Do you recommend a passport?

[lbjen]

You don't need one to get on the ship, and you won't need one if you don't run into any problems. But if you do run into any problems, you surely will wish you had just got one when you had the chance. For the sake of $135, I'd rather know it's one less thing to worry about.

 

If you have aging relatives at home, have a chronic health condition, or are planning on taking non-RC excursions, then you have a higher (but still slim) chance of needing one.

[whitshel]

Just wondering how many of you who say "yes" get a passport because things may happen, you'll be stuck on an island, etc etc etc, anyway how many of you who do have a passport have had this happen? Just wondering:confused:

 

And please, no I know someone who's mother's sister's cousin brothers boyfriends father that missed the boat and didn't have pp

 

I will say myself and my family don't have pp's, we've been on 10+ cruises and ya you guessed it, no issues either. So in reality that 40+ cruises with not one issue. While were on the subject, my greater family who most of them do have pp's (lets say 12 other people) who have taken at least 10+ cruises and ya, no issues. So in my little cruise world with all the folks I know and have cruised with none of us had to ever had to fly home from island that we were stuck at. And no I don't see us going to Europe any time soon (so no need for that either)

 

So OP, the answer to your question is "no" you don't need a PP to cruise North America. Will you need it, probably not (ever) so it's really up to you if you think you will ever need it. So yes if you plan on traveling the world, by all means get a passport (you'll have to get one)

 

I wonder what % of North American cruise passengers needed a passport to fly home from an island because of some incident. My guess less than 1%. What do you guys think?

[GUT2407]

Short answer YES

[S.A.M.J.R.]

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.

So how much longer did it take those using DL to get through the security screening? :rolleyes:

 

IMO, travel insurance is worth more than a passport. There's more that can happen requiring you to use travel insurance than requiring the passport.

 

For some, having a passport, even if not required, gives them peace of mind. But that's all it does. It doesn't get you through customs or TSA any faster. The bottom line is it is not required for US Citizens on a closed loop cruise to the Caribbean.

 

As far as whether it's "worth it", opinions will vary.

[shippmates]

whitsel. We have passports and will never travel without one. Several years ago my husband had been to the doctor and got a go ahead to travel. Seven days into a ten day cruise he had to be air lifted from Labadee to Dominican Republic. First they cleared his passport before the chopper would take off and the they had to stop at the airport to clear customs and show his passport again. I flew to him once the cruise was completed and spend 6 days in the DR. I was so thankful that we had our passports so he could get medical care so quickly. Also glad we had travel insurance as it covered his airlift, our hotels, our flights home, my flight to him, meals for me, and the time he missed on the ship. I know this is about passports, but for the seniors that are reading this, just a reminder that medicare does not cover you outside of the United States. So everyone please check your medical coverage before you leave. Also most foreign countries do not accept your medical insurance so we had to pay everything up front except for the limit of our travel insurance.

[bigque]

I look at it like this...... I have Home owners insurance, car insurance, I get travel insurance when I cruise, I have a home warranty plan. A pay for all of these and have had to use them all at one time or another except for the travel insurance. Although I have used them it has been years since I have used some of the insurance I pay for but I keep paying for that one time something do come up. Passport is like insurance when I cruise I paid for it initially and renew it when it comes time because even though I haven't had to fly from a country while on a cruise, you never know if and when that one time might happen! :cool:

[alfaeric]

Another one for the "depends on what your plans are" answer.

 

If this is the only time you will ever leave the US, then getting a passport would be pretty pointless.

 

Even if you think you may consider another short cruise, maybe then it's not a big deal.

 

On the other hand, if you *think* you may fly to any other country- including Canada and Mexico- you NEED a passport.

 

And it's fair to suggest that you wait until after the cruise is over to think about it. If you really enjoyed yourself, and could consider a one way cruise in Alaska, or perhaps a dream of a European cruise, or anything else like that, then you can get the passport after the cruise and be happy.

 

(BTW, those who are asking if this is a US citizen or not- the act of just asking the question answers that)

[Ocean Boy]

So how much longer did it take those using DL to get through the security screening? :rolleyes:

 

IMO, travel insurance is worth more than a passport. There's more that can happen requiring you to use travel insurance than requiring the passport.

 

For some, having a passport, even if not required, gives them peace of mind. But that's all it does. It doesn't get you through customs or TSA any faster. The bottom line is it is not required for US Citizens on a closed loop cruise to the Caribbean.

 

As far as whether it's "worth it", opinions will vary.

 

I said I have gotten through screenings quite quickly. I have no idea if it is because of the passport. Maybe it is because I have blue eyes and don't look like a terrorist. Oh wait, that would be profiling.:rolleyes:

 

No one is arguing that a passport is not needed for a closed loop cruise. And you are correct, this is all a matter of opinion. I stated my opinion and my experiences. With the subject at hand I really don't care what someone else chooses to do. It has no affect on me at all.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Ocean Boy

[Havingfun2010]

that's called a drivers license where I live and have all the time anyway. Having only a passport card is useless because you can't fly internationally with it.

 

Why is it useless? You can travel with it in the Caribbean. You can drive to Mexico and Canada with it. Sounds useful to me. In the off chance you get sick, and need to stay behind, it is still a valid ID, but you will need to get an emergency passport to travel back. But that's only a what if. Plus, how many people have passports, kept on the ship, when they leave the ship?

 

I use a passport card all the time!

[S.A.M.J.R.]

I said I have gotten through screenings quite quickly. I have no idea if it is because of the passport.

