Passport Card or Full Passport

New cruiser here - are Passport cards acceptable for cruises, or should be get the full passport books? Sounds to me like the passport card would be ok, but I don't want to assume anything. Thank you!

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Easy enough to look up:

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/card.html

New cruiser here - are Passport cards acceptable for cruises, or should be get the full passport books? Sounds to me like the passport card would be ok, but I don't want to assume anything. Thank you!

 

 

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The only thing the passport card can't be used for is for international air travel so as long as you aren't planning a trip like that and you take care not to miss the ship chances are the card will meet your needs for cruises in the Western Hemisphere. The other advantage of the card is that the State Department already has your info so if you do need to enlist the help of the Consulate it should make it easier.

it's really not that much more to get the full passport book so I would always get that. There is no way to see the future or if you'll be one of those Americans stuck in a port country because of a flat tire, accident, etc at the US embassy begging for a passport to fly home.....

The gold standard is the Passport . You are covered for means of travel . If you miss your ship or have to go home for an emergency you are then fully covered . Easier to be medical evacuated home as well .

This subject has been covered many times on these forums.

Basically you tolerant to having a problem to get home.

Here are some of the basic facts about using your U.S. passport and passport card:

For US citizens, the passport is the sole official travel identification document, recognized, and accepted across the world, regardless of the citizen’s mode of transportation. Every country of the world, permitting US citizens entry to their country, authorizes them to use their passport for identification for entry to, and exit from their country.

On the other hand, the US passport card is only accepted as a U.S. citizen’s official travel identification document by 20 of the world’s nations; Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and 17 island nations of the Caribbean. For travel to every other nation of the world, U.S. citizens must use their passport. Furthermore, the passport card may only be used for international travel, on land and sea. Use of the passport card for international air travel, to and from any nation, including the 20 listed above, is prohibited.

That means there are only two basic uses for the U.S. passport card;

#1- Driving between the U.S. and Canada, or between the US and Mexico, and

#2- Taking a cruise from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and/or many Caribbean island nations and back.

Unfortunately, some citizens traveling only with a passport card on those journeys may be heading for trouble.

Those driving to Canada or Mexico, or on a cruise, only with a passport card, who encounter an emergency, can’t use their passport card to fly back to the US. Emergencies can happen. The traveler, a family member, friend, or traveling companion may become seriously ill and need to return to the U.S. quickly. Travelers sometimes need to return home for an emergency there. Armed with only a passport card, U.S. citizens won’t be permitted to board a plane back to the U.S.

While on a cruise, it’s not unknown for passengers to arrive late for the cruise’s embarkation, missing the ship, and sometimes (It happens more often than most people think.) passengers miss their ship’s sailing from port due to a variety of reasons. This means a cruise passenger would have to fly to the next port of call, or back home to the U.S. As above, if a citizen doesn’t have their passport, they won’t be permitted to board the plane.

Tried using a Passport Card getting on the Breakaway in NYC. NCL would accept it but not without filling out another form. She said that NCL handles it the same as a birth certificate!!

We got passport cards for the kids and they were fine for our Alaska cruise out of Vancouver. We are going to use them again for our Mexican Riviera cruise next year.

New cruiser here - are Passport cards acceptable for cruises, or should be get the full passport books? Sounds to me like the passport card would be ok, but I don't want to assume anything. Thank you!

 

 

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If you want a document that allows you to travel anywhere by land, sea or air, get a passport. If you want a fancy ID card get the "passport card" (it's not a passport and doesn't replace one).

Why bother if you have a birth certificate and valid state issued I.D. Save a ton of money that way.

Go passport. They are good for 10 years (?..still?). In this day and age, it is becoming a necessity. I use it for airline ID and even occasionally for buying beer in my state (I'm 73 and still have to show ID in TN). A passport is the ultimate ID for anything. You can get one in just several weeks now.

New cruiser here - are Passport cards acceptable for cruises, or should be get the full passport books? Sounds to me like the passport card would be ok, but I don't want to assume anything. Thank you!

 

 

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Depends where you are cruising. If you are just applying for a passport, get the book.

