USA cruise without passport?

[Coffeepilot]

I am now the head of a blended family, with 4 kids

Age 12-19. My wife & I have cruised many times

Before in the Caribbean & Mexico. The kids would love

To experience a cruise, but have no passports, and

Their dad won't sign off for them. So beyond expensive

Flights to Alaska or Hawaii for 6, I am looking for cruises

From here on the east coast (northeast) that would stay in

US waters & not require passports; maybe a cruise to

Nowhere? Are there any cruises that just visit

New England, or the Eastern Seaboard, on a larger

Ship so that the kids can experience a cruise?

[paul929207]

Bad news, there are no cruises doing what you want. I won't bore you with the details, but such a tour is illegal.

 

Good news, US citizens do not need a passport for a closed loop cruise that meets the federal requirements. Okay, what does all that mean. Well a closed loop cruise is one that leaves from and returns to the same US port. That is sails form Miami and ends in Miami for example. The other requirement? It can only go to Canada, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. For all of these itineraries, you can sail with an original copy of the birth certificate and a government issued photo ID (most use drivers license). I believe that under 16, only the BC is required.

[njhorseman]

There are a number of one and two night cruises to nowhere that depart from NY City. NCL normally offers several of them at various times during the year, perhaps there are others, too.

[kitty9]

As long as your cruise is a closed loop cruise, which means it starts and ends in the same US port, all you need is a birth certificate. So that means you could cruise the Caribbean as long as the cruise starts and ends in Ft Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral or any other US port.

 

BUT, you have a bigger problem. The kids' biological father must sign a letter giving the mother permission to take the kids out of the country. You'd need this letter even if you cruise Alaska because the cruise includes a stop in Canada. If you don't have the letter, you will be denied boarding. This rule is to prevent one parent from leaving the country with kids.

 

Your only cruising choice will be to cruise NCL in Hawaii. Since its the US, there should be no out of country issues.

 

A cruise to nowhere is usually only one or two days, and not a real cruise experience.

[njhorseman]

Bad news, there are no cruises doing what you want. I won't bore you with the details, but such a tour is illegal.

 

Good news, US citizens do not need a passport for a closed loop cruise that meets the federal requirements. Okay, what does all that mean. Well a closed loop cruise is one that leaves from and returns to the same US port. That is sails form Miami and ends in Miami for example. The other requirement? It can only go to Canada, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. For all of these itineraries, you can sail with an original copy of the birth certificate and a government issued photo ID (most use drivers license). I believe that under 16, only the BC is required.

 

Cruises to nowhere are legal, and do exist.

 

Further, permission from a non-custodial parent is still required for closed loop cruises even if though the child can cruise without a passport. Presumably if that parent won't give permission for a passport they also won't give permission for the child to leave the country without a passport.

[cherylandtk]

Just one thing to add re: your blended family. If the bio-dad won't sign off on the passports, he probably won't sign-off on the parental release suggested. Make sure Mom takes proof that she is the person on the kids' BC-proof of name change(s)-and try to sail on one of the lines that is more lenient when traveling with just one parent. Look at Carnival or Princess, not RCI.

 

The permission letter is not a hard and fast rule, but if they ask for it, and you do not have it, you could be denied boarding.

[Coffeepilot]

We'd just as soon NOT leave the US, to keep

Prices low among other things; we can drive

To NY or DC area & avoid lots of airfare. I think

River cruises would be more of a 1 day thing,

So cruise to nowhere is probably best option.

It would be great to have port excursions in,

Say, Boston, Newport, Baltimore, Annapolis, Norfolk,

Wilmington, Charleston, Jax, & eastern Florida

Cities, wouldn't it? Maybe we can design our own.

Maybe a land cruise on Amtrak or something.

[cherylandtk]

Well, if you do not want to leave the US, then you have the PVSA regulation, which requires that you do not stop in ANY ports (cruise to nowhere) or that you must stop in at least one foreign port. So it sounds as if you are only interested in a one or two day cruise to nowhere. Is that correct? Or are you thinking more of an Amtrak tour now?

[sail7seas]

Bypass bio dad and go to court for a court order making him permit travel and passport.

 

That is the function of probate courts and judges.

 

Good luck. Hope it works out for your family.

