Travel without passports?

We have not gone anywhere since we had the 2 year old. So one of my older kids passports expired this month and the other next month and the younger one doesnt have one. I saw that since I leave from FL and return to FL (cruising to Nassau and cocoa cay on RC) we do not NEED them. I tried to get them anyhow but no one could get them in time. Is it really no biggie for the kids to have their birth certificates instead of passports?

If you are on a closed-loop cruise, you currently are not required to carry a passport. You only need the official birth certificate. The only problem with this would be if you were stuck at a non US port and needed to fly back to the US. You'd have to wait for a passport to be issued.

Actually, I think it depends on where the cruise goes. I had to jump through hoops to get my 9 mo old a passport even though we are on a closed loop cruise, because we are making stops in S America. Research it a little more.

In our case, we found we could apply at a courthouse (instead of the PO which had month+ waits) and get it expedited. It still hasn't come yet, but probably in the next week.

Good luck.

Actually, I think it depends on where the cruise goes. I had to jump through hoops to get my 9 mo old a passport even though we are on a closed loop cruise, because we are making stops in S America. Research it a little more.

 

OP states her cruise leaves and returns to the same US port and is stopping at Nassau and Coco Cay. No further research or passport needed.

thanks guys

My whole family just recently applied for new passports or passport renewals. Got our passports in under 3 weeks and we did not pay the expedite fee.

You should be fine to travel without a passport since it is a closed loop trip. However, if you or a member of your family becomes ill or have a family emergency you would not be able to fly home without passports.

We recently applied for our daughters passport, and got it in 2 weeks with no extra fees. As another poster said we were able to apply at the county court house with no appointment, whereas the post office would not see us for 45 days.

We did not have enough time even for expediated. I wish I had learned about the courthouse earlier as I never had heard of that option. All our local P.O.'s require an appointment and one of them was booking a month out. The others were 2 weeks out. We booked too last minute. At this point we are leaving Monday :eek:

We did not have enough time even for expediated. I wish I had learned about the courthouse earlier as I never had heard of that option. All our local P.O.'s require an appointment and one of them was booking a month out. The others were 2 weeks out. We booked too last minute. At this point we are leaving Monday :eek:

Two years ago the PO on North Dale Mabry and Ehrlich was walk-in Mon-Fri and appointment only on Saturday. (Your location says Tampa). But it has been a few years since we got our passports, but that is where we get ours from. I just checked the website and looks like it is appointment only now. I just checked a few other webiste and and Bessie Coleman Post Office does not require an appointment.

LOL. You could have also drove 4 hours to the passport office in Miami and got it same day. I know several people who did that.

I just did a quick google search for passport office in Tampa and it provides 4 locations, one is the court house. Website says if you need a passport in less than 14 days to make an appointment for the Miami office.

http://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/tampa-passport.html

Yes, you're fine without them. My kids don't have one either.