Looking for ESTA-users on the EBTA or Alaska cruises 2023

[EVMac7]

Has anyone applied for an ESTA while this has been going on?
Our EBTA is September, we need to renew our ESTAs when we get back for a trip in January (they run out in December) so would like to know if this issue has caused problems with the esta process as well.
I hope that makes sense

I don’t think you will have a problem with the WBTA in September, as presumably you will be flying back from the US ?
I was on the EBTA in May but am also on the WBTA in September and my current ESTA will expire whilst we are at sea on the Disney Dream so needs to be renewed beforehand.
To prevent any issues when renewing current ESTA in August (before the WBTA cruise) and to put my mind at ease & be pro-active (since the I-94 website still shows no ‘departure’ from Miami in May) , I flew to the US last Friday (for 4 nights) to ‘reset the clock’ (as my departure from Miami on the EBTA is still not showing on the I-94 website & I did not want to have the situation where a 90 day overstay “might“ have been triggered on the 30th July !!!).
Had no problems getting into the US as according to the CBP guy at the airport , his system ….. (which seems to be different to the I-94 system we can see ?) shows my Disney Dream departure on the 7th May 2023.
Suffice to say, my new departure from the US on the 11th July is now showing on the I-94 system (but the departure from Miami port still doesn’t show)

 

[EVMac7]

Corrected above post as got my EASTBOUND & WESTBOUND’s the wrong way round !

 

[EnchantedWishes]

Corrected above post as got my EASTBOUND & WESTBOUND’s the wrong way round !

I meant Vancouver - Alaska - Vancouver cruise flying home from Vancouver.
I confused my self reading the threads - unfortunately we don’t have the ability to come back to the us for a short trip in between because we’ll be visiting DLP.
Your comment only adds even more confusion into the mix, why it doesn’t show - very strange!

 

[Karin1984]

WBTA doesnt have this problem, as you get through US customs twice. When you enter port, "Welcome to the US", and when you leave via the airport. "Goodbye!"

I find ESTA a complicated thing, as it gets approved for me regardless if I fill ij my details correctly. I have had it (more than once *shame*) that I made typo in my passport number or filled in my hometown instead of my place of birth. In both instances, I didnt find out till I was at the desk at check in.

I do not know if ESTA checks anything in advance or it is just to collect details and your payment.

 

[Flossbolna]

WBTA doesnt have this problem, as you get through US customs twice. When you enter port, "Welcome to the US", and when you leave via the airport. "Goodbye!"

I find ESTA a complicated thing, as it gets approved for me regardless if I fill ij my details correctly. I have had it (more than once *shame*) that I made typo in my passport number or filled in my hometown instead of my place of birth. In both instances, I didnt find out till I was at the desk at check in.

I do not know if ESTA checks anything in advance or it is just to collect details and your payment.

It does check your details in some way. But not sure what it checks. I just had to get a new ESTA before the old one had expired as the old one was going to run out the day before we get on the Wonder in Alaska.

I was not approved immediately. I had applied on the weekend and I was approved the next Monday around lunchtime in the USA. It made me think that some person needed to look at my case who wasn’t working during the weekend.

I have no idea why I wasn’t approved immediately. I have Global Entry, so you would think they already know plenty about me…? Maybe it was the cancelled old ESTA? I have a vague memory that when I applied for my last ESTA it wasn’t immediately either while in the past it usually was instantaneously.

@EVMac7 ‘s experience is also bizarre! Why can immigration see the departure but not the I94 system? Makes me think that the problem is indeed within CBP and that their systems aren’t talking properly…

 

[SirDuff]

@EVMac7 ‘s experience is also bizarre! Why can immigration see the departure but not the I94 system? Makes me think that the problem is indeed within CBP and that their systems aren’t talking properly…

The I94 site has a warning right on it that it might be missing some entries/exits. It’s not that the systems aren’t talking to each other in the “back end” but whatever coding is pulling into the publicly accessible site has an issue pulling it all for some reason.

 

[cowgrass]

We just got off the Wonder last Monday (July 17th) and we flew back to the Netherlands that same day. This morning I checked my I-94 status and it still shows that I haven’t left the US yet. However when requesting I-94 travel history there is a disclaimer on the right side of the page:

This travel history may not reflect: land border arrivals/departures, closed loop cruise arrivals/departures, air carrier reservation updates, and USCIS updates, changes of status, extensions of stay or adjustments of status.