 

[paul929207]

I believe that cruises to nowhere are primarily taken by two groups. The first want to gamble and the second wnat to drink and party. Not sure this is the atmosphere you want to put the kids into

[sjcruiser]

I agree with the above poster in getting the biological and/or non-custodial parent to sign off on the permission letter. If they won't do it, file a petition with the court to get permission. If finances are an issue, Community Legal Services and/or Family Court can help as this issue occurs pretty frequently.

[mikedw]

American Cruise Lines that operate 50-100 passenger ships does those trips, but they are not geared towards children. They run several thousand per person also.

[kenish]

Fortunately my son's mom and I are on great terms. He's been on 2 foreign trips with her and 5 with me. We always were happy to do the permission letter because it meant our son would not only have fun, but would learn things about other people and places he would never be exposed to in the classroom (which might be an "angle" you use with bio-dad). Neither of us have ever been asked to show the letter and have traveled with our son no questions asked. But since it's an international requirement you need to have the letter.

 

You unfortunately aren't the first or last parent in your situation. I'd consult Legal Aid (or many employers have access to basic legal guidance as an employee benefit). See what your options are...if you decide to go to court, I'd push to get passports for your kids.

 

Let us know how this plays out.

[PennyAgain]

I just booked a cruise with American Cruise Lines. They require either a passport or a driver's license for each adult passenger. No idea what they require for children.

 

Somehow that surprised me.

 

During school breaks they do have children as passengers. I would telphone them and ask.

[njhorseman]

I just booked a cruise with American Cruise Lines. They require either a passport or a driver's license for each adult passenger. No idea what they require for children.

 

Somehow that surprised me.

 

During school breaks they do have children as passengers. I would telphone them and ask.

 

Why should that surprise you? All they are asking for is a government-issued photo ID to match the person boarding to the name the ticket was booked under, just as is done to board an airplane. You have to show ID to board a cruise to nowhere too.

[sail7seas]

We sail Maasdam Canada/New England cruises every summer and have seen America Cruise Line in several of the ports along the way.

 

These are not big active family oriented cruise ships and I would not recommend them for a young family.

 

This is not the experience I understand OP to be seeking for his family.

While the American Cruise Line are not inexpensive, it is a different experience.

 

 

 

[sail7seas]

Why should that surprise you? All they are asking for is a government-issued photo ID to match the person boarding to the name the ticket was booked under, just as is done to board an airplane. You have to show ID to board a cruise to nowhere too.

 

I agree. It would shock me if you did not have to show government issued photo ID.

 

These days that is pretty standard.

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

There are different regulations for obtaining passports for children under 16, children 16/17. It is not absolutely clear from the passport site whether both parents must consent for those aged 16/17. Age 18 and over do not need the other parent's permission for passport or for travel. EM

[Essiesmom]

You might also Google American Queen, or US riverboat cruises. Cruising the Mississippi, cruises from 3-10 days. A bit pricey, but looks interesting. EM

[Coffeepilot]

Thanks again to all who have posted; the

Going to court option is always there, but

Bio-dad has basically a "free" attorney/best

Friend, and drags out any legal challenge

To well over the cost of a cruise, even over

Permission for kids to drive or work at McDonalds

When old enough. It's also across state lines,

So court involves travel/missed work for us.

We may just try a package trip to St. Thomas

For a few days, at least they could try

Snorkeling on St. Johns. I hope passports

Aren't required between US and USVI

Now; San Juan may also be an option.

[cherylandtk]

You are fine with both St. Thomas and San Juan, both are domestic flights, just like flying to Iowa.

[paul929207]

You do not need a passport to go to USVI or Puerto Rico from the US

[fourk9mom]

Children 16 and older can sign their own passport applications. Children who are not yet 16 will need to have both parents sign the passport application. If you have sole custody of the children under 16, then you can sign the application and submit a copy of the court order granting you sole custody.

[sail7seas]

You do not need a passport to go to USVI or Puerto Rico from the US

 

 

But no ship can sail from U.S. port to U.S. port without stopping at foreign port before completing cruise in U.S. port due to PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act).

[sail7seas]

Children 16 and older can sign their own passport applications. Children who are not yet 16 will need to have both parents sign the passport application. If you have sole custody of the children under 16, then you can sign the application and submit a copy of the court order granting you sole custody.

 

 

But wouldn't they still need a notarized letter permitting them to take the minor children out of the country? Bio Dad isn't likely to provide that if he will not sign passport application.

 

 

We don't know if there is sole custody.