Cruising without a passport

[Cruise Raider]

We are frequent cruisers and didn’t want to give up some of our booked cruises just because the US passport offices are so very slow in getting passport renewals done.  
We wouldn’t intentionally book a cruise knowing we wouldn’t have a passport in time but, we just took a short closed loop cruise from Los Angeles with the only foreign stop being in Ensenada.  This was a risk we were willing to take as in case of an emergency, as we are close enough to the US southern border to make it to San Diego without having to take a flight.  
 

We did take a certified copy of our birth certificates and our Real IDs.  We also took a copy of our marriage license just in case the name change may have caused any issue.  Well, it didn’t and we were in and out through check in within the same amount of time as using a passport.  It was the same for going through immigration upon reentering the US .. very quick and easy.  
If we don’t have our passports back in time for our next closed loop cruise up to Alaska, we will do the same.  Even though we didn’t need the marriage license, I will take it again, nevertheless.  Better to be safe than sorry.  
 

While we don’t recommend cruising without a passport, in this case, we knew the risk was low and didn’t particularly want to cancel this sailing.  We are well aware that we wouldn’t  be able to fly back from a foreign port in case of an emergency.  As I mentioned, the risk was very low and Ensenada is a port that is close enough to the US border that again, we took our chances.  I may have to take my chances again for Alaska next month, too.  Our one stop in Canada is also low risk .. hope it’s not a risk I have to take but I won’t cancel a cruise over it.  

[skynight]

My passport renewal was processed in just under three months. It was done in Philly.

[Charles4515]

32 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

We did take a certified copy of our birth certificates and our Real IDs.  

Thank you for your report. Sometimes because of the renewal back log some might have to resort to a birth certificate and drivers license. By the way Real ID is not required. 

[PescadoAmarillo]

Funny thing about the marriage license for the name change. Our first international trip as a couple was a 1996 dive trip to Cozumel, Mexico. My passport had expired, but we were both still working and we didn’t see international trips other than to Mexico for diving in our near future. I had no trouble getting into Mexico with my birth certificate, but on our return, thankfully direct into our home airport, the last name thing tripped me up and I was not allowed to pass through immigration. DH had to run home to get our safe deposit box key, get to our bank before they closed, get our marriage certificate and drive back to the airport to clear me into the US. I applied for a passport the next day. 

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

We are frequent cruisers and didn’t want to give up some of our booked cruises just because the US passport offices are so very slow in getting passport renewals done.  
We wouldn’t intentionally book a cruise knowing we wouldn’t have a passport in time but, we just took a short closed loop cruise from Los Angeles with the only foreign stop being in Ensenada.  This was a risk we were willing to take as in case of an emergency, as we are close enough to the US southern border to make it to San Diego without having to take a flight.  
 

We did take a certified copy of our birth certificates and our Real IDs.  We also took a copy of our marriage license just in case the name change may have caused any issue.  Well, it didn’t and we were in and out through check in within the same amount of time as using a passport.  It was the same for going through immigration upon reentering the US .. very quick and easy.  
If we don’t have our passports back in time for our next closed loop cruise up to Alaska, we will do the same.  Even though we didn’t need the marriage license, I will take it again, nevertheless.  Better to be safe than sorry.  
 

While we don’t recommend cruising without a passport, in this case, we knew the risk was low and didn’t particularly want to cancel this sailing.  We are well aware that we wouldn’t  be able to fly back from a foreign port in case of an emergency.  As I mentioned, the risk was very low and Ensenada is a port that is close enough to the US border that again, we took our chances.  I may have to take my chances again for Alaska next month, too.  Our one stop in Canada is also low risk .. hope it’s not a risk I have to take but I won’t cancel a cruise over it.  

Ours was received 4 weeks and 4 days from the date they started the process at the Natl Passport Processing Center Phila.  I did expedite it, though.

 

Did you try calling to expedite?  Phone lines are long holds, but I did get an option for them to call me back. 

 

Good luck.

[cr8tiv1]

Did you need both the certified birth certificate and RealID (and/or marriage license) or would the RealID alone suffice?

 

And are the rules different for flying @PescadoAmarillo  and cruising @Cruise Raider?

 

My biggest fear is the backlog.  My passport expires in a couple of years, but how do I manage renewal times between cruises….lol…but seriously.

