HELP! EBTA cruisers, didn't leave the country?

[Nici159]

You’re very welcome, that’s all I want, that everybody can take the necessary steps.

I got a reply they wanted the names and things in a certain format, so I send that, and a list of our previous travels to the US (ours happen to all be on this same ESTA, not sure if you need all or if it was necessary at all, but it was mentioned somewhere)
SURNAME

GIVEN NAME


DOB:


Passport#
Arrival Date
Departure Date
Departure Port

Flight Number/Vessel number:

I put this for vessel number (apparently it’s supposed to be Disney Magic, but I have them all, better safe then sorry)

Also a big thanks from me! How did you get in contact with them and how long did it take that you got the first respond? I first wrote via the CBP INFO Center and then I started a Trip Redress. Was that right? As an non-native english speaker all the information on their page are so confusing :/

(Started today to get enough posts together to pm you. I just can write two in a row, then I have to wait for an hour.)

 

[olafLover]

Also a big thanks from me! How did you get in contact with them and how long did it take that you got the first respond? I first wrote via the CBP INFO Center and then I started a Trip Redress. Was that right? As an non-native english speaker all the information on their page are so confusing :/

(Started today to get enough posts together to pm you. I just can write two in a row, then I have to wait for an hour.)

It took about 6 days for the first response. I was then able to reply to those with additional information. Somebody posted the email address, but by sending the proof to that I started a new ticket, so it’s better to wait and reply when you get a response with extra information

 

[truck1]

With all due respect, it is the same thing.

In my example, my customer had a problem and came to me. The cause of the problem wasn't anything I did, but I still work to resolve it. I contact the vendor or manufacturer. If the problem is with them, we work together to correct the problem ASAP. It is then my responsibility to tell the customer what's being done to resolve the problem.

if the vendor or manufacturer did nothing wrong, then they find out where the problem occurred. Perhaps it was with the carrier. My vendor or manufacturer gets the problem resolved. They then contact me to tell me what is being done. I then, again, contact my customer and let them know. At no point is the carrier, manufacturer, or vendor contacting my customer. The information to my customer flows through me. The customer is my responsibility, not someone else's.

DCL should have found out what happened when they handed off the guests' information. And they should have kept after that agency until they had answers. Yes, it might take some time for that agency to then take the next step, but it's DCL's duty to keep on top of the situation. They can't afford to sit back and wait until someone feels like doing something. DCL carries a pretty big "stick". This is an occasion where it should be used for the benefit of their guests.

We went round and round on this and another subject yesterday. The short answer is DCL did investigate after several cruisers called and said we have an issue. They (the cruisers) found out purely by accident, (some got an email and others didn't) as apparently most of the overseas cruisers are unaware of the issue. They (DCL) did look and find that all of the paperwork they are required to hand over was done so for that cruise, filed and apparently accepted correctly, and the problem now lies with CBP,DHS or any of the other alphabet soup organizations involved. There was 2 or 3 days of Disney not updating like they promised. Then they finally did respond by saying theres nothing more that can be done. The op, did some more legwork on there own, found out what paperwork they needed, got it from Disney and now has been bumped closer to the top of the line. Im pretty sure I left out a few steps in the process or mixed something up, (lack of sleep and trying to solve another major issue at work at the moment will do that) but that's it in a nut shell.

I agree with the op and several others, that barring anything legal that would prevent them from doing so, should be alerting the affected cruisers of the situation, and at this point, where everything stands.

 

[truck1]

Because they are dealing with government agencies and they may have been previously told there was nothing they could do. Maybe I’m a Pollyanna, but why always jump to nefarious motives?

I was trying to be discrete, I still want them to fix it

This response got me thinking they might not think their hands are tight and they're still trying to get it resolved? If so, it's totally fine to not contact people, if they don't have to do anything anyway. But then, why did they say something totally different the day before yesterday??

Theres a few scenarios that come to mind, but either someone that wasn't involved before is now involved and running the same racetrack they did last week, or knows how to short cut the system, or DHS may have gone back to Disney after someone noticed that all of the people from1 cruise have the same problem, and said our bad, lets fix this. Going back to what I said yesterday, we really don't know whats going on behind the closed doors at 200 and 210 Celebration so it any ones guess.

If its any consolation to the op, there was a dark cloud with lightening coming out of it over 200 and 210 Celebration this morning, on my way to work.

 

[Tracy_T]

I just got this in an email from CBP:

Thank you for contacting the CBP Travelers Communication Center.

Yes, it appears that we have enough to adjust the record. We have escalated your ticket for resolution. Please do not create any new incident numbers for this issue as that might delay your request. If you contact us for a status check, please reference the incident number attached to this ticket.

Current wait times for resolution is 3-4 weeks. We will contact you via this incident number once the request has been processed.