You sure implied that, whether you meant to or not. Actually, you didn't imply, you flat out stated... "It has always gotten me through any screening process quite quickly."

[Ocean Boy]

You sure implied that, whether you meant to or not. Actually, you didn't imply, you flat out stated... "It has always gotten me through any screening process quite quickly."

 

I take it back.... The blue eyes have always gotten me through the screening process quite quickly. Feel better? But I'll be sure to have my passport with me the next time just in case it wasn't the eyes doing it.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Ocean Boy

[HuaAZ]

It was $80 to renew my daughter's passport, which was the last passport payment I made, excuse me for being inaccurate. It's apparently also $80 to replace if it's lost. I do a lot of volunteer work with the homeless agencies in my area and the lack of a birth certificate causes a ton of problems for people and is really hard for them to get new ones, although there are other issues at play there (no address and no other forms of ID), so it CAN be difficult to replace, but I GUESS maybe easier for the non-homeless. Anyway, $135, still inexpensive, still recommend purchasing.

 

 

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I replaced a stolen passport last Friday. This was same day service so I had to pay the expedite fee which is $60.00. I am cruising this Sunday so I had to get it replaced quickly. Total cost: $135.00 for the passport and $60.00 expedite fee brings the cost of a stolen passport to $195.00. My wife had to replace hers also so the total was $390.00. Worth the Cost? Yes.

[lovetocruise75]

It is so much easier. Bite the bullet and spend the couple of hundred.

 

 

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[ColoradoGurl]

For those of you who keep saying that everyone leaves their passports on the ship, the ship retrieves passports for anyone getting left behind and leaves them with the coast guard people at the dock. It's been mentioned tons of times on this board regarding people who arrived back late and had to fly out.

 

 

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[Matt&Carolyn]

Yes, we always have them. Even the kids have passports even though they're a pain and have to be renewed every 5 years. It's completely worth it to me, just like travel insurance. It also allows us to plan international travel, and at great deals for last minute plans. But even if we never "needed" it, I'm glad we have them. :)

 

 

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[gagirl7143]

Agree with get the passport group. Take a copy always when on shore.

 

 

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[EBFURR]

We have had guests cruise with us w/o passports with no issues. I always had one since I needed for business travel and we got them for the family just for the convenience. We just completed a cruise and I realized a few weeks before the cruise that mine had expired. I do not do business travel overseas any more so I went with the passport card for $35. I did not do expedited service at extra cost because I figured I could get by without it if it did not arrive in time. Got it in about 2 weeks. The card looks like a drivers license and is very handy to have. Not a necessity though.

[Charger2008]

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

 

I know you don't technically "NEED" one for a closed loop cruise; however, if you cruise frequently and you break down the price, over ten years it comes to $11 a year. I could be wrong here, but most folks spend more than $11 a year on coffee, booze, t-shirts, excursions, etc. etc. while on a cruise. Also, it is one simple document to keep up with, not several.

 

I know, I know, some people never need one, they never need that car insurance they purchased either, well, until they get t-boned by someone running a red light. Life happens, accidents happen and why roll the dice to save $11 a year. You could also look at it this way, how much do you spend on a cruise? Do you purchase the booze package, photo package, go on excursions, buy jewelry? Well, $110 just in case you need it is really chump change relatively speaking :D

 

Again, do what makes you happy, this is just my two cents :p

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

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.

 

Only if you live in Missouri or Oklahoma will you need a passport in the future unless those states comply with the Real ID law.

[johnjen]

Thanks for calling those who travel without a passport stupid.

 

The majority of those of us who do own passports say "you're welcome.":D

[ryano]

Those of you insisting that you CANNOT fly home on a Passport card if something happens and you have to disembark the ship in a foreign port are just not correct. In fact, you probably wont even be delayed a single day. I know this simply because a friend of mine that went on our Freedom cruise last year got into the Makers Mark a little too heavy our first day at sea and acted a fool. :rolleyes:

 

Captain Ron put him off in Falmouth Jamaica after having security confine him to his cabin for a few days. He was traveling ONLY on a Passport card and flew straight to Miami from Montego Bay that SAME day. It took about 13 hours to get home in Gainesville FL but it was done. There was no "emergency" Passport issued at all.

 

Please dont jump on me about his behavior. FWIW, he hasnt touched a single drop of alcohol since then :cool:

 

As for the topic at hand, I will not leave this country without a Passport book but Im all about YOU doing what YOU feel comfortable doing.

Edited September 7, 2016 by ryano

[cruisinfanatic]

Why is it useless? You can travel with it in the Caribbean. You can drive to Mexico and Canada with it. Sounds useful to me. In the off chance you get sick, and need to stay behind, it is still a valid ID, but you will need to get an emergency passport to travel back. But that's only a what if. Plus, how many people have passports, kept on the ship, when they leave the ship?

 

I use a passport card all the time!

except for being able to drive over the border it is no more useful than a drivers license

[Racker'sCruz-Set2Sail]

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.

 

Quick answer, YES & YES!

 

RAC

[ckrobyn]

I take it back.... The blue eyes have always gotten me through the screening process quite quickly. Feel better? But I'll be sure to have my passport with me the next time just in case it wasn't the eyes doing it.

 

Now I am chasing you from thread to thread :rolleyes:

Blue eyes huh?

[broberts]

except for being able to drive over the border it is no more useful than a drivers license

 

Last year there were over 235,000,000 land border crossings by individuals.