Passport ... Hot Topic

[sparks1093]

Sorry but that's just naïve. Unless there's an open US consulate down the block from where you're standing when you are confronted with the need to obtain a passport in a foreign land, you are talking about far more than a few hours of bureaucratic hassles. It could easily mean more than a day (far more than that in truly remote locations and/or weekend/holiday periods) before you connect with someone. So, plan for hotel, meals, transport, possibility of getting stuck with higher airfare, etc.

 

BTW, the percent of vacation cost is actually the percent of any and all international travel over a ten year period (5 years for little kids).

 

 

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There was a thread on here recently where the poster had to leave the ship in Puerto Vallarta due to a minor medical issue and they went to the airport as directed by the port agent and after a short delay were allowed to board a plane for the US where they spent about 10 minutes in secondary inspection before being allowed to go on their way. Now, it may not always be that easy but I no of no reason why it shouldn't be. In any event your argument is a more valid one for good travel insurance than for a passport (and yes, I know, not everyone gets insurance but that, too, is their decision that doesn't affect me).

[sparks1093]

What is it per person?

 

Never mind, I Googled it.

 

Jeez with all the hubub I thought you guys paid a lot. Spend the money or not, who cares.

 

Evidently a lot of people care if someone choses the "or not" option. Still haven't figured out why.

[sloopsailor]

It may only be US$24/year for you. For someone who has never left the country and is cruising for the first time, the cost is over US$110 + photo. A lot more than a pricey drink or two,.For those on a budget it can represent more than 10% of their vacation cost. For what benefit? Near as I can figure out, the potential elimination of a few hours of bureaucratic hassles is the only benefit.

 

It IS only about the cost of one drink onboard when considering that it's good for travel for the next ten years. If a person enjoys cruising (or any foreign travel, for that matter) they won't have to pay for a new passport for a decade. That could include several vacations or cruises. Complaining about it as an expense for one single use is a bit naive. Do you really think that in the next ten years they will never again travel where having one is useful?

[sparks1093]

It IS only about the cost of one drink onboard when considering that it's good for travel for the next ten years. If a person enjoys cruising (or any foreign travel, for that matter) they won't have to pay for a new passport for a decade. That could include several vacations or cruises. Complaining about it as an expense for one single use is a bit naive. Do you really think that in the next ten years they will never again travel where having one is useful?

 

I knew that we wanted to keep cruising but had no way of knowing for certain if we ever would again. I knew that we wanted to travel to Europe but had no way of knowing for certain if we ever would. I think most people are too well aware of any limitations they have on their travel, be it lack of funds or lack of time off or having to care for a loved one or any number of reasons.

[Flatbush Flyer]

There was a thread on here recently where the poster had to leave the ship in Puerto Vallarta due to a minor medical issue and they went to the airport as directed by the port agent and after a short delay were allowed to board a plane for the US where they spent about 10 minutes in secondary inspection before being allowed to go on their way. Now, it may not always be that easy but I no of no reason why it shouldn't be. In any event your argument is a more valid one for good travel insurance than for a passport (and yes, I know, not everyone gets insurance but that, too, is their decision that doesn't affect me).

 

 

 

C'mon. PV is basically SoCal and has a fairly major airport. Try that on a Sunday from someplace like Zihuatanejo. OR let's think about the family whose private tour boat breaks down at Anegada in the BVIs. Just getting back to the port agent could be an overnighter.

 

 

 

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[sparks1093]

C'mon. PV is basically SoCal and has a fairly major airport. Try that on a Sunday from someplace like Zihuatanejo. OR let's think about the family whose private tour boat breaks down at Anegada in the BVIs. Just getting back to the port agent could be an overnighter.

 

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Then those are things that people traveling on those itineraries should consider, along with their other personal risk factors. Still and all, it's a very low risk for most passengers.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Then those are things that people traveling on those itineraries should consider, along with their other personal risk factors. Still and all, it's a very low risk for most passengers.

 

 

You do realize that because the variable are so many and change from cruise to cruise the actual odds are always 50/50.

