The short answer
Americans need a UK ETA, an online permit, to visit England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, and that includes cruise stops. It costs 20 pounds and is good for 2 years or until your passport expires. Since February 25, 2026 the UK has fully enforced 'no ETA, no travel', and cruise lines may deny boarding without one.
The basics
- Cost: 20 pounds per person, as listed on gov.uk in November 2026. It was 16 pounds when enforcement was announced.
- Everyone needs their own ETA, including babies and children.
- You can make several trips, each up to 6 months.
- Good for 2 years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, according to Holland America and Azamara.
- Apply on gov.uk/eta or the official UK ETA app. Azamara tells guests to allow up to 3 working days.
Cruise passengers
- Holland America says guests whose cruise includes the UK may need an ETA before boarding, and may be denied boarding without refund if they don't have one.
- This applies to UK ports such as Southampton, Dover, Edinburgh, Belfast and Liverpool.
- UK government pages do not give separate cruise rules. Follow your cruise line's instructions.
Flying through London
- If you pass through UK border control at the airport, for example to change airports or collect bags, you need an ETA.
- If you are not sure whether you will pass through border control, ask your airline.
Your checklist
Sources & what we could not confirm · 5 sources · checked 2026-11
- GOV.UK: Apply for an ETA
- GOV.UK: ETA guidance
- GOV.UK news: 'No permission, no travel' enforcement from Feb 25, 2026
- Holland America: UK ETA for guests
- Azamara: EES and UK ETA requirements (PDF)
Still being confirmed
- The date the ETA first became required for US citizens (widely reported as January 8, 2025) was not confirmed on a gov.uk page we could read.
- The 2-year validity comes from cruise line pages, not from the gov.uk pages we loaded.
- Gibraltar: Azamara says a UK ETA is needed for Gibraltar calls, but Gibraltar Airport says it is not. Treat this as conflicting and follow your cruise line.