Purchase Passport or No

I'm very I'm very undecided about purchasing passports . I have no plans on going out of the country only booked a cruise in December for Bahamas I just don't see spending that kind of money for three of us when we could spend that on excursions . what are your thoughts

I'm very I'm very undecided about purchasing passports . I have no plans on going out of the country only booked a cruise in December for Bahamas I just don't see spending that kind of money for three of us when we could spend that on excursions . what are your thoughts

For me, personally, I prefer having a passport.

Passports are valid for ten years and you never know what your travel plans will be two, three or eight years from now. It's relatively cheap official documentation to have even for non-travel plans - we've used them for employment-related purposes. I would recommend it. :)

I'm in favor of having a passport.

Who will you be traveling with?

The answers are as varied as the day is long. Hubs and I have passports, and our toddlers have passport cards. We're aware of the "what-ifs", and this made the most sense for our family.

For us, passports for sure.

I'm very I'm very undecided about purchasing passports . I have no plans on going out of the country only booked a cruise in December for Bahamas I just don't see spending that kind of money for three of us when we could spend that on excursions . what are your thoughts

I'm going to be in the minority, but if laying your hands on your birth certificates and making copies of them isn't a hassle, I would wait as long as possible to spend that $400 or so dollars on passports for the 3 of you.

We just went on a cruise to the Bahamas. Before we left, I learned that 3 of the 5 of us had expired passports. Weighing the cost of renewing them for the cruise (since we also have no plans for international travel in the near future) against just carrying copies of our birth certificates, we opted for the latter. We only needed them to check in at the beginning and when we re-entered the port in Florida at the end of the cruise. It wasn't like we had to carry them around in Nassau or Freeport.

DH has one because he needs it for work. I had one that expired 15 years ago that I haven't renewed. We've been cruising about 10 years and also never got them for our 3 kids. Birth certificates for us!

If I were in your shoes I would probably not get a passport. Since all of your stops are labeled as the Bahamas, it's plausible you may be able to travel between islands without one if needed (i.e., miss the ship). The needing a passport would only come up then if you missed the ship and had to fly out to meet it or had an emergency and had to fly home. In the first scenario you will miss your cruise. In the second scenario you will ultimately make it home but may be delayed. If you can live with those two possibilities and still prefer to save the money - a birth certificate and driver's license are fine to cruise with.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Personally I only travel with a Passport now. Just got mine renewed and it only took 2 weeks which was fantastic. I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t have gotten it back in time as I had 6 weeks from the time I returned from my last cruise and from when I’ll be needing it again. For $35 more I also got the Passport Card to carry off the ship instead of my DL.

Yes, I can cruise without one, but I find it a lot less hassle than when I used to use a BC and DL. Instead of having to mess with papers and cards, it’s faster and more efficient to have the Passport Book. Check in time is chaotic enough in between lines and luggage, escalators and the what not, I find it simpler and easier to only have to juggle one thing per person. Same upon coming back. Show the book, tuck it in the little organizer or bag, and go. There’s no stopping once you get through Customs until you get outside. Trying to carry bags while not ripping or dropping papers and licenses can get tricky.

Then there’s also the fact that it greatly expedites returning to the US should you need to. And chances are if you need to, it’s for something that isn’t good. Do you really need the added stress and wasted time of having to get the appropriate paperwork together to return home? Because if you’re out of the country, you cannot simply drive to the airport and get on a plane without a Passport.

It’s a personal decision, but for me it’s a no brainer. I would rather have Passports than spend money on excursions. I would find less expensive excursions outside of the cruise line with a reputable company, of course and save money that way.

Plus you never know when you may want to take a trip out of the country. We have also used them as ID like when getting the kids’ Driving Permits, applying for a duplicate SS Card (they do NOT accept a BC as proof of ID and luckily I brought the PPs with), etc. You may also need one to fly domestically starting next year if your state doesn’t have Real ID compliant DLs. IMHO they are way worth it.

If you don't have the money then don't stress about it. Just make sure you have STAMPED birth certificates and gov't issued photo ID's.

Hubby and I never cruise without a passport. It's my understanding things can get "iffy" if you need to fly back into the country for emergent purposes. A small price to pay for security; besides, they're good for 10 years.

It's a question often asked and rehashed again and again.