 

 

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[broberts]

Sorry but that's just naïve. Unless there's an open US consulate down the block from where you're standing when you are confronted with the need to obtain a passport in a foreign land, you are talking about far more than a few hours of bureaucratic hassles. It could easily mean more than a day (far more than that in truly remote locations and/or weekend/holiday periods) before you connect with someone. So, plan for hotel, meals, transport, possibility of getting stuck with higher airfare, etc.

 

BTW, the percent of vacation cost is actually the percent of any and all international travel over a ten year period (5 years for little kids).

 

 

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On this board alone a search will turn up at least two incidents of entire ship manifests having to return to the US by means other than the ship on which they departed. In none of those thousands of cases were people required to seek a consulate and wait to obtain a passport.

 

Further investigation will turn up numerous reports of individuals forced to return due to an emergency of one sort or another who did so without a passport. Again, many of these people did not need to travel to a US consulate to seek a passport.

 

The logic regarding the vacation cost percentage having to be calculated over ten future years reminds me of politicians who budget based on anticipated economic growth. I suspect that anticipated vacation costs are similarly prone to overly optimistic predictions.

 

It IS only about the cost of one drink onboard when considering that it's good for travel for the next ten years. If a person enjoys cruising (or any foreign travel, for that matter) they won't have to pay for a new passport for a decade. That could include several vacations or cruises. Complaining about it as an expense for one single use is a bit naive. Do you really think that in the next ten years they will never again travel where having one is useful?

 

Yes.

 

I guess there are those who refuse to accept that not everyone is an avid cruiser or international traveller.

 

 

If one only needs to use a passport once, it doesn't matter if the passport is good for an additional 10 years.

[SRF]

I don’t see how coming home from vacation early would be beneficial to fixing a burned down house. Insurance adjusters can be called and can make arrangements for where to stay when you get back. We have relatives in the area that could collect the few valuables we have.

 

We had some serious damage from a storm a few years ago, I was actually out of town at the time while my bf was Home. A week later when I got back the damage was still sitting there, nothing I could have done coming back early.

 

I know you are going to say that it’s just an example and I’m being difficult just to be difficult. And I may be to some degree. But everyone has different situations and tolerance for risk. I don’t insure my trips because I find my likelihood of having to cancel or interrupt my trip not high enough to be worth the cost of insurance. I see posts on these forums often of people that need to cancel at the last minute and don’t have insurance. And almost always when I read their situation, my thought is... well, I personally wouldn’t cancel over that. ‘Family member is close to death’.... my family members wouldn’t want me to cancel over that; ‘family member just diagnosed with cancer’.... my family members wouldn’t want me to cancel over that; ‘I was just diagnosed with cancer’.... obviously that’s a decision to be made with my doctor but if I can physically withstand the trip I want to live every day that I have; ‘something came up at work that I can’t miss’... my job has contractual guarantees on vacation time.... etc etc.

 

Point being everyone has individual situations and what’s right for you isn’t necessarily what’s right for someone else. So something you might perceive as a huge risk, won’t necessarily be perceived that way by someone in a different situation.

 

So, you would really be relaxed and enjoying your cruise, knowing you house had burned down? REALLY??

 

OK.

 

MOST people would want to get home. You are right, it really doesn't make that much difference, but they would still want to get there.

[SRF]

This. America is fundamentally different than Europe. People travel Europe the way Americans travel the states. But to travel internationally from the US, your only choices are Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean or an expensive 8 hour flight to get outside of these. A lot of Americans have never flown internationally and have no plans to. This group of people may take a cruise but don’t really think of it as international travel since a. They don’t need a passport, b. Everyone they encounter will speak English, c. Everyone they encounter will accept USD. They simply don’t see a need to spend hundreds of dollars to get unnecessary documentation that they think they will never need again.

 

My bf is a prime example of this. Prior to us getting together he had never been outside the country and had never planned to. He does have a passport now because I got him to go to Mexico for an all inclusive. But he doesn’t like being in a plane for longer than a few hours so we are limited on how far we can travel.

