po cruise country

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Welcome to P&O Cruises. This website presents a main menu on the left hand side from where you can browse our cruises, and a toolbar menu at the top page with search, live chat, support, and profile settings.

• Skip to side menu (Press enter)
• Skip to toolbar menu (Press enter)
• Skip to content (Press enter)

We’re calling all country music lovers to keep the good times going with a P&O Country Cruise! There’s no better place to practise your line dancing or don your cowboy boots than aboard one of our fun-filled getaways. Cruises include accommodation, main meals and entertainment, so grab your partner, family, or a group of mates and hit the high seas. It’s a true country throw down while out at sea! Don’t miss out – book your spot today.

What's Included

Note: Charges/supplements apply for specialty dining, drinks, and select activities, entertainment, and meals.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Welcome to P&O Cruises. This website presents a main menu on the left hand side from where you can browse our cruises, and a toolbar menu at the top page with search, live chat, support, and profile settings.

• Skip to side menu (Press enter)
• Skip to toolbar menu (Press enter)
• Skip to content (Press enter)

Note: Charges/supplements apply for specialty dining, drinks, and select activities, entertainment, and meals.

Ships & Ratings

Ship Ratings Key

Back-to-back cruises: Get more vacation for less money

Sometimes, a seven-night cruise just isn't long enough. If you need more than a week at sea, consider booking a back-to-back cruise. It can be an efficient strategy to get more vacation for less money. You can turn a weeklong getaway into one lasting two or three weeks (or more). Simply research the itineraries offered by cruise lines to find which successive itineraries are of interest to you and are available to book.

If an extended cruise vacation sounds ideal, keep reading. Here's what you need to know about booking back-to-back cruises.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

What are back-to-back cruises?

Quite simply, back-to-back cruises (also known as B2B among those who frequently book them) are consecutive itineraries sailed on the same ship. These are often nonrepeating itineraries — such as Eastern Caribbean followed by Western Caribbean. However, if you like to enjoy a ship like it's a resort and prefer pool time over going ashore, you likely won't mind repeating ports.

Related: Eastern Caribbean vs. Western Caribbean cruises: Which itinerary will I like more?

How can a back-to-back cruise save money?

You might spend more money on a longer vacation. However, back-to-back cruises can provide cost savings beyond the fare price.

For example, you'll pay for just one airfare while enjoying two or more cruises to different ports of call. The savings on international flights can be significant, too.

You might also find one of the sailings is priced lower because the itinerary isn't as in demand or a specific cabin category is offered at a discount. Some cruise lines even package several one-week sailings into a longer itinerary at a discounted price.

Additionally, you might find that when you book back-to-back cruises, some cruise lines offer onboard credit that you can use for shore excursions or spa treatments.

Do all back-to-back cruises leave from the same port?

No. Some, but not all, back-to-back cruises are closed-loop (round-trip) itineraries. That means the ship returns to the same port it sailed from, such as a Caribbean cruise that begins and ends in Miami or a Mediterranean voyage that sails round-trip from Barcelona. Others are open-jaw (one-way) itineraries. On these sailings, a ship departs from one port and disembarks passengers in an entirely different port, such as Athens, Greece-to-Rome or Rome-to-Barcelona cruises.

Most cruise lines offer both types of itineraries. This gives you the option of booking two round-trip sailings from the same port, a round-trip sailing followed by an open-jaw sailing to a different port, back-to-back open-jaw sailings to and from the same two ports or two open-jaw itineraries that never revisit the same ports. It might sound confusing, but it's actually fairly simple.

Here are a few examples of back-to-back itineraries.

Closed-loop back-to-back

You can book back-to-back round-trip sailings from Miami on the same ship that calls on one set of islands the first week — let's say Eastern Caribbean favorites such as St. Thomas, St. Maarten and San Juan, Puerto Rico — and then visit Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico, in the Western Caribbean the following week.

Related: Caribbean cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do

One-way back-to-back

In the Mediterranean, the largest ships operated by Royal Caribbean , Celebrity Cruises , Norwegian Cruise Line , Princess Cruises and other mainstream cruise lines often sail one-way between certain ports with cruise terminals that can accommodate the embarkation and disembarkation of thousands of passengers. This means you will see a Rome-to-Barcelona itinerary followed by a Barcelona-to-Rome itinerary. If these back-to-back sailings call on different ports (and they often do, perhaps with one or two repeats), you can book both cruises and see more of the Mediterranean in one trip.

Related: Mediterranean cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do

Open-jaw back-to-back

Another option is to book two back-to-back open-jaw itineraries that never visit the same ports. This is more common among premium and luxury cruise lines such as Oceania Cruises , Azamara , Crystal , Regent Seven Seas Cruises , Seabourn , Silversea Cruises and Viking . For example, you might book a seven-night sailing from Athens to Istanbul that explores the Greek islands, followed by a seven-night sailing from Istanbul to Venice, Italy, along Croatia's Adriatic coast.

