When planning a Caribbean cruise that begins in the United States, travellers holding a passport from a Visa Waiver Program country do not usually need a traditional US visa. For journeys made under the visa-waiver scheme, it is enough to obtain an ESTA — an electronic travel authorisation for the US.
This applies to people travelling on a passport that meets the requirements of the visa-waiver scheme. If someone in the family holds a passport from a country that does not take part in the programme, the entry rules may be different. In such cases we check the conditions individually.
Below we explain how an ESTA differs from a visa, which ports the most popular Caribbean cruises depart from, and which itineraries to choose if you would prefer to avoid entering the United States altogether.
ESTA — the essentials before a cruise through the US
Poland has belonged to the American Visa Waiver Program since November 2019, and many other European countries take part as well. For a short tourist trip to the United States, travellers on qualifying passports usually do not need a traditional visa. Before departure, however, an ESTA — an electronic travel authorisation — must be obtained.
The application is made online. A valid biometric passport is needed to submit it.
An ESTA is usually valid for two years from the moment of approval, or until the passport expires if that happens sooner. Within that period you can travel to the US repeatedly, with each single stay limited to 90 days.
How much does an ESTA cost?
We deliberately do not quote the government fee here. Its amount can change, so the most reliable information is always on the official site of the US administration:
esta.cbp.dhs.gov
It is worth applying only through the official site on the .gov domain. Many intermediary services operate online and charge additional fees for the same form.
When should you apply?
The best time is right after buying the cruise and settling the journey through the United States — not a few days before the flight.
In most cases the decision arrives fairly quickly, but officially you should allow up to 72 hours for processing. Some applications may require additional verification.
Three important rules
An ESTA is tied to a specific passport.
If you replace the passport, a new ESTA application is required.
Every child needs an ESTA of their own.
This applies to small children as well. Every person travelling must hold their own passport and their own authorisation.
An ESTA may be needed even when the US is not the main destination.
This includes, among other cases, a connection at a US airport and a cruise whose route includes an American port.
Does an ESTA guarantee entry to the US?
No. An approved ESTA means permission to travel to the United States under the visa-waiver scheme, but it is not a guarantee of entry to the country.
The final decision is made by a US border officer during entry control.
Where the ships leave from
Many of the most popular Caribbean cruises begin in the ports of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico region. In practice this means travelling to the United States, and therefore holding the required entry authorisation even when a US airport is only a transfer point.
Florida is not the only starting point, however. Some cruises begin in Galveston in Texas, and others in Cape Liberty in the New York area. The latter is worth considering if you would like to combine the cruise with sightseeing in New York. Bear in mind, though, that the ship needs more time to reach the warmer Caribbean waters, so the first days of the journey may pass mostly at sea.
How do you fly there from Poland?
Connections from Poland usually involve a change at one of the large European hubs or at another airport in the United States.
The route network, prices and availability of flights change with the season and the sailing date, so it is best to match the flight to the specific cruise rather than the other way round.
Why is it worth arriving a day early?
For cruises that begin in the US, we strongly recommend arriving at least a day before embarkation.
A delayed first flight, problems with a connection, border control or a lost bag can mean that a journey planned back-to-back ends before you even reach the ship.
The ship does not wait for late passengers. It is worth reaching the port 2–3 hours before the scheduled departure. If you plan a transfer from the airport to the port, at least 5 hours should remain between landing and departure.
That is why we treat the extra night before the cruise not as an unnecessary cost, but as part of a safely planned journey.
| Port | What it offers |
|---|
| Miami | The most departures and the widest choice of operators. An additional advantage is the short distance between the airport and the cruise terminal, which makes the whole journey easier to organise. |
| Port Canaveral (Orlando) | A port near Orlando. A good choice if you would like to combine a Caribbean cruise with a stay at the Orlando theme parks. |
| Fort Lauderdale | An alternative to Miami. A calmer port and often lower transfer costs, while keeping a wide choice of Caribbean cruises. |
| Galveston (Texas) | Western Caribbean cruises through the Gulf of Mexico. You should, however, allow for a longer and less convenient flight from Europe than to the Florida ports. |
| Cape Liberty (New York) | A port in the New York area. It is easy to combine the cruise with sightseeing in the city, but bear in mind that the ship spends the first days of the journey sailing south. |
The Caribbean without entering the US
Not every Caribbean cruise has to begin in the United States. There are also itineraries that start from ports on the Caribbean islands, which makes it possible to avoid entering the US — and the related formalities — altogether.