So just a little longer.. but it should get resolved!
This was the request to alter the data I send before Disney told us to do it btw. I’ve never put all my eggs in one basket. I did update it with the proof Disney provided, but then I send it in in the exact format they asked for and that seemed to have done the trick

I have chased again as I haven’t haven’t had a response since 30th July ttxx

 

[olafLover]

I have chased again as I haven’t haven’t had a response since 30th July ttxx

Aaargh! The first one took a long time for us too. Not sure if opening a second issue helped or did it any harm

 

[Keels]

You pay the cruise line - be it DCL or RCCL or Celebrity or whatever - your port fees and taxes to handle your immigration paperwork at every port, including embarkation and debarkation. That’s what the port fee covers.

To say DCL is not at fault for missing immigration documentation when a passenger PAID the port fee for immigration is ridiculous.

 

[olafLover]

You pay the cruise line - be it DCL or RCCL or Celebrity or whatever - your port fees and taxes to handle your immigration paperwork at every port, including embarkation and debarkation. That’s what the port fee covers.

To say DCL is not at fault for missing immigration documentation when a passenger PAID the port fee for immigration is ridiculous.

DCL stated the port fees aren't used for this (asked for a refund of the port fees, since the work hadn't been done)

 

[Keels]

DCL stated the port fees aren't used for this (asked for a refund of the port fees, since the work hadn't been done)

At every port, the ship clears immigration as a whole and you pay a port fee as part of that tax, so whoever told you that was incorrect.

Which begs the question - what IS DCL using the exorbitant port fees for then?

 

[olafLover]

At every port, the ship clears immigration as a whole and you pay a port fee as part of that tax, so whoever told you that was incorrect.

Yes I know, they just don't want to give a refund, but with this whole mess, the least they can do is refund the port fees for the port of Miami to those affected. But I'm not holding my breath for Disney to handle anything (or ever give us an update, it's been 11 days since their last voluntary update of the situation)

 

[Karin1984]

Yes I know, they just don't want to give a refund, but with this whole mess, the least they can do is refund the port fees for the port of Miami to those affected. But I'm not holding my breath for Disney to handle anything (or ever give us an update, it's been 11 days since their last voluntary update of the situation)

I do hope they will compensate you in some sort of way, when everything is solved: With a steep discount on the next cruise (might have to be a European cruise if you cant get back into the US, but still)

 

[Lisa F]

I do hope they will compensate you in some sort of way, when everything is solved: With a steep discount on the next cruise (might have to be a European cruise if you cant get back into the US, but still)

I have nothing but sympathy for the OP having to deal with the bureaucracy of our government because someone clearly did not do their job, but why does Disney owe any compensation when they did not mess it up in the first place and have provided documentation that they filed all of the paperwork properly on their end? I can see if they did not file the paperwork and caused the mess but they haven't done anything to the OP beyond their refusal to wade into it with the US government agencies post cruise... but they have not actually done anything to these people to warrant compensation.

 

[Karin1984]

I have nothing but sympathy for the OP having to deal with the bureaucracy of our government because someone clearly did not do their job, but why does Disney owe any compensation when they did not mess it up in the first place and have provided documentation that they filed all of the paperwork properly on their end? I can see if they did not file the paperwork and caused the mess but they haven't done anything to the OP beyond their refusal to wade into it with the US government agencies post cruise... but they have not actually done anything to these people to warrant compensation.

For the lack of communication and action on their side and their first attitude of 'not our problem'. Disney contributed to the amount of stress this has caused.

I am not sure if Disney is fully without blame. I work in the airline industry, if a check in / boarding agent approves a passenger for boarding without a valid visa, the passenger is send back upon arrival and the airline gets a penalty. It's not just customs, the airline plays a part in this as well. I can imagine there is some similar procedure for cruise ships. After all the passengers are approved to board by customs, there must be some sort of stamp, button pressed, box ticked on both sides before they can leave. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney dropped the ball somewhere in this process as well.

 

[olafLover]

I have nothing but sympathy for the OP having to deal with the bureaucracy of our government because someone clearly did not do their job, but why does Disney owe any compensation when they did not mess it up in the first place and have provided documentation that they filed all of the paperwork properly on their end? I can see if they did not file the paperwork and caused the mess but they haven't done anything to the OP beyond their refusal to wade into it with the US government agencies post cruise... but they have not actually done anything to these people to warrant compensation.

Disney hasn't provided documentation that they filled the paperwork properly, they only told us that they did. They also haven't provided us with an update in 11 days, which is ridiculous for a time sensitive (as in, you have 10 days) issue like this. I'm working on a time line to send in with my complaint after all's done. Part of the timeline:

• Informed other European guests via Facebook who were still unaware
• Emailed two Dutch couples (tablemates), they were unaware of the situation
• Provided sample letters to DCL and CBP for other cruisers (non-native English)
• Three more families are informed who were previously unaware, including a family traveling concierge and an elderly non-native English couple.

