Do I need a passport to get off the ship in Bermuda?

Do I need a passport to get off the ship in Bermuda? If I don't what do I need to bring? We are leaving for a cruise to Bermuda on Nov 5th out of Bayonne NJ on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas. Thanks

No, you don't need a passport to get off the ship. You will need a photo ID such as a driver's license, and your cruise card. If there was an emergency at home and you have to fly back. That is when you would need the passport.

SBtS

Do I need a passport to get off the ship in Bermuda? If I don't what do I need to bring? We are leaving for a cruise to Bermuda on Nov 5th out of Bayonne NJ on Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas. Thanks

actually the rule is that if a passport is needed for any port, you can't get on the ship without one. But its a US rule that a passport is needed to get back into the US BY PLANE but on a round trip cruise from the same US port to the Caribbean or Bermuda no passport is required on a cruise.

All you need when getting off in Bermuda is a picture government issued ID for people above 16 and the ship card. Below 16 just needs the ship card. To get on the ship in Bayonne you do need a birth certificate with the picture id(again 16 and older below 16 just needs the birth certificate)...

http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/eng_sa.html

Technically, all you need to get off the ship is your ship's ID card. But if you want to be allowed back on, you'll need photo ID. Security people in Bermuda will want to see your ship ID and your photo ID before they let you board. In Bermuda, we carried our driver licenses as photo ID and that worked OK.

But you need more than a driver license to board the cruise at the start. If you have a passport, use that. I think it's easier than taking a birth certificate, although the birth certificate is legally acceptable.

Smeyer is right. If for some reason you had to fly home, you'd want the passport.

I just returned from cruise aboard Carnival Pride/Bermuda. All that was needed was our sail & sign card and drivers license. We also took the ship phone number for any problems as suggested on the bottom of the onboard newspaper. The ship advised leaving passports in cabin safes. We had no problems. Passports are needed to return to USA

I just returned from cruise aboard Carnival Pride/Bermuda. All that was needed was our sail & sign card and drivers license. We also took the ship phone number for any problems as suggested on the bottom of the onboard newspaper. The ship advised leaving passports in cabin safes. We had no problems. Passports are needed to return to USA

Actually, not for US citizens on a closed loop Western Hemisphere cruise. You can take the cruise with an official government agency-issued birth certificate and photo ID such as your drivers license. You do need a passport to take an international airline flight.

The US regulation is 22 CFR § 53.2 (b)(2) which reads as follows:

Quote:

Exceptions.

(b) A U.S. citizen is not required to bear a valid U.S. passport to enter or depart the United States:

(2) When traveling entirely within the Western Hemisphere on a cruise ship, and when the U.S. citizen boards the cruise ship at a port or place within the United States and returns on the return voyage of the same cruise ship to the same United States port or place from where he or she originally departed. That U.S. citizen may present a government-issued photo identification document in combination with either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before entering the United States; if the U.S. citizen is under the age of 16, he or she may present either an original or a copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the Department, or a Certificate of Naturalization issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;

Is an original birth certificate good enough for a child under the age of 16 for boarding the ship and getting off?

Yes, but a passport is recommended.

Is an original birth certificate good enough for a child under the age of 16 for boarding the ship and getting off?

Yes, for a US citizen on a closed loop cruise.

My husband showed his ship card and passport once going through security in Bermuda and they said don't bring your passport when you get off the ship just take your license.

Just making sure I am totally clear on this because I was wondering the same thing. My children are only 5 and 7 years old. We will be bringing their passports. This is all they need right? I wasn't planning on bringing their birth certificates, but I suppose I could if I need to.

Just making sure I am totally clear on this because I was wondering the same thing. My children are only 5 and 7 years old. We will be bringing their passports. This is all they need right? I wasn't planning on bringing their birth certificates, but I suppose I could if I need to.

Yes, passports are all they need...and there's no need to take their passports (or yours) off the ship. Children under age 16 don't need any photo ID to reboard the ship...just their ship's room key card. You'll need a photo ID in addition to the room card...so take your drivers licenses .

Thank you for the clarification.

Yes, passports are all they need...and there's no need to take their passports (or yours) off the ship. Children under age 16 don't need any photo ID to reboard the ship...just their ship's room key card. You'll need a photo ID in addition to the room card...so take your drivers licenses .

Based on my experience in June 2011, my children DID need their passports to reboard the ship in Bermuda. The first time we left the ship, we left all the passports onboard. My husband and I carried photo id, but the children (4 and 7) did not. When we tried to reboard, we were told for one of us to board, get the children's passports and return with them. From then on, we took them with us.

It may have changed, but this was our experience. We will carry their photo ids with us next month.

Based on my experience in June 2011, my children DID need their passports to reboard the ship in Bermuda. The first time we left the ship, we left all the passports onboard. My husband and I carried photo id, but the children (4 and 7) did not. When we tried to reboard, we were told for one of us to board, get the children's passports and return with them. From then on, we took them with us.

 

It may have changed, but this was our experience. We will carry their photo ids with us next month.

You ran into someone who didn't know their job. Ask yourself this question: What would have happened if your children (or you) didn't have passports? US citizens don't need a passport for a closed loop cruise to Bermuda...a birth certificate and photo ID suffices...and children under age 16 don't even need the photo ID.

I know someone who ran into the same situation in Bermuda when cruising with a grandchild. I believe he had to get a supervisor to correct the agent who was demanding unneeded documentation.

Just making sure I am totally clear on this because I was wondering the same thing. My children are only 5 and 7 years old. We will be bringing their passports. This is all they need right? I wasn't planning on bringing their birth certificates, but I suppose I could if I need to.

see my grandkids above? the older one has been to Bermuda three times and the younger twice. No passport no picture ID. In fact the older one has been on a cruise also taken by NJ Horsemen...They get off the ship and have always been allowed back on. They don't have passports. The older has been on 6 cruises and the younger 5. When getting off the ship in Bermuda all we take for them is their key card. Same thing on other cruises never been a problem...

see my grandkids above? the older one has been to Bermuda three times and the younger twice. No passport no picture ID. In fact the older one has been on a cruise also taken by NJ Horsemen...They get off the ship and have always been allowed back on. They don't have passports. The older has been on 6 cruises and the younger 5. When getting off the ship in Bermuda all we take for them is their key card. Same thing on other cruises never been a problem...

Thank you, I was going to bring their passports just in case, but I will plan on leaving them in the safe when we get off in Bermuda. I'd be too afraid of losing it that way anyway.

Thank you, I was going to bring their passports just in case, but I will plan on leaving them in the safe when we get off in Bermuda. I'd be too afraid of losing it that way anyway.

It's always better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

Yes, I was taking if over with my husband and he feels that we should anyways have them with us. Better safe then sorry.

It's always better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

Yes, I was taking if over with my husband and he feels that we should anyways have them with us. Better safe then sorry.

OH NOOOOOOO, this could be the start of the great debate about taking passports with you or leaving them on the ship.

Yikes! I'm going to ask about it once I'm on board.

Yikes! I'm going to ask about it once I'm on board.

I can guarantee that the ship's officers will recommend leaving your passport in your safe.

Bermuda is about the last place in the world you would need to take it ashore.