Mandatory Passports

I've always traveled/cruised with my passport. However, in previous cruises, some people in our group did not have their passports. Instead, they brought a certified copy of their birth certificate along with their drivers license. We never encountered problems. Now with the new laws requiring passports to Canada/Mexico, I'm wondering if the BC + photo I.D.s are still valid or are passports mandatory? :confused:

RCI website still states old information. Anyone have any updated info regarding this topic??

Thanks in advance.

Maria

Passports are mandatory for any travelling outside of the US.

you don't need a passport.

the western hemisphere travel initiative states if you are leaving and returning to the same port in the Western hemisphere....you can use a BC and driver license (or government issued id).

I confirmed twice via phone with RCL and when i cruised in Dec some friends one couple did not have passports.

unless something changed very recently then you are ok...

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

you don't need a passport.

 

the western hemisphere travel initiative states if you are leaving and returning to the same port in the Western hemisphere....you can use a BC and driver license (or government issued id).

 

I confirmed twice via phone with RCL and when i cruised in Dec some friends one couple did not have passports.

 

unless something changed very recently then you are ok...

 

 

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

Specifically this refers to US citizens only and only cruises leaving and returning to the same US port.

Passports are mandatory for any travelling outside of the US.

Not for a closed loop cruise (one that leaves out of US port and returns to US port). At least not for US citizens it isn't.

Having said that I don't get why you wouldn't get a passport, yes it costs a lot to get originally but it is good for 10 years. In the future they will be needed so get it now and get it over with. Besides if anything happens to you while at a port and you need to fly back home unexpectedly you will need it.

... Now with the new laws requiring passports to Canada/Mexico, I'm wondering if the BC + photo I.D.s are still valid or are passports mandatory? Passports or passport cards are now mandatory for land border crossings, but there was an exception for cruises put into the law. So passports are not mandatory for most cruises, and many people still travel on BC/ID.

 

RCI website still states old information. Anyone have any updated info regarding this topic??MariaThe RCI website is correct and up to date

Thank you everyone for your responses! I will forward the information to our group. :D

Maria

Thank you everyone for your responses! I will forward the information to our group. :D

 

Maria

While you may not need a passport for a closed loop cruise, if you decide to go on an excursion to the BVI, you WILL need one :D When we went to Tortula in the BVI for the Dolphin Swim, they were required.

There were people on our sailing who did not have their passport, they forgot it. They would not let them board even with id!

There were people on our sailing who did not have their passport, they forgot it. They would not let them board even with id!

It is always better to be safe than sorry :rolleyes:. I would be quite upset were I denied passage after spending that much money and waiting so long to sail the Oasis :eek:

There were people on our sailing who did not have their passport, they forgot it. They would not let them board even with id!

you need more than just ID...a birth certificate and ID is the requirement..and since they forgot their passport i don't think they would have their birth certificate laying around..but i've been wrong before....

either way better safe than sorry....i don't have a passport for my son who is 2...but i have his BC so i hope we are good....we sail next week.:D

I would encourage those in your party w/o passports to go ahead and get one. It simplies the problem and removes any potential that they would be unprepared should the law change. Psssst.... do it soon as passports fee will be increasing July 13th.

My DS is 10 and he doesn't have a passport, we just needed his BC for our June 5th. sailing. Plus me & DH didn't take our passports off the ship and we just had to show our seapass card and ID getting back on the ship.

My DS is 10 and he doesn't have a passport, we just needed his BC for our June 5th. sailing. Plus me & DH didn't take our passports off the ship and we just had to show our seapass card and ID getting back on the ship.

Next time make sure to check the compass before getting off the ship as some ports do require a photo id (for anyone 16 and over) along with the seapass. I have seen this in Nassau and Key West, but have heard of it in other ports. A drivers license will do for that.

But as i have said before what happens if you have a family emergency and need to fly back home? A birth certificate isn't gonna let you do that. You need the passport in that case. If you are willing to take that chance, and yes most likely you will not need it but you may, you don't have to have a passport.

Me & DH did have photo ID's to get back on the ship, just not our passport.

I remember reading something awhile back about some countires not excepting a passport that is scheduled to expire in less than 6 months. My DD's will expire exactly 6 months after we cruise. Do we need to be concerned?

I remember reading something awhile back about some countires not excepting a passport that is scheduled to expire in less than 6 months. My DD's will expire exactly 6 months after we cruise. Do we need to be concerned?

Where are you going? For most cruise destinations it will not be an issue.

I remember reading something awhile back about some countires not excepting a passport that is scheduled to expire in less than 6 months. My DD's will expire exactly 6 months after we cruise. Do we need to be concerned?

If this is the Emerald Princess in your signature, then you're okay. As long as you're a US citizen.

Yes, we are doing the Eastern Caribbean. Thanks for your quick respones. Did the LOS last summer and trying the Emerald this summer.

you need more than just ID...a birth certificate and ID is the requirement..and since they forgot their passport i don't think they would have their birth certificate laying around..but i've been wrong before....

 

either way better safe than sorry....i don't have a passport for my son who is 2...but i have his BC so i hope we are good....we sail next week.:D

Jerzgirl, can you report back after your cruise and just confirm that all you needed was a passport for your son. My daughter has two kids who will be 15 and 6 when they cruise and they don't have passports. Their father has been MIA (and a deadbeat dad) for a least a year so we haven't been able to get his notarized signature on the form that would allow just my daughter to get them passports. If they don't need them, that would be a big help.