Do we need a passport??

This is not our first cruise, have not cruised in a few years. My husband called Carnival last night and asked if a passport was required, the answer was no. Just a certified birth certificate and drivers license, which was what we always used before. She explained that nothing has changed that the reason for a passport was if you got left behind or there was some reason you needed to board an airplane in another country. That being said should we still get a passport? It will cost a minimum of $150 each and seems unnecessary to hubby, me not so confident. Have been on half a dozen cruises and it was not even thought about, now I'm bothered by it. Help!

Thanks, Tina

The Carnival rep is correct on both counts. You do not need a passport for the cruise. A BC and DL will take care of you.

She is also right that you will not be able to take an international flight without a passport. So if you missed the ship in a non-US port, or if there was an emergency forcing you to fly home (death or illness to a parent or child or other relative), you would have to go to a US embassy or consulate and apply for a passport. They will probably not see the same degree of urgency that you do. Hotels, meals, transportation, etc will be at your expense.

BUT, this is the rule only if your cruise is a closed loop cruise, which means if it starts and ends in the same US port, or if it's not an Alaska/New England/Canada cruise.

Even if the cruise is closed looped , you are better of to have a passport.

In Alaska if you have to cross the Canada/US border a passport is now required . Been in affect for about 2 years now, Also depending on your immigration status ( citizen of Mexico resident in the US) you will require to have a visa to enter Canada even if on a closed loop cruise from Seattle or San Francisco.

To fly to/from Canada a passport is required .:cool:

If you don't have a passport, and for some reason, get "stranded" in a Caribbean/Mexican country, you will not be stuck forever. They do NOT want you. They will get you home eventually. It may be a hassle, but you WILL get home without a passport! That's a 100% guarantee.

On a closed-loop cruise, your BC and DL are just fine.

If you don't have a passport, and for some reason, get "stranded" in a Caribbean/Mexican country, you will not be stuck forever. They do NOT want you. They will get you home eventually. It may be a hassle, but you WILL get home without a passport! That's a 100% guarantee.

 

On a closed-loop cruise, your BC and DL are just fine.

No question, you will eventually get back to the US. However, it will probably cost you for hotels, food, transportation, etc.

I have to strongly second the comment made by paul929207: While you may not be "stuck" in another country forever should you miss the ship or need to return home early, that hassle will cost you much, much, more than the $150 passport fee. Do you want to find out how long getting home "eventually" is going to take? Especially if you are already stressed from news of a family emergency?

Get the passport. It's good for 10 years. There will be no worry of which documents are sufficient to board the ship or to return home.

I use a passport but I already had it for a trip to Europe and Jamaica. However, my adult daughter just uses a passport card.

If you don't have a passport, and for some reason, get "stranded" in a Caribbean/Mexican country, you will not be stuck forever. They do NOT want you. They will get you home eventually. It may be a hassle, but you WILL get home without a passport! That's a 100% guarantee.

 

On a closed-loop cruise, your BC and DL are just fine.

If the closed loop stops in Victoria or Prince Rupert BC you will be required to have a passport and visa if required.

If the closed loop stops in Victoria or Prince Rupert BC you will be required to have a passport and visa if required.

What gives you that idea? Canada doesn't require US citizens to have a passport except in situations where the US requires a passport for reentry, which is not the case on a closed loop cruise.

From the Canada Border Services Agency:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/security-securite/admiss-eng.html

Non-Canadians

Requirements to Enter Canada

When you enter Canada, a CBSA officer may ask to see your passport and a valid visa, if one is necessary. If you are a citizen of the United States, you do not need a passport to enter Canada. However, you should carry proof of your citizenship, such as a birth certificate, certificate of citizenship or naturalization, as well as photo identification. If you are a permanent resident of Canada or the U.S, you should bring your Permanent Resident Card with you.

I agree, Canada only requires a passport for US citizens who need one to get back in the US. Passengers on closed loop cruises do not need a passport to re-enter the US, so they do not need one to enter Canada. People flying to Canada need a passport to re-enter the US, so Canada requires one.

If the closed loop stops in Victoria or Prince Rupert BC you will be required to have a passport and visa if required.

Quote from Canadian Border Service webpage

Visitors from any country other than the U.S. have always needed a passport to enter Canada. On the other hand, because of a friendly border crossing agreement between Canada and the United States, Canada Border Services did not require U.S. citizens to present a passport to enter Canada. This friendly border crossing agreement used to be mutual; however, now the WHTI requires that U.S. citizens have a passport to return home. In this way, passport requirements for Canada and U.S. borders are different on paper, but, are in practice, the same. Canada will not allow a U.S. citizen into the country who does not have the proper documentation to return home. "

This an extract from the webpage .

Make sure you have the right kind of birth certificate.

My daughter had to get a new one because her old certified copy was an a short form.

Quote from Canadian Border Service webpage

 

Visitors from any country other than the U.S. have always needed a passport to enter Canada. On the other hand, because of a friendly border crossing agreement between Canada and the United States, Canada Border Services did not require U.S. citizens to present a passport to enter Canada. This friendly border crossing agreement used to be mutual; however, now the WHTI requires that U.S. citizens have a passport to return home. In this way, passport requirements for Canada and U.S. borders are different on paper, but, are in practice, the same. Canada will not allow a U.S. citizen into the country who does not have the proper documentation to return home. "

 

This an extract from the webpage .

Please provide a link to that page, because it is incomplete. I gave you the correct information and link above. Your page is incorrect in interpreting the WHTI requirements because it ignores the closed loop cruise exception to the passport requirement. It is correct for land and air entries, but not for cruises.