Round-trip and open-jaw

If you book the last Alaska cruise of the season in September, round-trip from Vancouver, British Columbia, you can often book the subsequent open-jaw Pacific Coastal sailing from Vancouver to Los Angeles.

What you cannot do is book back-to-back open-jaw sailings that leave from one U.S. port for the first sailing and end in another U.S. port for the second sailing. For example, if your first cruise goes from Los Angeles to Vancouver, you cannot stay on board for the next cruise from Vancouver to the Alaska cruise ports of Seward or Whittier.

Why? All itineraries must comply with the Passenger Vessel Services Act . This federal law prohibits passengers on foreign-registered ships (which most cruise ships are) from embarking and disembarking passengers in different U.S. cities without having called on a "distant foreign" country in between. In this instance, distant foreign ports are any port not in North America, Central America, the Bermuda islands or the West Indies.

The law sees your back-to-back sailing as one cruise from Los Angeles to Seward (two U.S. ports) versus two distinct sailings. Thus, your cruise does not comply with the PVSA, even if each individual itinerary is in compliance.

Related: The best Alaska cruises for every type of traveler

How to find and book back-to-back cruises

Check your preferred cruise line's website, and use the cruise finder tool to organize upcoming sailings by date. Then, select a specific ship to see its back-to-back itineraries. If both cruises are available, you can book both of them.

Once you make two separate bookings for your back-to-back cruises, contact the cruise line by phone before departure to link both bookings. If you are working with a travel agent, they will link the bookings. This will allow you to bypass the full embarkation process for your second cruise.

Some cruise lines make it fairly easy by marketing longer sailings, typically 14 or 21 days, that are actually two or three one-week round-trip sailings. You can tell by looking at the itinerary. If a ship on a 14-night sailing returns on day eight to the same port it left from, the longer sailing is actually a combination of two back-to-back seven-night cruises.

Holland America Line does this frequently in the Caribbean. Its Collector's Voyages combine two or three back-to-back cruises at more economical fares than booking the cruises individually. Because these 14- to 21-night journeys combine nonrepeating itineraries, guests get to visit multiple Caribbean regions on their island hopping journey.

Will I pay the same price for each cruise?

Probably not. Cruise fares change frequently based on demand. Also, cruise lines might offer special deals and promotions for specific sailings they are trying to fill. That said, the price for the same cabin category shouldn't be drastically different from week to week unless one of the sailings is almost fully booked, which means prices will be higher.

Do you have the time for a multiweek vacation? Before booking a specific itinerary, have a peek at the ship's next (or even previous) cruise to see if any deals are available. You can often extend your vacation by doing back-to-back sailings.

Can I book the second cruise once I am already on board?

In some cases, you can — and often, you can get a great deal. If the subsequent cruise isn't sold out, the staff members at the cruise booking desk can help you secure a cabin. However, it is highly unlikely to be the same cabin and maybe even not the same category you are already in. Inquire and book as early in the first cruise as possible since all cruise bookings need to be made at least 48 hours before embarkation.

Note that if you do have success, you'll also need to make sure you can rebook your flights home for the later date (unless you live within driving distance from the port and both cruises are round-trip sailings).

Do I need to disembark and then re-embark?

Most of the time, yes. However, it's not as complicated as you might imagine.

On turnaround days in a U.S. port, all passengers must be off the ship for it to be cleared for the next voyage. So, if the first cruise disembarks guests in a U.S. port after visiting the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or any other foreign country, you will most likely have to disembark and clear customs before reboarding the ship. In limited instances, customs officials may instead come on board to clear those passengers who are doing back-to-back cruises.

Keep in mind that this isn't a full embarkation process — your luggage can stay on board — and each cruise line has its own procedure for guests staying on board.

For example, on Carnival Cruise Line cruises, a guest services staff member will meet back-to-back-cruise guests on the morning of disembarkation and lead them off the ship to a customs official in the terminal. Guests are then guided back to the ship's guest services desk to complete a new check-in for the second cruise.

Royal Caribbean calls back-to-back cruises "consecutive cruises." On turnaround day, guests staying on will receive customs requirement details in their cabins, including information on how to exchange old keycards for new ones.

Princess calls anyone sailing on back-to-back cruises "guests in transit." Before the end of the first cruise, the line gives them in-transit cards and invites them to an in-transit gathering to provide them with details about the transit process. On turnaround day, Princess staff members will lead the group of guests in transit off the ship to customs officers. As soon as the ship is cleared (meaning all guests have disembarked), staff members lead the guests back on board.