 

I live in the East. Europe is 6 - 7 hours away. And I just returned from a 5 day trip to visit someone, round trip air fare was about $700. Not that expensive. Round trip to the west coast can cost that much.

 

Not wanting to be on a plane for a long time? No one WANTS to be on a plane for a long flight, but you put up with it due to the destination. Say a week on Mykonos. MAGNIFICENT

 

And sorry, Europe is NOT a long flight. My current trip started with a 14.5 hour flight, that connected to a 7 hour flight. :D

[SRF]

Like many Europeans, I consider a passport essential and have had one pretty much since birth. I adore cruises but love travel in general. If I was a US citizen and cruise lover I would still have a passport so I could see the world.

 

They cost a bit but last a decade...money well spent.

 

I am never mean about it but I genuinely don't understand why people don't want to leave their country every once in a while....its super fun. Even if you have been cruising for a bit on closed loop cruises from FL surely you would want more exotic open cruises or even just a trip to South America for a holiday?

 

I am with you.

 

Currently I have been to 140 countries (not including the US). I have had the most wonderful experiences in most of them.

 

But I am also one who wonders why anyone would want to go to New York City. When there is London, Brussels, Copenhagen, Budapest, Prague, Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul and best of all HONG KONG

[SRF]

It took me years of reading Cruise Critic to realize that a lot of cruisers aren't really "travelers" in the sense of wanting to see new places. Some are simply "vacationers" -- looking to have a good time onboard ship and maybe visit a nice beach or two. Locations aren't super important to the latter group.

 

As a "traveler" it was a revelation that not everyone has the same passion for going new places that I do.

 

VERY well put.

 

Especially those who have "seen" a major city, because their cruise ship visited for 8 hours. Sorry, you cannot see Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Athens, Istanbul, Bangkok, Singapore, Rio, etc, in 8 hours. 8 DAYS is not enough.

[sparks1093]

You do realize that because the variable are so many and change from cruise to cruise the actual odds are always 50/50.

 

 

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What are the odds that something is going to happen that requires someone to return home within that 7 day window they are on their cruise? For most people the odds are heavily in their favor. 50/50? If those were the true odds then you'd see half of a cruise ship's passengers leaving on any given cruise for one reason or another.

[sparks1093]

VERY well put.

 

Especially those who have "seen" a major city, because their cruise ship visited for 8 hours. Sorry, you cannot see Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Athens, Istanbul, Bangkok, Singapore, Rio, etc, in 8 hours. 8 DAYS is not enough.

 

And to travel on a cruise to any of those cities one needs a passport so the argument is moot. To travel to the islands in the Caribbean on a closed loop cruise (with the exception of Cuba) one does not need a passport as viable alternatives exist.

Edited December 10, 2017 by sparks1093

[sparks1093]

I live in the East. Europe is 6 - 7 hours away. And I just returned from a 5 day trip to visit someone, round trip air fare was about $700. Not that expensive. Round trip to the west coast can cost that much.

 

Not wanting to be on a plane for a long time? No one WANTS to be on a plane for a long flight, but you put up with it due to the destination. Say a week on Mykonos. MAGNIFICENT

 

And sorry, Europe is NOT a long flight. My current trip started with a 14.5 hour flight, that connected to a 7 hour flight. :D

 

How long is the flight for someone from Montana or elsewhere in the Midwest? What about the coast? I don't mind a 7 hour flight but it bothers DW with her back issues, a longer flight would probably be a deal killer. I can also fly to Europe for around $700- if I fly out of Montreal. If I fly out of Boston or NY it's more along the lines of $1100 or more. May not matter for 1 traveler but when that number needs to be multiplied it adds up quickly, especially when you are adding in hotel costs and food costs (one of the reasons we can afford to go to Germany yearly is because we get to stay with family, a luxury many don't have).

[sparks1093]

So, you would really be relaxed and enjoying your cruise, knowing you house had burned down? REALLY??

 

OK.

 

MOST people would want to get home. You are right, it really doesn't make that much difference, but they would still want to get there.

