Visas, passports, and travel documents

ETA (UK travel)

Guidance for non-British or non-Irish passport holders travelling to the UK.

All information is correct at the time of publication. For the most up-to-date information on obtaining an ETA for your voyage please visit the official UK Government website or watch more about ETA.

If your Cunard voyage embarks in, disembarks in, or sails through the UK and you do not hold a British or Irish passport you will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) from the UK Government – in advance of travel – to be granted permission to enter the UK.

An ETA is required for all EU and non-EU citizens, including babies and children aged under 18. 

Everyone except British and Irish citizens, including children under 18, must get permission before entering the UK. Travellers who previously didn’t need a visa and aren’t UK residents will now need an ETA.

ETA applications can be made online at the official ETA website or via the UK ETA app (available on the Google Play and Apple app stores). Please carry proof of your ETA status (either a printout or a screenshot) for the duration of your voyage, as you will need to present this when asked.

A decision on an ETA is usually granted within 3 days, however, to avoid disruption to your journey, and being denied entry into the UK or boarding at the terminal at your own expense, please allow plenty of time to submit your application as a decision may take longer.

ETAs are valid for a period of two years (or until your passport expires).

An ETA is not required if you are a dual citizen with British or Irish citizenship, so long as you travel to the UK on a British or Irish passport, or on a passport containing an eligible certificate of entitlement. 

• For more guidance on UK travel and ETA information, we recommend visiting our Guidance for UK travel FAQs page. 

Together with our preferred visa provider CIBT we are pleased to provide you a simple online solution to all your World Cruise visa requirements at www.cibtvisas.co.uk/cunard.

• Details of required documentation needed to support your applications
• Application forms available for you to print out and send to CIBT

Please note the online portal will replace our previous postal information pack and this information applies to British passport holders who reside in the UK at the time of the application. Your visa requirements may differ if you do not hold a British Citizen passport, should this be the case, you can contact the relevant embassy or consulate for advice. Alternatively you can contact our recommended visa service CIBT on 0207 620 6487. Be sure to advise that you are travelling by sea, as your visa requirements may be different to the standard advice supplied for air travel.

Fines may be imposed if you travel without the correct documentation and it is important we point out that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct documents prior to travel or when in transit to the countries included in your itinerary. Failure to have the correct documents will result in denial of boarding or repatriation, in line with government regulations.  Please be sure to check your itinerary and obtain the visas required for the specific countries you will be visiting during your cruise. Visas are required when embarking/ disembarking or staying on board.

We strongly recommend all guests to check with their GP to ensure they get all vaccinations required to travel to countries on their cruise itinerary.

For advice on vaccinations, bringing medical equipment on board, and other medical information, visit our webpage.

All guests are required to have a valid passport in order to travel, including for domestic cruises.

Cunard guests can only board and travel to EU or Schengen area countries* if their passport was issued less than 10 years from date of embarkation.

The passport must have at least three months left before the date of expiry when you disembark (regardless of whether or not the passport has an extension period).

For cruises that travel outside the EU or Schengen area, in line with the requirements of many of these countries, guests are required to have six months validity left on their passports from the date of final disembarkation.

All passports should have sufficient blank pages for entry and exit stamps (applicable to the length and ports of call in your itinerary).

*EU countries include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Additional countries in the Schengen area include: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Please note that as of 1 April 2016,  guests cannot enter the US without an electronic passport.

If your passport was issued after October 2006, it should have an electronic chip. Any ESTAs issued prior to 1 April 2016 will have been made invalid, if you do not hold an electronic passport.

The below is correct at time of publishing and pertains to UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI) passport holders and should be used for guidance only. Please note, some "British Isles" passports issued in the Isle of Man or the Bailiwicks of Jersey or Guernsey, do not have the same visa exceptions as a full UK passport and guests holding either of these passports should check this with CIBT specifically for the countries they are visiting on their itinerary.

CIBT are experts in visa and passport arrangements and can provide visas online at www.cibtvisas.com/cunard or by phone 0207 620 6487.

Any visa that is obtained on board are charged in dollars, this will be converted to Pounds Sterling (and charged at the conversion rate of the day) to your on board account. 

