Passport not needed, right?

[cruiseyesplease!]

Just making sure, that my husband won't need a passport if we are traveling from Miami, FL around the western caribbean and then back to Miami, Fl. Don't want to renew his passport and spend extra money if it isn't needed at this time. He does have his birth certificate (New York) :)

[chrisc71]

Yes you can use a birth certificate on a closed loop cruise like you are going on.

BUT it is advisable to have a passport in case you need to travel home from a foreign port.

[rungod]

It is always s risk if you get off in a foreign port if you get sick or need transport. It is easier if you have a passport. That being said, I don't think the cruise line requires it

 

 

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[AEckhardt]

Just make sure his birth certificate is "certified" and has the raised state seal. They won't take hospital copies.

[patch62]

Just making sure, that my husband won't need a passport if we are traveling from Miami, FL around the western caribbean and then back to Miami, Fl. Don't want to renew his passport and spend extra money if it isn't needed at this time. He does have his birth certificate (New York) :)

 

Might not be required .. but I would not go without mine.!!!!!!!!!!!!. you never know... you might need one..

[njhorseman]

Just make sure his birth certificate is "certified" and has the raised state seal. They won't take hospital copies.

 

Not all birth certificates have a raised seal. They can also have an engraved seal, an embossed seal or be printed in special types of paper...or any combination of multiple features. The word "certified" doesn't mean anything..."certified" is redundant with the word "certificate" in the term "birth certificate".

 

The requirement is that it has to be an official government-issued birth certificate...as you say, not something issued by a hospital.

[cruiseyesplease!]

Not all birth certificates have a raised seal. They can also have an engraved seal, an embossed seal or be printed in special types of paper...or any combination of multiple features. The word "certified" doesn't mean anything..."certified" is redundant with the word "certificate" in the term "birth certificate".

 

The requirement is that it has to be an official government-issued birth certificate...as you say, not something issued by a hospital.

 

Thanks for the replies everyone!

[valleyvillage]

Joining the chorus of "get the passport". You are covered with one and you just don't know for sure with a birth certificate...I have seen people left at the pier because their BC wasn't the right kind. Odds? You will probably be fine with the DL and BC, but why take the risk?

 

I just found this on another site, from Carnival, but they put it really well:

 

Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel). This will enhance the debarkation experience as delays may be expected upon return to the United States for those without one. Additionally, this will enable guests to fly from the U.S. to meet their ship at a foreign port should they miss their scheduled port of embarkation and allow guests that must disembark the ship before their cruise ends due to an emergency to fly back to the U.S without significant delays and complications.

Edited February 6, 2015 by valleyvillage
Added Carnival info

[JVilleGal]

Just making sure, that my husband won't need a passport if we are traveling from Miami, FL around the western caribbean and then back to Miami, Fl. Don't want to renew his passport and spend extra money if it isn't needed at this time. He does have his birth certificate (New York) :)

 

 

That renewal would be good for 10 yrs. A priceless investment! In most cases he can just send it in and renew by mail, no interview, unless it has been expired a very long time.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/fees.html

 

Cost for regular adult PP is $135

 

 

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[patch62]

That renewal would be good for 10 yrs. A priceless investment! In most cases he can just send it in and renew by mail, no interview, unless it has been expired a very long time.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/fees.html

 

Cost for regular adult PP is $135

 

 

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That is the ONLY way to go....passport might be expensive.. but the cost could be more if stranded somewhere....

[waxing witch]

Just making sure, that my husband won't need a passport if we are traveling from Miami, FL around the western caribbean and then back to Miami, Fl. Don't want to renew his passport and spend extra money if it isn't needed at this time. He does have his birth certificate (New York) :)

 

everyone will tell you to get a passport. i usually join the 'you don't need a passport to cruise' chorus and since you live in new york, i would further urge you to get an enhanced drivers license. the enhanced driver license acts like a passport card and is good for land and sea crossings between US, canada, and mexico. otherwise as long as he has a certified birth certificate (new york will have a raised seal) and government issued photo ID, he can sail a closed loop cruise like that. dh and i have never had passports and are using enhanced drivers licenses for the first time on our cruise this october.

 

having said all of that, and knowing that i'm usually in the 'you don't need a passport to cruise' chorus, it's just renewing a passport. if you have the 4-6 weeks and the extra $110, you can do it through the mail (as long as the old passport was issued within the last 15 years).