Even on Holland America 's Collector's Voyages in the Caribbean, an organized disembarkation and second check-in are required because the sailings originate and end in U.S. ports.

In general, back-to-back cruisers can expect to be the last to disembark from the first sailing and the first to embark on the second sailing.

Outside the U.S., requirements vary by port for back-to-back cruise passengers. Some ports do require all guests to disembark per local port and customs regulations. Your cruise line will provide details.

Will I get a new keycard?

Yes, keycards are issued for each cruise and marked with the ship's name and sail date. Princess Cruises is the exception, as it uses the Medallion, a reprogrammable device passengers can wear as a necklace or bracelet.

Can I keep the same cabin or suite?

It's possible. However, you must take care of that during the booking process by making sure the same cabin is available to book for both sailings. If that seems too daunting, you can use a travel agent or call the cruise line's customer service number and work with a representative to secure the same cabin for both cruises. This way, the representative or agent can link both sailings, ensuring the easiest transition during the disembarkation and re-embarkation process.

If you are unable to secure the same cabin on your back-to-back cruises, you will have to pack your bags on the morning of disembarkation. In most cases, the ship's guest services team or your cabin attendant will move your bags to your new room during turnaround day.

Are there additional perks to back-to-back cruises?

Yes, and they vary. Some cruise lines, such as Carnival, offer a voucher for a complimentary beverage to guests staying on for another sailing. Princess holds an onboard gathering during which free cocktails are served and spa specials are offered. Azamara gives guests who book back-to-back sailings an onboard credit, with the amount dependent on the length of the cruises booked.

What's the difference between back-to-back and side-to-side cruises?

Side-to-side cruises entail disembarking one cruise and getting on a completely different ship the same day. For example, say you've spotted a really great deal on a three-night cruise to the Bahamas from Miami on Royal Caribbean, but you need a 10-night vacation to really unwind. You can search for a seven-night sailing that departs from Miami (or nearby Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale) the same day you disembark — on an entirely different ship. It doesn't even have to be a Royal Caribbean vessel.

Bottom line

If your vacation happy place is at sea, back-to-back cruises are a great way to extend your enjoyment, visit twice as many ports and have ample time to enjoy all aspects of a ship. Booking back-to-back sailings requires a little online research of available itineraries. You can also call your cruise line's customer service team for assistance in research and booking. You'll soon be ready to set sail, relax and explore.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• 15 best cruise ships for people who never want to grow up
• What to pack for your first cruise

Breakdancing Raygun, Tom Cruise's closing ceremony stunt and the most meme-able moments from the 2024 Paris Olympics

T he 2024 Summer Olympics might have come to a close, but we'll always have Paris — and the hilarious memes the Games left behind. From Bob the Cap Catcher to LeBron James as George Washington, here’s a look at some of the most viral moments to come out of the Paris Games.

Breakdancing breaks the internet

Rachael Gunn — aka Raygun — became an overnight sensation when footage of her Olympic breakdancing routine hit social media. Breaking was the only new sport to be added to this year's Summer Olympics. 

When Raygun, the 36-year-old Australian who has a PhD in cultural studies, faced off against U.S. breaker Logistx, her performance took off online, giving rise to an onslaught of memes.

Tom Cruise being Tom Cruise

In one of the most anticipated moments of the Olympics closing ceremony, Tom Cruise leapt off of the roof of the Stade de France , grabbed the Olympic flag, hopped on the back of a motorcycle, then (in a prerecorded segment) dove out of a plane — completing the most Tom Cruise stunt ever. But even when he was just being a spectator in the crowd, Cruise made waves online.

Medal-biting confusion

Chinese gymnast Zhou Yaqin won the internet's heart when footage of her podium confusion went viral. 

While posing for photos with her silver medal, Zhou, 18, noticed that her fellow balance beam medalists — Italian gymnasts Alice D’Amato, who won gold, and Manila Esposito, who took bronze — were taking their ceremonial medal chomp. Clearly unfamiliar with the tradition, Zhou brought the medal to her mouth — and thus, a wholesome meme was born.

LeBron James crossing the Delaware

During the opening ceremony, basketball legend LeBron James stood at the bow of the boat filled with U.S. athletes, an American flag proudly billowing in his hand as one of Team USA’s flag bearers. 

The internet immediately drew a connection to Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 painting Washington Crosses the Delaware, and a meme was born.

Bob the Cap Catcher

When U.S. swimmer Emma Weber lost her swimming cap during the women’s 100-meter breaststroke preliminary race, the internet rallied around the lifeguard in a Speedo who got it back for her, dubbing him Bob the Cap Catcher.

The Muffin Man

Norwegian swimmer and three-time Olympian Henrik Christiansen gained internet fame not for his swimming performance, but for his love of chocolate muffins served in the Olympic Village — earning him the title of Muffin Man, which he proudly accepted.