Anyhow,

On embarkation day during check-in at Canada Place I explained the whole ESTA/I-94 situation and eventually spoke with one of the supervisors at the terminal. He was aware of the ESTA-I-94 issues during the start of the season with the first Alaskan cruise. (apparently they forgot the extra step of sending the manifest of ESTA users after the last US port of call as Karin1984 explained). He would make sure this was not going to happen again and send an email while we there to the onboard clearance officer with our stateroom detail. (they had a new clearance officer boarding that day)

After check-in we had to go through CBP/US-customs and I explained the whole situation again with the CBP officer and he told us not to worry since entered the US with our ESTA (still doesn’t make sense to me).

At the last sea day, after leaving Ketchikan I requested guest services to speak with the onboard clearance officer. I explained the whole situation again and the clearance officer was surprised since he never heard about this issue before. Neither the issues they had had the first Alaskan sailing of that season (apparently there was nothing mentioned in his handover notes from the previous clearance officer). Anyhow he assured me all was going to be fine and that they send out a departure manifest after leaving Ketchikan.

On debarkation day we did not passthrough US-customs. At Vancouver airport I tried to get in touch with CBP but that was not possible unless you were flying out to the US. The NEXUS office could not assist either and advised us to contact the US embassy once we got back to the Netherlands.

I have tried everything while we were there, but it seems like we are on the same boat as Karin1984. This was our first Disney Cruise and maybe our last because all of this.

I used to work in the cruise industry myself many years ago as an Officer, and I did many Alaskan sailings from Vancouver and Seattle. We had an onboard Port Paper Officer that took care of passenger clearance and departure manifests. As I can recall we had an integration in our IT systems for clearance/departures. I do not remember any complaints from ESTA passengers during those sailing from Vancouver or EBTA crossings. (but again, that was over 10+ years ago).

 

[Flossbolna]

We just got off the Wonder last Monday (July 17th) and we flew back to the Netherlands that same day. This morning I checked my I-94 status and it still shows that I haven’t left the US yet. However when requesting I-94 travel history there is a disclaimer on the right side of the page:

This travel history may not reflect: land border arrivals/departures, closed loop cruise arrivals/departures, air carrier reservation updates, and USCIS updates, changes of status, extensions of stay or adjustments of status.

Anyhow,

On embarkation day during check-in at Canada Place I explained the whole ESTA/I-94 situation and eventually spoke with one of the supervisors at the terminal. He was aware of the ESTA-I-94 issues during the start of the season with the first Alaskan cruise. (apparently they forgot the extra step of sending the manifest of ESTA users after the last US port of call as Karin1984 explained). He would make sure this was not going to happen again and send an email while we there to the onboard clearance officer with our stateroom detail. (they had a new clearance officer boarding that day)

After check-in we had to go through CBP/US-customs and I explained the whole situation again with the CBP officer and he told us not to worry since entered the US with our ESTA (still doesn’t make sense to me).

At the last sea day, after leaving Ketchikan I requested guest services to speak with the onboard clearance officer. I explained the whole situation again and the clearance officer was surprised since he never heard about this issue before. Neither the issues they had had the first Alaskan sailing of that season (apparently there was nothing mentioned in his handover notes from the previous clearance officer). Anyhow he assured me all was going to be fine and that they send out a departure manifest after leaving Ketchikan.

On debarkation day we did not passthrough US-customs. At Vancouver airport I tried to get in touch with CBP but that was not possible unless you were flying out to the US. The NEXUS office could not assist either and advised us to contact the US embassy once we got back to the Netherlands.

I have tried everything while we were there, but it seems like we are on the same boat as Karin1984. This was our first Disney Cruise and maybe our last because all of this.

I used to work in the cruise industry myself many years ago as an Officer, and I did many Alaskan sailings from Vancouver and Seattle. We had an onboard Port Paper Officer that took care of passenger clearance and departure manifests. As I can recall we had an integration in our IT systems for clearance/departures. I do not remember any complaints from ESTA passengers during those sailing from Vancouver or EBTA crossings. (but again, that was over 10+ years ago).

Thank you for your detailed report. Hopefully your situation is just like the previous person where the I94 history didn’t show the departure, but upon next arrival in the USA it was there. This is just such a mess! I totally understand that this left a bad feeling about DCL with you. I hope the cruise was enjoyable otherwise!

