I Only Need A Passport Correct?

First time cruising with our new passports. Is that all we need?

On our first cruise we all used birth certificates & my drivers license & old marriage certificate to show my name change from my birth certificate.

If I am understanding correctly, with the passports, I won't need any of that? We also have the new passport ID cards...can we just use those instead of bringing actual passports? I am a single parent traveling solo with my children. I do also have the notary letter even though I never needed it last time.

Thanks for any feedback.

A passport is all you will need. Just make sure the name on the passport is the same as on your set sail pass.

Enjoy your cruise.

Craig

Having passports eliminates the need for having all of those other items (birth certificates, driver's license, etc.). We have found that keeping our passports together in a passport wallet saves scrambling around trying to find them prior to a cruise or out of country vacation. My DW is in charge of that. We've never used the passport cards, so I don't know what the answer is to that question.

Bring the passports. Passport cards are next to useless on a cruise.

Ok, great! Thanks for all the responses! One more thing I can mark off my preparation list!

Bring the passports. Passport cards are next to useless on a cruise.

True

When we renewed our passports, we passed on getting the passport cards.

Bring the passports. Passport cards are next to useless on a cruise.

It's one of the things they are designed for. The only thing they are useless for is international air travel. Since she already has them she might as well get some use out of them. She could leave the passports with a friend and if they were needed they could be overnighted.

It's one of the things they are designed for. The only thing they are useless for is international air travel. Since she already has them she might as well get some use out of them. She could leave the passports with a friend and if they were needed they could be overnighted.

Since the OP may be flying internationally and/or going on a cruise line that requires all passengers on all itineraries to bring a passport, taking the passport is the right thing to do. However, unless required by a port authority (in which case the ship purser will notify you), one should never take a passport ashore (for all of the obvious reasons). In that case, carrying a driver's license or passport card makes sense in circumstances where the ship issued ID card would not be acceptable proof of identity ashore.

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We are taking a closed loop Caribbean cruise. Maybe that would be a good idea though to take the passport cards with us in port & leave the passports in the safe. I definitely don't want to have to have anything overnighted in an emergency when I can just take them with me. Thanks for the additional tips!

Since the OP may be flying internationally and/or going on a cruise line that requires all passengers on all itineraries to bring a passport, taking the passport is the right thing to do. However, unless required by a port authority (in which case the ship purser will notify you), one should never take a passport ashore (for all of the obvious reasons). In that case, carrying a driver's license or passport card makes sense in circumstances where the ship issued ID card would not be acceptable proof of identity ashore.

 

 

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The last part of my post was an off the cuff suggestion made because she did ask about just bringing the passport cards. It is an option when sailing in the western hemisphere and with a cruise line that doesn't require it.

The last part of my post was an off the cuff suggestion made because she did ask about just bringing the passport cards. It is an option when sailing in the western hemisphere and with a cruise line that doesn't require it.

That was what I had thought & my reason for buying them. Just didn't realize I would still need passports if need to fly back in emergency. In any case...the kids now have photo ID, so still best for them in port! Thanks so much!

First time cruising with our new passports. Is that all we need?

 

On our first cruise we all used birth certificates & my drivers license & old marriage certificate to show my name change from my birth certificate.

 

If I am understanding correctly, with the passports, I won't need any of that? We also have the new passport ID cards...can we just use those instead of bringing actual passports? I am a single parent traveling solo with my children. I do also have the notary letter even though I never needed it last time.

 

Thanks for any feedback.

Bring the passport, not the passport card. The passport will let you fly back to US in case of emergency. The card will not.

Unless you want to take your passports ashore, where they might be stolen, make sure you also have govt issued I.D. to get through security at terminals in some ports to return to the ship.

You should have your DL, too...it's the easiest form of ID when on land. You don't need to take your passport ashore in the Caribbean....so bring your DL....it's the same size as your sea pass and credit card.!

She could leave the passports with a friend and if they were needed they could be overnighted.

:confused::confused::confused:

Wow.

In addition to your passports, you MAY need visas or reciprocity vouchers. It depends on where you are going. If it's the Caribbean, no problem, but if you're going to Brazil or Argentina that's a different story.

You should have your DL, too...it's the easiest form of ID when on land. You don't need to take your passport ashore in the Caribbean....so bring your DL....it's the same size as your sea pass and credit card.!

Actually the passport card works well for this. I use mine each time i fly (or my global entry card) to get through security at the airport. It is a govt issued ID card and I don't worry about losing my DL.

Bring the passport, not the passport card. The passport will let you fly back to US in case of emergency. The card will not.