Martinique and Guadeloupe are French overseas departments, so EU citizens can travel there on a valid identity card or passport. No ESTA is required.
Cruises also depart from other ports in the region, including Barbados, the Dominican Republic and selected islands of the Lesser Antilles.
Bear in mind, however, that the choice of such cruises is noticeably smaller than from the Florida ports, and availability depends on the season and the specific date.
If a Caribbean cruise without entering the United States matters to you, let us know your planned dates. We will check the current routes and availability in our booking system.
When is the best time to sail to the Caribbean?
The most popular Caribbean season runs from December to April. It is a period of warm, drier weather and usually calmer conditions at sea.
The Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year dates attract the most interest. They are also the most expensive and sell out fastest, so it is worth planning them well in advance.
What about the hurricane season?
The official Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June to November, with the highest activity usually in August and September.
Cruise prices in this period can be noticeably lower, so very attractive offers can be found. You should, however, allow for a higher risk of changes to the travel programme.
For safety reasons the operator may change the route, alter the order of the ports or skip selected calls.
In practice the ship usually sails around the area of dangerous weather, and the cruise itself keeps to its overall schedule. It may happen, though, that you visit different islands than the itinerary originally envisaged.
If one particular port or island matters especially to you, a better choice is a date outside the period of highest hurricane activity.
What does the price of a Caribbean cruise include?
The fare, as standard, covers accommodation in your chosen cabin, full board in the main restaurant and the buffet, most of the onboard entertainment, and the voyage itself between the ports and islands.
The items most often charged separately are:
- service charges
- drinks covered by additional packages
- shore excursions
- internet access
- speciality restaurants and selected onboard services
What should you watch out for in the Caribbean?
On many cruises that begin in the United States, the onboard account is held in US dollars. If you pay with a card in another currency, it is worth checking how the conversion is applied and what fees your bank charges.
Shore excursions organised by the operator can also be more expensive than on many European routes, so it is worth comparing the available sightseeing options before the cruise.
Remember the cost of the flight
When planning the overall budget, you also need to allow for the flight and a possible night before the cruise. In the Caribbean, the cost of air tickets can be a significant part of the whole trip and, with some promotions, can even exceed the price of the cruise itself in an inside cabin.
We describe the individual components of the price in detail in the guide “What is included in the price of a cruise?”.
Who sells the cruise and who is responsible for the booking?
The organiser is Biznes i Turystyka Piotr Skupiewski (BIT Travel), with its registered office at ul. Łukowa 41, 32-823 Szczepanów, NIP 869-114-83-81, REGON 850455159.
The company is entered in the Central Register of Tour Operators and Entrepreneurs Facilitating the Purchase of Linked Travel Arrangements (CEOTiPUT) and pays the required contributions to the Tourism Guarantee Fund (TFG) and the Tourism Assistance Fund (TFP).
Financial protection
We hold insurance guarantee UNIQA no. 3800003856 for PLN 379,404.00, valid from 05.05.2026 to 04.05.2027.
The documents confirming this financial protection can be downloaded at the foot of this page.
Contact and payments
Telephone: +48 576 977 555
We serve clients in Polish between 9:00 and 18:00.
The contract is concluded in euros or US dollars, depending on the booking. Payment can be made by transfer in euros or in zloty. Payment via the payment link is processed in PLN only.
We do not offer instalment payments.
We also help after the booking
On Caribbean cruises our service does not end at the moment of sale. Among other things, we help with online check-in, remind you about the formalities connected with the travel authorisation, and pay attention to planning the flights so that a safe margin remains before embarkation.
As a result, the client is not left alone with the booking, the documents and the logistics of the journey.
