Passport or no Passport?

[asenap01]

I need some help deciding if I should get passports for myself, DH, DD, and DS for our cruise. We are leaving Galveston and going to Progeso and Cozumel. I know some people that have sailed with only their birth certificate but I am unsure if that is a good idea. Any advice would be greatly appreciated? It is a large cost for the 4 of us so I'm not sure what to do.

[Algebralovr]

How old are the kids?

 

I got them for mine. I thought it made it easier to get through customs. I've seen them look more closely at DL/BC but when you have a passport they just glance and waive you through.

 

Mine had 1 youth passport, then turned old enough for adult ones. Those passports have made life very easy in other ways. When they were old enough for driving permits, the passport was enough proof to get one. When they got their first jobs, the passport is all they need to fill out the I-9 form.

 

I agree it is expensive, but they come in very handy.

 

I would get them for you and DH no matter what, since I've found a few bargains that I needed one for, and could go because I owned a passport.

[Host Mick]

You can go either way but there are important differences to know.

 

Passport:

There are a global ID. Everybody recognizes them as such. They will get you on and off of the ship and allow you to fly from anywhere back home. The down side is that they cost about $105 each plus photos and it takes a while to get them.

Note that the passport card is worthless on cruises except as a photo ID.

 

Birth Certificate/Photo ID.

This will be good for round trip fruises departing from a US port. It'll get you on the ship just fine and they are free if you already have them. make sure that your BC is certified if the line requires it. this usually involves an embossed (raised) seal. The down side is that if there is a problem such as someone getting sick or injured and having to leave the ship or if you somehow miss the ship, you will have to get an emergency repatriation document from the local embassy or consulate if there is one, to add to your problems and worries. Your cruise is done, you probably won't be allowed to "catch up" to the ship.

 

So, do you feel lucky?

Edited January 23, 2014 by Host Mick

[paul929207]

For the cruise you are taking you only need an original copy of your birth certificate and a government issued photo ID (most use driver's license). I believe the kids under 16 only need the BC.

 

The one catch is that there are potential problems that would cause you to need a passport. If you need to fly for any reason, you would have to stay in Mexico, contact a US embassy or consulate and have a passport issued. Transportation, meals, hotels, passports, etc would be your expense. Consular officials are unlikely to see the urgency as you do, so it usually takes one or two weeks to issue the passport.

[asenap01]

Thanks for your suggestions and comments. I was going to get the Passport cards but after reading they seem to be of little use really. I can get the same thing with a birth certificate. I guess we will work on getting the passports. Last question: If I did get the passport cards for the kids, would it make it quicker to get a full passport if something happened and we were stuck?

Edited January 23, 2014 by asenap01

[Hydrokitty]

Thanks for your suggestions and comments. I was going to get the Passport cards but after reading they seem to be of little use really. I can get the same thing with a birth certificate. I guess we will work on getting the passports. Last question: If I did get the passport cards for the kids, would it make it quicker to get a full passport if something happened and we were stuck? The reason I had thought about get the cards is because I figured if we got left at a Mexican port we could drive back to the States, we live in Oklahoma so not too bad. Is it safe to drive through Mexico in this case?

 

You would be better off getting the passport. It's good anywhere in the world and lasts for 10 years. Downside to the passport card is you are strictly limited as to where you can use it. for instance it's only good if you are driving across the Canadian or Mexican border or if you are on a cruise that begins and ends in U.S. and only going to the Caribbean (includes Mexico). It is NOT good for flying anywhere.....go to travel.state.gov and read the instructions for passport vs. card. Therefore, should you have an emergency that requires you to leave the cruise and fly home from any foreign port, your passport card will not be sufficient to get you on a plane. If you are able to rent a car in Mexico and drive it back to Oklahoma (and that's a big if) do you have any idea what you would pay as a "one way drop off" fee in another country??? Probably more than your four passports would cost. all I know is Enterprise wanted $250 drop off fee from Richmon, WA to Portland OR! As host Mick said if you're feeling lucky, go for it. As for me, the security is worth the money and it only takes 4-6 weeks to get one now. :) and NO, IMHO I would not be comfortable driving with my children from Mexico to US. Mexico has a nasty drug war going on and robbing tourists has become a career choice in some areas.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Hydrokitty

[asenap01]

Filing out the forms for passports now. I just don't feel comfortable leaving the country without them. I know what I need to do but I am second guessing myself and I don't know why. Thanks for the help!

[Pyxie]

I would like to piggy-back on this as I am first-time cruiser also and this relates to my question. If you get the passport, do you need to bring your birth certificate as well or will just the passport be fine in that case?

