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Passport vs Birth Certificate


cole1982
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I'm cruising with my kids in a month or so and planning to just use birth certificates this time. If we like cruising we will go and get passports. Anyone else use this form of identification when cruising?

 

 

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The only problem would be if you had to fly home due to an emergency situation. Not having a passport would delay your exit from the country.

 

True, but for most people the risk of something happening that would require them to return home is low, it's a matter of determining what one's personal risk is and how must potential risk one is willing to assume. First, decide what kinds of events you would be willing to even consider cutting your vacation short for and then determine how likely any of those things are going to happen in the short time you are gone.

 

OP, using birth certificates (and government issued photo ID when they turned 16) is the only way I traveled with my kids on closed loop cruises. Millions of people every year travel on closed loop cruises using something other than a passport without any issue.

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Millions of people have done closed loop cruises with just their BC and a government issued photo ID and that's just fine as it is the minimum requirement on most closed loop cruises out of the US. All depends on your comfort level as to whether you want to sail without a passport or not

 

 

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Millions of people have done closed loop cruises with just their BC and a government issued photo ID and that's just fine as it is the minimum requirement on most cruises out of the US. All depends on your comfort level as to whether you want to sail without a passport or not

 

 

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IMO, saying "millions of people" use birth certificates for loved loop cruises is quite an exaggeration. Most people that travel out of the country have passports. Agree about comfort level. While we would not expect to have an emergency while on vacation, there have been two deaths in our family while we have been away and not having a passport would have definitely been an issue. Also, if your child(res) become ill or breaks a bone while playing, you may want to return to the U.S. to see a doctor in this country. Of course, this is up to the person.

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Millions of people have done closed loop cruises with just their BC and a government issued photo ID and that's just fine as it is the minimum requirement on most cruises out of the US. All depends on your comfort level as to whether you want to sail without a passport or not

 

 

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To clarify, the current requirements on many - but not necessarily all - cruise lines is that for US citizens traveling on US based departure port closed loop cruises, a valid photo ID and birth certificate -or- a Passport is the required ID to board the ship. Non-US citizens need a Passport.

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IMO, saying "millions of people" use birth certificates for loved loop cruises is quite an exaggeration. Most people that travel out of the country have passports. Agree about comfort level. While we would not expect to have an emergency while on vacation, there have been two deaths in our family while we have been away and not having a passport would have definitely been an issue. Also, if your child(res) become ill or breaks a bone while playing, you may want to return to the U.S. to see a doctor in this country. Of course, this is up to the person.

 

 

 

Ok - I may have exaggerated a bit but thru the years it will add up to the tens if not hundreds of thousands of people. The point is that the BC is the minimum acceptable requirement ( and I did state for a closed loop cruise out of the US) and I would hazard a guess that the majority cruise this way. And I'll reiterate that it's up to each person to determine the comfort level they will cruise with/out a passport

 

 

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To clarify, the current requirements on many - but not necessarily all - cruise lines is that for US citizens traveling on US based departure port closed loop cruises, a valid photo ID and birth certificate -or- a Passport is the required ID to board the ship. Non-US citizens need a Passport.

 

 

 

True, but you would think that most non-US citizens cruising out of the US should already have a passport to be in the US to begin with

 

 

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Ok - I may have exaggerated a bit but thru the years it will add up to the tens if not hundreds of thousands of people. The point is that the BC is the minimum acceptable requirement ( and I did state for a closed loop cruise out of the US) and I would hazard a guess that the majority cruise this way. And I'll reiterate that it's up to each person to determine the comfort level they will cruise with/out a passport

 

 

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And that would be just a guess. I don't know the answer either - I just know our preference is a Passport. But as long as we're guessing, mine is most experienced travelers - certainly those who travel outside the US - use a Passport. Not a challenge to your opinion - just adding mine.

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And that would be just a guess. I don't know the answer either - I just know our preference is a Passport. But as long as we're guessing, mine is most experienced travelers - certainly those who travel outside the US - use a Passport. Not a challenge to your opinion - just adding mine.

