navybankerteacher

Of course they “mean it” - but if you take a minute to think you would realize that the ID-less traveler would have to have support from someone at home to convince the TSA that the traveler was who he claimed to be. I too have “interacted” with (and observed in action) the TSA in action. What you might have “never observed” is kind of immaterial— what you might have observed could be relevant. Sure - it can be done: but you need enough time for the TSA to be able to reach someone able to prove their credibility and their knowledge of your identity.

And, along with ability to pay the fare is the availability of vacation days to enjoy the cruise.

Do you realize how many "ifs" are involved - in even reaching anyone who might be able to satisfactorily convince the TSA that you are who you are: then, once you have reached them, their presenting (over the phone) some credible information satisfactory to the TSA? -- All within the two hours in advance of your flight time? Yes -- I suppose some pigs have wings .. But - how do you facilitate their " '''collecting infornation such as your name current address and other personal information..." if, as you say, you have arrived at the airport "...WITH NO IDENTIFICATION...". Yes , the Blue Fairy from Pinnochio might fly down and make things right, but ....................... What the TSA REALLY recommends is that you arrive at the airport at least two hours in advance of your flght time WITH appropriate identification.

How do you suppose someone who shows up “…without ANY ID…” could satisfy the TSA as to their identity?

Is part of what makes it “…the cruise I want…” the thrill of perhaps missing it? The more I want something, the more likely it is that I will plan things so as to not miss it because of a delayed flight.

As long as you are primarily interested in low cost - and like to stay on the ship anyway - why wouldn’t you do a Mexican riviera cruise out of Los Angeles? What difference would it make where it went?

I do not think I have ever posted anything related to “ools” (perhaps: pools) on a “ship within a ship” (which strikes me as a cheesy concept to begin with).

Do you read what you post? What other significant NON-AIR international travel in the western hemisphere are we talking about? Bus trips from Miami to Nassau? Your closing sentence acknowledges the interest of the cruise lines in lobbying that their passengers not be forced to buy passports.

Your own post (#6 on this thread) quoted the provision: “Those traveling to St. Lucia on a cruise may use another Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document.” The essential purpose of WHTI was to permit cruise lines to carry passengers with other-than- passport documentation. The BC/DL combination is defined as WHTI compliant documentation. I am not advocating traveling anywhere outside the US without a passport - while the odds are that you will be OK on closed loop Caribbean cruises — because of this gift to cruise lines - enabling them to sell cruises to people who arguably cannot really afford to travel outside of the US.

If you read it carefully, you will find that US persons on a cruise stopping at St. Lucia only need BC and ID -- per WHTI. The fact is: the lax requirements for budget-minded US cruisers is largely the result of lobbying by NCL (and other cruise lines) who knew that a couple of hundred extra dollars (for getting passports) would put their budget cruises out of reach for thousands (more likely hundreds of thousands) of folks who can only cruise on the cheap.

True -- but because we are talking about NCL, it is highly likely that no passport is required -- they focus on bargain cruisers who largely do not want to spend the $ for a passport.

I can think of 100,000 - but the number is immaterial. The fact is that they may have elected an itinerary where options are impossible- the impossibility is their creation: anyone can do that.

Unlikely -- they are selling two different things -- why would they want to give up some revenue just because someone wanted two cruises?

Agreed -- we did one Christmas sailing -- the very convenient Cunard QM2 from Brooklyn to the Caribbean for 12 days Dec. 2019-Jan. 2020. Easy to get to, decent itinerary, good to escape winter cold for a bit -- but over-all a bit of a depressing way to celebrate the holiday: so many people looking for others to provide the "Christmas spirit" for them.

Then they should choose a shorter itinerary - the “impossibility” of flying in a day before sailing is their own creation.

And, if you stick to it long enough, you can be sure that you will come out a loser.

When we were younger, many things (especially airline reliability) were different.

Right -- nobody gives a damn if you are, or are not, married to you roommate

And if they do..................................................

Passports ????? Aren't they "paper"? And, having a mule with you does make it possible to "travel paperless". Fortunate for you to be able to travel with a dinosaur.

At some point, you need paper -- unless, perhaps, you are willing to tape your phone to the suitcase so they will know what cabin it goes to. Also -- having a back-up (for EVERYTHING) is just plain common sense.

Actually, it is virtually always “possible”. What most people mean when they say something “isn’t an option” or is “impossible” - they really mean it might cost them an extra vacation day, or more money than they want to spend.

That is why I suggested spending a few days on land on St. Maarten -- you can get onto the piers without showing anything, you can get up close to as many as five or six different ships every day, take pictures to your heart's content.

The name on one’s passport is about as REAL as a name can be. The fact that you can prove it means you lends a touch of reality. Lots of people stop using their birth names for lots of reasons - and a birth name no longer used has little reality.

Other things being equal, that is our approach. Usually we sail from/to ports far from home, so we spend at least one night pre-cruise in port, meaning we can get an early start to the ship; and at debarkation we are likely to spend at least one night there - so there isn’t any rushing to an airport to catch a flight - or trying to get to a hotel hours before our room would be available