[sparks1093]

Millions of people travel on closed loop cruises a year with something other than a passport with no issues whatever. As far as having one in case something goes wrong that makes a better case for having good travel insurance.

[newmexicoNita]

Just making sure, that my husband won't need a passport if we are traveling from Miami, FL around the western caribbean and then back to Miami, Fl. Don't want to renew his passport and spend extra money if it isn't needed at this time. He does have his birth certificate (New York) :)

 

If he has a government issued B. certificate and other ID he does not need a passport, but I wouldn't think of traveling out of the country without one. If something were to happen to him and he needed to get back to America he would be up a creek without a paddle as the saying goes. Please, spend the extra money. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

[newmexicoNita]

Millions of people travel on closed loop cruises a year with something other than a passport with no issues whatever. As far as having one in case something goes wrong that makes a better case for having good travel insurance.

 

I think too many miss the point: yes, 99% of the time nothing goes wrong and we all enjoy a pleasant, fun cruise, but if, for any reason a person needs to return to America by any means except the ship, they have to have a passport, whether coming from Canada, Mexico or any other place. If someone is spending thousands of dollars to cruise, why not spend that extra 100 plus for a 10 year passport?

[sparks1093]

I think too many miss the point: yes, 99% of the time nothing goes wrong and we all enjoy a pleasant, fun cruise, but if, for any reason a person needs to return to America by any means except the ship, they have to have a passport, whether coming from Canada, Mexico or any other place. If someone is spending thousands of dollars to cruise, why not spend that extra 100 plus for a 10 year passport?

 

If someone can only travel by closed loop cruise every couple of years why would they spend the money on something they don't need when a less expensive alternative is available? That's basically what it boils down to- the individual traveler's need. DW and I have just applied for our first passports because our travel needs have changed since we are planning a trip to Europe. The problem is passports expire- so if you obtain a passport before you need it then the clock starts ticking.

 

I didn't get car insurance until I had a car to insure (even though I had a license) and I didn't get a passport until I had an actual need for one. If one's risk of needing a passport on a closed loop cruise is low and one is comfortable with that risk then use an alternative (BC/DL, passport card, EDL). If one's risk is high or if one is uncomfortable with the low risk obtain a passport.

[KateQ22003]

If someone can only travel by closed loop cruise every couple of years why would they spend the money on something they don't need when a less expensive alternative is available? That's basically what it boils down to- the individual traveler's need. DW and I have just applied for our first passports because our travel needs have changed since we are planning a trip to Europe. The problem is passports expire- so if you obtain a passport before you need it then the clock starts ticking.

 

I didn't get car insurance until I had a car to insure (even though I had a license) and I didn't get a passport until I had an actual need for one. If one's risk of needing a passport on a closed loop cruise is low and one is comfortable with that risk then use an alternative (BC/DL, passport card, EDL). If one's risk is high or if one is uncomfortable with the low risk obtain a passport.

 

Because you can't 100% say you won't need it. Maybe you won't; probably you won't. But if God forbid something should happen to someone you love back home and you had to get off the ship and fly home, you will be glad you have it.

[newmexicoNita]

If someone can only travel by closed loop cruise every couple of years why would they spend the money on something they don't need when a less expensive alternative is available? That's basically what it boils down to- the individual traveler's need. DW and I have just applied for our first passports because our travel needs have changed since we are planning a trip to Europe. The problem is passports expire- so if you obtain a passport before you need it then the clock starts ticking.

 

I didn't get car insurance until I had a car to insure (even though I had a license) and I didn't get a passport until I had an actual need for one. If one's risk of needing a passport on a closed loop cruise is low and one is comfortable with that risk then use an alternative (BC/DL, passport card, EDL). If one's risk is high or if one is uncomfortable with the low risk obtain a passport.

 

Everyone has to do what they feel is best, but I would never take a chance. Yes, they are doing a loop, but they will be stopping in ports, plus there is always the possiblity of something happening on ship which would require returning to America is some other manner. It isn't like the cost of passports are out of sight or they are only good for a year. They are good for 10 years. For those who are comfortable taking the risk, like you, that is fine, I just feel very strongly about having the protection a passport gives. If an emergancy does arrive, we don't need something else to worry about.

[sparks1093]

Because you can't 100% say you won't need it. Maybe you won't; probably you won't. But if God forbid something should happen to someone you love back home and you had to get off the ship and fly home, you will be glad you have it.

