Member Submission: NCL no longer allowing registrants to cruise
MEMBER SUBMISSION: I wanted to share a recent experience with you of being denied boarding on Norwegian Cruise Line. I have previously been on one of their cruises after my conviction with no problems after researching what cruise lines allowed people forced to register. We planned this new cruise on NCL with 12 other family members, my husband and I for a family vacation. I received a call from NCL one week prior to the cruise and was told my reservation was being canceled and because I was on the sex offender registry and I could not appeal the decision. I looked up and contacted Matthew Lewis (Sr. VP Chief Security Officer) and was then contacted by Scott Bernstein (Director of Security Operations and Investigations) who’s was very polite and professional. He said he would look into the matter and call me back. He called me back the next day and told me that it was a new policy, started on June 1st 2022 and purely by being on the registry regardless of my crime, which was non-violent with no actual victim from a sting operation, bans me from being allowed on their ships. I don’t know what you will do with this information but I wanted to share it with you.
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Just got denied on Carnival even though my husband has been released from SOR and not a felon. Expungement was needed to cruise.
Looking at our Greece trip already booked for 2026 on NCL. Cant seem to contact anyone in Security to confirm if he can or can’t sail.
Anyone have info on NCL? Contact?
I bought a $300 cruise voucher for NCL several years ago for $150 and a few days before the cruise i tried to use the voucher on they called and said I couldn’t cruise. No refund on the voucher I bought but they refunded what I paid for the cruise. I think Holland America may be the last cruise line allowing registrants to cruise. I’m skeptical how long that will even last
Has anyone had recent experience with Holland America? We’re booked summer ’26. Thanks.
I would like to know about Holland of America as well ….apparently MSC no longer allows offenders to sail after reading this. Margaritaville allows SO to sail as of now (sept 25)
How do you know Margaritaville will allow SO to sail?
Did you get denied when you booked or when you got there to check in
About 3 weeks before it was after the online check in
Are you guys doing the advance notice because many times they not only notify each port but the cruise line, Many registrants still cruise on ALL the lines. My Advice is book a cruise AFTER your exit from the USA so you only report your main stated International Travel Destinantion. Once you are out of the USA and god whispers in your ear to take a cruise book out of a European Port. Europe has some different laws, I was told at the port one time the only reason they showed up was the stupid notice or they would have not and welcomed me anyway. If Possible I would book with a NON USA based website and use your current Euro address. I believe they cant discriminate the way they can in the USA. I have used these procedures with success as have others. I am in a group that cruises and goes to ASIA Europe and Central/South America with Zero problems even with stamped passports. You have to be the exception to the rule and not bring attention, Hope that helps and yes its not fair! the world is not.
Thank you so much for this, do u mind sharing your group would love to join
Unfortunately its a Invitation only Vetted group and I am not the moderator. It takes years of Failures and success but some members do check posts here. Publication also has risks. What I can say is think outside the box dont stop trying. Almost all of us have been denied to some places to just go back and get in another time another way. Nothing is really static with these never ending rstrictions. What I have found is most Nations simply dont want to be bothered with TRAVEL NOTICES. You must still do whats legally required of course but stay within the law to navigate things to a better outcome for your travel. Its a gamble if you are going to try to plan and report all known travel. Best to pick a destination say Paris. Once outside the Country look at Alternate Cruises,Flights and River Cruises to other Destinantions. Its not Ideal Its not always economic it requires some thinking!. Luck=Prepeardness Meeting Opertunity. The only consistent Winning is to limit your Travel until after you are out of the USA. Governments are also slow and Bureaucratic so last minute descisions always favor you.
Thanks for the information. I will look I to doing that one day.
I am pretty confident about Margaritaville
As I’m very communicative with the local police department where I reside to give the 21 day international notice. They inform me of cruise lines that they put into the computer system itinerary, and that registrants have successfully cruised. However, Margaritaville has very limited ports only in Tampa and Palm Beach, Florida. I feel as far as the big companies We are now limited to Margaritaville, Holland, and Princess with MSC off the table.
Have people successfully cruised on these three lines, Carnival owns Holland and Princess so that’s what has me worried and this is the first I heard of Margaritaville
No more MSC cruises sadly, cruise was just cancelled, looks like they updated their contracts this year 😢😢
That sucks! We had planned a European cruise on MSC next Summer. Do you think it’s just the US cruises? Or do you think European cruises will still be a go?
Did MSC tell you why they canceled? Their conditions of carriage don’t mention anything about denial of passage due to background checks. It only mentions for medical reasons.
It was changed as of July 2025 and yes they did tell me the reason 😢 if you google there are some posts on Reddit too and google says MSC does not allow now, I’m so sad because there are no other options now
I just had my MSC cruise canceled. I went on the same ship in August of 2023 with no issues. We were excited to do it again. I got this following email a week and half before departing.
We are writing to inform you that your booking has been cancelled. Please review the information below for further details.
In accordance with Section 15 of MSC’s Booking Terms & Conditions, MSC Cruises reserves the right to reject or cancel any new bookings made by or on behalf of former passengers who, during a previous cruise package:
• Behaved in a manner dangerous to themselves, other passengers, and/or crew members;
• Damaged or endangered the company’s assets;
• Failed to resolve outstanding debts owed to the company;
• Violated the Booking Terms and Conditions, Conditions of Carriage, Guest Conduct Policy, or the Master’s instructions; or
• For any other reason, at the sole discretion of the company.
Additionally, MSC reserves the right to cancel bookings made by or on behalf of any passenger who is identified during the screening process as being listed on the U.S. National Sex Offender Registry or any other applicable sex offender list.
You will receive a refund for any payments that have been collected. Please allow up to 30 days for the refund to appear on your original form of payment.
While we are unable to provide additional information beyond what is included in this notice, if you have further questions, you may contact us at:
📧 [email protected]
📞 877-665-4655
Sincerely,
Bruce
Sailing Support / MSC Cruises, USA”
Yes same thing just happened to us, so sad, believe it was all updated in the last month
I just googled and didn’t find anything about MSC rejecting Sex Offenders.
Is there a way to get refunded? My wife booked the cruise in her name with me as her guess. They refused me and if she cancels, they’ll charge for more than what the tickets were.
Which cruise line
I want to put this out. I just got back from a MSC 7 day cruise. I got wonderful news to tell you. The day I boarded the cruise I did not have any problems at all. All went well. Then when I got off today. I had no problems. I just went right through. Was never stopped and pulled aside.
Here is the other thing I want to share. One of the stops was Montego Bay, Jamaica. I was able to walk right off with no problem at all. And other stop was Ocean Cay, Bahamas a private owned Island by MSC. I got off fine.
I didn’t have any issues has a RSO.
I will be going back on to MSC Cruise 🛳.
Does anyone know of any all inclusive s that allow RSO?
I wanted to share that we too were successful in taking MSC earlier this month. My husband even has a passport with the identifier and embarkation took less that 30 minutes. Had no issues whatsoever getting off the ship in the Bahamas either. Debarkation was just as fast. Literally just walked off, had our faces scanned by the facial recognition software customs uses and walked outside. We will definitely be sailing with them again.
Ive been on a registy for a crime ive never comitted or would even think about commiting .Never the less Ive been on 45 cruise with never an issue and as of 4 years ago ive been kicked off every cruise line except MSC. But im sure is coming.
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