Can you sail on the Regal Princess out of Galveston going to Roatan with just a Drivers License and a Birth Certificate?

[Ed in OKC]

7 of us are going on the Regal Princess out of Galveston this Sunday. Three in my party don't have passports, just a Driver's License and Birth Certificate. We have cruised for years without needing a passport on roundtrip, closed loop cruises. The Princess website says if the ship is calling on a port in Central America that you must have a passport. Roatan is in Central America. I called Princess three times and got conflicting answers from call center agents with very heavy foreign accents. Is there anybody reading this that has cruised on the Regal Princess recently out of Galveston going to Roatan that only had a driver's license and birth certificate? Obviously we don't want to be denied boarding. Thanks in advance for the responses.

[GK95]

See comments #22 and #39 - that may work if no one has personal experience: 

 

[BlerkOne]

I have a passport, but have been to both a number of times and neither has ever checked what documents you have, including on Regal last November. The US doesn't require you to have one.

 

Roatan and Belize did exempt US cruise passengers from needing a passport and I haven't seen that it has changed, but can't find anything currently dated that states it (or denies it).

[memoak]

12 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

I have a passport, but have been to both a number of times and neither has ever checked what documents you have, including on Regal last November. The US doesn't require you to have one.

 

Roatan and Belize did exempt US cruise passengers from needing a passport and I haven't seen that it has changed, but can't find anything currently dated that states it (or denies it).

And if you can use the birth certificate don’t ever get hit diving or whatever because you cannot fly back without a passport. I am shocked that people would travel internationally without one

[tonit964]

7 minutes ago, memoak said:

And if you can use the birth certificate don’t ever get hit diving or whatever because you cannot fly back without a passport. I am shocked that people would travel internationally without one

That is false information. A passport is always the best to have but if you travel with a BC & DL and are a US Citizen, they don’t just keep you in that country forever. 🙄
Sure, it takes a little more work to fly back but you will be flying back home.

[BlerkOne]

15 minutes ago, memoak said:

And if you can use the birth certificate don’t ever get hit diving or whatever because you cannot fly back without a passport. I am shocked that people would travel internationally without one

I try not to get hit while diving and you shouldn't fly within a minimum of 12 hours after diving.

[BlerkOne]

3 minutes ago, memoak said:

The point is if you are in the hospital you will still need to get help from a government agency. Don’t travel without a passport 

The point is the cruise is this Sunday and they want to know if they will be denied boarding.

 

Cruise lines have local port agents who can provide some assistance.

[tonit964]

12 minutes ago, memoak said:

You have to go to the consulate try to do that if you are in the hospital. If most in the group have passports are they going to abandon the cruise just to get you home

Then say that. What you posted as many others do when someone doesn’t have a passport is they can’t fly home and that is just not true. It’s a hassle sure but you are not confined to whatever country you’re in forever. 

I’m team passport and think anyone traveling should have one but if the cruise line doesn’t require it for all cruises then some will not get them, which I can understand. 

[wineforhealth]

3 hours ago, Ed in OKC said:

7 of us are going on the Regal Princess out of Galveston this Sunday. Three in my party don't have passports, just a Driver's License and Birth Certificate. We have cruised for years without needing a passport on roundtrip, closed loop cruises. The Princess website says if the ship is calling on a port in Central America that you must have a passport. Roatan is in Central America. I called Princess three times and got conflicting answers from call center agents with very heavy foreign accents. Is there anybody reading this that has cruised on the Regal Princess recently out of Galveston going to Roatan that only had a driver's license and birth certificate? Obviously we don't want to be denied boarding. Thanks in advance for the responses.

Welcome to Cruise Critic

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, GK95 said:

See comments #22 and #39 - that may work if no one has personal experience: 

 

 

6 minutes ago, memoak said:

Don’t you think they should have looked  into this before ?  And this is not the right place for advice. Try the State Department 

 

I wrote post #22 in the thread noted above. 

 

Here is a comparison of the requirements to enter those countries in the WHTI where a drivers license and birth certificate is valid versus those in Central America like Honduras (Roatan) where a passport is necessary according to the US State Department:

 

The US State Department has a search engine for each country that includes entry and exit requirements (plus lots of other useful information).

 

For those countries that belong to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)  (I chose the French West Indies:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/FrenchWestIndies.html.html?wcmmode=disabled) they include the following note under Passports and Visas:

 

NOTE: Caribbean cruises that begin and end in the United States (closed loop cruises) do not require that you travel with a valid passport. However, should you need to disembark due to an emergency and you do not have a valid passport, you may encounter difficulties entering or remaining in a foreign country. You may also have difficulty attempting to re-enter the United States by air because many airlines will require a valid passport before allowing you to board the aircraft. Always travel abroad with your valid passport.

