After flying halfway around the world with his wife, a British man was told he would not be allowed to step onto the Cunard cruise ship. But it wasn’t the cruise line’s rules that kept him from boarding. Every future cruise passenger needs to pay attention to the seemingly bizarre reason this happened.
The documents needed for a cruise vacation are not only important at the port of embarkation, but also for every other port that will be visited on the itinerary. And cruise lines will try to take into account these ports of call, so there is no trouble for passengers once they arrive.
But sometimes, the matter is out of their hands.
According to news reports, a 78-year-old man from England, David Hornsby, flew over 10,500 miles from England to Sydney with his wife.
And while David’s passport was good enough to sail through immigration in Australia, it was at the cruise port that he ran into trouble.
At the cruise terminal, David’s wife was cleared and ready to board the ship. When it was David’s turn, his passport needed a second look.
“We arrived at the cruise terminal, went to check in as usual, having already dropped our luggage off, and they looked at my passport and then called somebody over, and then took it away. My wife was cleared for boarding, but they said there was damage on my passport, which there wasn’t.”
Hornsby said the only damage he could see was some loose stitching, but it was apparently good enough for the Australian border security.
In the end, Cunard said that David would not be allowed onto the ship and the couple booked $1,500 flights for the long trip back home.
“It’s a disgusting treatment. The passport was fully legal,” David stated.
Why Was the Passport an Issue?
The condition of a passport and any important documents really, are important for each country being visited. Sure, the passport was accepted in Australia, but a cruise line has to consider all other countries in route as well.
But in the end, it was not so much the cruise line’s decision as that of the immigration authorities of another country. Cunard explained the reason David was not permitted on the cruise, saying the following a statement:
“Our understanding is that Mr. and Mrs. Hornsby were refused embarkation to the ship by immigration officials at the international cruise terminal due to a damaged passport. The planned voyage included a port call to Indonesia, where they have strict standards for damaged passports. Unfortunately, the actions of foreign immigration authorities are outside of our control, and any associated costs should be directed to the guests’ travel insurers.”
The cruise line said they were sorry for the couple and understood the disappointment the travelers faced, adding.
“We appreciate this is not the outcome that Mr and Mrs Hornsby would have wanted, but this set of circumstances is not one Cunard can take responsibility for.”
Indonesia’s Strict Passport Policies
Recent reports have warned travelers to Indonesia of the country’s strict stance on passport conditions, referencing some that have been turned away based on this factor alone.
Set My Trip mentioned the increase in entry denials in an article focused on Bali travel, stating that, “Indonesian immigration officers have become notorious for their strict passport checks. Passengers arriving with a damaged passport could be detained and made to arrange their immediate return flight, often at their own expense.”
According to some, Indonesia has the strictest immigration standards in all of Asia, and apparently damaged travel documents are a major focus.
Bottom Line
The Hornsbys’ story is a good example of how easily a long-awaited cruise can go sideways if what seems like a minor detail is missed. It doesn’t matter how far you’ve flown or how much money you’ve spent; if your passport or other documents aren’t up to snuff with even one of the countries on the cruise’s list, you might have your own sob story to tell.
Cruise lines aren’t going to fight those battles for you, and they really can’t. They are subject to the countries they visit just as much as every passenger on the ship.
So, if you’re not planning to travel for a while, it might be a good time to dust off that passport and make sure everything is in order. Making sure you have at least 6 months before expiration when sailing on a cruise is just one thing to check.
This is also a good reason to make sure cruise travel insurance is purchased for every single sailing.
