Hello all,

this question goes out to all the cruise and Visa experts.^ Does boarding a cruise ship in Martinque (Caribbean route) mean that we will be leaving the US - visa/esta/vwp technically speaking?

We have European passports and use ESTA (90 day permit). Right now we are in the Caribbeans (flight in and out goes through ATL and JFK), we will be staying in St Lucia, Barbados and are going to take the MSC cruise in Martinique in February.

I was 100% sure that flying to Martinique will be considered by the US border protection as returning to Europe (therefore resetting the counter of the 90 days)... BUT I was told at the airport that US border protection considers Martinque as US territory. Now I counted the days including Martinque and this would mean exactly 92 days.



We will just spent 2 nights within the (real) US borders:

1 in JFK on the way to US
1 in ATL on the way back to EUROPE

Why am I posting in the Cruises board?

The cruise (MSC Orchestra) will depart in Martinique heading to the lesser Antilles, British Virgin Islands, Domenican Republic. Will boarding the cruise in Martinque be the same as leaving the US territory and therefore preventing the overstay?

We absolutely do not want to commit a crime or civil offence.