in, the entire ship, technically, is denied entrance. They will not allow you on the ship if you cannot enter all ports that the ship docks at. Now, of course, they have to know about it to stop you, but you can't just say "I won't get off the boat in Canada." If you're on the ship, you have to be *able* to get off the ship in Canada.

OP, definitely call US Customs and Canadian Customs if you can find a phone number. Frequently, cruises have different rules than driving or flying into Canada.

Sayhello

 

[socababy]

I had no idea a law like this existed! We will be going on the Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver in Aug 2013 and plan on staying a couple days prior checking out Vancouver. We plan on flying. I am sure my IL's will invite one of their son's and his wife. He has had a DUI so does this mean he can't go??

I recently read where a judge banned a 17 year old driver from EVER driving in Rhode Island for the rest if hif life! I was shocked by that and now I hear that people can be banned from a whole country!!

 

[Im_A_Princess]

I had no idea a law like this existed! We will be going on the Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver in Aug 2013 and plan on staying a couple days prior checking out Vancouver. We plan on flying. I am sure my IL's will invite one of their son's and his wife. He has had a DUI so does this mean he can't go??

I recently read where a judge banned a 17 year old driver from EVER driving in Rhode Island for the rest if hif life! I was shocked by that and now I hear that people can be banned from a whole country!!

You also will need to call customs.

Geez I never knew this law existed.
But wouldn't you think DCL SHOULD know the laws????? They are the ones sailing there!

 

[Goofy559]

Alcohol-related driving offenses, such as driving while intoxicated (DWI), driving while ability-impaired, and driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol, are criminal offenses in Canada. Penalties are heavy, and any prior conviction (no matter how old or how minor the infraction) is grounds for exclusion from Canada. Americans with a DWI record must seek a waiver of exclusion from Canadian authorities before traveling to Canada, which requires several weeks or months to process.

Source:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html

 

[sayhello]

I had no idea a law like this existed! We will be going on the Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver in Aug 2013 and plan on staying a couple days prior checking out Vancouver. We plan on flying. I am sure my IL's will invite one of their son's and his wife. He has had a DUI so does this mean he can't go??

It means he would need to get busy and take care of the paperwork necessary to become "rehabilitated" in Canada. From what I'm reading, it's a pricey process that can take several months. Either he does that, or he doesn't go. He risks either not being allowed to board the ship or, if he somehow makes it into Canada & is found out, being arrested. I'm not even sure they'd let him on the plane if the airlines knew.

From travel.state.gov:

For further information on entry requirements, travelers may contact the Canadian Embassy at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001, tel. (202) 682-1740; or the Canadian consulates in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Juan or Seattle.

Sayhello

 

[stulaurie]

My husband and I traveled on Celebrity to Alaska this past June. He had a DUI many years ago before Marriage and Kids. Our cruise was from Seward Alaska to Vancouver. We were worried about the law, but when we got to Vancouver, we went through Customs without a problem. The custom guy just looked at our passports. It was not like when you fly, and they swipe your passport into the computer. I do not think you would have a problem on a cruise.

 

[hgon76]

I think this is one of those "you take a chance" kind of things. I don't know about the cruise, but I have a friend who went to Canada by car last summer. When i saw this "rule" i asked her if she had any issue because Her husband had a DUI 10 years prior. They had no problem getting in or out & was never even asked. But, I suppose it's completely random if they ask or even check.

 

[hgon76]

Just found this on the Canadian govt website

Overcoming criminal inadmissibility

A. Convictions/offences outside Canada

If you were convicted of or committed a criminal offence outside Canada, you may overcome this criminal inadmissibility

by applying for rehabilitation, or
you may be deemed to have been rehabilitated if at least ten years have passed since you completed the sentence imposed upon you, or since you committed the offence, if the offence is one that would, in Canada, be an indictable offence punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of less than ten years.
If the offence is one that would, in Canada, be prosecuted summarily and if you were convicted for two (2) or more such offences, that period is at least five (5) years after the sentences imposed were served or to be served.

Looks like he'd be considered " rehabilitated" since it's been 10 years or more.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Wow. I had no idea this law existed.
Just asked dh & he says he had one at age 21. 33 years ago. Since then we've driven into Canada, showing our passports & nothing was ever mentioned.

 

[MolonLabe]

10 years ago is rolling the dice on whether or not that information is in the national system or not.

Thanks(and I use that term loosely) to new technology, offenses trivial and severe are now available to virtually any dolt with government access. In the case of older non violent offenses, from before the newer electronic databases took effect, they aren't include. Most are never back enter entered or transferred into the new system.

Most jurisdictions look at 30 year old DUI (or similar) and don't think it's worth the time, money or man power to waste on updating systems.

Unfortunately under the new system, everything is logged. A youthful indiscretion of .081 at 19 years old never gets buried which means that a 49 year old with no criminal history for 30 years will show as a "DUI offender" to every .gov lackie with a laptop or tablet.

"Welcome to the new world Citizen, let me see your 'papers' so I can learn your entire life story in a card swipe" even if it's some bureaucrat in Canada or half way around the world.... lol and some people think they are 'free' teehee. Don't forget to pay those taxes, because this system costs Billions a year to administer and keep current.

 

[CSAColl]

We have one stop in Victoria and it is for 3 hours...

I would call Canadian border services and ask them what's up. The border services here in Victoria are pretty lax, and we really need the tourist money, so I've heard that they have a fairly laid back attitude. Just give them a call and let them know. Plus, I think they're looking for regular offenders in the last 3 years, not a mistake from a decade ago, KWIM?

Also, I hope you like our city!!! Victoria is one of the most beautiful places I've ever lived (and that list includes San Diego )