Passports

[GrandmaneedsAcruise16]

I have read that if your embarking from a US port and it is a round trip you DO NOT need to get a passport for Caribbean?.......No cruise scheduled yet but this part is important to me........what if you do not have one?.........years ago I booked (ended up cancelling) but the agent only asked for birth certificates.

[CruiserBruce]

You don't need a passport for a closed loop cruise- starting and ending at the same US port. An official (raised seal, where issued) government issued (not hospital issued) birth certificate and drivers license is required.

 

As very commonly discussed here, a passport is the better option, however.

Edited August 19, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[Keith1010]

This is correct.

 

I too would consider a passport.

 

Should you get sick on your cruise and need to fly home, having a passport would be key and in general it's good to get one.

 

Keith

[GUT2407]

You don't need a passport for a closed loop cruise- starting and ending at the same US port. An official (raised seal, where issued) government issued (not hospital issued) birth certificate and drivers license is required.

 

As very commonly discussed here, a passport is the better option, however.

 

Yep.

[paul929207]

Just to qualify the answers above, the BC & photo ID are sufficient if you are a natural born US citizen.

[Pensioncruiser]

And you will require a passport to go ashore in some European ports, it is a requirement when in Croatia that you must carry a passport, well it is for us Brits:)

[CruiserBruce]

And you will require a passport to go ashore in some European ports, it is a requirement when in Croatia that you must carry a passport, well it is for us Brits:)

 

Note that all the answers above are about a Caribbean cruise that is roundtrip out of a US port. It has nothing to do with sailing in Europe. A US citizen can't even fly to Europe to get on a cruise without a passport.

Edited August 19, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[Pensioncruiser]

Thank you CruiserBrucehttp://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

[Shmoo here]

I'll just toss this information into the mix:

 

Some cruise lines require a passport (regardless of the legal requirements) for all cruises. So, be sure to check with your specific cruise line whether they will require it.

 

I'm in the "passport is the way to go" camp.

[floatn]

One does NOT have to be a "natural born US citizen" to cruise a closed loop cruise with BC and ID rather than passport. One CAN be a naturalized US citizen.

[serene56]

I have read that if your embarking from a US port and it is a round trip you DO NOT need to get a passport for Caribbean?.......No cruise scheduled yet but this part is important to me........what if you do not have one?.........years ago I booked (ended up cancelling) but the agent only asked for birth certificates.

 

 

birth certificate-- the state issued one (with parents name on it too) Not the hospital one and and state issued photo ID.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Get that passport.

What would you do if you got sick on the ship and had to go to a hospital in a foreign port and then had to fly home?? You need a passport.

What if someone from home called and said that you needed to get home right away? You need a passport.

[NMLady]

birth certificate-- the state issued one (with parents name on it too) Not the hospital one and and state issued photo ID.

 

Although a bc with the parents name on it is now required in order to get a passport it is not needed for cruising. The short form bc is sufficient if it is an official one, not the hospital certificate.

[serene56]

Although a bc with the parents name on it is now required in order to get a passport it is not needed for cruising. The short form bc is sufficient if it is an official one, not the hospital certificate.

 

 

we were told that starting April 2014 that a parents name needed to be on the birth certificate. Not a big deal and got another one.

 

My son and his family went to Jamaica-- with passports and were told next time they fly out of the country they should take a birth certificate listing the parents name for the kids. With a kids Passport it lists nothing and some kids do not look like their picture..

[NMLady]

we were told that starting April 2014 that a parents name needed to be on the birth certificate. Not a big deal and got another one.

 

My son and his family went to Jamaica-- with passports and were told next time they fly out of the country they should take a birth certificate listing the parents name for the kids. With a kids Passport it lists nothing and some kids do not look like their picture..

 

Re-read the OP. this thread is talking about what is required for a closed loop CRUISE, nothing about flying.

Also, that 2014 requirement for parents names on bc was for getting a passport, nothing to do with closed loop cruises.

Edited August 19, 2015 by NMLady

[PomSaysOm]

I have a related question for a closed loop cruise from the US, but it is a multi part question and kind of complicated lol. But here goes:

 

1) If I were to use my BC and ID, would I also need my marriage license to explain the name difference?

2) Could I also have my passport with my maiden name (and marriage license, of course) for an emergency that would require flying?

 

The reason I'm asking is because my passport still has five years left until it expires and I can't really see paying for a new one when I've already paid for this one. On our last cruise, I took the passport and marriage license. Because my passport was used to check in to the cruise, my maiden name was on my sail and sign card and everything else from the cruise line. Because of that, I had to carry the passport in and out of ports as my primary ID, which was a pain. I'm going on another cruise in November and I'd like to avoid that hassle.

 

Does anyone know if that would work? I plan on also emailing the cruise line to ask, but I thought I'd get some opinions here as well.

 

Sent from my LG-AS991 using Tapatalk

[Flatbush Flyer]

I'll just toss this information into the mix:

 

 

 

Some cruise lines require a passport (regardless of the legal requirements) for all cruises. So, be sure to check with your specific cruise line whether they will require it.