 

Honduras (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Honduras.html) does not belong to the Initiative and has no such note.  Instead their section states:

 

To enter Honduras, you need: A U.S. passport with at least three months validity...

 

 

[BlerkOne]

An article in the Houston Chronicle states,

"According to law in Belize and Honduras, all Americans must have a passport to enter either country. The State Department's Consular Information Sheets for Belize and Honduras also specify that a passport is required. But Belize and Honduras are currently waiving the requirement for cruise passengers unless those passengers start or end their voyage there.
 

[cr8tiv1]

55 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

An article in the Houston Chronicle states,

"According to law in Belize and Honduras, all Americans must have a passport to enter either country. The State Department's Consular Information Sheets for Belize and Honduras also specify that a passport is required. But Belize and Honduras are currently waiving the requirement for cruise passengers unless those passengers start or end their voyage there.
 

 

Well, that is clear as mud.  I wish you luck at embarkation.  Those checking you in are port workers, not Princess employees.  If you find anything n writing, print it out and take it with you.  I do hope you have cancel for any reason insurance.

 

• Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Honduras.html

 

I could not find anything for cruise exception.

 

MORE....

I will be visiting Honduras on a cruise ship. Do I need to get a visa?

U.S. citizens who wish to visit Honduras for less than 90 days do not need to obtain a visa.  However, passports still must have at least three months of validity.  You may want to carry a photocopy of your passport with you when your passport is being kept for safekeeping by the cruise lines to eliminate the potential for loss or theft of passports while shopping and touring.

 

https://hn.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/u-s-citizen-services-faqs/

Edited March 13 by cr8tiv1

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

An article in the Houston Chronicle states,

"According to law in Belize and Honduras, all Americans must have a passport to enter either country. The State Department's Consular Information Sheets for Belize and Honduras also specify that a passport is required. But Belize and Honduras are currently waiving the requirement for cruise passengers unless those passengers start or end their voyage there.
 

If the last sentence is true it isn't updated on the US Embassy Tecugigalpa website as @cre8tiv1 ctied above and that doesn't mean a cruise line has to follow it especially if they think it may be a temporary waiver that could change at any time.  There is nothing restricting cruise lines from imposing stricter (i.e, passports for all passengers for all ports) identification requirements.  There have been posts here on CC describing just that.

 

 

Edited March 13 by capriccio

[mpdog42]

2 hours ago, memoak said:

And if you can use the birth certificate don’t ever get hit diving or whatever because you cannot fly back without a passport. I am shocked that people would travel internationally without one

In my option they Shouldn't!

 

[arizonaperson]

@Ed in OKC please report back after check in what really happens at the port.

many others have asked very similar questions, and we never hear back … Just the panic that ensues prior to boarding or trying to board. It might be very helpful for somebody going forward.

welcome to cruise critic & your 1st post.

Edited March 13 by arizonaperson

[mpdog42]

12 minutes ago, capriccio said:

If the last sentence is true it isn't updated on the US Embassy Tecugigalpa website as @cre8tiv1 ctied above and that doesn't mean a cruise line has to follow it especially if they think it may be a temporary waiver that could change at any time.  There is nothing restricting cruise lines from imposing stricter (i.e, passports for all passengers for all ports) identification requirements.  There have been posts here on CC describing just that.

 

 

The problem is the cruise lines and the CLIA don't want to require a passport because it hurts their bottom line!! you go to Canada you go to Mexico you go to England you have to have a passport why dothe cruise lines get an exception?.......$$$

Edited March 13 by mpdog42
B

[BlerkOne]

It really isn't up to the US what documents are required to enter a different sovereign nation. If anything, try contacting a representative of that country. For example,

 

In the United States: The Belize Embassy 2535 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest Washington, D.C 20008 USA Telephone: ++ 1-202-332-9636 Fax:++ 1-202-332-6741

[Torfamm]

Your Travel Summary shows the document requirements for your itinerary in the Important Notices section on the last page. Mine for an upcoming sailing that includes Roatan shows it as only needing WHTI compliant documents 

 

 

Document requirements depend on your nationality, itinerary, and other factors though. For example, if one adult is traveling with one or more minors, Princess requires everyone in the party to have a passport. You can see Princess’ Travel Document requirements here 

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

Edited March 13 by Torfamm
Add photo

[Ed in OKC]

12 hours ago, capriccio said:

 

I wrote post #22 in the thread noted above. 

 

Here is a comparison of the requirements to enter those countries in the WHTI where a drivers license and birth certificate is valid versus those in Central America like Honduras (Roatan) where a passport is necessary according to the US State Department:

 

The US State Department has a search engine for each country that includes entry and exit requirements (plus lots of other useful information).