Why bother if you have a birth certificate and valid state issued I.D. Save a ton of money that way.

Save a "ton of money" by taking advantage of cruise "flash sales." OOPS! No passport!

Guess you'll be stuck in the Walmart if the Tropics (The Caribbean)

:-(

Why bother if you have a birth certificate and valid state issued I.D. Save a ton of money that way.

Cuz two of my cruises this year would not accept a birth certificate and state ID

Just curious, is a passport book valid until it's expiration date or 6 months before it's expire date?

Just curious, is a passport book valid until it's expiration date or 6 months before it's expire date?

The passport book is valid until its expiration date.

The big "however" is some countries (and/or cruise lines) require a minimum of 6 months validity on the passport AFTER you leave the respective country.

I know passport cards and this discussion are based on US citizens requirements but they have a major drawback, they cannot be used for flying anywhere. :eek:

If you need ID for anything and you are in a foreign country a passport will be universally accepted.

I never travel outside New Zealand without both of mine!! :D

Mike

The 6 months thing, what usually happens now if you are renewing your passport say at 9 years and 9 months, they add an extra 3 months to new passport, 10 years 3 months. This is because they know a lot of countries have a 3/6 months rule. This is in turn because a lot of countries allows tourist to stay in country for 3 months without an additional visa, so even if you go to one of these countries even for 2 days, passport control assumes you will be staying for the whole entitled stay, so your passport has to cover the whole time that you are legally allowed to stay.

Personally I would get the passport, you never know what will happen in the next 10 years, you might want to travel further a field.

I'm not American, for you does Hawaii need a passport as you have to fly to the country or just a drivers license?

Save a "ton of money" by taking advantage of cruise "flash sales." OOPS! No passport!

Guess you'll be stuck in the Walmart if the Tropics (The Caribbean)

:-(

There are far worse places to be stuck;).

The 6 months thing, what usually happens now if you are renewing your passport say at 9 years and 9 months, they add an extra 3 months to new passport, 10 years 3 months. This is because they know a lot of countries have a 3/6 months rule. This is in turn because a lot of countries allows tourist to stay in country for 3 months without an additional visa, so even if you go to one of these countries even for 2 days, passport control assumes you will be staying for the whole entitled stay, so your passport has to cover the whole time that you are legally allowed to stay.

Personally I would get the passport, you never know what will happen in the next 10 years, you might want to travel further a field.

I'm not American, for you does Hawaii need a passport as you have to fly to the country or just a drivers license?

Unfortunately the US is not a country that does that, if we send our passports to be renewed at 6 months our passport comes back with only 10 years validity. It would be nice if they changed this.

 

You must be a young 73:D

Just curious, is a passport book valid until it's expiration date or 6 months before it's expire date?

The passport is good until its expiration date.

You would need to review the specific entry requirements of the country you are visiting to determine if they would honor a passport close to expiration.

For example, your US passport must be valid (i.e., not expired) to visit the Bahamas.

But,,, if you are visiting Spain, your US passport must be valid for 3 months AFTER your depart the country (i.e., about 98 days after your cruise date).

If you are visiting a British controlled areas, your US passport must be valid while you are in the area.

Just curious, is a passport book valid until it's expiration date or 6 months before it's expire date?

Yes. That's why they call it the "expiration date". ;)

You must be a young 73:D

Yea....I wish.... Just a no common sense, Tennessee law.

The 6 months thing, what usually happens now if you are renewing your passport say at 9 years and 9 months, they add an extra 3 months to new passport, 10 years 3 months. This is because they know a lot of countries have a 3/6 months rule. This is in turn because a lot of countries allows tourist to stay in country for 3 months without an additional visa, so even if you go to one of these countries even for 2 days, passport control assumes you will be staying for the whole entitled stay, so your passport has to cover the whole time that you are legally allowed to stay.

Personally I would get the passport, you never know what will happen in the next 10 years, you might want to travel further a field.

I'm not American, for you does Hawaii need a passport as you have to fly to the country or just a drivers license?

US does not give the extended passport, just the 10 years.

For US, flying to Hawaii is no different than flying to any other US state.