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Passport Clarification Needed..


cruisin_fanatic
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Following - I have a certified birth certificate copy which seems allowed for my particular cruise on 12/09 MIA-MIA, I've been concerned once I realized after booking the trip yesterday that my passport expires in May, 2018 which is just shy of the 6 month rule. I'm thinking take the passport and my birth certificate instead of attempting to renew with a month to go before departure. Thoughts welcomed.

 

Three different "customers" for your ID. (A). The cruise line is going to want to know that you can get off the ship at the end of the trip, so they want to be sure you have a valid ID. (B). In case of emergency you may need to be flying back to the States. ©. I believe you need to go through Immigration when you get back to Miami. In any case, your aging passport should serve for every one of those purposes. I would take the birth certificate and maybe another photo id, but would also take the passport which is probably all you will ever need.

 

In the case of a person with a recently expired passport, I would go with birth cert and ID rather than try for expedited service on a renewal, but would take the old passport along on the trip to facilitate the process in case of emergency.

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We should have gotten our passports renewed long ago, since they expired last October. Now, we booked a cruise in January and we've sent our passports in for renewal, expedited. I think we will be in great shape, but we asked Carnival if we could use the birth certificate route if we needed to, and they said it was fine.

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Three different "customers" for your ID. (A). The cruise line is going to want to know that you can get off the ship at the end of the trip, so they want to be sure you have a valid ID. (B). In case of emergency you may need to be flying back to the States. ©. I believe you need to go through Immigration when you get back to Miami. In any case, your aging passport should serve for every one of those purposes. I would take the birth certificate and maybe another photo id, but would also take the passport which is probably all you will ever need.

 

In the case of a person with a recently expired passport, I would go with birth cert and ID rather than try for expedited service on a renewal, but would take the old passport along on the trip to facilitate the process in case of emergency.

 

First of all a passport is not merely "ID", it is a combination of proof of citizenship and ID. A birth certificate is not ID at all, it is proof of your place (country) of birth. Documents such as a drivers license are "ID" but not proof of birth or citizenship, except if you have an enhanced drivers license (EDL).

 

Second you've left out the equally most important "customers" for what you call "ID"...the countries you'll be visiting on your trip. They impose requirements for what form of documentation a visitor must carry, whether it's a valid passport, passport with X number of months of remaining validity, passport with a visa, birth certificate, or others. The cruise line will review your documentation at check in to make sure you meet the requirements of the countries on the itinerary.

 

Yes, in most cases a closed loop Caribbean cruise doesn't require a US citizen to have a passport with six months remaining validity, but there can be an exception...Cuba is one. And yes, in most cases a US citizen doesn't even need a passport to take a closed loop Caribbean cruise, a birth certificate and photo ID suffices...but again there can be exceptions...and Costa Rica may be one. Cruise lines are also free to impose more stringent requirements and the super premium and luxury lines normally do, requiring all passengers regardless of the itinerary to carry a passport with at least six months remaing validity.

 

The bottom line is that generalizations about the requirements, while helpful, are not always correct. The correct answer always requires a knowledge of the passenger's nationality, the itinerary, and the cruise line .

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  • 2 weeks later...
We should have gotten our passports renewed long ago, since they expired last October. Now, we booked a cruise in January and we've sent our passports in for renewal, expedited. I think we will be in great shape, but we asked Carnival if we could use the birth certificate route if we needed to, and they said it was fine.

 

We actually got the passports back in 7 days. So we're all set up.

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  • 3 weeks later...
First of all a passport is not merely "ID", it is a combination of proof of citizenship and ID. A birth certificate is not ID at all, it is proof of your place (country) of birth. Documents such as a drivers license are "ID" but not proof of birth or citizenship, except if you have an enhanced drivers license (EDL).

 

Second you've left out the equally most important "customers" for what you call "ID"...the countries you'll be visiting on your trip. They impose requirements for what form of documentation a visitor must carry, whether it's a valid passport, passport with X number of months of remaining validity, passport with a visa, birth certificate, or others. The cruise line will review your documentation at check in to make sure you meet the requirements of the countries on the itinerary.