 

For those countries that belong to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)  (I chose the French West Indies:  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/FrenchWestIndies.html.html?wcmmode=disabled) they include the following note under Passports and Visas:

 

NOTE: Caribbean cruises that begin and end in the United States (closed loop cruises) do not require that you travel with a valid passport. However, should you need to disembark due to an emergency and you do not have a valid passport, you may encounter difficulties entering or remaining in a foreign country. You may also have difficulty attempting to re-enter the United States by air because many airlines will require a valid passport before allowing you to board the aircraft. Always travel abroad with your valid passport.

 

Honduras (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Honduras.html) does not belong to the Initiative and has no such note.  Instead their section states:

 

To enter Honduras, you need: A U.S. passport with at least three months validity...

 

 

We didn't look into it because we have sailed from Galveston to Cozumel, Belize and Roatan several times in the past few years and a driver's license and birth certificate and that was always accepted by the various cruise lines, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival who owns Princess. I'm glad I read the fine print a couple of days ago. Tomorrow we are driving to the passport office in Dallas to get a last minute passport. We have an appointment and they have the ability to issue same day passports, thank goodness. 

[Ed in OKC]

11 hours ago, arizonaperson said:

@Ed in OKC please report back after check in what really happens at the port.

many others have asked very similar questions, and we never hear back … Just the panic that ensues prior to boarding or trying to board. It might be very helpful for somebody going forward.

welcome to cruise critic & your 1st post.

Sorry, I won't be of any help because we found out that some US Passport Centers have the ability to issue same day passports, for an extra fee of course, if you need to fly internationally for a documented medical emergency in your family or you are traveling soon and you urgently need a passport. You must call and make an appointment first. I'm driving those in my party to Dallas tomorrow at the crack of dawn to the passport center there to get passports. We aren't taking the chance that we may get denied boarding. Thank you for all of your responses everyone. Happy cruising...

[Ed in OKC]

Just now, Ed in OKC said:

Sorry, I won't be of any help because we found out that some US Passport Centers have the ability to issue same day passports, for an extra fee of course, if you need to fly internationally for a documented medical emergency in your family or you are traveling soon and you urgently need a passport. You must call and make an appointment first. I'm driving those in my party to Dallas tomorrow at the crack of dawn to the passport center there to get passports. We aren't taking the chance that we may get denied boarding. Thank you for all of your responses everyone. Happy cruising...

PS: I will ask the Princess desk agents at the Galveston Cruise Port if they would have accepted just a photo ID and a birth certificate and I will report back on this thread after our cruise.

[capriccio]

26 minutes ago, Ed in OKC said:

 Tomorrow we are driving to the passport office in Dallas to get a last minute passport. We have an appointment and they have the ability to issue same day passports, thank goodness. 

That was going to be my next recommendation!  I'm so glad you were able to get an appointment.  You all deserve a great cruise after this.

[Torfamm]

14 minutes ago, Ed in OKC said:

PS: I will ask the Princess desk agents at the Galveston Cruise Port if they would have accepted just a photo ID and a birth certificate and I will report back on this thread after our cruise.

Document requirements are here https://www.princess.com/en-us/faq/pre-cruise

 

Princess specifically states that the only closed loop itineraries that require passports for Americans are those that visit Martinique and Guadeloupe. Like Turkey, Honduras and Belize currently waive passport requirements for cruise ship passengers 

[capriccio]

2 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

Document requirements are here https://www.princess.com/en-us/faq/pre-cruise

 

Princess specifically states that the only closed loop itineraries that require passports for Americans are those that visit Martinique and Guadeloupe. Like Turkey, Honduras and Belize currently waive passport requirements for cruise ship passengers 

You left off the fine print at the bottom. Notice the footnote (up arrow) next to Galveston:

 

• Caribbean roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale^, Galveston^ or New York (voyages that do not call to Martinque or Guadeloupe only)

 

^Voyages that call to Central or South America are excluded and only passports are accepted.

 

[Ed in OKC]

1 minute ago, Torfamm said:

Document requirements are here https://www.princess.com/en-us/faq/pre-cruise

 

Princess specifically states that the only closed loop itineraries that require passports for Americans are those that visit Martinique and Guadeloupe. Like Turkey, Honduras and Belize currently waive passport requirements for cruise ship passengers 

Did you see where there is a ^ next to Galveston and a little further down it says all voyages to South and Central America are excluded and must have a passport? Yes, it mentions Martinque and Guadeloupe but it goes on to say all cruises calling on South or Central America are excluded (from the ID and birth certificate option) and MUST have a passport. We decided not to risk our vacation so we are headed to Dallas, a 3 hour drive for us, and hitting the same day passport office.