Any Caribbean cruisers get by without a passport?

[Orcrone]

In another thread there was a link to a HAL website that said that cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and New England did not require passports, but all other cruises do. Just wanted to see if anyone returning from a Caribbean cruise was able to get by with a DL and picture ID.

Thanks,
Marc

[doone]

I am sure right now its not a problem, BUT as the AAA agent told my friends, come the first of the year, the rumor is they will be required.

[Orcrone]

I am sure right now its not a problem, BUT as the AAA agent told my friends, come the first of the year, the rumor is they will be required.So, if true, that means I'll be fine for October, but I may as well beat the rush for my March cruise.

[doone]

I'd double check with my TA to be sure.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Orcrone - why not send for your passport now? You have plenty of time to get it in time for your October cruise?

They are well worth the money.

:)

[Orcrone]

:)

Orcrone - why not send for your passport now? You have plenty of time to get it in time for your October cruise?

They are well worth the money.

:)Will probably go ahead and do that. Just hated to spend $340 or $360 for the four of us if not necessary. Also don't like that I get a response from HAL that differs from what their website says.:mad:

I guess I should just bite the bullet and get them. There is always the possibility of disembarkation at a foreign port caused by medical emergency, either on the cruise or by someone at home.:( Time to take some pictures.

As someone else says at the end of their posts, "It's just money".:)

[MandyGirl]

It might just depend on the laws of the ports you are visiting. Some require passports, and some also require that passports are valid for 6 months or longer after your visit.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/americans1.html (http://travel.state.gov/visa/americans1.html)

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

That's very true about about emergency medical evacuations - you never know what port you may have to depart from, whether the emergency is with someone in your group on the ship or someone at home and you have to return home as soon as possible. HAL will help take care of as many arrangements as possbile, but those passports can speed up getting around in a port and foreign airports.

:)

[iluvcruzin]

Marc

If you decide to apply for one, I found AAA to have the best price on photos ($7.50). However if you have a pretty decent digital camera you could do it yourself if you follow the requirements for size and a plain background (instructions on the website). I found it easier just to purchase them.

[doone]

Remember, if you are a AAA member, you get your photo's for free.

[iluvcruzin]

Remember, if you are a AAA member, you get your photo's for free.I am a AAA member and it wasn't free. The $7.50 was the member price. Maybe each club has different benefits. It's best to contact your local AAA office for verification.

[doone]

I got mine free. I am, what do they call it, Gold Member, perhaps that's the difference.

I don't think you can take your own passport photo's, digit camera or not because they need to be 2 simultaneous photo's, not just two photos.

[Leslieswiger]

Money or no money, get those passports. Everywhere we have been in the past year required them. Make copies also and leave with a home relative, inside suitcase and put a copy inside your shirt when on land. Its I.D. Has more value than the DL or anything else you carry. Times have changed:eek: Staying at a hotel or on ship, put passport in safe and carry a copy on you. This is the way WE now do things and you get use to it.:rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

I'd double check with my TA to be sure.

Actually, I would double check with HAL.....not any TA. With all due respect to TA's, they do not all, always, give correct info.
If I did not already have one, I would be getting a passport. There is plenty of time. I would be getting a passport.

Time to stop fooling around about it. If one wants to leave the U.S. fifty, a passport is the universally accepted document of identification.

[Orcrone]

Marc

If you decide to apply for one, I found AAA to have the best price on photos ($7.50). However if you have a pretty decent digital camera you could do it yourself if you follow the requirements for size and a plain background (instructions on the website). I found it easier just to purchase them.I work on a navy base, so I can go down the hall and have them do the passport photos for free for myself.

I'm surprised about what you say about $7.50 for passport photos. I'll have to check with my club, because like Doone, I thought they were free for members. We'll hurry up with passports for DW and I. The kids are not as big a rush as they don't need them until late March.

[CruisinNana]

I have begun using my passport for ID on domestic flights. I find it is much, much easier to show at the different security checkpoints and easier than a driver's license to put away. When I used my driver's license, I had to dig it out of my wallet and then try to put it back while continuing to walk to the next area of the airport which was quite awkward.