Stephen Nedoroscik is Clark Kent

Pommel horse hero Stephen Nedoroscik immediately captured the hearts and imaginations of viewers at home, launching a slew of memes across social media during his time at the Games. His transformation on and off the gymnastics floor became the stuff of meme legends.

Sharpshooters gain infinite aura points

Olympic shooting achieved a new level of popularity when footage of Yusuf Dikeç of Turkey and Kim Ye-ji of South Korea hit the internet. The two looked effortlessly cool as they competed, which gave rise to an onslaught of John Wick and Pulp Fiction comparisons , along with anime fan art imaginings. 

The two competitors were also contrasted in memes, as the sleek, precise look of Ye-ji was put up against Dikeç’s cool, casual vibe.

The Olympic Baguette

When French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati tried to clear a height of 5.7 meters, a certain appendage got in the way, knocking the bar to the ground, and earning the athlete the title of the Olympic Baguette.

Sponsored by cheese

Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa became the envy of the internet when news of her Parmigiano-Reggiano sponsorship hit social media. Photos of Villa cradling a giant cheese wheel and doing a split on a stack of Parmesan had just the right makings of an overnight meme.

Snoop Dogg in Paris

Rapper, producer and actor Snoop Dogg can now add three new titles to his résumé: Olympic torchbearer, special correspondent and meme sweetheart. By just being himself at the Games , Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. stole the hearts of viewers around the world and inspired thousands of memes across social media.

Highs and lows of surfing photography

Brazil’s Gabriel Medina might have made history with his 9.9 ride on the waves of Teahupo'o, but it was photographer Jerome Brouillet’s photo of the event that really made waves online. But the once-in-a-lifetime photo of Medina might have met its match in the shot of German surfer Tim Elter losing his swimming trunks while competing.

Hype man Flavor Flav

Public Enemy co-founder Flavor Flav became a beloved Olympics icon when it was announced he was sponsoring Team USA women’s water polo team and providing financial support to Veronica Fraley , a track and field athlete from Raleigh, N.C. Footage of the rapper hyping up athletes and speaking at press conferences quickly went viral during the Games.

“Unfortunately, I was not chosen for the Olympics…”

A new TikTok trend emerged during the Games in which athletes shared footage of themselves failing in their respective sports, accompanied by some variant of the tongue-in-cheek caption, “Unfortunately, I was not chosen for the 2024 Olympics.” 

After her stumble off the balance beam, Suni Lee herself got in on the meme, finding the humor in the unfortunate fall.

Other memes of note

While not every meme went viral or created a social media trend, there was no shortage of internet humor mined at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Here’s a look at some other notable memes from the Games.

Updated, Aug. 12, 2024, 12:52 p.m.: This story was originally published on Aug. 6 and has been updated to include additional memes from the Games.

Primorsky Krai Driving Distance Calculator

Road mileage chart of primorsky krai.

• Distance (kilometers)
• Distance (miles)
• Driving time

Click on any distance in the table below to go to a page with more information.

Tap on a city to see distances to that city. Tap on a distance for more details.

Air Mileage Chart of Primorsky Krai

• Flight time (800 km/h)

Map of Primorsky Krai with Flight Distances

Calculate your own mileage chart.

Enter up to 100 city names or geographic coordinates in this field in the following format: latitude, longitude. Enter each city on a separate line.

• Locations Distance Tool
• Widget for Website
• Popular routes
• Suggest idea

• - K-town Now
• Asia-Pacific
• - Storm Tracker
• Middle East
• Map of Memorials
• Entertainment
• - Video Games
• Europe Travel
• - Quick Trips
• - After Hours
• Pacific Travel
• The Meat and Potatoes of Life
• U.S. Travel
• Storm Tracker
• Rewards for readers
• Get Stripes
• Stripes Lite
• Archives/Library
• Special Publications
• Mobile Apps
• Email Newsletters
• Digital Access
• Home Delivery
• Marine Corps
• Coast Guard
• Space Force
• Archive photo of the day
• - Schedules Europe
• - Scoreboards Europe
• - Schedules Pacific
• - Scoreboards Pacific
• - Pacific Sports Blog
• - WW II Podcast
• - Military Matters
• - Force for Hire
• Out of Uniform
• - WW II Videos
• Communities
• Stripes Europe
• Stripes Guam
• Stripes Japan
• Stripes Korea
• Stripes Okinawa
• Our Other Websites
• In Memoriam
• Month of the Military Child
• Best of Germany
• Best of the Pacific
• Letters to Santa

In Germany, plan to deploy US cruise missiles draws opposition

The Ticonderoga class cruiser USS Antietam fires a Tomahawk land attack missile as part of Valiant Shield 2014. Germany is grappling with public anxiety and political opposition over the planned deployment of U.S. longer-range cruise missiles, with concerns about escalating tensions with Russia and reviving Cold War-era fears. (David Flewellyn/U.S. Navy)

BERLIN — In the months leading up to the deployment of American Pershing II and cruise missiles in West Germany in the early 1980s, the country erupted in mass protest.

