Passport mailed

[CaptData]

:) I just mailed my passport application to-day. Yippy. It will be back in plenty of time for my cruise. :)

[elmorejj]

Congrats CaptData. Its so much easier travelling with a passport. Why all people don`t carry one when travelling out of the country is beyond me. There is nowhere in Europe that you can go to without a passport and I have carried one since I was 17, both UK and now for the last 30 years US.....jean :o

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Passports - When we were in Visby a few years ago, I needed a new battery for my watch. We had to go to new city outside of the walled area. All I had with me was my American Express Card. The store merchant wouldn't accept my American Express Card without a passport. Of course my passport was locked in our cabin safe. So began a few minutes of conversation. If I had brought my Visa to the shop, there wouldn't have been a problem. But I had the card that "you shouldn't leave home without it". We finally got the battery and returned to the ship. The bill totaled $6 US. We did not have enough Swedish Kroner left and, it being Sunday, the banks were closed.

:)

[jhannah]

Yes, traveling will be so much easier with a passport. I agree, Jean. Can't figure out why some folks resist getting one so strongly.

[doone]

Good for you, it sure makes life easier.

[CaptData]

I lost my other one in my house fire. House burnt down, lost everything. The Passport was the last link in my lost ID. I felt terrible without it, as I have always used one when travelling to Mexico. Now I will have it again. Thistime after trips it will go in my safety deposit box.

[Charlie2na]

The reason most resist is the cost and the wait. My sig other didn't want to " spend the extra 60.00 "if it wasn't absolutely required. She finally agreed and its a good thing because this next cruise includes Barbadoes... passport required !

[Nebraska Admiral]

I carry my pasport daily. Whenever anyone at the store asks for my driviers license, I tell them I don't have one and show them my passport. It has always been accepted, (even it causes some clerks to scratch their heads or some place else.) I feel that it helps to protect my identy as they don't know what # to put on the back of my check.
Dick

[jhannah]

The reason most resist is the cost and the wait. My sig other didn't want to " spend the extra 60.00 "if it wasn't absolutely required. Let's see ... $60 for the ten-year life of a passport ... that's $6 per year to assure smoother travel. Yep, that's quite a strain! :D
Glad she got one anyway.

[elmorejj]

I think passports have gone up a little..maybe around $85 for a new one...less for a renewal.

I visit a Mexico travel board a lot as we spend 4 weeks a year at a land resort. It is being mentioned on that board that soon Mexico will be requiring passports. I think in the next couple of years all countries will require passports to enter. After all, it is only a courtesy offered by these countries to accept cruise pax without one. The US requires all foreign nationals entering this country to have one....maybe with the exception of our brothers and sisters from Canada.....jean

[Orcrone]

When I checked recently it was about $85 or $90 for a passport. Yes, that's only $8.50 to $9.00 a year. But right now it's another $340 or so for the four of us. We're going on a Caribbean cruise with no islands requiring passports. Perhaps in a few years it will be needed whereever you go. But I guess until I reach a point of absolutely needing one my DL and birth certificate will do.

We used them for our cruise last year and it didn't require any more time or effort.

[iluvcruzin]

I just recently decided to get a passport after many years of cruise traveling. It's been 4 weeks so hopefully only another 2 before it arrives.

Charlie - you don't need a passport in Barbados. Those arriving on cruiseships for a temporary visit don't need one. I know that was a confusing issue a while back (same with Beliez). Check with your TA (or any TA who knows the facts chime in here) to confirm this.

This is a silly reason - but since we are traveling during a time of a risk of terrorism, I don't think it's a bad idea to have a passport for just in case. My friend was stuck in Vancouver for a few days as she was cruising on 9/11. Not that this isn't a lovely city to visit - however, you get my drift.. it's good to have for just-in-case.

[Tatka]

There is nowhere in Europe that you can go to without a passport and I have carried one since I was 17, both UK and now for the last 30 years US.....jean :o
Same in former countries of USSR. We didn't have "travel" passport bu passport itself was absolutely mandatory! Kids were getting it at age of 16, it ahd all info about marriage (and divorces), kids names etc.

Huge "-" of it was that it had mandatory space for nationality. ( so-called paragraph #5)... :mad: