Saga Magazine – August 2018

Q

I’m going on holiday to

Washington State and

while I’m there want to visit

Vancouver. What documents

should I have to enter Canada?

A

If you are entering by
road or by sea, then you
will need only your passport.
If you are fl ying to Vancouver,
then you will also need your
passport and will have to
complete an eTA (Electronic
Travel Authorization) , a simple
online process you should
complete before you set off
GETTY,for the US. Go to the

SHUTTERSTOCK

INFOGRAPHIC:

NICK

PAYTON

84 SAGA.CO.UK/AUG-MAG^ I^2018

Government of Canada

website, Canada.ca, and click

on ‘Travel’, then ‘Visit Canada’.

If you are returning to the US

before going home, the ESTA

(Electronic System for Travel

Authorization) you completed

to enter the USA from the UK

Flagpoles apart?

Crossing the

US-Canada border

is relatively easy

for a UK citizen

Sips and tips

Imposed service

charges on cruises

are increasingly

common

will still be valid for re-entry to

the US. For reassurance,

perhaps take a copy of your

hotel accommodation and

return fl ight from the US to

show yours is only a short

stay on the Canadian side –

and to show to the US

authorities on your return.

Bear in mind that

documentation required for

entry into countries can

change at very short notice,

so do check again before

you go. The Canadian Border

Services Agency website,

cbsa.gc.ca, may be useful.

A

These charges can be

a minefi eld in the US, on

land or sea! Whereas we

wouldn’t tip in a pub or bar over

here, it’s standard over there.

Great offence can be taken if

you don’t. We can see why

the cruise line would add 15%

to bar service: it may save

embarrassment on both

sides of the bar if

passengers unused to US

ways under-tipped (or didn’t

tip at all). And gratuities can

be a hefty component of

bar- or waiting-staff salaries.

British-American-owned

P&O charges a £7pp per night

‘discretionary’ service charge,

though some lines include all

gratuities in the cost of ocean

cruises – Saga, for example.

Others allow you to have the

charge altered once you are

aboard. When and what you tip

should be a personal decision

• to have it imposed on you
  beforehand is unreasonable.

Travel surgery

My wife and I are

going on our fi rst

cruise, with an

American line. There’s an

automatic charge of £162 per

head to cover tips during the

trip, plus 15% service on all

drinks and special dining

experiences. This seems a little

excessive. Although we are not

averse to tipping, we normally

do so at the end of a holiday

according to the service

received. What do you advise?

Q

From tipping charges on cruises to a great holiday soap, we’re here to help