Anti-missile demonstrators blockaded U.S. military installations and some turned their ire directly at American troops, carrying banners reading, “Ami [Yankee] go home” and shouting “We don’t like you” at Americans driving to Ramstein Air Base, according to Stars and Stripes reporting at the time.

Now Germans are grappling with another divisive deployment: the return of U.S. longer-range cruise missiles to German soil for the first time since the 1990s. Last month’s announcement of the stationing, set to begin in 2026, has stirred painful memories of the Cold War and raised anxiety among some of the possibility of a new arms race with Russia.

Surveys show a narrow majority of Germans are against the plans, with negative attitudes especially pronounced in states of the former East Germany. Half of Germans said they fear the missiles will escalate conflict with Russia, findings by the opinion research company Civey show.

Falko Drossmann, a German lawmaker with the ruling Social Democratic Party and a former air force officer, said detractors have legitimate concerns but cautioned that nerves are particularly on edge ahead of regional elections next month in three eastern German states.

“At the moment, it’s not a very fact-based discussion, it’s a very emotional discussion,” he said. “I can’t condemn the people because they just see what it costs, how many people can get killed and they don’t want to be a part of a poker game.”

The party’s executive committee on Monday sought to calm nerves with a lengthy explanation of why Germany needed to bolster its security architecture in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“This deployment is not a confrontational armament, but rather a strengthening of our country’s defense and the alliance capability of NATO and the EU with weapons systems that Russia has had at its disposal for years,” the committee wrote.

It vowed to take a “comprehensive look” at the issue when Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, returns from summer break in September.

Political objection to the deployment so far has mostly come from Germany’s fringe parties on the left and right.

Alternative for Germany, the far-right party that opposes weapon delivers to Ukraine and has been accused of cozying up to Russia, said the stationing plans made Germany “a target” while leftists argued it could lead to an arms race under the guise of deterrence.

Some members of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, a center-left group with longtime ties to Russia, have also expressed worries.

Lawmaker Ralf Stegner told the Funke media group that “this will not make the world safer. On the contrary, we are entering a spiral in which the world is becoming increasingly dangerous.”

Russia has warned of irreparable damage to German-Russian relations if the deployment goes through. President Vladimir Putin last month threatened to place similar missiles within striking distance of the West and he pointedly evoked the Cold War, specifically mentioning the controversial Pershing deployments.

Analysts say comparisons to the arms buildup of the 1980s are overblown.

“The deployment is very small, it’s non-nuclear,” said Liviu Horovitz, a researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. “The only similarities is that the missiles reach similarly far.”

The deal includes Tomahawk cruise missiles with a reach of up to 1,550 miles, SM-6 ballistic missiles and developmental hypersonic weapons that can probably fly more than 1,800 miles, according to an analysis by the think tank.

Germany does not have long-range missiles that launch from the ground and NATO’s longest-range ground-based weapon now is the Army Tactical Missile System, which can fly up to 190 miles.

A 1987 treaty between the Soviet Union and the U.S. banned ground-based missiles with a range of more than 310 miles but the U.S. withdrew from the agreement in 2019, accusing Moscow of violations.

None of the planned missiles will be equipped with nuclear warheads, though that has not stopped Russia from raising the alarm that they eventually could be.

“It’s not like it’s impossible to adapt them to nuclear use,” said Horovitz. “From the Russian perspective, the fact that you can is already potentially problematic.”

The Social Democratic Party said there are no plans for nuclear armament of the arriving weapons systems, which will be stationed at existing U.S military facilities in western Germany.

As such, the public backlash that accompanied the deployment of nuclear-capable Pershing II ballistic missiles in the 1980s is unlikely to materialize this time around, said Timothy Wright, a research associate at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Berlin.

“The security threat that Russia poses to Europe is evident and the requirement for European countries to better manage their own security may have reduced such qualms,” he said.

German military officials have pointed out that Russia has already upended weapons norms by stationing Iskander missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads in Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave bordering NATO members Poland and Lithuania.

Drossmann, the lawmaker, said the U.S. deployment will give Germany time to develop its own weapons and convince a skeptical populace of their value.

“We all want a world where [these missiles] are not necessary but Putin brought us here and that’s why we have to defend ourselves,” he said.

Much of the persuasive work will have to be done in eastern Germany, where 75% of citizens said it is “not right” to deploy U.S. missiles in their country, according to a recent survey by the opinion polling firm Forsa.

