Do you have to have Passports?

[jchristie]

so, at dinner with my in-laws Saturday we were talking about our up coming cruise to Cozumel.... they said that we have to have passports to get off the ship and back on......??????? I told them that was not what we were told, but I would check.....

 

So.... do we have to have passports to get off and back on the ship for our port day in Cozumel?

 

we sail May 26th and were just going to use birth certificates b/c of the timeline and lack of time to get passports......

[BeccaBecca1713]

No. You just take your S&S card and photo ID to get back onto the ship after visiting any port. You'll need the BC when you board the ship on embark day.

[stewpapa]

No !

[jchristie]

k - whew! that is what I thought..... we are trying to get passports, but won't have them in time from our cruise unless paid the extra $$$ to get quickly and we really did not want to do that if did not have too for this cruise.....

 

now I can relax again - lol!

[*Mach*]

Nope... for a 'closed loop' cruise, one that departs from and arrives back at the same port in the US, you aren't required a passport... a state issued birth certificate and state issued photo ID is all that's required...

:)

[jchristie]

thanks all! I feel sooo much better now and relieved.... whew!

[gemsm]

k - whew! that is what I thought..... we are trying to get passports, but won't have them in time from our cruise unless paid the extra $$$ to get quickly and we really did not want to do that if did not have too for this cruise.....

 

now I can relax again - lol!

 

If you have a copy of your BC or can get one quickly and send other to passport office more than likely you will have your passports prior to your cruise. It doesn't take months like it used to

[SG81]

until i started reading these boards, i always thought everyone had a current passport. even if i don't have any travel plans, i always renew my passport before it expires so i'm never left without a valid one.

 

what do people do if they have to travel abroad on short notice for work, family or whatever?

[chipmaster]

To get on and off all you need is generally your cruise card.

 

To check in to the ship that sails to a foreign country requires a Passport. People can correct me but you can't get back into the USA with a birthcertificat, passport required.

[GaNavy]

so, at dinner with my in-laws Saturday we were talking about our up coming cruise to Cozumel.... they said that we have to have passports to get off the ship and back on......??????? I told them that was not what we were told, but I would check.....

 

So.... do we have to have passports to get off and back on the ship for our port day in Cozumel?

 

we sail May 26th and were just going to use birth certificates b/c of the timeline and lack of time to get passports......

 

Nope. That'll teach you to listen to your in-laws! :D:eek::D

[SadieN]

To get on and off all you need is generally your cruise card.

 

To check in to the ship that sails to a foreign country requires a Passport. People can correct me but you can't get back into the USA with a birthcertificat, passport required.

 

A closed loop (roundtrip) cruise is an exception to this law.

[*Mach*]

until i started reading these boards, i always thought everyone had a current passport. even if i don't have any travel plans, i always renew my passport before it expires so i'm never left without a valid one.

 

what do people do if they have to travel abroad on short notice for work, family or whatever?

 

 

For a fairly hefty fee a passport application can be expedited...

:)

[nancydee]

You do not NEED one, but God forbid something happens and you have to fly back to the USA, it's ALOT more trouble.

[gemsm]

To get on and off all you need is generally your cruise card.

 

To check in to the ship that sails to a foreign country requires a Passport. People can correct me but you can't get back into the USA with a birthcertificat, passport required.

 

You are wrong. If it is a closed loop cruise (i.e. leaves and comes back to same US port) then only a birth certificate is required

[Warm Breezes]

until i started reading these boards, i always thought everyone had a current passport. even if i don't have any travel plans, i always renew my passport before it expires so i'm never left without a valid one.

 

what do people do if they have to travel abroad on short notice for work, family or whatever?

 

Most people, who do not have passports, have no need to travel abroad on short notice for work or family or whatever....The only time we currently travel to foreign countries is on closed loop cruises. In the future we may travel differently, but at this point in our lives we have no desire or need to. All of our family lives locally so we don't need to travel to foreign countries to visit them. If my work wants to send me to a foreign country quickly then they would pay to expedite one for me. For us, a BC and DL works. The possibility of needing a passport on a closed loop cruise is extremely small and not insurmountable. For us its an expense we do not need to incurr at this time and we will wait until the traveling we do requires one before we get one. Not everyone has the same needs when traveling...

