Another passport ????

[Smellytoes]

Does anyone have any actual experience sailing the Boston to Bermuda cruise without a passport since the new passport rules went into effect?? I know a passport is better, I have mine but my sister is looking at this cruise. She's never cruised before and she has two sets of twins (in 17 months, hehe) getting passports for all of them would be cost prohibitive.

[sparks1093]

I've sailed to the Bahamas since the new rules went into effect and the 7 of us (talk about cost prohibitive) used birth certificates and gov't issued ID for those 16 and older. Should be the same for Bermuda.

[Barb Nahoumi]

She might want to consider the passport card which is cheaper, but is only usable for surface transportation-----no international flights. The cruise from Boston to Bermuda might qualify.

 

Children's passports cost 60.00 each + 25.00 processing fees. In addition passport photos must be taken.

 

Most post offices process passports now. Your sister can get all of the details there.

 

Barb

[Smellytoes]

I've sailed to the Bahamas since the new rules went into effect and the 7 of us (talk about cost prohibitive) used birth certificates and gov't issued ID for those 16 and older. Should be the same for Bermuda.

 

There is 7 of them.lol The kids don't have photo ids, they're 2 and 3 years old and she has an older child too.

[sparks1093]

She might want to consider the passport card which is cheaper, but is only usable for surface transportation-----no international flights. The cruise from Boston to Bermuda might qualify.

 

Children's passports cost 60.00 each + 25.00 processing fees. In addition passport photos must be taken.

 

Most post offices process passports now. Your sister can get all of the details there.

 

Barb

 

The passport card is designed for people who frequently drive into Canada or Mexico. It would work in this instance as it does establish citizenship, but Boston to Bermuda falls clearly under the closed loop exception so it is unnecessary to purchase the passport or passport card.

[zqvol]

Does Bermuda qualify under the closed loop exception?

[sparks1093]

There is 7 of them.lol The kids don't have photo ids, they're 2 and 3 years old and she has an older child too.

 

Photo ID's are only needed for those 16 and older. I didn't even want to travel to the grocery store with mine when they were 2 and 3;).

[smeyer418]

Does anyone have any actual experience sailing the Boston to Bermuda cruise without a passport since the new passport rules went into effect?? I know a passport is better, I have mine but my sister is looking at this cruise. She's never cruised before and she has two sets of twins (in 17 months, hehe) getting passports for all of them would be cost prohibitive.

children under 16 years old are exempt from the passport requirements even at the border with the US and Canada. I just took(in October) our 2 1/2 year old grandson to Bermuda on NCL without a passport and no problem at all. No passport card no picture ID just his birth certificate.

 

people will tell you otherwise but them is the rules and reality of what actually happens and I do believe in passports AND the facts.

 

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

 

this is the official site. Please read what it says. Call the cruise line. The two kids need nothing but their birth certs.

 

For this closed loop cruise an adult needs a birth certificate and a government issued photo id.

[smeyer418]

Does Bermuda qualify under the closed loop exception?

yes see immediately above. Its the cruise that qualifies since it returns to the same US port.

[Smellytoes]

this is the official site. Please read what it says. Call the cruise line. The two kids need nothing but their birth certs.

 

That's 5 kids:eek: Two 2 yo's, two 3 yo's and an older singleton.:D (and if she books I'm not going anywhere near that ship.lol)

 

But thanks, that is exactly what I'm looking for.

[smeyer418]

this is the official site. Please read what it says. Call the cruise line. The two kids need nothing but their birth certs.

 

That's 5 kids:eek: Two 2 yo's, two 3 yo's and an older singleton.:D (and if she books I'm not going anywhere near that ship.lol)

 

But thanks, that is exactly what I'm looking for.

LOL 2, 5 who can count(can she?)...

[Smellytoes]

LOL 2, 5 who can count(can she?)...

