Do you recommend a passport?

[gatur123fl]

I am going on a cruise to the Bahamas in March 2017. We don't have passports and I was wondering is it worth it to spend the extra money?

Do we really need them? Have you cruised without one? Opinions? Thanks.

[MrsKC08]

I am going on a cruise to the Bahamas in March 2017. We don't have passports and I was wondering is it worth it to spend the extra money?

Do we really need them? Have you cruised without one? Opinions? Thanks.

 

My husband and I have cruise many times and neither of us have spent the time or effort or money to get a passport. If you have your certified birth certificate and drivers license you will be good to go. I will tell you that a married woman should have her marriage license to show the name change though. I have all the necessary paperwork together and it is ezpz for us.

 

There will be people to tell you to get them, in case you ever have to fly out of a port due to emergencies...but we never have and have been cruising for years.

[Saturngrl]

Even though it's not required for Bahamas cruises, I highly recommend a Passport. This will get you through customs upon disembarkation much sooner!

 

Earlier this year, a friend and I sailed the Eastern Caribbean with none of the islands being on a list that required a passport to get back in the U.S. My friend had her original birth certificate and drivers license. She passed me with a glance and a nod when I presented my passport. She spent five minutes questioning my friend with her documentation.

 

Lesson learned...get a passport!

[rhuntington3]

You can cruise with a certified copy of your birth certificate and a government issued photo ID like your driver license.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=329&faqSubjectName=Cruise+Documents&faqId=2814

[MsLMG]

Yes....its just easier if you have one. You never know when the rules are going to change c

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited September 6, 2016 by MsLMG

[Ocean Boy]

I have never cruised without a passport. I have never even flown domestically without a passport. It is the easiest form of ID to use in an airport. All ICE and TSA agents know what a US passport looks like. The same can't be said about 50 different State driver's licenses. It has always gotten me through any screening process quite quickly.

[blackshirt]

It is amazing to me how many people feel comfortable traveling without a passport whether needed or not. Just because you've not needed it yet doesn't mean you won't need it on the next cruise. I've never had to use my travel insurance, does that mean I should quit buying it because I haven't needed it? Additionally the rules allowing you to cruise without a passport only apply to US Customs, they do not apply to any of the port stops. It just so happens none of the Carribbean port stops require a passport but any of them could at any time. I think you can expect Cuba will need a passport when they start adding it as a port stop.

[Havingfun2010]

I am going on a cruise to the Bahamas in March 2017. We don't have passports and I was wondering is it worth it to spend the extra money?

Do we really need them? Have you cruised without one? Opinions? Thanks.

 

Do you need one? No.

Have I cruised without it? Yes

Others cruised with me without them? Yes

Is it worth it? Kind of an opinion question and I think yes. First, it is your International ID and will be used over and over, unless you never travel again. Not having one, can create issues, if you were say left behind. I know, that is extremely slim for me, since, I know how to tell time, but after 15 shots in a Mexican bar, others might not be so skilled.

I have one, only when I needed one to go to Europe. Before that, I did not, and was fine, using my BC.

[CruisinQueen2013]

You will find strong opinions on both sides of this one. Do you NEED one? No. Should you get one? Depends on your comfort level. It is indeed true that if you were to need to fly home from a foreign country, you can't do so without it. So, if someone you're cruising with had a medical emergency, getting everyone home could be challenging. Also, if anything happened back home and you needed to return suddenly, again, you'd have trouble flying home without one. The odds of any of that happening though - probably small. It really all depends on if you're the type of person that wants to be prepared no matter what and hedge your bets.

 

For us, we got a passport before our first cruise and for each kid too. Just peace of mind. There really is no right or wrong answer here, all depends on what you're comfortable with.

[island lady]

Always, for us anyway. I am just one of those "would rather be safe

than sorry" people. Makes life easier for us. ;)

 

And we carry passport cards in addition to the passport books (which we

leave in the safe on board after check in).

 

We like using the cards as photo ID in the foreign ports. Slips easily into a pocket with

our sea pass cards. :)

Edited September 6, 2016 by island lady

[Pickels]

If you plan on doing a lot of traveling outside of the US, then I suggest you get a passport. It just makes it easier and more convenient to have one.

[reedl]

Pretty much all the frequent cruisers here are going to say you NEED to have a passport, and there is no way you will be able to even exist as a person unless you have one.

 

The reality OTOH, is that if you have your notarized birth certificates, and driver's license, for a closed loop (one that comes back to the same port as you left from) cruise, you will be fine.

 

There is always the 'what if' issues, but there have been reams of people who have had issues and survived without a passport.

 

But I will recommend the passport card. It is a total of $55 ($30 for the card and a $25 fee). It is good for 10 years, and for non-air travel, it will work perfectly.

[MrsKC08]

It is amazing to me how many people feel comfortable traveling without a passport whether needed or not. Just because you've not needed it yet doesn't mean you won't need it on the next cruise. I've never had to use my travel insurance, does that mean I should quit buying it because I haven't needed it? Additionally the rules allowing you to cruise without a passport only apply to US Customs, they do not apply to any of the port stops. It just so happens none of the Carribbean port stops require a passport but any of them could at any time. I think you can expect Cuba will need a passport when they start adding it as a port stop.

 

 

I guess you would be amazed by my husband and I. He has cruised almost 20 times and I have cruised about 8 times and I have never had any issues ever with not having my passport. I know that whenever I get around to doing a mediterranean cruise that we will have to break down and get a passport, but until then we fell very confident in cruising with our documents that are needed (BC and DL). We have cruised multiple times with the cruiselines that we sail on, and since they see that history with us, it's never ever been an issue. Since we don't do any international travel, we just don't feel the need to go through the passport process.