[MacysMimi]

You don't "have" to have one....but boy, they sure are nice when you return to the ports.....My last cruise, when we debarked and got into the terminal in those long, long lines, the staff asked me Birth Certificate or Passport...I said Passport and was directed into a line with hardly anyone in in.....to my right was the BC line and it was lined up as far back as you could see.....We came up to the immigration lines and literally breezed right through.....it was taking a LOT longer for those using birth certificates...LOL

[misguidedangel]

A closed loop cruise doesn't require one; however, if you need to leave the cruise early or there is a medical emergecy than that changes everything. You can't fly back from Mexico and enter the US without a passport. A BC/DL will not do anymore. That law was changed a long time ago and even if you travel to Canada from the US they want you to have a passport or passport card to cross the Canadian border. I think that was one of the main reasons Carnival pulled out of Vancouver because of the new passport rules to travel between Canada/US.....

 

You are best served to go check out the official US governments stand on passports and when to have it. I am confident that they will say that if you are visiting any foreign port not governed by US laws that you should have a passport.

 

I am Canadian, so I never travel without my passport with me.

[Warm Breezes]

You don't "have" to have one....but boy, they sure are nice when you return to the ports.....My last cruise, when we debarked and got into the terminal in those long, long lines, the staff asked me Birth Certificate or Passport...I said Passport and was directed into a line with hardly anyone in in.....to my right was the BC line and it was lined up as far back as you could see.....We came up to the immigration lines and literally breezed right through.....it was taking a LOT longer for those using birth certificates...LOL

 

We haven't had that experience on any of our cruises...In fact when we returned from the Destiny last November in Miami there was no segregation for people with passports and the 2 people in front of us with passports took longer than the 4 of us with BC and DL. The possibility of waiting a little longer in line, IMHO, is not a good reason to spend well over $400 for passports for the 4 of us. We are a patient family. We can wait if we have to. We usually try to be with the last bunch off ...makes it easier to find our luggage and most of the lines are already gone by the time we get off.

[Warm Breezes]

A closed loop cruise doesn't require one; however, if you need to leave the cruise early or there is a medical emergecy than that changes everything. You can't fly back from Mexico and enter the US without a passport. A BC/DL will not do anymore. That law was changed a long time ago and even if you travel to Canada from the US they want you to have a passport or passport card to cross the Canadian border. I think that was one of the main reasons Carnival pulled out of Vancouver because of the new passport rules to travel between Canada/US.....

 

You are best served to go check out the official US governments stand on passports and when to have it. I am confident that they will say that if you are visiting any foreign port not governed by US laws that you should have a passport.

 

I am Canadian, so I never travel without my passport with me.

 

Chances of needing a passport on a closed loop cruise are extremely slim. There have been posts from people who have needed to get back and were able to get temporary emergency passports with the help of Carnival and American Embassies. You will not be stranded in a foreign country if by some slim chance you need to get back without a passport. I have not seen any posts of people being stranded and not able to get back. They wouldn't have the exception to the passport rule if they couldn't make exceptions for you to get back in emergencies.

 

IMHO the risk of needing a passport on a closed loop cruise for the small amount of time you are on foreign land, is not worth the cost of getting the passports. Especially for a family of 4. And No, you cannot spread the cost over 10 years...The government does not take payment plans and it is due at the time of purchase. Others are not willing to take that risk...to each their own. Per the government, it is our own risk to take.

[MacysMimi]

We haven't had that experience on any of our cruises...In fact when we returned from the Destiny last November in Miami there was no segregation for people with passports and the 2 people in front of us with passports took longer than the 4 of us with BC and DL. The possibility of waiting a little longer in line, IMHO, is not a good reason to spend well over $400 for passports for the 4 of us. We are a patient family. We can wait if we have to. We usually try to be with the last bunch off ...makes it easier to find our luggage and most of the lines are already gone by the time we get off.

 

This was in Galveston, in February of this year.....and I was in the last bunch off the boat and by that point, it was already lined up in customs.....LOL......and I totally understand what you are saying about the cost....I just have myself, so it was a lot easier to justify spending the money for my first cruise....my dad and my sis, who were traveling with me, already had theirs, so I just bit the bullet and got mine....

[rach1fun]

until i started reading these boards, i always thought everyone had a current passport. even if i don't have any travel plans, i always renew my passport before it expires so i'm never left without a valid one.

 

what do people do if they have to travel abroad on short notice for work, family or whatever?

 

 

no family abroad, any trip that will take us out of country would be a big deal and wouldnt be last minute. We got our passports for our trip to Italy, probably wont get it renewed unless we have another trip to plan that needs one.