 

Not anymore, she says the last three years have been a blur:D

[F5Loar]

The closed loop exclusion is still in effect but pending another underwear bomber or other such national disater on our soil could stop that instantly. I would keep checking with the cruise line until time to go as they are the ones that say yes or no when boarding.

[sparks1093]

The closed loop exclusion is still in effect but pending another underwear bomber or other such national disater on our soil could stop that instantly. I would keep checking with the cruise line until time to go as they are the ones that say yes or no when boarding.

 

The closed loop exclusion is a part of the final regulations published by DHS and duly codified in the Code of Federal Reglations. The process for changing the CFR is an involved one and will not happen over night.

[sparks1093]

this is the official site. Please read what it says. Call the cruise line. The two kids need nothing but their birth certs.

 

That's 5 kids:eek: Two 2 yo's, two 3 yo's and an older singleton.:D (and if she books I'm not going anywhere near that ship.lol)

 

But thanks, that is exactly what I'm looking for.

 

I just wanted to point out that if the older singleton has a different surname it could pose a problem with the cruise line as they would need to see something showing that your sister 1) has full legal custody or 2) has the permission of the non-custodial parent to take the child out of the country.

[Smellytoes]

I just wanted to point out that if the older singleton has a different surname it could pose a problem with the cruise line as they would need to see something showing that your sister 1) has full legal custody or 2) has the permission of the non-custodial parent to take the child out of the country.

 

Same parents, same name.

[Smellytoes]

children under 16 years old are exempt from the passport requirements even at the border with the US and Canada. I just took(in October) our 2 1/2 year old grandson to Bermuda on NCL without a passport and no problem at all. No passport card no picture ID just his birth certificate.

 

people will tell you otherwise but them is the rules and reality of what actually happens and I do believe in passports AND the facts.

 

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

 

this is the official site. Please read what it says. Call the cruise line. The two kids need nothing but their birth certs.

 

For this closed loop cruise an adult needs a birth certificate and a government issued photo id.

 

Did anyone question you in Bermuda when you were returning to the ship with your grandson?? I had a problem with DD last year in the terminal building coming back to the ship. The security person working there said DD needed a photo id to get back on the ship. I had left her passport in the safe thinking her room key would be enough.

[smeyer418]

Did anyone question you in Bermuda when you were returning to the ship with your grandson?? I had a problem with DD last year in the terminal building coming back to the ship. The security person working there said DD needed a photo id to get back on the ship. I had left her passport in the safe thinking her room key would be enough.

 

not at all. they got to know him. Never asked for an id only his key card. he normally was on my shoulders.

 

There is always some body who doesn't know the rules...

 

 

and the rules aren't about to change and if they do, they will give sufficient notice. It took them more than 5 years to make this set of changes. DHS has determined that roundtrip cruise travel is not one that is expected to be a terrorist problem. One way crew is a different story.

[drbabe]

Hi, Smellytoes! Mom of the pirate here. (Gem 2008?) I never thought of what a great deal NCL cruises are for parents of many little children. Imagine, hours and hours of babysitting for five little kids, all included in the price of the cheapest cabin. If you took an inside room, it would be cheaper than two nannies! If I were in your sister's shoes, I'd sell the house and move onto the cheapest cruise ship for the next two years!

 

Thanks for posting this. We thought we'd have to renew DD's passport for the April vacation week Dawn NYC-Bermuda run (want to come along? They just dropped the price). Now I see we can wait.

[zqvol]

The closed loop exclusion is still in effect but pending another underwear bomber or other such national disater on our soil could stop that instantly. I would keep checking with the cruise line until time to go as they are the ones that say yes or no when boarding.

 

Where do people come up with these ideas. The rules have been published. they cannot be changed overnight and IF people would READ the history behind the rule there is no reason at all to think that the rules concerning closed loop cruises will ever change. the risk of someone getting into the country, who is not supposed to be here, on a closed loop cruise is somewhere close to zero. Every passenger on the ship left from the US and had to be legally here to get on the ship. The risk to the US is minimal. That is one reason why it is so easy to clear customs when returning. Try clearing customs when you fly in. It takes much longer and everyone has a passport.

