Passport Card vs Passport Book

[Baby Let's Cruise]

I know that there are several threads about this topic, but I haven't been able to locate any answers that make me feel confident one way or the other. I'm hoping that you wonderful experienced cruisers can help. :) We are first time cruisers going on an 8 day eastern Caribbean cruise in September (Carnival Freedom). I am on the fence on whether or not we should go with the passport card or spend the extra money for the passport book. Point blank...I would like to just get the passport card because it's less expensive. Has anyone has had any problems with just having the passport card. I read a post where someone was going on a dolphin excursion in B.V.I and the description of the excursion stated that you MUST have a passport. Is this normal? I found the information below on Travel.State.Gov and it says that it can be used in the Caribbean at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. I'm getting the impression that it would be sufficient, but I'm a newbie and would like to know for sure. Please help

 

The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.

[Half Pint]

We got books...not only for the convenience of having them for foreign travel, but also if something should happen out of the country and we needed to fly back in, you can't do that with only a card.

[AWCHIEF]

If you have to fly home the card will do you no good. You must have the passport. As you posted the card is only good for land travel between Canada/US/Mexico.

[jmeans23970]

If you are trying to save money, don't purchase either. Just use your ID and Birth Certificate. If you want one or the other, both work fine, though like you said the card is cheaper. I have my passport (book), but my mother has her passport card. Sailed fine with both. However above poster is right. If you needed to fly back from a port, you would need a passport. My sister sails just with her BC and ID, and doesn't think it is a big risk not having one. Really up to you. Now as far as the shore excursion, I wouldn't have any clue. Call Carnival. Hope this helps.

[yst347]

I read a post where someone was going on a dolphin excursion in B.V.I and the description of the excursion stated that you MUST have a passport. [/font]

 

Do you remember where you read this?

 

The only reason an excursion should require a passport is if it requires crossing a border. If this excursion leaves from St. Thomas in the USVI and takes you to the BVI a passport book is required to enter the BVI. If this is an excursion from a port call in Tortola, no passport should be needed.

[Harveycm]

My boyfriend and I have the passport card. Never had an issue, but you can't upgrade from the card to the book. I would get the book. We didn't bc its quicker to get the card back and we thought we had to in 2009! But like others have said you can just use your state id and birth certificate. If I could do it again id do the passport book. Would be nice to have!

[Nanaimobound]

My daughter just got the card to save her money for upcoming cruise.

of course like others have said the risk is if you should need to fly out of a foreign country.

When my passport expires I will just get a book again. That way on the offside chance that we want to fly internationally we will be set for another 91/2 years. Not that we can afford to do that now, but you never know;).

[Martini Mom]

I'm thinking about getting the passport card as a middle of the road option. It's cheaper than a passport, does everything I personally need it to do, will expedite things in port (vs my BC), and will be more convenient to carry than a BC or even a passport.

[mrscooney]

Just curious what about children what is good for the young kids?

[Half Pint]

Just curious what about children what is good for the young kids?

 

Our children both have passport books. :)

[GalFitness19]

Listen, I'm a major cheapskate, but when it came time to get the card or the passport book a couple of weeks ago, I'm glad I ordered the book. You never know when you'll need one, and like others have said, if you get ill while in a foreign country or have to stay for whatever reason, you have to have the book to get back into the U.S. The card is only good for crossing land borders.

 

I got the passport versus using DL and birth certificate because I just didn't want to chance losing the originals. A passport can be replaced, but an original birth certificate cannot (and mine has been around for.....well.....let's just say a while & I don't want to lose it!)

 

FYI this must be a good time of year to apply for passports b/c I applied exactly two weeks ago and received them today without ordering via expedited service!

[Martini Mom]

I got the passport versus using DL and birth certificate because I just didn't want to chance losing the originals. A passport can be replaced, but an original birth certificate cannot (and mine has been around for.....well.....let's just say a while & I don't want to lose it!)

 

FYI this must be a good time of year to apply for passports b/c I applied exactly two weeks ago and received them today without ordering via expedited service!

Getting more birth certificates isn't a problem for us. Dh was born in Orange County, where we currently live, and I was born in L.A. county, just up the freeway. For some I'm sure it's a hassle though.

 

Nice to hear they are processing them so quickly!

[zqvol]

I know that there are several threads about this topic' date=' but I haven't been able to locate any answers that make me feel confident one way or the other. I'm hoping that you wonderful experienced cruisers can help. :) We are first time cruisers going on an 8 day eastern Caribbean cruise in September (Carnival Freedom). I am on the fence on whether or not we should go with the passport card or spend the extra money for the passport book. Point blank...I would like to just get the passport card because it's less expensive. Has anyone has had any problems with just having the passport card. I read a post where someone was going on a dolphin excursion in B.V.I and the description of the excursion stated that you MUST have a passport. Is this normal? I found the information below on Travel.State.Gov and it says that it can be used in the Caribbean at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. I'm getting the impression that it would be sufficient, but I'm a newbie and would like to know for sure. Please help [/font']

 

The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.

 

A couple of points to consider.