 

 

 

I'm in the "passport is the way to go" camp.

 

 

Thank you for adding this little tidbit. Pretty much every premium and luxury cruise line requires ALL passengers on ALL itineraries to carry a passport.

[Sauer-kraut]

I have a related question for a closed loop cruise from the US, but it is a multi part question and kind of complicated lol. But here goes:

 

1) If I were to use my BC and ID, would I also need my marriage license to explain the name difference?

2) Could I also have my passport with my maiden name (and marriage license, of course) for an emergency that would require flying?

 

The reason I'm asking is because my passport still has five years left until it expires and I can't really see paying for a new one when I've already paid for this one. On our last cruise, I took the passport and marriage license. Because my passport was used to check in to the cruise, my maiden name was on my sail and sign card and everything else from the cruise line. Because of that, I had to carry the passport in and out of ports as my primary ID, which was a pain. I'm going on another cruise in November and I'd like to avoid that hassle.

 

Does anyone know if that would work? I plan on also emailing the cruise line to ask, but I thought I'd get some opinions here as well.

 

Sent from my LG-AS991 using Tapatalk

 

The EASIEST thing to do is to book everything in the name on the passport! Especially since you have a good amount of time left on it. You could have just taken a copy of the marriage license in and out of the ports as your bridge document instead of the passport and used your drivers license.

[CruiserBruce]

I have a related question for a closed loop cruise from the US, but it is a multi part question and kind of complicated lol. But here goes:

 

1) If I were to use my BC and ID, would I also need my marriage license to explain the name difference?

2) Could I also have my passport with my maiden name (and marriage license, of course) for an emergency that would require flying?

 

The reason I'm asking is because my passport still has five years left until it expires and I can't really see paying for a new one when I've already paid for this one. On our last cruise, I took the passport and marriage license. Because my passport was used to check in to the cruise, my maiden name was on my sail and sign card and everything else from the cruise line. Because of that, I had to carry the passport in and out of ports as my primary ID, which was a pain. I'm going on another cruise in November and I'd like to avoid that hassle.

 

Does anyone know if that would work? I plan on also emailing the cruise line to ask, but I thought I'd get some opinions here as well.

 

Sent from my LG-AS991 using Tapatalk

 

Just take your passport with your marriage license. That would be the easiest.

[Sauer-kraut]

I have a related question for a closed loop cruise from the US, but it is a multi part question and kind of complicated lol. But here goes:

 

1) If I were to use my BC and ID, would I also need my marriage license to explain the name difference?

2) Could I also have my passport with my maiden name (and marriage license, of course) for an emergency that would require flying?

 

The reason I'm asking is because my passport still has five years left until it expires and I can't really see paying for a new one when I've already paid for this one. On our last cruise, I took the passport and marriage license. Because my passport was used to check in to the cruise, my maiden name was on my sail and sign card and everything else from the cruise line. Because of that, I had to carry the passport in and out of ports as my primary ID, which was a pain. I'm going on another cruise in November and I'd like to avoid that hassle.

 

Does anyone know if that would work? I plan on also emailing the cruise line to ask, but I thought I'd get some opinions here as well.

 

Sent from my LG-AS991 using Tapatalk

 

For question #1 yes that would work, Drivers license & birth certificate & marriage license.

 

The EASIEST thing to do is to book everything in the name on the passport! Especially since you have a good amount of time left on it. You could have just taken a copy of the marriage license in and out of the ports as your bridge document instead of the passport and used your drivers license.

[Blue Mudshark]

You don't need a passport for a closed loop cruise- starting and ending at the same US port.

 

While this may be true for some itinerary(ies), and for passengers of some nationality(ies), it's certainly not universally true.

[PomSaysOm]

Thank you for your answers. Honestly, I would rather cruise in my married name instead of my maiden name, but that is just a personal preference. I was told last time by the cruise line that I would need to use the passport as my primary ID since that is the name that matched my ship card and their records.

 

Sent from my LG-AS991 using Tapatalk

[CruiserBruce]

While this may be true for some itinerary(ies), and for passengers of some nationality(ies), it's certainly not universally true.

 

The OP appears to be a US citizen, and asked about a closed loop Caribbean cruise. Given those circumstances, was my original answer wrong?

 

I feel sorry for the OP. The drift on this thread must be very confusing to the OP.

[Underwatr]

One does NOT have to be a "natural born US citizen" to cruise a closed loop cruise with BC and ID rather than passport. One CAN be a naturalized US citizen.

I thought the purpose of the BC was to show citizenship (by birth) and the ID was to show that you're the person named on the BC. If you're a naturalized citizen your BC won't sufficiently demonstrate your citizenship, since by definition it will show that you're not US-born.

[Shmoo here]

I thought the purpose of the BC was to show citizenship (by birth) and the ID was to show that you're the person named on the BC. If you're a naturalized citizen your BC won't sufficiently demonstrate your citizenship, since by definition it will show that you're not US-born.

 

In that case you show your Certificate of Naturalization. That's also acceptable as proof of citizenship.