Drossmann said people in the former East Germany, a Soviet-allied Communist country, doubt the military and the U.S. more than in the former West Germany, where American and British soldiers were ubiquitous and a normal part of life.

But Drossmann believes those differences can ultimately be overcome with education and outreach.

“We have to explain to them, we have to convince them, we have to be more out in the country and talk to people,” he said. “In my opinion, if you explain it to the people, the vast majority will support it. But that’s what we still have to do.”

previous coverage

• US hypersonic weapons, Tomahawk units to be based in Germany, White House announces during NATO summit

related stories

• ‘A massive deterrent’: Poland buys 96 Apache helicopters as training ties with US Army grow

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

Sign Up Now

• Live In The D
• Newsletters

WEATHER ALERT

A flood warning in effect for Livingston County

Immigrants prepare for new biden protections with excitement and concern.

Gisela Salomon And Rebecca Santana

Associated Press

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

Roberto Garcia drops his children, Lily, 7, center, and Jack, 9, off for their first day of school in East Los Angeles on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

MIAMI – Roberto Garcia crossed the border from Mexico in 2009 looking for a better life. For the past eight years, he has been married to an American woman, and they have three kids who are all American citizens. The only one in the family who is not is Garcia.

Seven years ago, he applied to legalize his status through a process that, if approved, would still require him to return to Mexico with no guarantee that he would be allowed back into the United States.

Recommended Videos

The possibility of being separated from his family or — in a worst case scenario — being unable to return home to Los Angeles has been stressful. So has the wait. It has been seven years and Garcia has not yet gotten an appointment at the U.S. Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, just across the border in Mexico.

Now, a Biden administration program launching Monday will allow some spouses of U.S. citizens without legal permission to stay in the U.S. to legalize their status without leaving the country. That is giving Garcia, and others like him, new hope.

“Finally, there is a light that this is possible,” the 37-year-old said. “I imagine I will soon have the important documents that so many people want to have.”

The new program offers a rare opportunity to erase the threat of deportation and one day earn citizenship. But tempering that excitement is concern: Who will benefit from what has been described as the most expansive U.S. protections for immigrants in over a decade? Will the program face legal challenges? And most important, will it survive the presidential election?

Under the policy Democratic President Joe Biden announced in June, many spouses without legal status will be able to apply for something called “parole in place," offering permission to stay in the U.S., apply for a green card and eventually get on a path to citizenship.

To be eligible, they must have been continuously in the U.S. for at least 10 years, not pose a security threat or have a disqualifying criminal history, and have been married to a citizen by June 17 — the day before the program was announced. They must pay a $580 fee to apply and fill out a lengthy application, including an explanation of why they deserve humanitarian parole and a long list of supporting documents proving how long they have been in the country.

They apply to the Department of Homeland Security, and if approved, have three years to seek permanent residency . During that period, they can get work authorization.

The administration estimates about 500,000 people could be eligible, plus about 50,000 of their children.

Before this program, it was complicated for people who were in the U.S. illegally to get a green card after marrying an American citizen. They can be required to return to their home country — often for years — and they always face the risk they may not be allowed back in.

News of Biden’s program set off a flurry of activity nationwide as couples checked whether they were eligible. Immigrant groups have reached out to help people understand the program and battle misinformation. Some launched radio ads.

“There’s definitely a lot of interest but also a lot of concerns," said Carolina Castaneda, a staff attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center in California's Central Valley.

Activists and lawyers say they and applicants are weighing whether it is a risk to apply, if the program will survive possible Republican lawsuits and what happens if Republican Donald Trump — who has vowed to deport millions of immigrants — is back in the White House.

There has been far more hesitancy compared with the excitement that greeted the launch of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, which protected people brought to the country as children from deportation, said Karla Aguayo, director of legal services at CHIRLA, the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights.

When DACA was announced in 2012 , she said thousands of people lined up outside the organization’s office. For the new program, it has just been a few couples.

While DACA had a much bigger applicant pool, the immigrant community has seen how these policies get caught up in the courts, Aguayo said.

“People are like, ‘This is nice, but how long will it last?’” she said.

The organization has posted information about the new program online and held information sessions and one-on-one appointments with clients. Those likely to qualify can come back Monday to apply.

The eligible couples are excited, she said, “coming with an accordion file of documents that they want reviewed."

But, she said, her group is discovering that a majority of people it sees will not qualify. One of the biggest reasons: Many returned to their home country at some point — often for big life events like a dying family member — and reentry makes them ineligible.

For María Zambrano, the possibility that Trump wins the presidential election and ends the policy adds to the urgency.

“We have to react as soon as possible and apply as soon as possible,” said the 56-year-old resident of Bal Harbour, Florida.