 

Unless you want to take your passports ashore, where they might be stolen, make sure you also have govt issued I.D. to get through security at terminals in some ports to return to the ship.

ahhhhhh, yeah, wouldn't that be a perfect situation for a passport card??? :confused:

If you have both, bring both. It is not like the card takes up that much space. Use the card at the airport (assuming one is flying to the port) for security, use passport to board ship (then put in safe, along with DL) and take the passport card ashore as a govt ID "just in case". Some folks really over think this.

First time cruising with our new passports. Is that all we need?

 

On our first cruise we all used birth certificates & my drivers license & old marriage certificate to show my name change from my birth certificate.

 

If I am understanding correctly, with the passports, I won't need any of that? We also have the new passport ID cards...can we just use those instead of bringing actual passports? I am a single parent traveling solo with my children. I do also have the notary letter even though I never needed it last time.

 

Thanks for any feedback.

You'll also need a credit card.

:confused::confused::confused:

 

Wow.

On a closed loop cruise it is an option whether you would use the option or not.

On a closed loop cruise it is an option whether you would use the option or not.

If I have a passport, and I am travelling out of the country, my passport will be with me.

Advising someone that is travelling out of the country to leave their passport at home with a friend:eek:, and if they need it, they can overnight it to them is pretty bad advice.

Passports are recognized pretty much anywhere in the world. I guess it depends where you are going but since you have passports you might as well bring them in case.

Some countries require visas as well

If I have a passport, and I am travelling out of the country, my passport will be with me.

 

Advising someone that is travelling out of the country to leave their passport at home with a friend:eek:, and if they need it, they can overnight it to them is pretty bad advice.

I made a suggestion in response to a concern expressed by the OP, I did not offer advice.

I've performed all of my travel without a passport so to me it wouldn't be a big deal to decide to leave the passport at home if I had another document that would suffice, as on a closed loop cruise.

On a closed loop cruise it is an option whether you would use the option or not.

The passport card is even good for an open jaw cruise (such as a repositioning cruise from Boston to New Orleans that calls on a distant foreign port such as Aruba), but not all cruise lines will accept it for that type of itinerary and require a passport book.

Sparks1093...as I recall you've said you have an enhanced drivers license. That is also acceptable (as long as the cruise line accepts it) for an open jaw itinerary similar to the one I mentioned above.

For example, NCL will accept the passport card or an EDL :

http://www.ncl.com/faq#documentation

For open-jaw sailings (cruises that depart from one U.S. port and return to a different U.S. port), you are required to carry:

A valid passport

U.S. passport card

U.S. or Canadian Enhanced Drivers License

Permanent residents of the U.S. are required to carry their valid ARC cards for boarding AND passport from their country of citizenship, if available.

Note: If you miss your ship at its scheduled U.S. departure port and need to travel outside the U.S. to meet your ship, or should you unexpectedly need to depart the ship from a foreign port prior to the end of sailing, a passport would be required to leave or re-enter the U.S. by air. To that end, Norwegian strongly recommends all guests to obtain a passport for their voyage on any Norwegian vessel.

The passport card is even good for an open jaw cruise (such as a repositioning cruise from Boston to New Orleans that calls on a distant foreign port such as Aruba), but not all cruise lines will accept it for that type of itinerary and require a passport book.

 

Sparks1093...as I recall you've said you have an enhanced drivers license. That is also acceptable (as long as the cruise line accepts it) for an open jaw itinerary similar to the one I mentioned above.

 

For example, NCL will accept the passport card or an EDL :

 

http://www.ncl.com/faq#documentation

 

For open-jaw sailings (cruises that depart from one U.S. port and return to a different U.S. port), you are required to carry:

A valid passport

U.S. passport card

U.S. or Canadian Enhanced Drivers License

Permanent residents of the U.S. are required to carry their valid ARC cards for boarding AND passport from their country of citizenship, if available.

Note: If you miss your ship at its scheduled U.S. departure port and need to travel outside the U.S. to meet your ship, or should you unexpectedly need to depart the ship from a foreign port prior to the end of sailing, a passport would be required to leave or re-enter the U.S. by air. To that end, Norwegian strongly recommends all guests to obtain a passport for their voyage on any Norwegian vessel.

Correct on all counts.:)

I made a suggestion in response to a concern expressed by the OP, I did not offer advice.

 

I've performed all of my travel without a passport so to me it wouldn't be a big deal to decide to leave the passport at home if I had another document that would suffice, as on a closed loop cruise.

What "other document" would suffice should you need to fly home from a foreign country?