Visa query for DCL crew member

[Chris Burhouse]

My daughter works on one of the Disney ships and after she finishes her current contract in February, we are flying out to Florida and after a few days in WDW, going for a cruise on her ship (out of Port Canaveral) and she is coming too as a paying passenger.

My question though is about her visa. At the moment she has the necessary work visa, but to come on holiday with us back on the ship, she has to leave US soil and return (on the same day if possible) so she is back in Florida on a tourist visa.

We are finding it challenging though to find a flight out of the US (after 1:00 pm) and back again the same day, which happens to be a Sunday. I've checked on Skyscanner and Kayak and the best we can find at the moment is a flight from Orlando to Toronto, with a cost of about £500.

If anyone can offer any other suggestions, they would be gratefully received.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Is she leaving to fit the requirements of the Visa change? What about flying into a nearby island? Also, not sure if this will work, but what about flying to Buffalo and crossing the land border and back?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My daughter works on one of the Disney ships and after she finishes her current contract in February, we are flying out to Florida and after a few days in WDW, going for a cruise on her ship (out of Port Canaveral) and she is coming too as a paying passenger.

My question though is about her visa. At the moment she has the necessary work visa, but to come on holiday with us back on the ship, she has to leave US soil and return (on the same day if possible) so she is back in Florida on a tourist visa.

We are finding it challenging though to find a flight out of the US (after 1:00 pm) and back again the same day, which happens to be a Sunday. I've checked on Skyscanner and Kayak and the best we can find at the moment is a flight from Orlando to Toronto, with a cost of about £500.

If anyone can offer any other suggestions, they would be gratefully received.

How about a quick flight to the Bahamas? That's closer (I think).

 

[Karin1984]

Use frequent flyer Miles or credit card points you can convert to an airline to book an Award ticket?

 

[TestingH2O]

Would Puerto Rico count? Southwest flies there and fares are as low as $150 each way.

Is the 1:00 timing your limit or DCL?

 

[SirDuff]

Would Puerto Rico count? Southwest flies there and fares are as low as $150 each way.

Is the 1:00 timing your limit or DCL?

Isn't Puerto Rico part of the US?

OP - what date are you trying for? The suggestion of flying into Buffalo (or possibly another border city) might be a good option (though it will likely take more time than doing a turn around at a Canadian airport - depending on the exact timing of flights).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Would Puerto Rico count? Southwest flies there and fares are as low as $150 each way.

Is the 1:00 timing your limit or DCL?

Um....no. Puerto Rico is part of the US.

 

[hcox31]

unfortunately flying into Toronto is always that expensive. the other option that someone else said is to fly to buffalo, drive over the border to Niagara Falls and back again. You could do a flight to Buffalo the night before, then first flight back in the morning from either Toronto or Buffalo.

 

[TestingH2O]

Isn't Puerto Rico part of the US?

Um....no. Puerto Rico is part of the US.

I get that it is a territorywhich is why I asked. They are a territory not a state. Do the British or French governments count visiting their territories as visiting the country itself in terms of visas? I've never experienced this so I don't know the answer.

 

[Weedy]

I would think her fellow employees would be able to answer this question better than us.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I get that it is a territorywhich is why I asked. They are a territory not a state. Do the British or French governments count visiting their territories as visiting the country itself in terms of visas? I've never experienced this so I don't know the answer.

Puerto Rico is considered "part" of the US for travel purposes. That's why you don't need a passport to fly there, like you do for another country.

 

[Chris Burhouse]

Thank you for your replies. 1pm is the earliest my daughter has been told she should aim to book a flight, and is dependent on when she is allowed to debark the ship.
Much of the problem is timing of flights. We've looked at some of the islands and Mexico, and flights in one direction are generally good, but the return ones are a nightmare, involving a change and anything up to an 11 hour return journey or an overnight stay.
Getting to a US/Canadian border was an idea, but Buffalo flights aren't brilliant again. Detroit however might work. Do you think a taxi or uber driver would be happy to drive across the border and return?
Thank you again.

 

[disneylove69]

Southwest flies to Nassau.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Can you rent a car to cross the border? I don't know how a taxi crosses the border with a fare. You could look at bus fares, I suppose.

https://www.busbud.com/en-ca/bus-detroit-windsor/r/dpsby4-dpsbwu

 

[hcox31]

Getting to a US/Canadian border was an idea, but Buffalo flights aren't brilliant again. Detroit however might work. Do you think a taxi or uber driver would be happy to drive across the border and return?
Thank you again.

Not likely. They would need to have the appropriate documentation to do so and be subject to customs etc. Wouldn't want to put your daughter in a car with a stranger crossing the border... you never really know who's driving, right?

 

[bbel]

Get her to ask on-board. If the last (full/working) day is a port they may let her sign off as a guest. Have to get approval though, so she needs to get on it, as you have to finish work by about 4pm the day before debark. So can really depend on staffing and which department. And then she will enter the USA on the esta and not the C1/d

Failing that, everyone I've known who hasn't been able to debark as a guest has had a quick return to Freeport or Nassau.

 

[bbel]

Also, assuming dcl are paying/sorting her flights for when she finally goes home after the trip? So she's already had to fill out some forms at crew office? From my experience they're always pretty helpful with flights too if you get the right person and they might be able to find something...

 

[DietCokeMommy]

It looks like there are JetBlue flights going back and forth to Cancun, Mexico pretty much every day. I used February 17th as a sample Sunday in February and there’s a 2:42-4:44 flight MCO to CUN. And I don’t know if this turn around is possible, but there’s a 5:45 back from CUN to MCO that same day.

 

[Chris Burhouse]

Thanks again.
@bbel unfortunately the possibility of coming off as a guest has been considered and discounted (not sure Castaway Cay would count in these circumstances), though as you suggest, Disney has been very helpful in arranging her flights back to the UK so she is on the same flight we are.
I had seen the Cancun return flight above, but I doubt such a short turnaround would work, too many things could cause the return flight to be missed.
Best option now looks like a flight to Nassau at 1pm, returning to Orlando via Miami, at about midnight.

 

[Chris Burhouse]

Hooray, early debark agreed, so the 1pm flight to Nassau (and return) it is.
Thank you to everyone who offered their help.