 

Yes, in most cases a closed loop Caribbean cruise doesn't require a US citizen to have a passport with six months remaining validity, but there can be an exception...Cuba is one. And yes, in most cases a US citizen doesn't even need a passport to take a closed loop Caribbean cruise, a birth certificate and photo ID suffices...but again there can be exceptions...and Costa Rica may be one. Cruise lines are also free to impose more stringent requirements and the super premium and luxury lines normally do, requiring all passengers regardless of the itinerary to carry a passport with at least six months remaing validity.

 

The bottom line is that generalizations about the requirements, while helpful, are not always correct. The correct answer always requires a knowledge of the passenger's nationality, the itinerary, and the cruise line .

Curious about this statement. I've never heard of specific requirements for Costa Rica, can you elaborate please? Thanks :)

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Curious about this statement. I've never heard of specific requirements for Costa Rica, can you elaborate please? Thanks :)

 

There was at least one report I read on Cruise Critic where a cruiser was told by their cruise line that Costa Rica would not accept a cruiser traveling on a birth certificate and drivers license. I can't independently verify that, which is why I said Costa Rica may be an exception .

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My wife and I always travel with a passport. Lets say we used our Birth certificates and picture ID to board the ship. We get stranded in lets say Nassau. The ship has left and you have no Passport. What would you be required to do? I'm sure there must be a way home. I don't think that we would become one of the homeless of Nassau. Just what would one have to do to get home? I guess the first thing would be to contact the Cruise line and then the American Embassy. What other options are there? What do you all think?

 

Double post sorry about that.

 

Not every Caribbean island has an American Embassy or Consulate, though some do.

 

OLD thread, I noticed. but it seems someone brought it forward. :)

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Not every Caribbean island has an American Embassy or Consulate, though some do.

 

OLD thread, I noticed. but it seems someone brought it forward. :)

 

It's a "sticky" and has been continuously active over the years, so not really an old thread that was just reopened out of the blue.

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  • 3 weeks later...
I need to get clarification about the new passport rules to see if I need to obtain one this year or if I can wait.

 

I am booked for a cruise for April 22-29 flying from Tennessee to Florida. The cruise goes to Nassau,Bahamas, ST.Thomas and St. Marten. Do we need to purchase passports or not?

 

 

 

Thanking you in advance.:D

 

IMO do yourself a favor and get a pasporrt. You won't have to worry or keep asking if you have proper travel papers. If anyone, in this day and age is going to travel outside their country, it seems silly to continue to resist gett ing a passport. Does a week go by we dongt read on one forum or another someone had travel halted because they don;t have a passport. I am at the point of losing empathy for people who come here regularly read those nightmare stories and think, Oh, it won' happen to me...... Why not, why won'tt it happen t o you? the only reason would be because you have and bring a valid passport with you.

 

 

 

I think I remember reading SSt. Marreten may start to require passports. Why take any chance at all? If you are asking here, it is bec ause it is on your mind. Stop worfying about it n dd do something ..... get a passport. or stop international ttravel, IMO..... Sorry, but you asked.

Edited by sail7seas
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IMO do yourself a favor and get a pasporrt. You won't have to worry or keep asking if you have proper travel papers. If anyone, in this day and age is going to travel outside their country, it seems silly to continue to resist gett ing a passport. Does a week go by we dongt read on one forum or another someone had travel halted because they don;t have a passport. I am at the point of losing empathy for people who come here regularly read those nightmare stories and think, Oh, it won' happen to me...... Why not, why won'tt it happen t o you? the only reason would be because you have and bring a valid passport with you.

 

 

 

I think I remember reading SSt. Marreten may sgtrt to require passporrts. Why take any chance at all? If you are asking here, it is bec ause if is on your mind. Stop worrfying about it n dd do something ..... gega passport. or stop international ttravel, IMO..... Sorry, but you asked.

 

They did ask- in 2007;). If one decides not to get a passport then they need to make sure they do have the right documents. It's really not that onerous.

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It is really not that onerous, IMO, for someone who wishes to travel internatioanlly, for them to get a passport and be done with the silliness.

 

But whether you like it or not the law gives them a legitimate choice. Some people are going to choose differently than you do simply because their needs are different.