This first two were the next day, didn't expect Disney to have contacted people yet by then, but still. But the last line is a week after Disney was made aware! They tell it's up to the people to provide the proof the CBP, but they refuse to let people know they need to do this!

Part of my complaint:
Part we hold DCL accountable for:

• Not keeping us updated on the progress of their CBP investigation.
• Not sending us the proof we sailed voluntarily, but leaving it up to us to request it, even after we already contacted them about the issue.
• Not informing fellow passengers in a timely manner (or as of yet, at all!) so they can start the process of getting it fixed.

 

[KashasMom]

For the lack of communication and action on their side and their first attitude of 'not our problem'. Disney contributed to the amount of stress this has caused.

I am not sure if Disney is fully without blame. I work in the airline industry, if a check in / boarding agent approves a passenger for boarding without a valid visa, the passenger is send back upon arrival and the airline gets a penalty. It's not just customs, the airline plays a part in this as well. I can imagine there is some similar procedure for cruise ships. After all the passengers are approved to board by customs, there must be some sort of stamp, button pressed, box ticked on both sides before they can leave. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney dropped the ball somewhere in this process as well.

Yup. My husband is not allowed on a plane or a ship until he shows all the necessary documentation (visas, etc.) BEFORE he boards. If he doesn't have it, they're not letting him on. That's pretty standard for anyone anywhere.

 

[KashasMom]

Disney hasn't provided documentation that they filled the paperwork properly, they only told us that they did. They also haven't provided us with an update in 11 days, which is ridiculous for a time sensitive (as in, you have 10 days) issue like this. I'm working on a time line to send in with my complaint after all's done. Part of the timeline:

• Informed other European guests via Facebook who were still unaware
• Emailed two Dutch couples (tablemates), they were unaware of the situation
• Provided sample letters to DCL and CBP for other cruisers (non-native English)
• Three more families are informed who were previously unaware, including a family traveling concierge and an elderly non-native English couple.

This first two were the next day, didn't expect Disney to have contacted people yet by then, but still. But the last line is a week after Disney was made aware! They tell it's up to the people to provide the proof the CBP, but they refuse to let people know they need to do this!

Part of my complaint:
Part we hold DCL accountable for:

• Not keeping us updated on the progress of their CBP investigation.
• Not sending us the proof we sailed voluntarily, but leaving it up to us to request it, even after we already contacted them about the issue.
• Not informing fellow passengers in a timely manner (or as of yet, at all!) so they can start the process of getting it fixed.

I just can't believe this is STILL going on. Hang in there.

 

[Lisa F]

Disney hasn't provided documentation that they filled the paperwork properly, they only told us that they did. They also haven't provided us with an update in 11 days, which is ridiculous for a time sensitive (as in, you have 10 days) issue like this. I'm working on a time line to send in with my complaint after all's done. Part of the timeline:

• Informed other European guests via Facebook who were still unaware
• Emailed two Dutch couples (tablemates), they were unaware of the situation
• Provided sample letters to DCL and CBP for other cruisers (non-native English)
• Three more families are informed who were previously unaware, including a family traveling concierge and an elderly non-native English couple.

This first two were the next day, didn't expect Disney to have contacted people yet by then, but still. But the last line is a week after Disney was made aware! They tell it's up to the people to provide the proof the CBP, but they refuse to let people know they need to do this!

Part of my complaint:
Part we hold DCL accountable for:

• Not keeping us updated on the progress of their CBP investigation.
• Not sending us the proof we sailed voluntarily, but leaving it up to us to request it, even after we already contacted them about the issue.
• Not informing fellow passengers in a timely manner (or as of yet, at all!) so they can start the process of getting it fixed.

I understand that you feel that it is time sensitive but it was not going to get resolved in 10 days... it was already at the point where you were going to have to go through the appeals process to get it reversed, and you are. I do understand that it is stressful but I have been following this thread and I have enough of my own experiences with both local and federal government agencies to know that the likelihood of Disney being able to have put the brakes on the process was pretty much zero. At this point everyone is going to have to make an appeal to reverse that they overstayed their Visa, but there is a process for that that you are following and having success with.

Honestly I would not expect Disney to know how to fix this for you. They know how to do what they know how to do but they are not in the business of interfacing with immigration issues for people. They may have lied about not doing their paperwork but if they provided you with the proof that they did it properly, I find it very unlikely that they are at fault. They just do not have control over anything but what they have control over, which is to file the paperwork correctly. What happens beyond that is completely out of their hands. All they can do is provide the documentation to you that you need to work through the system and they have - I wouldn't imagine that they would do it on their own without being asked because they are not immigration attorneys and cannot make a determination about how for YOU to proceed in your appeal. They should certainly support you with any specific documentation you require and it seems like they have done that.

