Cruise Ship Travel Tips - Consular Affairs

Cruise Ship Travel Tips

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	Cruise Ship Travel Tips
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With the growing popularity of cruise vacations, more Canadians want to ensure a problem-free voyage. Cruise ships are among the safest forms of transportation. However, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada recommends that you take certain precautions to ensure your well-being during a cruise:

Purchase travel and health insurance, including coverage for accidental injury and medical evacuation. Your provincial health plan may not cover anything or only a portion of medical expenses.

Carry a valid Canadian passport when transiting through another country to join a cruise. Be prepared to hand over your passport to ship authorities, in accordance with administrative regulations. Keep a photocopy of your passport's identification page.

Leave a copy of your itinerary, passport identification page, and travel and health insurance policy with family or friends in Canada.

Keep cash and valuables in the ship's safe rather than in your cabin. Minimize signs of affluence, including conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry to avoid becoming a target.

Always check the ship's departure time before going ashore. Protect your safety during shore excursions by confirming that tour guides are reputable and insured.

Contact a travel medicine clinic well before departure to determine your need for immunizations and preventive medication as well as measures to avoid disease.

Watch what you eat and drink: alert the cruise line of special dietary needs in advance and insist on bottled water while ashore.

If you are handicapped or chronically ill, enquire before booking whether your needs will be met aboard the ship.

Remember to bring an extra pair of eyeglasses in case of breakage or loss.

Stay safe by participating in lifeboat drills, ensuring that there are enough life jackets in your cabin, and becoming familiar with evacuation procedures.

Familiarize yourself with the local laws and customs of the countries you will visit.

Consular Services

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
www.international.gc.ca

Consular Affairs Bureau
www.voyage.gc.ca

General
Tel.: 1 800 267-6788 (in Canada and the U.S.) or (613) 944-6788
TTY: 1 800 394-3472 (in Canada and the U.S.) or (613) 944-1310
E-mail: voyage@international.gc.ca

Emergencies
Tel.: (613) 996-8885
(call collect from abroad where available)
E-mail: sos@international.gc.ca

The Consular Affairs Bureau publishes, in both official languages, a series of safe travel brochures.

Country Travel Reports provide information on safety and security conditions, health issues and entry requirements for over 200 travel destinations. This information is also available by telephone: 1 800 267-6788 (in Canada and the U.S.) or (613) 944-6788.

Foreign government offices accredited to Canada
www.voyage.gc.ca/alt/representatives.asp

Passport Canada
www.pptc.gc.ca
Tel.: 1 800 567-6868 (in Canada and the U.S.)
TTY: 1 866 255-7655

Visit our For More Information page.

Publication Info

Published by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

Information in this publication is readily available for personal and public non-commercial use and may be reproduced, in part or in whole and by any means, without charge or further permission from Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. We ask only that:

Users exercise due diligence in ensuring the accuracy of the materials reproduced;

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada be identified as the source department; and

the reproduction not be represented as an official version of the materials reproduced, nor as having been made in affiliation with or with the endorsement of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

All information in this publication is provided on an “as is” basis without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in this publication is accurate. The reader is also encouraged to supplement this information with independent research and professional advice.

This publication is available in alternative formats upon request.

To obtain more information or free copies of this publication, write to:

Enquiries Service
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2
Tel.: 1 800 267-8376 (in Canada) or (613) 944-4000
E-mail: enqserv@international.gc.ca

We would like to receive your comments on this publication. Write to us at the address above or e-mail us at voyage@international.gc.ca.