 

If you are just getting it for Caribbean cruises, don't bother, just use your certified birth certificate and a photo ID. The practical effect is that there is no difference in the two. If you plan to travel then get a passport not a passcard (that is the correct name, there is no such thing a a passport book, there is a passport and a passcard). The passcard is designed for one purpose and one purpose alone, though it can be used to cruise, and that is for people who cross the border between the US and Canada or US and Mexico on a regular (meaning almost daily) basis. It does not do you anything that a BC and a DL doesn't for a cruise.

 

As far as the dolphin excursion. If your ship stops in Tortola, then you do not have to have a passport because the ship takes care of clearing customs. IF you take your excursion from St. Thomas, then you MUST have a passport because a passport is required by all visitors to the BVI. Your excursion will clear customs on either Tortola or whichever other island you go to for the excursion.

 

The above is critical to know, if you are in St. Thomas and going to the BVi, if you do not have a passport you cannot go!

[queenofIT]

We sailed the Freedom last year and went to the Dolphin Discovery in Tortola also. We chose to get passport books just to be on the safe side but never even needed them the entire cruise except to board. Dolphin Discovery did not require any ID I just had our payment confirmation. I remember reading the same thing on their website but don't let that scare you I think it is just a recommendation. I feel better having the passport book in case of an emergency and because it is good for 10 years the price isn't so bad.

[jmeans23970]

Listen, I'm a major cheapskate, but when it came time to get the card or the passport book a couple of weeks ago, I'm glad I ordered the book. You never know when you'll need one, and like others have said, if you get ill while in a foreign country or have to stay for whatever reason, you have to have the book to get back into the U.S. The card is only good for crossing land borders.

 

I got the passport versus using DL and birth certificate because I just didn't want to chance losing the originals. A passport can be replaced, but an original birth certificate cannot (and mine has been around for.....well.....let's just say a while & I don't want to lose it!)

 

FYI this must be a good time of year to apply for passports b/c I applied exactly two weeks ago and received them today without ordering via expedited service!

 

 

If you didn't want to lose your original, then why didn't you just order another copy from your local Vital Records office?

[lroche_nf]

Spend the extra and get the book. If something happened (god forbid) and you needed to get back into the US quickly by air you'd be happy to have it.

[Craky]

I kind of looked at it a little differently, the "better" the ID the better to have. I view a passport book as sort of the better end/high end of the ID spectrum.

 

For example, once when I was traveling with my then 8 yr old, his name got flagged at every security check point. I had to go with him for the then more intensive screenings. Earlier back home I had taken the time to get an official state ID for a minor. Once we showed this, his "more intensive screening" went much faster and smoother. Eventually I asked somebody what was going on that this child and none of the others was getting flagged? An official told me he had the same exact name as some bad guy they were looking for hence his name kept getting flagged. They really chilled out when we showed the state ID.

 

The state ID made things go much smoother. So, now fast forward 7 years, my reasoning for getting all the kids a passport book is that it may, at some point, make things go smoother. Then again, maybe not.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I'm thinking about getting the passport card as a middle of the road option. It's cheaper than a passport, does everything I personally need it to do, will expedite things in port (vs my BC), and will be more convenient to carry than a BC or even a passport.

 

How does a passport card expedite things in port vs a birth certificate?

 

Bill

[Martini Mom]

How does a passport card expedite things in port vs a birth certificate?

 

Bill

I misspoke. I mean in the embarkation port/terminal. I have been in terminals that had separate lines for BC and passports. Passport holders breezed through.

[SadieN]

.......................

................ if you are in St. Thomas and going to the BVi, if you do not have a passport you cannot go!

 

So true. When we stayed on St Thomas we took a day trip to the Baths and other islands. We had to get clear US customs on St John. The tour operator was cited because one pax didn't have a passport (only had a BC). On the bright side we got our passports stamped.:D

 

 

The only cruises I would feel safe using a Passport Card would be Alaska out of Seattle and the 3&4 day cruises out of Long Beach to Catalina and Ensenada. Even the Eastern Canada cruises go too far from the border for my comfort.

[Baby Let's Cruise]

:) Thank you everyone for the great information. It has been very helpful to hear that so many of you only take your BC and DL. I still have to determine which excursions we are taking from St. Thomas. I think that will be the deciding factor based on what zqvol said below.

 

I only referred to them as passport cards and passport books because that is how they are referred to on the website below. But, thank you for the clarification zqvol :o

http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html

 

____________________________________________________________

As far as the dolphin excursion. If your ship stops in Tortola, then you do not have to have a passport because the ship takes care of clearing customs. IF you take your excursion from St. Thomas, then you MUST have a passport because a passport is required by all visitors to the BVI. Your excursion will clear customs on either Tortola or whichever other island you go to for the excursion.

[Shelbyjane56]

My boyfriend and I have the passport card. Never had an issue, but you can't upgrade from the card to the book. I would get the book. We didn't bc its quicker to get the card back and we thought we had to in 2009! But like others have said you can just use your state id and birth certificate. If I could do it again id do the passport book. Would be nice to have!

 

 

We got both the passport and the passport card for our daughter when she started playing for a division 1 soccer team, they do go to canada but they also go out of the country...its not that much more than getting the passport

[msbask]

So if you got ill or something like that and HAD to fly home from Bermuda to NY and you didn't have a passport, what would happen?