[crystalspin]

@ Pyxie

 

Just the passport. No BC.

 

But you'll want your driver's license or other government picture ID as well, so as NOT to be taking the passport off the ship at ports of call.

[njhorseman]

You can go either way but there are important differences to know.

 

Passport:

There are a global ID. Everybody recognizes them as such. They will get you on and off of the ship and allow you to fly from anywhere back home. The down side is that they cost about $105 each plus photos and it takes a while to get them.

Note that the passport card is worthless on cruises except as a photo ID.

 

Birth Certificate/Photo ID.

This will be good for round trip fruises departing from a US port. It'll get you on the ship just fine and they are free if you already have them. make sure that your BC is certified if the line requires it. this usually involves an embossed (raised) seal. The down side is that if there is a problem such as someone getting sick or injured and having to leave the ship or if you somehow miss the ship, you will have to get an emergency repatriation document from the local embassy or consulate if there is one, to add to your problems and worries. Your cruise is done, you probably won't be allowed to "catch up" to the ship.

 

So, do you feel lucky?

 

No...a passport card is not "worthless on cruises except as photo ID". In fact a passport card with no additional documentation required (for example no birth certificate and no drivers license) is perfectly acceptable documentation for both closed loop and certain open jaw cruises. What a passport card is not good for is international air travel.

 

There is nothing in the DHS regulations requiring a "certified" copy of a birth certificate. A copy is all that is required. The word "certified" is in and of itself meaningless and not used in the regulations. What some cruise lines do require, above and beyond the letter of the law, is an official "original" copy (no one has an actual "original" birth certificate any longer, because the "original" is just a record in your state's computer database of births) of the birth certificate rather than a photocopy. It's definitely best to have this official copy rather than a photocopy.

[paul929207]

Thanks for your suggestions and comments. I was going to get the Passport cards but after reading they seem to be of little use really. I can get the same thing with a birth certificate. I guess we will work on getting the passports. Last question: If I did get the passport cards for the kids, would it make it quicker to get a full passport if something happened and we were stuck?

The passport card is really only of use if you are driving or walking across the US border with Mexico and/or Canada.

[njhorseman]

The passport card is really only of use if you are driving or walking across the US border with Mexico and/or Canada.

 

That's not true. A passport card is perfectly good for Western Hemisphere closed loop cruises and many open jaw itineraries too.

 

What the passport card isn't good for is international air travel.

[Steviewonder1]

This question keeps running in circles with lots of opinions and advice. A Passport is the Ultimate Identification a US or other citizen can have. If you can afford to cruise, you can afford to get a passport. As they say in the AMEX Commercial, there is no reason to leave home without it.

[paul929207]

That's not true. A passport card is perfectly good for Western Hemisphere closed loop cruises and many open jaw itineraries too.

 

What the passport card isn't good for is international air travel.

What I mean is that it is a waste of money if you are not walking or driving across the border. Other than that it is no better than a BC and a DL and the latter are much cheaper.

[sparks1093]

This question keeps running in circles with lots of opinions and advice. A Passport is the Ultimate Identification a US or other citizen can have. If you can afford to cruise, you can afford to get a passport. As they say in the AMEX Commercial, there is no reason to leave home without it.

 

Yes, the passport is the ultimate ID but they aren't necessary for closed loop cruises as there are alternatives available that cost less. Each passenger must assess their own risk level and their own comfort level with that risk. Money should not be the deciding factor- if someone's risk of needing to leave the cruise early is high then that should carry more weight than the cost. Personally I will wait until I need a passport for the type of travel that I am able to do.

[mycruiseandvacations]

I need some help deciding if I should get passports for myself, DH, DD, and DS for our cruise. We are leaving Galveston and going to Progeso and Cozumel. I know some people that have sailed with only their birth certificate but I am unsure if that is a good idea. Any advice would be greatly appreciated? It is a large cost for the 4 of us so I'm not sure what to do.

 

You stated you needed assistance deciding, truthfully you need someone to tell you it is okay to protect yourself and invest in a future of travel. :) I have found over 30 years of travel that having a passport offers assurance in case your cruise plans change (or you need air services to a foreign country or there is a problem), in case you ever in the next ten :)years (the length a passport is good) or any of the parties desire to travel again.

:D If you think investment wise it is a good idea.

[njhorseman]

What I mean is that it is a waste of money if you are not walking or driving across the border. Other than that it is no better than a BC and a DL and the latter are much cheaper.