 

I don't believe the PP said they'd be happy. I know that I wouldn't be happy and I would want to get home but I would also recognize that my getting home a few days earlier wouldn't significantly change anything. I have competent people that watch our house when we are gone and they would be getting things set in motion and handle things until we returned.

[mjkacmom]

How much do U.S. Passports cost? $1,000???:eek:

I just renewed my Canadian Passport for 10 years and I think it cost me $160 CDN.(120ish USD) Add in $20 bucks for the photos and its about $USD 140. Nexus costs me $50 USD for 5 years. So all in that's about USD$24 per year - or about two drinks on many cruise lines.

Some of us are blessed with large families, that not only make obtaining passports expensive, but international travel outrageously expensive. We are a one income family of 7, we are lucky to vacation once every several years. Fortunately some of my kids are involved in an activity involving international travel, others have traveled through school. We chose to have a large family and accept the sacrifices we need to make. At the end of the day, family wins over travel, everyone has their own priorities.

[sparks1093]

Some of us are blessed with large families, that not only make obtaining passports expensive, but international travel outrageously expensive. We are a one income family of 7, we are lucky to vacation once every several years. Fortunately some of my kids are involved in an activity involving international travel, others have traveled through school. We chose to have a large family and accept the sacrifices we need to make. At the end of the day, family wins over travel, everyone has their own priorities.

 

For many people this concept is beyond their grasp for some reason.

[SteveH2508]

In the UK a passport has become the best accepted method of ID for opening bank accounts etc.. It is now also linked to your driving licence photo (the other main form of accepted ID). We do not have national identity cards.

 

Would this also be the same in the US? Do you have a national identity card (I believe not)?

 

Just curious.

[dreadpirate3]

In the UK a passport has become the best accepted method of ID for opening bank accounts etc.. It is now also linked to your driving licence photo (the other main form of accepted ID). We do not have national identity cards.

 

Would this also be the same in the US? Do you have a national identity card (I believe not)?

 

Just curious.

 

Not for civilians, unless they are federal employees.

 

Most, if not all, states have a state identification card which looks similar to a driver's license, and is issued in the same manner, except for the driving tests.

[sanger727]

I live in the East. Europe is 6 - 7 hours away. And I just returned from a 5 day trip to visit someone, round trip air fare was about $700. Not that expensive. Round trip to the west coast can cost that much.

 

 

 

Not wanting to be on a plane for a long time? No one WANTS to be on a plane for a long flight, but you put up with it due to the destination. Say a week on Mykonos. MAGNIFICENT

 

 

 

And sorry, Europe is NOT a long flight. My current trip started with a 14.5 hour flight, that connected to a 7 hour flight. :D

 

 

Good for you. I don’t live in the east and I can’t travel to Europe in 6 hours for $700. And since I have a home, job, and life in the Midwest; I don’t think moving to the east just to have this opportunity is a good investment.

 

For the record, I’ve been to Europe, Australia, Tanzania, etc; many places with very long flights. And I’m fine with the long flight to get to somewhere I want to go. I don’t understand the lack of willingness to accept another viewpoint.

 

For a family that is getting along just ok; that saves a couple thousand up for a short cruise out of Florida that they can save money by driving too; Europe is out of their reach. A lot of my coworkers are in this situation and vacationing in a timeshare within driving distance is all they can really afford. And the one year they decide to splurge and go on a cruise, is a really special trip. And not one that they will necessarily repeat in the next 5-10 years.

 

That’s how I grew up; our annual vacation was driving to South Carolina and renting a house for a week. ONE year my parents decided to splurge on taking us in a cheap carnival cruise. And that was never repeated. So saying that you can use your passport over and over again isn’t always realistic.

 

I’m lucky, and you’re lucky to have more opportunities, but many people don’t.

 

So, you would really be relaxed and enjoying your cruise, knowing you house had burned down? REALLY??

 

 

 

OK.

 

 

 

MOST people would want to get home. You are right, it really doesn't make that much difference, but they would still want to get there.