I'm not sure how I feel about their responsibility to inform passengers. It seems like that is on the US government to do for anyone who is in danger of overstaying their visa (or has already overstayed it.) That is not something that Disney keeps track of and even if they inform all of the passengers that they may have overstayed their visa, then what are they supposed to do? They can't fix it and they can't guide people or direct them in how to fix it themselves... so basically it opens up a big Pandora's box where they are apparently taking responsibility for it by getting involved yet they can't really get involved in... so they send it out and then when panicked people call with questions they tell them that there is nothing they can do? Disney never takes responsibility for passengers' immigration status... that is the personal responsibility of the passengers. They assume you have your stuff worked out with the government. If I show up with an expired passport even though I had the date linked to my Disney account for years, they are not going to take responsibility for that - it's on me to do that and make sure all of my documentation is as it should be.

What sucks is that the bureaucracy failed, someone dropped the ball and now you have a mess to deal with - and it is even MORE stressful in our current hostile immigration environment. I get that. But honestly this is the kind of stuff people deal with all the time in this country from health care issues/payments (I have spent literally weeks worth of hours unraveling double and triple billing from a hospital and it was on me to do, no one was going to do it for me and no one was going to compensate me for my time to unravel it), to dealing with moving from one state to another and not having my returned license plates processed in a timely manner to all sorts of things when someone did not do their job properly... and it IS stressful. It's just what happens in big bureaucracies and there is no one to provide compensation for anyone's time and hassle to deal with it. I am truly sorry that you are dealing with it but I really do not see where Disney owes anyone money over it (again unless it came out that they did not do their job and this mess is directly because of that... then I do believe they should compensate people for setting off this poopstorm.)

 

[olafLover]

Honestly I would not expect Disney to know how to fix this for you. They know how to do what they know how to do but they are not in the business of interfacing with immigration issues for people. They may have lied about not doing their paperwork but if they provided you with the proof that they did it properly, I find it very unlikely that they are at fault. They just do not have control over anything but what they have control over, which is to file the paperwork correctly. What happens beyond that is completely out of their hands. All they can do is provide the documentation to you that you need to work through the system and they have - I wouldn't imagine that they would do it on their own without being asked because they are not immigration attorneys and cannot make a determination about how for YOU to proceed in your appeal. They should certainly support you with any specific documentation you require and it seems like they have done that.

I'm not sure how I feel about their responsibility to inform passengers. It seems like that is on the US government to do for anyone who is in danger of overstaying their visa (or has already overstayed it.) That is not something that Disney keeps track of and even if they inform all of the passengers that they may have overstayed their visa, then what are they supposed to do? They can't fix it and they can't guide people or direct them in how to fix it themselves... so basically it opens up a big Pandora's box where they are apparently taking responsibility for it by getting involved yet they can't really get involved in... so they send it out and then when panicked people call with questions they tell them that there is nothing they can do? Disney never takes responsibility for passengers' immigration status... that is the personal responsibility of the passengers. They assume you have your stuff worked out with the government. If I show up with an expired passport even though I had the date linked to my Disney account for years, they are not going to take responsibility for that - it's on me to do that and make sure all of my documentation is as it should be.

Disney hasn't provided us with proof they did the paperwork. Disney provided us with a flimsy, unsigned letter stating that we went on board.

I never asked Disney to fix the issue for me. As you can see in the part of my complaint I posted, I also don't blame them for not being able to. I just ask them to keep their promisses, which is to keep us updated AND to inform the other guests so they can also start to process. it ALL the European guests, it's very easy to do! I don't ask them to do this for every cruise! And also didn't ask them to do it in advance. I ask them to do it NOW for the people on this particular cruise

 

[Lisa F]

Disney hasn't provided us with proof they did the paperwork. Disney provided us with a flimsy, unsigned letter stating that we went on board.

I never asked Disney to fix the issue for me. As you can see in the part of my complaint I posted, I also don't blame them for not being able to. I just ask them to keep their promisses, which is to keep us updated AND to inform the other guests so they can also start to process. it ALL the European guests, it's very easy to do! I don't ask them to do this for every cruise! And also didn't ask them to do it in advance. I ask them to do it NOW for the people on this particular cruise

Good luck getting it resolved. I know how frustrating it is dealing with the bureaucracies here but it sounds like you have done all of the right things and provided the documentation they need. As long as the government accepts the letter than it is good enough for what you need it for!

 

[olafLover]

Good luck getting it resolved. I know how frustrating it is dealing with the bureaucracies here but it sounds like you have done all of the right things and provided the documentation they need. As long as the government accepts the letter than it is good enough for what you need it for!

Yes, but you state it's not Disney's fault because they provided proof they submitted the papers correctly, which they didn't
And apparently you also feel like Disney doesn't need to keep their word?