For anyone going to BDA with kids

Just thought I'd mention this, but we were *always* asked for photo ID for everyone including the kids when boarding the ship in BDA.

A school ID, a driver's license, a passport - they even accepted a photocopy of the passport. Anything "official" as long as it had a picture. They want to match the face of the person in front of them with the name on the ID and Ship's card.

My 16 yo has her learner's permit with a photo and for the 15 yo, we used a black and white photocopy of her passport.

Younger children don't require a photo ID. Your 15 year old technically didn't need one...only those 16 and older do. I've seen them ask everyone for passports too, even if they weren't required. Sometimes an officer needs a little reminder of the rules from their supervisor.

This was told to us by the announcement before we disembarked. I saw one girl pulled aside with her family at customs as they did not have ID for her. They kept the family there for a while asking question.

The "kids don't need ID" might be for embarkation in NY or the USA in general but I think it's dangerous to believe that it applies universally to all countries.

You want to argue with the customs / immigration officers at the dock and remind him of the rules, go ahead. I prefer to just bring ID or a copy of the passport and walk through the line. :p

Thanks for the information. We took our <16 y.o. granddaughter to Bermuda two times and was only asked for the ship S&S card. :)

This was told to us by the announcement before we disembarked. I saw one girl pulled aside with her family at customs as they did not have ID for her. They kept the family there for a while asking question.

 

The "kids don't need ID" might be for embarkation in NY or the USA in general but I think it's dangerous to believe that it applies universally to all countries.

 

You want to argue with the customs / immigration officers at the dock and remind him of the rules, go ahead. I prefer to just bring ID or a copy of the passport and walk through the line. :p

I don't want to start an argument with you, and I realize you're Canadian so that different rules apply for you to even take the cruise, but US citizens under the age of 16 don't need any photo ID to take this cruise, so those under 16 who cruised legally with only a birth certificate and without an ID could not have been forced by Bermudian authorities to show an ID upon reboarding the ship in Bermuda. Their parents merely have to remind the officer that the child is under 16 and isn't required to have an ID. You can't be compelled to show a document you're not required to have. Most younger children don't even have a photo ID.

I don't want to start an argument with you, and I realize you're Canadian so that different rules apply for you to even take the cruise, but US citizens under the age of 16 don't need any photo ID to take this cruise, so those under 16 who cruised legally with only a birth certificate and without an ID could not have been forced by Bermudian authorities to show an ID upon reboarding the ship in Bermuda. Their parents merely have to remind the officer that the child is under 16 and isn't required to have an ID. You can't be compelled to show a document you're not required to have. Most younger children don't even have a photo ID.

Totally agree !!! Anyone under the age of 16 is not required to have a photo I.D. to travel in the U.S., including cruises or flights. In the U.S., most schools do not issue student I.D.'s until the kids get to high school.

This came into play when we took our grandson on a cruise in January and realized he had turned 16 last year and we had never gotten him a State I.D. (doesn't have a DL yet). We were scrambling to get him a State I.D. 2 days before the cruise :)

I agree with you - if you left home with only a birth certificate and no photo ID, you'd be hard pressed to come up with one standing on the pier on Bermuda. The girl they were questioning was about 13 yo and she looked a little nervous.

The Ship card does not indicate that I'm from Canada vs the US so I don't think that was a factor.

That's why I posted - I figured I'd give a heads up based on what I saw to anyone travelling in the future that you *may* be pulled aside for more questions (and maybe not, depending on the officer on duty) if you don't have photo ID, so bring it if you have it. I'm quite sure they will let you back on the ship, but it just took more time without photo ID.

We were on the Breakaway the week before you and we did NOT need ID for my 15 year old while in Bermuda.

That is so weird. I wonder why they were asking for it on our week ?

<Shrug> The fun of dealing with customs !

When we were there in June, they were requiring us to bring birth certificates for any child that did not have a passport or ID. After the first day of telling my oldest daughter that she would not be allowed to board the ship again unless she had her sons b/c with her, she made sure she brought it each time after that...and they checked each time too.