 

 

It’s nothin to do with being relaxed and enjoying the rest of the vacation. More to do with 1. I can accomplish the same lists of tasks needing to be done via phone without coming home early; 2. I’m going to have enough expenses in the upcoming months, why add in a last minute flight home; and 3. When I do return home I’m going to have to find a place to stay for awhile, why give up the next few nights of having somewhere to stay that I’ve already paid for.

 

 

 

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[DirtyDawg]

Some of us are blessed with large families, that not only make obtaining passports expensive, but international travel outrageously expensive. We are a one income family of 7, we are lucky to vacation once every several years. Fortunately some of my kids are involved in an activity involving international travel, others have traveled through school. We chose to have a large family and accept the sacrifices we need to make. At the end of the day, family wins over travel, everyone has their own priorities.

 

The person I quoted used the $1,000 figure, no mention was made it it was for 1 or 5 or 10 family members. So, not being an American and not familiar with the costs of U.S. passports I asked a simple question. I'm happy for you that it's not $1,000 each. If you can cruise without passports, good for you. That brings me to another simple question, for people who travel without passports and are happy to do so, why would they care one lick what any other people thought of their choice? I.E. Why is this a "Hot Topic?"

[sanger727]

The person I quoted used the $1,000 figure, no mention was made it it was for 1 or 5 or 10 family members. So, not being an American and not familiar with the costs of U.S. passports I asked a simple question. I'm happy for you that it's not $1,000 each. If you can cruise without passports, good for you. That brings me to another simple question, for people who travel without passports and are happy to do so, why would they care one lick what any other people thought of their choice? I.E. Why is this a "Hot Topic?"

 

 

 

Well, because this thread is going the same way as the other threads. Person asks if they can cruise without a passport and gets berated with accusations that they are cheap, going to stiff the cruise staff, going to buy 1 beverage package and share among 4 people. And told that in fact, they can’t afford to cruise so they should cancel and stay home to save money. then they are told that there’s a 50/50 chance that they will have an emergency mid cruise, need to fly home, and will be stuck in a horrible place for an indefinite amount of time due to not having passports.

 

Overall these threads get very personal and insulting when all the person is doing is making a choice that the US government and cruise line allows them to make.

 

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[StknCPA]

I am with you.

 

Currently I have been to 140 countries (not including the US). I have had the most wonderful experiences in most of them.

 

But I am also one who wonders why anyone would want to go to New York City. When there is London, Brussels, Copenhagen, Budapest, Prague, Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul and best of all HONG KONG

Understand and agree with the gist of what you're saying, but I do understand why someone would want to visit New York City!

 

I personally like to visit new cities rather than continuously revisit the same city over and over. I welcome overseas travel. I think that is the gist of you're comment??

 

Also, if one visits New York and they are from the US Midwest, South, or West Coast (really anywhere but NY), New York could easily seem like a foreign country!

 

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[sloopsailor]

Well, because this thread is going the same way as the other threads. Person asks if they can cruise without a passport and gets berated with accusations that they are cheap, going to stiff the cruise staff, going to buy 1 beverage package and share among 4 people. And told that in fact, they can’t afford to cruise so they should cancel and stay home to save money. then they are told that there’s a 50/50 chance that they will have an emergency mid cruise, need to fly home, and will be stuck in a horrible place for an indefinite amount of time due to not having passports.

 

Overall these threads get very personal and insulting when all the person is doing is making a choice that the US government and cruise line allows them to make.

 

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No one is forcing anyone to read this thread. If someone doesn't like what they are reading, all they have to do is take the initiative to not read it any longer. Problem solved. Unless you are being held prisoner and being forced to read these posts against your will, complaining that you don't like the content of some posts is pretty ridiculous. JUST STOP READING THEM!

 

You may wondering: "Why are you reading this thread?" I have had a passport for more than 50 years now. Since I prefer to be prepared rather than thrifty, I find it very entertaining how defensive some people get when making their excuses for why they don't have a passport. :p

 

And from my observation, it appears that the person complaining the most about this topic is YOU! :rolleyes:

Edited December 10, 2017 by sloopsailor