 

Oh, and only up until recently have we started purchasing travel insurance, and that is more so because my in-laws are very elderly and should something happen where we have to cancel our cruise because of something happening to them, we will have that backup. Otherwise we probably wouldn't even bother with that either. Shocking...I know! :D

[johnjen]

Without even looking at the other replies to the poster, hands down says GET A PASSPORT, I can't imagine anyone even THINKING about going overseas without one.

 

The raw deal - let's say you're stranded and the ship leaves without you. You'll be stuck - and, do you think a birth certificate will get you out of that situation overseas? No, it won't. Yes, you might be able to cruise using just a BC and a driver's license, but if there's a situation and you do not have a passport? You're stuck until you find refuge/assistance from a US consulate or embassy office, and you'll end up paying through the nose for express work on passports. You CANNOT FLY BACK HOME without a passport.

Edited September 6, 2016 by johnjen

[OCruisers]

Just get a passport -- so much easier to have one. :D

[wendychloecruiser]

I guess you would be amazed by my husband and I. He has cruised almost 20 times and I have cruised about 8 times and I have never had any issues ever with not having my passport. I know that whenever I get around to doing a mediterranean cruise that we will have to break down and get a passport, but until then we fell very confident in cruising with our documents that are needed (BC and DL). We have cruised multiple times with the cruiselines that we sail on, and since they see that history with us, it's never ever been an issue. Since we don't do any international travel, we just don't feel the need to go through the passport process.

 

Oh, and only up until recently have we started purchasing travel insurance, and that is more so because my in-laws are very elderly and should something happen where we have to cancel our cruise because of something happening to them, we will have that backup. Otherwise we probably wouldn't even bother with that either. Shocking...I know! :D

 

Immigration doesn't give a Scooby how many times you've sailed with anyone...

[cincicruisers]

Another vote for getting a passport. Small price to pay for hassle free travel.

[cruisinfanatic]

Pretty much all the frequent cruisers here are going to say you NEED to have a passport, and there is no way you will be able to even exist as a person unless you have one.

 

The reality OTOH, is that if you have your notarized birth certificates, and driver's license, for a closed loop (one that comes back to the same port as you left from) cruise, you will be fine.

 

There is always the 'what if' issues, but there have been reams of people who have had issues and survived without a passport.

 

But I will recommend the passport card. It is a total of $55 ($30 for the card and a $25 fee). It is good for 10 years, and for non-air travel, it will work perfectly.

Why. No better than a BC and license

[broberts]

I am going on a cruise to the Bahamas in March 2017. We don't have passports and I was wondering is it worth it to spend the extra money?

Do we really need them? Have you cruised without one? Opinions? Thanks.

 

I grew up traveling with a passport. So I would feel uncomfortable not having one.

 

That said, the cost of passports is significant, and if one does not plan any other international travel, and if the only non-US ports are in the Bahamas using birth certificates and driver's licenses is fine.

[reedl]

Why. No better than a BC and license

 

Actually since the card is laminated and is the size of a credit card, you can keep it in your wallet and not have to remember to bring your most likely fragile birth certificate with you.

 

I know my birth certificate was a notarized copy of a thermal copy so it is in pretty bad shape now.

Edited September 6, 2016 by reedl

[SteadyBetty]

The cost of a passport seems minuscule when you consider the cost you are going to pay or have just paid for the vacation.

 

As a seasoned traveler, I like to cover all bases: ID, passport, TSA, KTN, etc.

 

Passports are comparable to vacation insurance - you think you don't need it until you need it.

[waterbug123]

Pretty much all the frequent cruisers here are going to say you NEED to have a passport, and there is no way you will be able to even exist as a person unless you have one.

 

 

There is always the 'what if' issues, but there have been reams of people who have had issues and survived without a passport.

 

But I will recommend the passport card. It is a total of $55 ($30 for the card and a $25 fee). It is good for 10 years, and for non-air travel, it will work perfectly.

 

I've never read a reply from anyone stating an outcome so horrific as to categorize it by saying you won't be able to exist as a person without a passport. :rolleyes:

Yes, people recommend them, and yes they point out the potential hassles of not having one, but let's not get melodramatic with generalizations that have never been made.

 

As for the "what if" issues....yes, there have been reams of people who had issues and survived without a passport. But in many if not most of those cases things would have been much easier if they did have one.

 

Lastly, if you feel so strongly that people shouldn't worry about getting a passport, what's the point of recommending a passport card? You can't fly with it, so it's really no better travel documentation that a DL/BC combo. :confused:

[leisuretraveler223]

Amazing to me how many people are more than willing to throw money away on unnecessary cruise insurance, but are too cheap to get a U.S. Passport, one of the most powerful and sought after forms of identification around the world....

 

 

.... Stupid is as stupid does.

[Ocean Boy]

I grew up traveling with a passport. So I would feel uncomfortable not having one.

 

That said, the cost of passports is significant, and if one does not plan any other international travel, and if the only non-US ports are in the Bahamas using birth certificates and driver's licenses is fine.

 

Compared to what? I drop a few thousand dollars every time we cruise. I drop a little over $100 every ten years for my passport.

[cruisinfanatic]

Actually since the card is laminated and is the size of a credit card, you can keep it in your wallet and not have to remember to bring your most likely fragile birth certificate with you.

 

I know my birth certificate was a notarized copy of a thermal copy so it is in pretty bad shape now.

So a $55 passport card that you can't use to fly is worth it to you?