 

Last numbers released by State said that 46% of US citizens have a passport. Conservatively 40 to 60% of US citizens aboard an eligible closed loop cruise are using something other than a passport (other acceptable documents include naturalization certificates, consular reports of birth abroad [both when coupled with govt issued photo ID for 16 and over]; passport cards and enhanced drivers licenses). If one totals up the number of passengers leaving each week on closed loop cruises then yes, it is possible to say from a conservative view that millions are traveling on closed loop cruises every year with something other than a passport. Every traveler's documentation needs are different based on where and how they travel.

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IMO, saying "millions of people" use birth certificates for loved loop cruises is quite an exaggeration. Most people that travel out of the country have passports. Agree about comfort level. While we would not expect to have an emergency while on vacation, there have been two deaths in our family while we have been away and not having a passport would have definitely been an issue. Also, if your child(res) become ill or breaks a bone while playing, you may want to return to the U.S. to see a doctor in this country. Of course, this is up to the person.

 

True, but you would think that most non-US citizens cruising out of the US should already have a passport to be in the US to begin with

 

 

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Passport requirements for US and Canadian citizens started to become more rigorous after 9/11. Prior to that and for several years afterwards citizens of both countries often travelled with just a bc and id.

 

The point being that millions is likely not out of the ball park.

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True, but you would think that most non-US citizens cruising out of the US should already have a passport to be in the US to begin with

 

Not if he non-citizen is a US LPR though this may apply only to cruises to nowhere.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

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Not if he non-citizen is a US LPR though this may apply only to cruises to nowhere.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

 

Cruises to nowhere were outlawed a couple of years ago, so that's not when LPRs can cruise without a passport. Very simply, LPRs can take a cruise without a passport only if the port of call countries permit them to. Under US law they only need their Green Card, but that doesn't mean other countries will accept the Green Card without the cruiser also having a passport from the country in which they have citizenship. In some cases a visa could also be required.

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First cruise in a few month. Carnival going to Mexico. Has any one use just BC and drivers license at The Mexico ports recently? Will we be fine?

 

 

 

Yes - cruised out of New Orleans to Cozumel and Progreso.

 

You don't bring the BC (or passport) off the ship - just your DL and S&S card

 

 

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We cruised in Jan and only had bc for our boys. We decided to get passports for myself, dh, and 16 year old daughter because she was going on a missions trip to Mexico next month and would need one anyway. Dh and I got them because we talk about traveling overseas and if we wanted to do it last minute we would need one, so we decided to get them before the cruise. The boys we figured would be really expensive to only last 5 years and didn't feel it was worth it. We had no problems with just bc for them.

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Last numbers released by State said that 46% of US citizens have a passport. Conservatively 40 to 60% of US citizens aboard an eligible closed loop cruise are using something other than a passport (other acceptable documents include naturalization certificates, consular reports of birth abroad [both when coupled with govt issued photo ID for 16 and over]; passport cards and enhanced drivers licenses). If one totals up the number of passengers leaving each week on closed loop cruises then yes, it is possible to say from a conservative view that millions are traveling on closed loop cruises every year with something other than a passport. Every traveler's documentation needs are different based on where and how they travel.

 

 

I would make the opposite assumption that the majority of cruisers have a passport by assuming many of the 54% majority who do not have a passport probably cannot afford to cruise.

 

Regardless of the passport stats, the OP does not need a passport for the children or the adults. If they become frequent cruisers, I would recommend a passport which allows cruises for other destinations or the ability to take advantage of last minute discount flights to Europe.

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I would make the opposite assumption that the majority of cruisers have a passport by assuming many of the 54% majority who do not have a passport probably cannot afford to cruise.

 

Regardless of the passport stats, the OP does not need a passport for the children or the adults. If they become frequent cruisers, I would recommend a passport which allows cruises for other destinations or the ability to take advantage of last minute discount flights to Europe.

 

Maybe they can afford to cruise because they don't spend money on things they don't need:cool:. I know that in my personal case if we had been required to have passports (approx. cost of $850) for our first cruise then we wouldn't have been able to cruise at that time and would have chosen another type of vacation. Fortunately we have choices and just like with any other choice different people are going to make different choices based on their own criteria.

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