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Disappointment


bobby02
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Was about to enjoy a 14 day cruise from San Diego thru the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale aboard the Westerdam. My wife and I flew into San Diego from Raleigh, NC on the 7th of December and stayed at the Sheraton. The morning of the 8th we attempted to register for the cruise with the Holland America Rep. We forgot to pick up our passports from the kitchen table. We didn't realize this until attempting to register at the motel. I thought no problem as I'm retired military and have my military ID. Guess what! Holland America refused to allow us to register to board! The military ID was not acceptable. You must have a passport! I went through a lot more security checks etc. when I received my military ID! Why isn't the ID as good as a passport? That was an expensive no cruise. The Hal rep did not attempt to help us out at all. We asked her (rep) what can we do. She just shrugged her shoulders.

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Sounds like neither of you had your passport. Would you have sailed without your wife had they accepted you military ID? Do you have to be a US citizen to get a military ID?

I was going to ask the same thing. Find it strange that you have been a member since 2011 and this is your first post. Sorry for your troubles.

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Was about to enjoy a 14 day cruise from San Diego thru the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale aboard the Westerdam. My wife and I flew into San Diego from Raleigh, NC on the 7th of December and stayed at the Sheraton. The morning of the 8th we attempted to register for the cruise with the Holland America Rep.

We forgot to pick up our passports from the kitchen table.

We didn't realize this until attempting to register at the motel. I thought no problem as I'm retired military and have my military ID. Guess what! Holland America refused to allow us to register to board! The military ID was not acceptable. You must have a passport! I went through a lot more security checks etc. when I received my military ID! Why isn't the ID as good as a passport? That was an expensive no cruise.

The Hal rep did not attempt to help us out at all.

We asked her (rep) what can we do. She just shrugged her shoulders.

Too bad, too sad.

But, a good lesson for others....

have a "things to do" checklist.

Edited by $hip$hape
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Was about to enjoy a 14 day cruise from San Diego thru the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale aboard the Westerdam. My wife and I flew into San Diego from Raleigh, NC on the 7th of December and stayed at the Sheraton. The morning of the 8th we attempted to register for the cruise with the Holland America Rep. We forgot to pick up our passports from the kitchen table. We didn't realize this until attempting to register at the motel. I thought no problem as I'm retired military and have my military ID. Guess what! Holland America refused to allow us to register to board! The military ID was not acceptable. You must have a passport! I went through a lot more security checks etc. when I received my military ID! Why isn't the ID as good as a passport? That was an expensive no cruise. The Hal rep did not attempt to help us out at all. We asked her (rep) what can we do. She just shrugged her shoulders.

 

Welcome to CC. Bummer that you had this experience. But as retired military you know rules and regulations are in place not to be an inconvenience.

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Clearly this is all HALs fault. The OP is the victim here. :rolleyes:

 

Since both passports were left at home, it would have been too bad for his wife if they had accepted his Military ID and let him board. She would have been left behind on the dock waving him a one finger goodbye as he sailed away into the sunset. I am pretty sure that would have been a bad move on his part. :)

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Sounds like neither of you had your passport. Would you have sailed without your wife had they accepted you military ID? Do you have to be a US citizen to get a military ID?

 

No. You need to be a legal immigrant permanently living in the United States to join the U.S Military. And you must have served and retired from the U.S Military to receive a Military ID.

Edited by davekathy
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I suspect it is the US Government that requires a passport, not a military ID in this case, not HAL. HAL doesn't make up passport requirements, the countries they sail to do.

 

A recent case showed a man wanted for 20 years for murder was caught when he applied for a passport. His info was checked in the crime data bases, and voila, a warrant was found.

 

Passport application checks are thorough as well.

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When my son was on active duty, he needed a passport for leisure or personal travel to a foreign country. However, when he was in transit, on travel orders, his military ID and his orders were sufficient IF, and only IF, the US had a host-nation agreement with the foreign country. Most friendly nations have such an agreement. ( Of course, rules for wartime or hostilities are different. )

 

To sum up, three conditions needed to be met to travel to a foreign nation without a passport:

 

1. active duty military ID

2. on travel orders (carried on his person)

3. host nation agreement with US

 

Those were the conditions as of 15 years ago.

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OP, im so sorry this happened. Im sure it is a major disappointment.