[Charles4515]

22 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Did you need both the certified birth certificate and RealID (and/or marriage license) or would the RealID alone suffice?

 

Real ID alone will never suffice but you don't need Real ID you need a birth certificate and a government issued photo ID. Real ID has nothing to do with cruises. The rules are different for flying and cruises. An Enhanced Drivers License which is issued in five states would suffice but many people confuse Real ID wirh EDL. They are not the same. 

 

Also none needs Real ID to fly currently. Real ID for flying has been extended again. It is now May 2025.

 

 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Charles4515

[PescadoAmarillo]

34 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Did you need both the certified birth certificate and RealID (and/or marriage license) or would the RealID alone suffice?

 

And are the rules different for flying @PescadoAmarillo  and cruising @Cruise Raider?

 

My biggest fear is the backlog.  My passport expires in a couple of years, but how do I manage renewal times between cruises….lol…but seriously.

This was pre-RealID, so I had my drivers license and birth certificate, which were not enough as the last names didn’t match. The marriage certificate tied them together. If I had not been so happy to lose my maiden name (NEVER spelled or pronounced correctly), I definitely would have just kept it which would have made some things much easier (like double CCL OBC for our cabin in the past, not any longer). 

[Charles4515]

1 minute ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

This was pre-RealID, so I had my drivers license and birth certificate, which were not enough as the last names didn’t match. The

I know this is somewhat repetitious but we are still pre Real ID. The deadline for Real ID for flights has been extended again until May 2025. I would not bet that date given past history of extensions. 

[Cruise Raider]

59 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Did you need both the certified birth certificate and RealID (and/or marriage license) or would the RealID alone suffice?

 

And are the rules different for flying @PescadoAmarillo  and cruising @Cruise Raider?

 

My biggest fear is the backlog.  My passport expires in a couple of years, but how do I manage renewal times between cruises….lol…but seriously.

For US citizens:  You only need a certified birth certificate and a government issued ID, such as a Real ID or regular driver license or ID card.  But, you do need both.  
I am not entirely sure about flying out of the country as we haven’t ever done that without a passport.  I know I can get into Canada or Mexico via land crossings without a passport.  
 

I have not expedited my passport because I won’t do so until I really need to, which is in late Sept.  I was going to renew it early but we had a cruise up to Vancouver planned for late April.  We sent our passports in the day after we returned home.  So, it’s been several weeks already .. hoping to get them back for our Alaska cruise but if we don’t have them by mid Sept, I will make those calls to expedite it.  I don’t want to spend the extra money if it’s not required.  

Edited July 8, 2023 by Cruise Raider

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

I am not entirely sure about flying out of the country as we haven’t ever done that without a passport.  I know I can get into Canada or Mexico via land crossings without a passport.  
 

A passport is required to fly to Canada, Mexico or any international destination or back from them to the US. 

[LibertyBella]

Got my first passport when I was a little girl (decades ago) and I have kept it up-to-date ever since. I have all my old passports, and they have some memorable stamps in them.  It is great that passports are valid for ten years now, so I can plan accordingly.

 

I have definitely been hearing a lot of horror stories about recent passport renewals and applications--it just seems there is a surge of travel post-Covid that is overwhelming the agencies. I have never had to bother with Real ID or birth certificates, and I kept my maiden name at marriage, so travel identification for me has been streamlined my entire life.

[New2cruise2022]

If you are up against it and need a quick passport, look for an agency that will do it for you. Just paying the expedite fee will be expensive and won’t guarantee a quick return. My semi-responsible 20 year old needed a passport for a trip to Mexico with his girlfriend and badly procrastinated. We ended up spending about $150 more than the government expedited fee and the travel agency flew to the closest office, walked the application into the office and 10 days later my son had his passport. Not budget friendly but was a very easy solution to the wait forever. 

[hawk/hornfan]

Good thing living in small town is I walked into my local PO that handles passports renewal & without an appt. and was in & out in 45 mins. Got passports in 9 weeks. This was in Feb.

Even domestically I travel with my passport. It trumps all forms ID, whether Real, Non Real or Fake. lol No reason to worry if I have the right ID or not.  

[Boatdrill]

Sorry, I don't understand the purpose of the OP's post.

They went on a cruise, brought proof of citizenship documents, and came home. 