Please note that there may be a visa requirement for your cruise and it is the responsibility of each guest to ensure that they are in possession of all travel documents required for their itinerary. 

Guests who do not possess the proper documentation may be prevented from boarding their flight or ship or from entering a country. In some cases this may lead to large fines which you will be required to pay and/or immediate repatriation to your home country at your own expense. Please ensure you check your requirements carefully before you travel to avoid unnecessary expense and inconvenience.

Any visa obtained on board is charged in US dollars, converted from the local currency at the conversion rate of the day and charged to your onboard account.

Things to remember

• Names on visas must appear as they do on your passports: When applying for your visa you must ensure that all guests' full names are exactly the same as they appear as in their passport. If there is any difference, you may be refused entry onto your flight/cruise.

• Passport and visa requirements are subject to change: Passport and visa requirements may change and vary by destination. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any flight, cruise or into any country, or otherwise suffer any difficulties or incur any costs as a result of not having the correct passport and/or any required visa(s).

• You must ensure you have all visas before departure: It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before departure. You must pay all costs incurred in obtaining such documentation. Certain Port Authorities may require photo identification when you depart the ship during the cruise. We strongly suggest that you take photocopies of your passport information page with you in addition to but separately from your passport itself and that you carry the photocopy with you each time you depart the ship in order to minimize any inconvenience this may cause and to provide an official means of identification while ashore in case it is required or due to loss/theft of your passport.

• Ensure your passport is fully valid to ensure your visa is valid: The information is correct at time of publishing and is subject to change at any time. UK passport information applies to British Citizens, holders of another UK passport must check with the relevant authority. There is often a stipulation on having a minimum amount of validity left on your passport and a number of clear pages in order to gain entry, which can be up to a 6 month requirement. Again, please check with the relevant authority.

• You still need a visa, even if you don't disembark at that port: If there is requirement to obtain a visa prior to travel for a particular country, and a guest chooses to not disembark the ship, then the guest is still required to obtain the necessary visa.

ETIAS (EU travel)

In late 2026, British nationals travelling to the EU will be required to obtain an ETIAS travel authorization prior to sailing with Cunard for all itineraries that include an EU port. This travel authorization is a new EU regulation and will be proactively enforced. As with all visa and passport requirements, applying for the ETIAS travel authorization is the responsibility of the travelling guest. The current time frame for this new regulation to come into effect is the latter half of 2026. For any guests sailing to the EU, further information will be communicated as it becomes available.

For more information, click here.

ESTA (United States of America)

International travellers, who are nationals of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries, may enter the USA without a visa after completing an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) – please see the instructions for how to apply at the end of this section. You may check to see if you are eligible for this program by visiting https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/. Some of the conditions for entry into the VWP are listed below, however if you do not hold a full British Citizen passport or a passport from another country eligible for the VWP, your situation may be different and you should check to ensure you have the correct documentation for your holiday. 

Obtaining ESTA approval, for most travellers, will be simple and easy.

A third party, such as a relative or Travel Agent, is permitted to submit an ESTA application on behalf of a VWP traveller.  All payments must be made directly to the official Department of Homeland Security ESTA website above using a credit card or debit card. Please do not use any other website as they may charge you a higher fee for the same service.

Please note a biometric passport  is required when applying for an ESTA. Kindly present at check-in a copy of your ESTA confirmation as evidence for Immigration purposes. Please ensure the information on your ESTA confirmation matches your passport information.

British Subject* passport holders are required to obtain a full US visa prior to travel.  

 *These are mostly people who were born in British India before 01/01/49 and did not become citizens of India, or who were citizens of Eire and British subjects before 01/01/49 and have made a claim to retain British Subject.

For more information or to apply, click here.

eTA (Canada)

An eTA is an Electronic Travel Authorization issued by The Government of Canada. British citizen passport holders who travel to Canada by air will need an eTA.

The request and approval are linked to your passport. You will need to travel with the passport you used to apply for your eTA. Once approved, an eTA is valid for multiple entries for up to five years or until the passport expires, for guests arriving by air only.

The confirmation is usually received a few minutes after the request is processed however, some requests may take longer to be approved.

For more information or to apply, click here.