Why We’re Boycotting US Cruises (And What ESTA Changes Mean for You)

We’ve cancelled our 2026 US cruises!

And no, this wasn’t a knee-jerk decision or clickbait outrage. It was the result of growing concern over Trump’s proposed ESTA changes and what they mean for cruisers who simply want to enjoy a holiday without feeling interrogated or unwelcome.

In this episode of Sail Away: On Watch, we break down what’s really happening with ESTA, why it matters so much for cruise passengers, and why we ultimately decided to cancel two major US cruise bookings in 2026.

Under proposals from the Trump administration, travellers from Visa Waiver countries could be asked to provide years of personal digital history as part of the ESTA process. That includes social media identifiers, phone numbers and email addresses. For a vacation. For a cruise.

For cruisers, this is not a minor inconvenience. If your cruise itinerary touches a US port, even for a single day, ESTA is mandatory. No ESTA means no boarding. There is no appeal process, and a refusal can mean cancelled cruises, lost money and months of uncertainty.

In this video, we explain:

- What Trump’s ESTA changes could involve
- Why these proposals disproportionately affect cruisers
- How cruise lines treat ESTA refusals
- Why we cancelled our US cruises for 2026
- Why more cruisers are questioning travel to the United States
- What the data says about declining US tourism
- And crucially, what alternatives exist if you still want a Caribbean cruise without starting in the US.

We also reference recent cruise videos from other creators who have shared stressful and unsettling experiences entering or leaving the United States. These are not activists or political commentators. They are ordinary cruisers who came home questioning whether the US still feels like a welcoming destination.

This episode is not about being anti-American. It is about how Trump-era policy direction, border tone and proposed ESTA changes are affecting real cruise passengers in real ways. Tourism numbers already show that international visitors are choosing other destinations, and cruisers are part of that shift.

If you are a cruiser, planning a US cruise, or wondering whether ESTA changes could affect your holiday, this is a conversation worth having now, before policies become reality.

We also share practical alternatives for cruisers who want the Caribbean without US ports, including cruise lines that sail directly from islands like Barbados, removing the need for ESTA entirely.

👉 Have you cancelled any cruises because of ESTA or Trump’s policies?
👉 Would these proposed changes put you off cruising to the US?
👉 Or do you think there’s nothing to worry about?

Let us know in the comments.

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