 

To respond though to your statement regarding Holland not helping. There really was nothing they could do As mentioned, you were leaving the country and returning to this country. Customs requires a passport. Had you noticed as soon as you arrived in California, you might have been able to have someone over night them to you but short of that, Holland (or any cruise line for that fact) can not disregard what customs and other countries require.

 

I hope you will find a way to enjoy your port city for a while before you fly home.

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Military ID != Passport.

 

Rules for US Citizens for a round trip cruise (which this is not) require either a passport OR (Drivers Licence + Birth Certificate). Maybe the military ID + Birth Certificate combination would have worked, I'm not sure, but only for you. Not your wife.

 

This one is 100% on you, not the cruise line as it is a Customs/Border rule, NOT a cruise line rule. Cruise lines can make and break their own rules, they cannot touch government ones.

 

And since this cruise was going from one US port to another, is a passport required for US Citzens on this? I'm Canadian, so I always need my passport just to get to the port anyway.

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That was an expensive no cruise. The Hal rep did not attempt to help us out at all. We asked her (rep) what can we do. She just shrugged her shoulders.

 

What did you expect her to say? Sincerely asking. I am puzzled as to why you think you and your wife could board the ship for a repositioning cruise without passports.

 

But I am sorry you missed the cruise. Complete bummer. :(

.

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This doesn't happen if you use your passport as ID when boarding the plane. You catch the problem when you still have time to do something about the situation.

I was going to say the same thing! dh and I always use our passports when we fly. I am sorry for what happened to the OP, but each passenger is responsible for having the proper ID when boarding.

 

For the "Experts" could the op have used their "cancel for any reason" insurance? It says "for any reason" maybe they could have gotten some of their money back...

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Was about to enjoy a 14 day cruise from San Diego thru the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale aboard the Westerdam. My wife and I flew into San Diego from Raleigh, NC on the 7th of December and stayed at the Sheraton. The morning of the 8th we attempted to register for the cruise with the Holland America Rep. We forgot to pick up our passports from the kitchen table. We didn't realize this until attempting to register at the motel. I thought no problem as I'm retired military and have my military ID. Guess what! Holland America refused to allow us to register to board! The military ID was not acceptable. You must have a passport! I went through a lot more security checks etc. when I received my military ID! Why isn't the ID as good as a passport? That was an expensive no cruise. The Hal rep did not attempt to help us out at all. We asked her (rep) what can we do. She just shrugged her shoulders.

 

HAL does not make the rules - they just enforce them. They could get into trouble if they did not enforce them. You screwed up. Stop whining.

 

DON

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Military ID != Passport.

 

The ! indicates DOES NOT EQUAL, I assume. If so, then correct.

 

Rules for US Citizens for a round trip cruise (which this is not) require either a passport OR (Drivers Licence + Birth Certificate)... Therefore the sentence following is moot.

 

This one is 100% on you, not the cruise line as it is a Customs/Border rule, NOT a cruise line rule. Cruise lines can make and break their own rules, they cannot touch government ones.

 

Very true. Keep in mind the relevant agency is Immigration (applies to people entering/leaving a country) not Customs (applies to things entering/leaving a country). Although conflating the two is usually, but not always, harmless.

 

And since this cruise was going from one US port to another, is a passport required for US Citzens on this? I'm Canadian, so I always need my passport just to get to the port anyway.

 

Yes and yes. This Panama Canal cruise stops in Columbia (per the roll call), where a passport is always required.

 

 

As a side note, retired military (and their spouses/dependents) are issued NEW ID's indicating their retired military status. This gives them access to post/base exchanges, military medical benefits, etc. So many conclusions erroneously leapt to.

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I was going to say the same thing! dh and I always use our passports when we fly. I am sorry for what happened to the OP, but each passenger is responsible for having the proper ID when boarding.

 

 

 

For the "Experts" could the op have used their "cancel for any reason" insurance? It says "for any reason" maybe they could have gotten some of their money back...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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OP is retired and therefore his Military ID is no longer valid. They are no longer valid when leaving the military.

 

As a side note, retired military (and their spouses/dependents) are issued NEW ID's indicating their retired military status. This gives them access to post/base exchanges, military medical benefits, etc. So many conclusions erroneously leapt to.

 

Military ID no longer valid? My husband and I both have military ID's. He is retired military. We use them as Shorex stated. I would never assume that they would take the place of a passport though.

 

OP, I'm sorry this happened. Passports are at the top of our packing list.

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