 

No, I can't say with 100% certainty that I won't need it but I don't need to say it with 100% certainty, I am okay with 99% certainty. It would need to be something very catastrophic in order for me to return home and the odds of that happening are very slight, so slight that I am comfortable not having a passport. Everyone's comfort level is different and that is perfectly fine.

[fuzzel]

Not having a passport kind of means that you do not have any interest in traveling the rest of the world.... which well, means you are missing out on a lot of good things.

 

 

I always travel with two passports: one on me and one which stays on the boat^Wship.

 

Makes things so much easier than "but really, this is a birth certificate".

 

Most ports (especially US related) accept a photocopy of your passport btw.

Fortunately cruiselines seem to be exempt from most passport checks, except when going on land at the US....

 

Funnily Puerto Rico is considered USA, St.Thomas is considered USA, but there is no immigration in either of them. Also, even though these are considered USA, they are apparently exempt from the 'go from one US port, then required to foreign port' rule that is the sole reason of existence for the Pride of America which is allowed to do that.

 

In NYC on the way back there was immigration, but they just peeked 'oh you have a passport' and that was it.

 

But on our Miami return last year they did do full immigration with long queues _on the ship_. Strange policies. I wonder how many folks skip immigration one place or another these ways. But lets, keep these things quiet, enough waiting already when going to the US...

[djmess]

That renewal would be good for 10 yrs. A priceless investment! In most cases he can just send it in and renew by mail, no interview, unless it has been expired a very long time.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/fees.html

 

Cost for regular adult PP is $135

 

 

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And that is like $13.50 per year. A very small investment for security.

 

Im sorry, but I just don't get when people can afford to book a cruise, but don't want to invest in a passport.

 

Maybe give up going out to dinner a couple times in the 10 year period and it is paid for

[sparks1093]

Not having a passport kind of means that you do not have any interest in traveling the rest of the world.... which well, means you are missing out on a lot of good things.

 

 

 

Or maybe they don't have the time or the money to travel to see the rest of the world and even if that is the case who cares?

[Turtles06]

Joining the chorus of "get the passport". You are covered with one and you just don't know for sure with a birth certificate...I have seen people left at the pier because their BC wasn't the right kind. Odds? You will probably be fine with the DL and BC, but why take the risk?

 

I just found this on another site, from Carnival, but they put it really well:

 

Carnival highly recommends that all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel). This will enhance the debarkation experience as delays may be expected upon return to the United States for those without one. Additionally, this will enable guests to fly from the U.S. to meet their ship at a foreign port should they miss their scheduled port of embarkation and allow guests that must disembark the ship before their cruise ends due to an emergency to fly back to the U.S without significant delays and complications.

 

NCL in fact provides similar advice re their closed loop cruises:

 

Note: If you miss your ship at its scheduled U.S. departure port and need to travel outside the U.S. to meet your ship, or should you unexpectedly need to depart the ship from a foreign port prior to the end of sailing, a passport would be required to leave or re-enter the U.S. by air. To that end, Norwegian Cruise Line strongly recommends all guests to obtain a passport for their voyage on any Norwegian Cruise Line vessel.

 

http://www.ncl.com/about/required-travel-documentation

 

I think it is foolish to travel out of the U.S. without a passport, even if you are allowed to do so.

[sparks1093]

And that is like $13.50 per year. A very small investment for security.

 

Im sorry, but I just don't get when people can afford to book a cruise, but don't want to invest in a passport.

 

Maybe give up going out to dinner a couple times in the 10 year period and it is paid for

 

Why buy something that you don't need regardless of what it costs? For a long time the only type of travel we could do was on closed loop cruises so it didn't make sense to get a passport until we would need it for the travel that we can do. Now that the day is upon us we're obtaining them.

[sparks1093]

NCL in fact provides similar advice re their closed loop cruises:

 

 

 

http://www.ncl.com/about/required-travel-documentation

 

I think it is foolish to travel out of the U.S. without a passport, even if you are allowed to do so.

 

Why does it bother you so much what choice someone makes that you need to label them, especially when that choice has no impact on you?

[zqvol]

It's really a shame that people couldn't just answer the OP's question, instead we get into the various opinions about traveling with or without a passport.

 

Clearly the OP knew the risks, because she was simply trying to verify what she already knew and instead of an answer she get 23 posts telling her what she should do.