Pepohwin

Hello. Quick Update. MIL received her Birth Certificate this morning!!! She’ll be able to get on the boat on Pier 66. Since that gave us what she needed, she didn’t expedite her passport renewal ($60 is a lot of money on a fixed income).  My husband’s passport status has been updated to “In Process”, so hopefully we get it in 2 weeks. No status update for my son’s passport. But we’ll all be able to get on that boat in 29 days! Huzzah!! Success! Thanks for everyone’s help and advice on this board. It’s a great community. 
I’ll update again if we receive the passports. 

45 minutes ago, erisajd said:

@Pepohwin - did you go into a passport office to renew?  Cause if you mailed them or even did an online renewal you're not likely to  get them by 4/23 . . . 

My husband was a mail in renewal. Expedited. Overnight shipping so it’s in their mailbox yesterday. 
 

My son was done at a passport acceptance facility since he’s a minor and it’s expedited.
We did my daughter’s last year for her first passport at the same passport acceptance facility and expedited it. Received it 21 days from when we went in for her appointment. 
 

I’ll update this thread on if/when we receive these passports. 

@Charles4515 you were right to be suspicious. My SIL is usually in top of things like that but it’s easily misunderstood I guess. They better get it together lol. 

@NikiPinkston yes I am aware. She’s from Michigan and they have enhanced DL, but….. apparently she doesn’t have an Enhanced DL. She swore up and down that she did, even my SIL said she did. Come to find out it’s just a REAL ID (maybe she had a senior moment). I asked her to send me a pic of her ID and that’s how I found out. 

Also….My son and husbands passports also expired but we did the renewal already on Monday so hope to get those soon. If not we have a copy of their Birth certificates on hand. So we’ll use that. In the past for my kids, passports were received in 3 weeks. Last year a friend’s renewal took 6 months… expedited! So that’s why we aren’t hopeful, but we’ll see. Like I said we just booked last minute since the price and date were right. My MIL has never cruised before and was super stoked to be invited. She didn’t realize her passport was expired until I told her to check haha. So we are doing the following things to resolve this chaotic fiasco. 
1) MI has an online service for certified Birth Certificate requests. She’s requested her BC. We did that for my husband and he got it in the mail in 3 days from the time he ordered. So this may be our best bet. 
2) she lives in SF with my SIL and they have a passport agency in the city so she’ll make an appointment there within 14 days of sailing and do an in person renewal, and she’ll pick it up the day after. I did the passport agency in LA for my renewal last time for another last minute cruise and it was a breeze. She just needs to go into the city and sit and wait to be called. 
 

We are fortunate enough to have these two easy avenues to resolve this Charlie Fox. 
 

thanks for every one’s shared insights and experiences. 

58 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I'd like to suggest you move forward with the passport renewal (if possible). You're right - you might not get it back in time, but you'll have it for the next trip. There is a decent chance you'll get it back before the trip. I've been seeing passport renewals come back in 3 - 4 weeks recently. It doesn't hurt and would make your trip easier if you do have the passport. 

 

But, if you're ok traveling without, then happy travels and I hope you have a wonderful time. Also...OMGOSH Is it seriously less than a month until Alaska cruise season? Where the heck did winter go?!?!?!

I’ve told her to do a renewal. So let’s see what she does. Also she just submitted a request for her birth certificate. 

11 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

I check-in passengers at Pier 91 in Seattle, and as long as your MIL has the Enhanced DL from Michigan, that all that she needs.  The Enhanced DL clearly states "Enhanced Driver's License" at the top of the license.  I only point that out as I have sadly dealt with a number of folks who will argue that their DL is an Enhance DL, when it isn't.  

 

When you are doing the online registration,  you can enter/scan in the EDL info.

 

As for bringing her BC, she shouldn't need it, but if it is located, if might be worth the peace of mind.

Thank you

1 minute ago, IAcruising said:

 

That won't buy her a cup of coffee. Bring the EDL and birth cert. No problem.

 

I’ll see if she can find it 

40 minutes ago, nordicacres said:

I have an enhanced driver’s license. In order to qualify you have to show just as much proof as you do to obtain a passport, at least in my state. I would ask NCL.

36 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

Did you just book, or what? The EDL will work, but I would also bring her birth certificate. It's closed loop. You should be fine.

 

29 minutes ago, bluesea777 said:

One catch is your MIL will not be able to go on the White Pass train in Skagway without a passport. 
 

 

Yes. It was a last minute decision and the price was right. This is the cruise we are going on : 

7-DAY CRUISE ON NORWEGIAN BLISS

Alaska: Dawes Glacier, Juneau & Ketchikan

from Seattle, Washington

There’s no Skagway stop, so not an issue. She has her expired passport to show proof. 

4 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

Renew her passport.

 

8 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

Are you sure she has an EDL and not a Real ID license? I know since she lives in Michigan she could have a Real ID license but a lot of people confuse the two. Also she probably has time to get her passport renewed. @Ferry_Watcher

We are leaving in 31 days. And passport renewals have been luck of the draw even if expedited. Yes it’s 100% an Enhanced Drivers License. 

Hello! 
My MIL is a first time cruiser and her passport is expired. In NCL info they say that you can use an Enhanced Driver’s License from Michigan as proof of citizenship my question is can an EDL be used as Proof of Citizenship and Proof of ID? NCL states proof of citizenship and proof of identification. CBP.gov for WHTI states : 

What is an enhanced driver’s license?

State-issued enhanced drivers licenses (EDLs)provide proof of identity and U.S. citizenship, are issued in a secure process, and include technology that makes travel easier. 
 

The verbage on NCL is just confusing. Someone please provide help with their experience or knowledge of NCL.