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Absolutely right — but there will always be those for whom the cost equivalent of two beers (or latte Frappucci) per year is too much.

 

For my family it was much more than that. It was $850. For a 4 day cruise with no idea whether or not we'd ever be cruising again. That might represent a sound investment in your book but it doesn't in mine.

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But whether you like it or not the law gives them a legitimate choice. Some people are going to choose differently than you do simply because their needs are different.

 

Doesnot matter if I or anyone likes it. Good luck to those who wish to risk arriving at a cruise terminal and being refused embarkation. What is it worth to know they will have proper IDS and won't lose their cruise because they had a choice and thye'll show us,,,,,,,,, they will use their free choice. Like it or not? Who cares who likes it nor not. Good luck, travel safely and hope all goes well for all of us in our travels.

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IMO do yourself a favor and get a pasporrt. You won't have to worry or keep asking if you have proper travel papers. If anyone, in this day and age is going to travel outside their country, it seems silly to continue to resist gett ing a passport. Does a week go by we dongt read on one forum or another someone had travel halted because they don;t have a passport. I am at the point of losing empathy for people who come here regularly read those nightmare stories and think, Oh, it won' happen to me...... Why not, why won'tt it happen t o you? the only reason would be because you have and bring a valid passport with you.

 

 

 

I think I remember reading SSt. Marreten may start to require passports. Why take any chance at all? If you are asking here, it is bec ause it is on your mind. Stop worfying about it n dd do something ..... get a passport. or stop international ttravel, IMO..... Sorry, but you asked.

 

Why are you replying to a post that's nearly 11 years old? Do you really think they need your advice now? This poster hasn't even posted on Cruise Critic since 2008, so I'm pretty sure they're not going to read your very timely advice.

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Duh, I didn't not bring the thread forward and did not notice how old it is. My apologies. Sorryr you botheeed to read it, perhaps you did not notice :)

 

i'ts age right away ? Maybe it will be helpful for someone else who reads it not knowing how old the thread is.

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Why are you replying to a post that's nearly 11 years old? Do you really think they need your advice now? This poster hasn't even posted on Cruise Critic since 2008, so I'm pretty sure they're not going to read your very timely advice.

 

The resurrection police speak.

 

Obviously people DO read old threads. So adding or updating information is REASONABLE.

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The resurrection police speak.

 

Obviously people DO read old threads. So adding or updating information is REASONABLE.

 

 

I d find it interesting someone who read the whole thread and u;ltimately posted to it ctiticizes people who do the same. :) Gotta love it and smile a bit. ;)

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The resurrection police speak.

 

Obviously people DO read old threads. So adding or updating information is REASONABLE.

 

I d find it interesting someone who read the whole thread and u;ltimately posted to it ctiticizes people who do the same. :) Gotta love it and smile a bit. ;)

 

This isn't a resurrected thread. It's been continually active for 11 years with new information added all the time and new questions answered. I post on here frequently to answer new questions and provide new information.

 

What is totally useless and disruptive to the flow of information on the thread is the type of posting the two of you do on multiple threads, replying to the original post, in this case made 11 years ago, as if it was just posted. Next time try reading the thread and looking at the dates of the posts before screwing up the thread with worthless and confusing garbage.

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This isn't a resurrected thread. It's been continually active for 11 years with new information added all the time and new questions answered. I post on here frequently to answer new questions and provide new information.

 

What is totally useless and disruptive to the flow of information on the thread is the type of posting the two of you do on multiple threads, replying to the original post, in this case made 11 years ago, as if it was just posted. Next time try reading the thread and looking at the dates of the posts before screwing up the thread with worthless and confusing garbage.

 

 

 

 

Thank you . :)

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This isn't a resurrected thread. It's been continually active for 11 years with new information added all the time and new questions answered. I post on here frequently to answer new questions and provide new information.

 

What is totally useless and disruptive to the flow of information on the thread is the type of posting the two of you do on multiple threads, replying to the original post, in this case made 11 years ago, as if it was just posted. Next time try reading the thread and looking at the dates of the posts before screwing up the thread with worthless and confusing garbage.

 

Not a nice thing to say

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