She came to the U.S. from Colombia in 2001 and has not gone back. She works as a Spanish language tutor and has her own company. Seven years ago, she married a U.S. citizen, and like Garcia, applied for legal status but still has to interview at a U.S. Consulate in Colombia.

She has been waiting for that appointment for more than two years. Now, she has a chance to avoid the risky trip out of the U.S.

Immigrants who, unlike Garcia and Zambrano, are not already on the government's radar may fear the risk of applying, especially if Trump is president. His administration would know who and where they are, said Charles Kuck, an Atlanta-based immigration attorney.

“Is there a risk associated with this? One hundred percent," Kuck said.

This type of program should have been rolled out a few years ago, not months before an election, Kuck said. He is advising clients to wait to see who wins.

Garcia and Zambrano already are thinking about how this opportunity can change their lives.

Garcia and his 44-year-old wife, María, have an appointment with their immigration attorney the day after the government begins accepting applications on Monday.

María, who had an accident a year ago and cannot work, said: "My biggest fear is that he won’t be able to come back,” if Garcia travels to Ciudad Juarez.

As the family’s sole breadwinner and the one who does things like take the kids to school, Garcia said he cannot take that risk even if he were to finally get an appointment.

As for Zambrano, she will be able to travel home to visit her parents and brothers. She can get a driver's license, health insurance, a house and maybe even vote one day.

Garcia, who said he has paid taxes since 2010 and is studying for his contractor's license, also dreams of what he can do with a green card. On the top of his mind: going to Mexico to see his parents and seven brothers for the first time in 15 years.

“It’s been many years of not seeing them, not talking to them face to face,” Garcia said. “I try not to think about it.”

Santana reported from Rocklin, California.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

• Entertainment

Tom Cruise Hands Paris Olympics Off to Los Angeles in Cross-Country, Skydiving Stunt at Closing Ceremony

Cruise swung from atop Stade de France before touching down on the stadium's field with the Olympic flag in tow

PHIL NOBLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Tom Cruise engaged in a little risky business to close out the 2024 Paris Olympics .

The actor, long known for doing his own stunts, helped wrap up the Paris Olympics and hand things off to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games with a skydiving stunt that saw him swing from atop Stade de France before touching down on the stadium’s field.

The Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One star, 62, greeted athletes as he walked toward the stage, accompanied by some shredding guitar courtesy of H.E.R., who had just sung the American national anthem.

He received the Olympic flag from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and gymnast Simone Biles , then strapped it safely to the back of a motorcycle and rode off into the sunset — or at least, into a pre-recorded video that tracked his journey to Hollywood.

In the video, Cruise sped down the streets of Paris on the motorcycle, passing landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, and cruised onto a waiting airplane.

"I'm on my way," he said, as he put on skydiving gear to the tune of "By the Way" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Cruise then leapt from the plane and headed to the iconic Hollywood sign, where he turned the "O"s into Olympic rings before passing the flag off to Olympic cyclist Kate Courtney.

Courtney then rode through Los Angeles and with some help from Olympians Michael Johnson and Jagger Eaton, and pulled up to a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert on Venice Beach, which also included performances by Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg.

Cruise has long been a fan and supporter of the Olympic Games, and in 2004, carried the Olympic torch in Dodger Stadium as part of the L.A. portion of the Olympic Torch Relay.

He was present in Paris for various events, including some swimming events on July 27, the women’s gymnastics qualifications round on July 28, and the women’s soccer gold medal match on Aug. 10, where the U.S. took home the win against Brazil.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Team USA flagbearers for the closing ceremony are swimmer Katie Ledecky and rower Nick Mead, who are both heading home with gold medals.

“To share this privilege with Katie makes it all the more special," Mead said in the statement. "My experience at the Paris Games has been the dream of a lifetime and I'm filled with immense pride, gratitude and joy. I also wish to thank the city of Paris, and the entire country of France, for hosting an incredible Games. I'll cherish these memories forever." 

Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty

“I am so proud of this team’s accomplishments in Paris,” Ledecky said. “And [I’m] excited to celebrate with my teammates on Sunday."

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. And sign up for Going for Gold, our Olympics newsletter , to get the biggest stories from the Games delivered straight to your inbox. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, beginning July 26, on NBC and Peacock.

Related Articles

What To Know About The Olympics Closing Ceremony: What Time—And Who’s Performing

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

This weekend’s Olympics closing ceremony is expected to include more than 100 acrobats and aerial performers, award the final Olympic champions their medals and include a sneak peak of what’s to come for the 2028 games in Los Angeles—which will reportedly feature an action movie-worthy stunt from Hollywood star Tom Cruise.

The Eiffel Tower and the Place Du Trocadero during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris ... [+] 2024 on July 26, 2024.