 

As I said, it can be used on certain open jaw cruise itineraries (for example it's good for many repositioning cruises within the Western Hemisphere). You can't use a BC and drivers license for those.

[4Tacos]

We went on our first cruise (Me, my husband and 2 children) with just BC's and Driver's Licenses. We were fine and had no issues. Knowing that we really do enjoy traveling, we decided to get our passports for our upcoming cruise. No need to worry about our BC's getting lost. I'm happy we did it. Yes it costs money and yes my kids will need them renewed in 5 years but I think it was worth it. Peace of mind. And we can now go to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls which is something my husband wants to do soon. I think it is worth it.

[paul929207]

As I said, it can be used on certain open jaw cruise itineraries (for example it's good for many repositioning cruises within the Western Hemisphere). You can't use a BC and drivers license for those.

I thought any open jaw cruise either went somewhere not covered by th close loop exemption or started and/or ended in a foreign port. Thus necessitating a passport book.

 

For instance, we are on a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to LA via the Panama Canal and Colombia. For this a passport is required.

[ahecht]

What I mean is that it is a waste of money if you are not walking or driving across the border. Other than that it is no better than a BC and a DL and the latter are much cheaper.

 

A Passport Card also serves as a REAL ID-compliant ID if your state's drivers licenses don't comply. A REAL ID-compliant ID is required to get into certain federal facilities and nuclear power plants.

 

I thought any open jaw cruise either went somewhere not covered by th close loop exemption or started and/or ended in a foreign port. Thus necessitating a passport book.

 

For instance, we are on a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to LA via the Panama Canal and Colombia. For this a passport is required.

 

A passport card is good on cruises that only stop in the US, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It is not valid for Panama or Colombia. However, an open jaw cruise that stopped in a distant foreign port such as Aruba, Bonaire, or Curaco would be legal under the PSVA (doesn't need to be close loop) and would be okay to sail on with just a passport card.

Edited January 24, 2014 by ahecht

[Hydrokitty]

Filing out the forms for passports now. I just don't feel comfortable leaving the country without them. I know what I need to do but I am second guessing myself and I don't know why. Thanks for the help!

 

A good decision IMHO....now relax and have a great time.

[njhorseman]

I thought any open jaw cruise either went somewhere not covered by th close loop exemption or started and/or ended in a foreign port. Thus necessitating a passport book.

 

For instance, we are on a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to LA via the Panama Canal and Colombia. For this a passport is required.

 

Actually not, although your cruise line may have required it, which some do. In fact Royal Caribbean and NCL (and possibly others) allow you to cruise these itineraries with a passport card (and clearly say so in their FAQs), as that has been interpreted by CBP as being in compliance with the law.

[njhorseman]

A Passport Card also serves as a REAL ID-compliant ID if your state's drivers licenses don't comply. A REAL ID-compliant ID is required to get into certain federal facilities and nuclear power plants.

 

 

 

A passport card is good on cruises that only stop in the US, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. It is not valid for Panama or Colombia. However, an open jaw cruise that stopped in a distant foreign port such as Aruba, Bonaire, or Curaco would be legal under the PSVA (doesn't need to be close loop) and would be okay to sail on with just a passport card.

 

CBP actually interprets the rule more liberally than you state, and a typical Panama Canal cruise can be taken with just the passport card. Both NCL and Royal Caribbean clearly allow it by the statements in their documentation FAQs, as may other lines. Some cruise lines set more stringent requirements, as is their right, than technically required by the rules and require a passport book for those itineraries. (Regent Seven Seas even requires a passport book for closed loop cruises that by rule can be taken with only a BC and photo ID.)

 

There are other instances where CBP interprets the rules more liberally than a strict reading would suggest. For example a closed loop cruise that calls on Roatan or Belize technically doesn't fall under the BC/ID rule because Belize and Roatan aren't identified as WHTI countries, but in fact CBP treats them as if they are on that list and allows the use of a BC/ID combination rather than a passport.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just my 2 cents -- get the passports.

Better to be safe than sorry. No one can predict what will happen on a cruise or at home. And should you find yourself in a situation where you have to get home quickly, you will need that passport.

[kcwingwalker]

We went on our first cruise (Me, my husband and 2 children) with just BC's and Driver's Licenses. We were fine and had no issues. Knowing that we really do enjoy traveling, we decided to get our passports for our upcoming cruise. No need to worry about our BC's getting lost. I'm happy we did it. Yes it costs money and yes my kids will need them renewed in 5 years but I think it was worth it. Peace of mind. And we can now go to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls which is something my husband wants to do soon. I think it is worth it.

 

It is well worth it!