Is the OP responding a question someone asked ?

[Charles4515]

Just now, Boatdrill said:

Sorry, I don't understand the purpose of the OP's post.

They went on a cruise, brought proof of citizenship documents, and came home. 

Is the OP responding a question someone asked ?

There has been a backlog on renewals so people who would not normally consider cruising without a passport have started topics asking what documents were allowed on their upcoming booked cruises if their renewed  passports did arrive in time. 

[Outerdog]

11 minutes ago, Boatdrill said:

Sorry, I don't understand the purpose of the OP's post.

They went on a cruise, brought proof of citizenship documents, and came home. 

Is the OP responding a question someone asked ?

OP's post is a counterpoint to the myriad posts screaming "thou shalt not cruise without passport!"

 

That's all.

[Torfamm]

9 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Did you need both the certified birth certificate and RealID (and/or marriage license) or would the RealID alone suffice?

 

And are the rules different for flying @PescadoAmarillo  and cruising @Cruise Raider?

 

My biggest fear is the backlog.  My passport expires in a couple of years, but how do I manage renewal times between cruises….lol…but seriously.

A passport book is required for flying. You can see Princess’ Travel Document requirements for cruising here 

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/pre-cruise/prepare-for-your-cruise/

[cr8tiv1]

44 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

A passport book is required for flying. You can see Princess’ Travel Document requirements for cruising here 

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/pre-cruise/prepare-for-your-cruise/

 

I'm covered!.  Left my passport in California when I visited family in Honolulu.  Missed out on a chance to spend 2 weeks at a villa in Nice when they did a last minute trip.  I now travel with my passport on my person AND have a RealID.  I'm ready to travel at a moments notice.  

[MissP22]

22 hours ago, skynight said:

My passport renewal was processed in just under three months. It was done in Philly.

Same with us. We sent our renewals in around the first week in April & just received them back 2 weeks ago. Each one was mailed separately. 

[Torfamm]

12 hours ago, hawk/hornfan said:

Good thing living in small town is I walked into my local PO that handles passports renewal & without an appt. and was in & out in 45 mins. Got passports in 9 weeks. This was in Feb.

Even domestically I travel with my passport. It trumps all forms ID, whether Real, Non Real or Fake. lol No reason to worry if I have the right ID or not.  

Being without a passport for that long is difficult for frequent travelers. I am hearing that more and more people are ending up having to go to the trouble and expense of getting a second passport in order to deal with  months long renewal times. 

[Cruise Raider]

12 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Sorry, I don't understand the purpose of the OP's post.

They went on a cruise, brought proof of citizenship documents, and came home. 

Is the OP responding a question someone asked ?

Perhaps it is more prevalent on Facebook but there does seem to be a lot of people that ask questions about the need for a passport on specific cruises.  All of the info is outlined on the Princess website, along with other government websites.  
But, the answers to these questions are oftentimes blatantly wrong!  So, I guess the purpose of this is to answer some of those questions through my personal experience. 

[Charles4515]

35 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

Perhaps it is more prevalent on Facebook but there does seem to be a lot of people that ask questions about the need for a passport on specific cruises.  All of the info is outlined on the Princess website, along with other government websites.  
But, the answers to these questions are oftentimes blatantly wrong!  So, I guess the purpose of this is to answer some of those questions through my personal experience. 

Unfortunately the answers on the different Cruise Critic boards are often wrong. People can read a cruise lines info on the line’s website and read it totally opposite to what it says. Also there is confusion between Real ID Drivers licenses and Enhanced Drivers Licenses which are only issued in five states and which are not the default in those states. Plus people ignore the fact that Real ID had never gone into effects….etc. etc.

 

I do think the different requirements for different types of cruise itineraries is always going to confuse people. 

[Boatdrill]

51 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

So, I guess the purpose of this is to answer some of those questions through my personal experience. 

Got it. Thank you for the info ! 

[Ombud]

@Cruise Raider I know we're in the same area so if you really want one are they still (unofficially) processing same day requests at the SF Main Post office (Saturdays only)? Rafa got his same day at State Dept on Golden Gate near Van Ness (had a 6pm flight to Paris). So a few options

 

And yes I was willing to go on a closed loop with just a certified birth cert if mine didn't come in time. 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Ombud