Personally, while I understand both sides, I would not leave the US without a passport and have always insisted that any family member I take with me must have one too.

If not legally, I feel morally responsible for inviting adult children or minor grandchildren to cruise, and having a valid passport is the only condition I put on the invitation to join me.

As you might guess I am also in the group that says take it with you to all foreign ports.

Whatever you decide I hope you have a memorable cruise!

I would vote for a passport, best for family security.

I won't leave the country without one. I think everyone who does leave the country, either by plane, car or ship should have one. No matter where you're going.

Traveling out of your country of citizenship without a passport is a poor choice. I understand on a cruise with most Caribbean and Canadian ports do not require a PP. However, should you need to end your trip early in a foreign port of call you could be in for a rude awakening. If you find yourself in need of getting home in any sort of an emergency. Good Luck... the local governments can detain you. Could be days, until they can prove your citizenship.

A passport remains an essential travel companion. Don't be "penny wise, but pound foolish" it's a smart investment.

I wish you well, and I hope my 2cents did not come off as arrogant.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Sorry if this double posts - my computer & I are having some issues tonight.

What is your risk tolerance? Are any of you accident prone? Do you have any ailing or elderly relatives at home? We cruised for several years without passports. Our parents started having more serious health issues, we got a little more adventurous with our non-Carnival excursions and I got miserably sick on a cruise. Not enough to be quarantined but I did not want to leave the cabin. At that point we had 2 sea days left so passport or not - there wasn't an option to leave early. We have not cruised without passports since. So far the only time I have actually "needed" my passport was when we were traveling and I had misplaced my drivers license.

Maybe not the best analogy but they are kind of like the spare tire in your trunk. In nearly 45 years of driving nearly every day - I have only needed to use my spare tires twice. How far would I be willing to drive without one? For me, it would depend on time of year, how far I was traveling, weather conditions, who was traveling with me, etc....

For the one cruise I wouldn't. I got mine to go to England and now I use it for cruises. If you're going to be frequent cruisers, I'd get them when it's affordable for you.

The only problem you could find is if you miss the ship and need to fly to the first port.....you won't be able too without a passport:o

Passports are considered the "gold standard" for all of the reasons mentioned above. If you were to have a medical emergency in a foreign country, you could not return to the U.S. until you obtained one, and that can be a real hassle. While the seem expensive, they are good for 10 years. If you do elect to not get passport, make sure that your birth certificates are the official CERTIFIED issued certificates and not the hospital issued ones.

I just don't see spending that kind of money for three of us when we could spend that on excursions . what are your thoughts

If you want to be practical, your passport is good for TEN YEARS. Your excursions will only be good for a number of HOURS. When the excursions you could buy are but a memory, your passport will still be very much alive and valuable.

I'll second all the reasons above for getting passports. Yes, a US citizen can sail closed loop cruises without a passport but will always be the case? If the cost of three passports is an issue, you may consider getting one for yourself this year, your partner next year, and the third person the year after that. (Passports for children under 16 are only good for 5 years.) By staggering them you won't be putting out for three at once and they won't all be expiring at once.

Also be aware that if somebody sails under a married name - and the birth certificate has the maiden name - a marriage record or other "bridge" document is needed in addition to the birth certificate. A passport simplifies this document dump.

Just want to point out 3 things...

1) The Real ID act may require you to show a Passport for domestic flights starting as early as January 22nd,2018. This is because so many states have yet to reach the acceptable level of security for their photo ID process, it also applies to any ID from a compliant state with a issue date of before the state was compliant.

2) By not having a Passport you invalidate certain terms of your travel insurance like trip interruption and could limit other portions such as medical treatments options.

3) If a passport is needed in an emergency, when cruising the cost of getting one is tripled over what you would pay by getting one prior to cruising

If you don't have the money then don't stress about it. Just make sure you have STAMPED birth certificates and gov't issued photo ID's.

Carnival only requires a clean photocopy of your passport

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Passports are valid for ten years and you never know what your travel plans will be two, three or eight years from now. It's relatively cheap official documentation to have even for non-travel plans - we've used them for employment-related purposes. I would recommend it. :)

So buy the passport two, three or eight years from now, deciding not to get a passport for this trip doesn't mean that the same decision has to be made for the next one, whenever it is.