[F5Loar]

Just as Congress can retro-active Federal taxes in mid year for a previous year does not mean they could not do same for closed loop.

I don't need to get into how a terrorist could get onto a cruise ship and do some serious damage but there are many ways it could happen. Remember the USS Cole. I must say I noticed plenty of outer security around the ship when coming into all ports last week on Eastern Carib. Even Samana had a sercurity man out there around the ship in a row boat. It didn't take long for everyone flying to have to start taking their shoes off. I guess taking your underwear off is next. Congress can act fast if they want to. Just because over the past XX years they have been rather slow about things does not mean they can't wake up for quick change in rules and regulations about HLS.

[njhorseman]

Just as Congress can retro-active Federal taxes in mid year for a previous year does not mean they could not do same for closed loop.

I don't need to get into how a terrorist could get onto a cruise ship and do some serious damage but there are many ways it could happen. Remember the USS Cole. I must say I noticed plenty of outer security around the ship when coming into all ports last week on Eastern Carib. Even Samana had a sercurity man out there around the ship in a row boat. It didn't take long for everyone flying to have to start taking their shoes off. I guess taking your underwear off is next. Congress can act fast if they want to. Just because over the past XX years they have been rather slow about things does not mean they can't wake up for quick change in rules and regulations about HLS.

 

It wouldn't even take an act of Congress. The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security can sign an order that immediately changes the rules. She actually did that just recently. The REAL ID program, which sets standards for the states' issuance of drivers licenses was supposed to take effect at the end of 2009. If your state did not comply, your drivers license would no longer be acceptable ID for airline travel and you would be required to have other documentation such as a passport in order to fly, even on a domestic flight. The laws and administrative rules for the program were adopted and in place. However, most states were still not in compliance with the law, so DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano issued an order postponing the program's implementation, and all the laws and regulations were no longer worth the paper they were written on.

[Smellytoes]

Hi, Smellytoes! Mom of the pirate here. (Gem 2008?) I never thought of what a great deal NCL cruises are for parents of many little children. Imagine, hours and hours of babysitting for five little kids, all included in the price of the cheapest cabin. If you took an inside room, it would be cheaper than two nannies! If I were in your sister's shoes, I'd sell the house and move onto the cheapest cruise ship for the next two years!

 

Thanks for posting this. We thought we'd have to renew DD's passport for the April vacation week Dawn NYC-Bermuda run (want to come along? They just dropped the price). Now I see we can wait.

 

I wish I could come along. I won't be cruising much I'm afraid. College tuitions and orthodontists don't seem to understand my need to get away:D But I hope the pirate has a blast. He should be that much older now that he can enjoy it more.

 

btw sis DID sell her house and had to move in with my mom for the time being. (hehe) Her original house was too small.

[sparks1093]

Just as Congress can retro-active Federal taxes in mid year for a previous year does not mean they could not do same for closed loop.

I don't need to get into how a terrorist could get onto a cruise ship and do some serious damage but there are many ways it could happen. Remember the USS Cole. I must say I noticed plenty of outer security around the ship when coming into all ports last week on Eastern Carib. Even Samana had a sercurity man out there around the ship in a row boat. It didn't take long for everyone flying to have to start taking their shoes off. I guess taking your underwear off is next. Congress can act fast if they want to. Just because over the past XX years they have been rather slow about things does not mean they can't wake up for quick change in rules and regulations about HLS.

 

The purpose of requiring passports is to reduce the chances of a terrorist entering the country and so that we know who is coming in, not to directly prevent an attack. So the odds of a terrorist getting into the United States via a closed loop cruise are slim (and I would argue that the odds are slim even if it's not closed loop because the cruise lines do a good job of verifying identity).

[Smellytoes]

Well I guess Sis won't be sailing this year... she just announced on Mother's Day that she's pregnant again.lol