On Thursday, Team USA announce that swimmer Katie Ledecky and rower Nick Mead will carry the American flags at the closing ceremony.

Grammy winning artist H.E.R. is set to perform the U.S. national anthem, multiple outlets confirmed, as part of the hand-off to the 2028 Los Angeles games, and rumors are flying about what other big-name acts will make an appearance.

Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 committee, said the ceremony will be "solemn and emotional, but it will also be a time for celebration... Innovative, surprising and brilliant, these ceremonies already promise to be very powerful."

Other than promises of a dazzling stage performance and hints about several pre-filmed Cruise stunts, most of the ceremony remains shrouded in mystery.

What Time Is The Olympics Closing Ceremony—and Where Will It Air?

The closing ceremony will start at 3 p.m. EDT at the Stade de France, the country’s national stadium, where rugby sevens and track and field events have been hosted, and broadcast live on Peacock, with an edited version airing at 7 p.m. on NBC.

Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here .

When And Where Can You Watch The Olympic Closing Ceremony?

Live coverage will start at 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 11 and the closing ceremony will start at 3 p.m. It will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock and re-broadcast during primetime coverage at 7 p.m. EDT on NBC and Peacock.

What Will Happen At The Closing Ceremony?

Thomas Jolly, the same creative director who managed the much-buzzed about opening ceremony, has named the closing show " Records ." Performers will include acrobats, circus artists, dancers, gymnasts and aerial ballet dancers who are expected to perform atop metal structures representing the Olympic rings. The ceremonies will also include the traditional parade of flags and athletes, speeches, a final medal ceremony and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame before the Olympic flag is ceremoniously handed over to Los Angeles, which will host the summer games in 2028. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will attend the ceremony.

Who Will Perform?

"World-renowned singers" will take the stage, according to the official Olympics website . American R&B singer H.E.R., an Oscar and five-time Grammy winner, is set to sing the American national anthem. Variety on Thursday reported —citing multiple anonymous sources—that Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are among those will will take the stage. The artists will be seen in a mix of live and pre-taped performances, according to the report.

Why Is Tom Cruise Involved?

This week it was reported that Cruise, who is filming “Mission: Impossible 8” in Europe, will perform a stunt at the closing ceremony. A clip of the movie star skydiving to the Hollywood sign is expected to play a role in the handoff to Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics, according to The Hollywood Reporter , and Cruise was reportedly spotted filming a scene—possibly for the ceremony—in May that included a motorcycle and large flag.

Will Beyoncé Perform At The Olympics Closing Ceremony?

There’s no evidence to support this rumor. Hosts of Britain's " This Morning ," Craig Doyle and Jordan North, said on-air Thursday that they'd heard Beyoncé may perform at the closing ceremony. "Don't quote me on that," North said, to which Doyle responded, "I can double up on that rumor, I did hear that as well." The claim has since circulated on social media, but no performers have been confirmed for the event. Rumors spread for weeks that Celine Dion or Lady Gaga were planning to perform at the opening ceremony in Paris before the pair dueted “L'Hymne à l'amour” by French singer Édith Piaf.

Who Will Carry The U.s. Flag At The Closing Ceremony?

Ledecky hit major career milestones in Paris, winning gold in the 800m and 1500m freestyles, silver in the 4x200m relay and bronze in the 400m free. Along the way, she became the the most-decorated U.S. female Olympian ever and the second-most decorated U.S. Olympian of all time, behind Michael Phelps. Mead, a former Princeton rower, is a two-time Olympian who won his first gold medal in the men's four rowing competition in Paris this year.

Who Is Hosting The Closing Ceremony?

Jimmy Fallon of "The Tonight Show" and longtime sports reporter Mike Tirico will co-host the ceremony. Former Olympians Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski—who have built a loyal fan base as commentators since they retired—and NBC Sports' Terry Gannon will be commentating .

What Medals Are Given Out At The Olympics Closing Ceremony?

The final medal ceremony is expected to award winners in the women’s marathon from earlier in the day.

Why Is The Romanian Prime Minister Boycotting The Closing Ceremony?

Marcel Ciolacu said he will not attend the Olympic closing ceremony after a last-minute score change kept Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu from winning bronze in the women's floor exercise. Celebrating of the medalists had already begun Monday—Barbosu was proudly carrying a Romanian flag—when coaches for Jordan Chiles, an American, made an appeal to judges to raise her score. The judges did so, and the 0.1-point boost was enough to push Chiles to bronze and knock Barbosu off the podium. Ciolacu said the Romanian athlete was "treated in an absolutely dishonorable manner" and promised Romania would honor her as an Olympic medalist. “To withdraw a medal earned for honest work on the basis of an appeal … is totally unacceptable!” he said on Facebook .

Further Reading

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.