However, the last sentence actually provides a hint of the correct information: " Canada will not allow a U.S. citizen into the country who does not have the proper documentation to return home." A US citizen on a closed loop cruise is only required to have a birth certificate and drivers license to reenter the US, hence Canada allows you to enter on a closed loop cruise with that documentation.

You may not be aware of the US requirement for all foreign-flagged cruise ships (which means all ships of the major cruise lines sailing to Alaska) to stop at a foreign port. So, every cruise that visits Alaska and originates and ends in the US stops at a port in Canada...and every one of these cruises if they are closed loop, per US and Canadian law allows US citizens to cruise with a birth certificate and photo ID.

Wow, learned something new. I always assumed you needed a passport to cruise.

If you had to be medically evaluated to a hospital in canada . On release you need a passport to return to the USA because of the WHTI regulations .Almost 3 days on closed loop cruise Alaska is in Canadian jurisdiction and Canadian Search & Rescue coverage.

For cost of $15 per year that is cheap insurance. Canadians pay almost 25 per year for a passport.

We had to do a medical evacuation from Costa Rica. I can't imagine adding the stress of not having a passport to the stress of the medical issues. Accidents and illness can happen to anyone, at any time, and any where. Do yourself a favor, get the passports and don't forget the travel insurance. Then pray that you don't need either of them.

Cherry

This is not our first cruise, have not cruised in a few years. My husband called Carnival last night and asked if a passport was required, the answer was no. Just a certified birth certificate and drivers license, which was what we always used before. She explained that nothing has changed that the reason for a passport was if you got left behind or there was some reason you needed to board an airplane in another country. That being said should we still get a passport? It will cost a minimum of $150 each and seems unnecessary to hubby, me not so confident. Have been on half a dozen cruises and it was not even thought about, now I'm bothered by it. Help!

Thanks, Tina

Your wrote it yourself -- get that passport!!

We have been on many cruises when passengers got sick and had to leave the ship. You need passports to get back home in these emergencies.

After reading all the replies, we are getting passports. It is just one less thing to worry about. Going to have photo done today, papers already filled out. Now how long does it take, the answer is 4-6 weeks. Seems like a long time, is that just the "official" answer? We are about 8 weeks til our cruise, should we pay to have it expedited?

Thanks to all who responded:)

After reading all the replies, we are getting passports. It is just one less thing to worry about. Going to have photo done today, papers already filled out. Now how long does it take, the answer is 4-6 weeks. Seems like a long time, is that just the "official" answer? We are about 8 weeks til our cruise, should we pay to have it expedited?

Thanks to all who responded:)

Get the passports. If there is an emergency and you get off ship and have to fly home, its easier. I would not pay for expedited. If you put on the passport when you need it by its usually not a problem.

After reading all the replies, we are getting passports. It is just one less thing to worry about. Going to have photo done today, papers already filled out. Now how long does it take, the answer is 4-6 weeks. Seems like a long time, is that just the "official" answer? We are about 8 weeks til our cruise, should we pay to have it expedited?

Thanks to all who responded:)

Even if the cruise is closed looped , you are better of to have a passport.

In Alaska if you have to cross the Canada/US border a passport is now required . Been in affect for about 2 years now, Also depending on your immigration status ( citizen of Mexico resident in the US) you will require to have a visa to enter Canada even if on a closed loop cruise from Seattle or San Francisco.

To fly to/from Canada a passport is required .:cool:

According to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website, non-U.S. citizens who are U.S. green card holders do not need a visa to enter Canada.

From the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website:

Visitor Visa Exemptions

Many people do not require a visa to visit Canada. These include:

~snip~

persons lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence who are in possession of their alien registration card (Green card) or can provide other evidence of permanent residence;

My link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp

Quote from Canadian Border Service webpage

 

Visitors from any country other than the U.S. have always needed a passport to enter Canada. On the other hand, because of a friendly border crossing agreement between Canada and the United States, Canada Border Services did not require U.S. citizens to present a passport to enter Canada. This friendly border crossing agreement used to be mutual; however, now the WHTI requires that U.S. citizens have a passport to return home. In this way, passport requirements for Canada and U.S. borders are different on paper, but, are in practice, the same. Canada will not allow a U.S. citizen into the country who does not have the proper documentation to return home. "

 

This an extract from the webpage .

First, thank you for posting a correct extract from the webpage. Some posters seem to enjoy posting convoluted rules and regulations that may or may not be correct (because there are additional paragraphs that have been omitted). We live 22 miles from the U.S./Canadian border (Washington/British Columbia). There is no regulation to have a passport to enter Canada. However, unless you have one you cannot get back into the United States. Of course, there has to be some exception(s). I do not claim to know if this is the same with all border states, but, in the State of Washington you can enter Canada and return with a special Drivers' License that is issued in Washington. As with closed loop cruises in the Caribbean, this is not valid for flights back into the U.S. (less of a problem up here because you can easily drive or take public transportation across the border with your enhanced drivers' license.

Another issue that is not addressed is the fact that Canada can (and usually does) prevent you from entering their country if you have had a DUI -- EVER. Sometimes they will permit you into their country if you pay a $200 fee for a temporary entry.

Other posters are free to argue with me. I live here and see this process all the time. We are also Nexus and Global Entry pass holders. We use special lines at the border to enter Canada and return to the U.S. When we arrive at Vancouver International Airport from overseas we bypass long lines by using the iris scan to identify us.

Passports are worth the cost -- even if you only plan to take one cruise. As mentioned above, if you try to get home for an emergency, you will pay much more than the cost of the passport. Besides, once you have your passport, you don't have to go through all of this again for 10 years!:)

In BC you get an Enhanced Divers Licence that allows you to cross the Canada/US border without a passport. The only problem is costs twice what a Canadian Passport costs ,and is only good for 3 years and not 5 yrs like a passport.