I know you have to be very careful to keep your passport in a safe place when you arrive at your destination, but I find this is much easier than fighting with that small plastic driver's license.
Dee

[Orcrone]

I just called AAA. My local club charges $5.00 to regular members and they're free for plus members.

[iluvcruzin]

$5.00 is a good deal! I called and ours is free for the plus/gold members. I'm just a regular member. Although the AAA people at the one next door to my work may have a difference of opinion. They know me by name when I come in for triptiks and tourbooks. :D

[HeatherInFlorida]

Orcrone, I called HAL about this specifically about a month ago regarding our Eastern Caribbean cruise. One of the people travelling does not have (and does not feel like getting:eek: ) a passport. The rep told me we DO NOT need a passport as long as we have proof of citizenship (i.e. birth certificate with raised seal) along with a driver's license.

[Ziggy7]

So, if true, that means I'll be fine for October, but I may as well beat the rush for my March cruise.
We are doing a back to back for western caribbean & eastern caribbean and was told and says in my docs all I need is drivers lic & bith cert., so at least for now we dont need them but we have them and are taking them :)

[ron46936]

It's also a good idea to get a passport pouch that goes around your neck. Pickpockets abound in many parts of the world.

[Orcrone]

Orcrone, I called HAL about this specifically about a month ago regarding our Eastern Caribbean cruise. One of the people travelling does not have (and does not feel like getting:eek: ) a passport. The rep told me we DO NOT need a passport as long as we have proof of citizenship (i.e. birth certificate with raised seal) along with a driver's license.Thanks Heather,

I may give HAL a call and refer them to their webpage that says otherwise. See if they can give me some explanation.

[LittleBit0522]

I called HAL yesterday about the passport rumor. My husband and I are going on the Eastern Carribean on August 28. HAL said a passport is not required, but she recommended when we get back to pruchase a passport for hubby. I already have one. :) I wish this thing had spell check.

[lknick]

I wish this thing had spell check.Try composing on a word program with spell check and then copy the post over to Cruise Critics.

However, spell checkers are not infallible. It won't know whether you mean dinner or diner, steward or stewart.

[Giorgi-one]

Definitely get a passport. There was a long post on this board about a year ago where someone missed their initial flight and had to travel to Belize to catch the ship. They were intially refused entrance to the country because they had no passports. Took quite a while and much dollars in calls to Carnival to straighten it out. Admittedely a rare occurence, but you never know.

[Roboat]

Last November I cruised Zuiderdam estern Caribbean with no passport without a problem. This year I'm getting one as a "just in case" and also because I may some across a last minute deal to Europe and I'd need a passpot.

If you have the stuff you can take your own photos using a digital amera, scale them, print them out and cut to size. Here's a link to the regs.

You MUST REPLACE cXm with com TO GET THE LINK TO WORK!!!
(Will someone tell me how to get around this? CC board doesn't like "dot com")

http://www.itseasypassport.cXm/services/passports/extras/

[catlib55]

Here is a website where you can look up any country in the world, and they will tell you whether or not you need a passport to visit them. We used this site for our daughter when she needed a passport to go to Costa Rica. Hers had expired, so we needed a new one fast.

http://www.travisa.com/

If the link doesn't work, just copy and paste it into your web browser.
Mary Ellen

[Little Feet]

We cannot go to Canada now from Detroit without a passport, I'm told. It seems that Detroit is deemed some sort of "risk" area. I would not want to travel internationally without one! We take ours on every cruise or vacation just in case.

[bombero]

If you like to cruise a lot, a passport is the safest way to go.. They are not all that expensive and they are good for 10 years.. In coming years you will need them more and more as every country/island is getting more fussy about who is coming ashore and why.. Always make a couple photo copies of it, one to keep with you in case yours becomes lost or stolen, and leave one at home. If you lose it in some countries, they will not let leave until they're satisfied who you are and what your doing there. It takes about 10-12 days to get a dupicate made, but your embassy (if there is one) can give you an exit pass, which in most cases will satisfy the immigration officials in that country, provided you can give your embassy a copy so they can check you out, and clear you in their computers.. Your Sail & Sign card is only good while your ship is in port...