 

[DisneyDTL]

Same here our record not picked up fact that we left the USA on the 7th May on the Disney Dream

Spoke with CBP told us to bring proof with us next time we enter the USA to show we left the USA within the 90 limit, common problem

They also sent me an email with details they would require if we wanted them to correct our records
SURNAME:
GIVEN NAME:
DOB:
PASSPORT:
ARRIVAL DATE:
DEPARTURE DATE:
DEPARTURE PORT:
FLIGHT NUMBER/VESSEL NUMBER:
COPY PASSPORT - SHOWING STAMP FOR ENTERING ANOTHER COUNTRY
PROOF FROM DISNEY WE WERE ON THAT SAILING

Sent the above and had a reply back from CBP stating would take up to 30 days to update our records

Will be on the Dream in September to sail back to New York, so hopefully no problem getting back into the states

 

[Karin1984]

I have received the automatic reply that my case is closed because it wasn't handled on time. So will give them a call again.

 

[Karin1984]

Latest update, according to the CBP agent I spoke to today, everything is received, escalated and now I need to wait 30 days for their update.

Nothing I can do more now... except wait.

 

[cowgrass]

I just submitted a case via DHS TRIP (Department of Homeland Security Traveler Redress Inquiry Program).

I have provided all required and additional documents such as I-94 forms and flight boarding tickets. Hopefully they can help instead. Keep you posted!

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Thank you @Karin1984 for highlighting this. Ive been following this thread for a while. This is extremely important, I don't think USA people really understand the concern or how false overstay can impact people for the rest of their life.

Its made me vary wary of booking an American departing cruise that is not a closed loop.

 

[DisneyDTL]

Latest update, according to the CBP agent I spoke to today, everything is received, escalated and now I need to wait 30 days for their update.

Nothing I can do more now... except wait.

Hi

Just checked the email I got from them ,its not 30 days but 30 working days, so could be up to42 days before you hear back

 

[Karin1984]

News coming in, several people who were on the EBTA are reporting their I94 status has been updated to data "unavailable".

No update yet for me on my Alaska cruise which departed 8 days after the transatlantic. So here's to hoping they are updating by sail date.

 

[DisneyDTL]

Just looked at CBP website now shows

Date	Type	Location

1	2023-05-07	Departure	Unavailable
2	2023-04-28	Arrival	NYC

We have done a number of TA cruises from US ports and all show location as Unavailable

Did email with request to update my record as was not showing a departure date so that might have resulted in the update, or might just have taken a while to update

 

[Minijaffacake72]

Hi I am also affected by this issue so was wondering if there was any update?

I am from the UK and sailed to Alaska mid July.

I read somewhere else that the 90 day over stay letter is issued automatically when your i94 record doesnt show a departure but that the i94 record is not always the most up to date but all should be fine in the background sand there should be no issues when returningto the US. I can't say this particularly puts my mind at rest through.

Has anyone that did an Alaska cruise managed to get their record updated or travelled to the US again since without issue?

 

[Karin1984]

Hi I am also affected by this issue so was wondering if there was any update?

I am from the UK and sailed to Alaska mid July.

I read somewhere else that the 90 day over stay letter is issued automatically when your i94 record doesnt show a departure but that the i94 record is not always the most up to date but all should be fine in the background sand there should be no issues when returningto the US. I can't say this particularly puts my mind at rest through.

Has anyone that did an Alaska cruise managed to get their record updated or travelled to the US again since without issue?

Oh, I forgot to update...

I didn't get the overstay email and neither did my travel partner. In the compliance section my days left in the US says 'non applicable', but still no exit date. Only an entry date on the 15th of May.

I should contact them again and ask what is going on.

 

[Flossbolna]

So, I checked. My departure from the USA on our Alaska cruise (8/7-8/14) isn’t showing. But we went to the US after the cruise and that arrival and departure are showing. I am really glad we planned our itinerary that way.

 

[TinkTatoo]

Oh, I forgot to update...

I didn't get the overstay email and neither did my travel partner. In the compliance section my days left in the US says 'non applicable', but still no exit date. Only an entry date on the 15th of May.

I should contact them again and ask what is going on.

You don't need to contact them, once you have N/A on your compliance and no overstay days you're all good. None of us show a departure port but that doesn't matter. All they're concerned about is that you aren't showing overstay.