Driver's license vs passport for MSC Bahamas cruise

[Tallyfins]

Can someone confirm for me that I read correctly on the MSC site. I have 3 of the 4 of my family that have valid passports, but one adult son whose passport has expired. I can use his state issued DL for passage on and off the MSC cruise correct? Do I also need to bring/present his birth certificate?

 

Thank you

[Morgsmom]

You will ALSO need the birth certificate.  Just a driver's license can get him denied boarding.

 

[alserrod]

42 minutes ago, Tallyfins said:

Can someone confirm for me that I read correctly on the MSC site. I have 3 of the 4 of my family that have valid passports, but one adult son whose passport has expired. I can use his state issued DL for passage on and off the MSC cruise correct? Do I also need to bring/present his birth certificate?

 

Thank you

 

 

Get this point of view...

 

you go to an airport, you get a plane to Bahamas, you arrive Bahamas and, instead of your passport, you say you just have a driving licence....

 

What should Bahamas inmigration team say about it?

Same for the cruise

[kelleherdl]

42 minutes ago, alserrod said:

 

 

Get this point of view...

 

you go to an airport, you get a plane to Bahamas, you arrive Bahamas and, instead of your passport, you say you just have a driving licence....

 

What should Bahamas inmigration team say about it?

Same for the cruise

The most likely is that the individual would never have been allowed to board the plane to the Bahamas.  A driver license alone will not get you on the plane. A passport is required. The use of driver license plus birth certificate is only valid for a closed loop cruise from and back to a US port.

Edited February 14 by kelleherdl

[Tallyfins]

Why even waste time being an A$$ when I have a valid question? If you're that unhappy, don't spend it surfing the board and being rude...

[Tallyfins]

So I just called MSC, which is what I should have done in the first place. They said a valid state-issued ID (Driver's license) and a valid birth certificate would be acceptable. 😝
 

So thanks for nothing alserrod. I hope you have a better day! You may want to look into some type of therapy. It helps...

 

[sammee]

Just seeing this post now. I was on the 1/26 cruise. I had a passport, sister in law did the license & birth certificate. It was fine and when we left the ship, the following week, facial recognition worked for the birth certificate too. So we blew right through there. That made one of the workers happy who was helping us with the luggage. He said it was a 50/50 chance when leaving with it, lol.

[kelleherdl]

2 hours ago, sammee said:

Just seeing this post now. I was on the 1/26 cruise. I had a passport, sister in law did the license & birth certificate. It was fine and when we left the ship, the following week, facial recognition worked for the birth certificate too. So we blew right through there. That made one of the workers happy who was helping us with the luggage. He said it was a 50/50 chance when leaving with it, lol.

Did your sister-in-law also have a passport, but sailed with license and birth certificate? There is no way that a driver license/birth certificate combination should have worked in the passport facial recognition line. The facial recognition system used for immigration uses the global passport biometric database. Normally, all returning birth certificate passengers must have their documents personally inspected by a CPB Officer. It is possible that a valid passport holder, NOT expired, will be recognized; even though they boarded with license and birth certificate. Lucky happenstance here I think.

[sammee]

18 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

18 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

Did your sister-in-law also have a passport, but sailed with license and birth certificate? There is no way that a driver license/birth certificate combination should have worked in the passport facial recognition line. The facial recognition system used for immigration uses the global passport biometric database. Normally, all returning birth certificate passengers must have their documents personally inspected by a CPB Officer. It is possible that a valid passport holder, NOT expired, will be recognized; even though they boarded with license and birth certificate. Lucky happenstance here I think.

No passport at all, not even her expired. It worked. The luggage guys said they work but not 100% yet, whatever that means. We were prepared for her to go to that line.. It took 2 tries before the green light went on for the recognition. The docs were only inspected day one. I thought the same as you. So, that must mean they've been working on it.

 

[gizfish]

13 hours ago, kelleherdl said:

The most likely is that the individual would never have been allowed to board the plane to the Bahamas.  A driver license alone will not get you on the plane. A passport is required. The use of driver license plus birth certificate is only valid for a closed loop cruise from and back to a US port.

Just to clarify, a closed loop cruise is one that departs and returns to the same U.S. port.  It it returns to a different port, a passport is required.

[Brighton Line]

It's simple, a License proves identity and a Birth Certificate proves citizenship exactly what a passport or passport card would do if you had it though you cannot fly with a passport card (valid for enhanced ID for domestic air travel if Congress does not push that back again)

 

Edited February 15 by Brighton Line

[Av8tor]

While the DL & BC may be OK for the closed loop cruise itself, just keep in mind that, without a current PP, you could run into problems if that person has to fly back to the US for some reason (illness, injury or cruise interruption).

[BirdTravels]

On 2/14/2024 at 1:35 PM, Tallyfins said:

So I just called MSC, which is what I should have done in the first place. They said a valid state-issued ID (Driver's license) and a valid birth certificate would be acceptable. 😝
 

So thanks for nothing alserrod. I hope you have a better day! You may want to look into some type of therapy. It helps...

 

This is true if it is a US closed loop cruise (leaving and returning to the same US port) and the person is a US citizen and they have an original/certified birth certificate from your county/state. No copies. No hospital notices of birth. 

[kelleherdl]

9 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

This is true if it is a US closed loop cruise (leaving and returning to the same US port) and the person is a US citizen and they have an original/certified birth certificate from your county/state. No copies. No hospital notices of birth. 

Only addition to the list of birth certificates is the Department of State or Consular Certificate of Birth Abroad. Some of the older ones and from certain consulates are very intricate with ribbons and wax stamps. Personally, if I had one I would definitely get a passport, as I would hate to be carrying it around just to go on a cruise. I would have mine framed, particularly if it was signed by the sitting Secretary of State at the time. 

Edited February 15 by kelleherdl