Charles4515

Eventually you will have to renew at an office. I prefer not to travel domestically with a passport book. I have the Real ID DL. Did not have any choice but it wan not a problem getting one. I had no online option so no choice but I would have went to an office anyway.

Depends on the sate. Some states make it optional. The state I live in now only issues Real ID so on renewal only option is a Real ID DL. My previous state issued only Real ID for office renewals but not for mail in renewals. But every other renewal had to be an office renewal. The mail in renewals were also a shorter duration. So in time all would have Real ID. Also seniors had to do office renewals in previous state. Given the extensions to 2025 possibly all licenses issued there will be Real ID.

LOL. I did say supposed. The Real ID deadline was extended today to May 07, 2025! https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2022/12/05/dhs-announces-extension-real-id-full-enforcement-deadline

The limit applies to the number of persons disembarking not the number of passengers carried by a ship.

So you think they publish that if they don't mean it? You are something. Most TSA employees are not power hungry jerks. They are actually fairly sensable about it verifying ID. You think they are clueless about how because you are? It could take about 10 or 15 minutes or less. The reason I knew about this policy that you could travel if you forgot or lost your ID is that I was in a position to interact with the TSA for a bunch of years. Never observed them to deny .

Yes, but who would want to go through that hassle. Same with passports, I would not want to not have a passport and need a passport. .

Real ID is supposed to go into effect on May 03, 2023. Might actually happen this time.

This is how.........😆 Forgot Your ID? In the event you arrive at the airport without valid identification, because it is lost or at home, you may still be allowed to fly. The TSA officer may ask you to complete an identity verification process which includes collecting information such as your name, current address, and other personal information to confirm your identity. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint. You will be subject to additional screening, to include a patdown and screening of carry-on property. You will not be allowed to enter the security checkpoint if your identity cannot be confirmed, you choose to not provide proper identification or you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process. TSA recommends that you arrive at least two hours in advance of your flight time.

The documentation needed to travel by land or sea is spelled out. Traveling without a passport is not an exception. If you read the regulations there are mny acceptable documents. As for manpower in Embassies and Consulates, part of their duties are to assist US citizens abroad. That is what they get paid to do. Whatever time they spend helping US citizens abroad is necessary time. What types of documents are accepted for entry into the United States via land and sea? U.S. citizens can present a valid: U.S. Passport; Passport Card; Enhanced Driver’s License; Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST); U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders; U.S. Merchant Mariner document when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or Form I-872 American Indian Card, or (when available) Enhanced Tribal Card. U.S. and Canadian citizen children under the age of 16 (or under 19, if traveling with a school, religious group, or other youth group) need only present a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship. The birth certificate can be original, photocopy, or certified copy. WHTI does not affect U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents, who are still required to present their permanent resident card (Form I-551) or other valid evidence of permanent residence status. Canadian citizens can present a valid passport, Enhanced Driver’s License, or Trusted Traveler Program card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST). Bermudian citizens are required to present a valid passport. Mexican citizens, including children, are required to present a passport with visa, or a Border Crossing Card. U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port) are able to enter the United States with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

How is the workload increased? If people don't need passports, apply for passports, and are not issued passports the workload is decreased, Very efficient....

That is formal logic. Requirements don't have to be absolute or enforced absolutely. The current ID requirements are not absolute. I don't know if the Real ID requirement is absolute or will be enforced absolutely. .Usually there is some flexibility to waive requirements. I don't know about Real ID.

The odds of needing help are very low though. if they were high I think passports would be required. With the Real ID requirement coming into effect why not allow flights in all of North America with Real ID? I think I had to present more documentation for Real ID than for a passport. Also if someone has Real ID why require a birth certificate? An alternative suggestion is allow the less expensive Passport Cards to be used for cruises within North America and for flights within North America. That would lesson the expense. Since the WHTI accepts the passport card as ID that may be the easiest to implement. Allow air travel with a passport card. Or require adults to have a passport and minors traveling with an adult would only need a birth certificate for the cruise and flying to the US.

They are certainly not bottom feeders. That is an outragous charecterization. Most of the posters who ask about passports on CC are not cheap, they or someone in their family or group are unprepared for one reason or another. Expired passports, last minute decisions etc. Others may read the cruise line marketing. Some advertise a passport is not needed. As for the Real ID requirement I expect that some will show up without one because there is a percentage of the population that fly infrequently so they don't keep up with travel requirements. Hopefully the airlines will add notices when booking about the requirement. As to enforcement and being turned away you can show up now without any ID and the TSA can waive the ID requirement if you can satisfy them to your identity. That will probably be what happens.

I went there on our second day and had spent the first day walking and exploring. The second day we had less time and had targets. Quite likely I would have found it with the paper map because I was motivated to go there but with Google maps it was a sure thing. General location could have been a fail in Venice.

Great video. Thank you for posting it. Horseshoe Bay is one of my favorite places.

Seriously, you have no knowledge of the significant non air trade between the US and Canada and the US and Mexico over land and by sea border? Sheesh.

You might not like it but most cruise lines do not require passports on closed loop cruises out of US ports. OP who asked the question said the cruise was on NCL. NCL does not require a passport on closed loop cruises. I think you are the one along with others that are annoyed that US citizens can cruise without a passport. I also have been on a small cruise line that requires passports on closed loop cruuses. But so what? The vast majority cruising out of US ports are cruising on mass market lines like Carnival, NCL and Royal Caribbean that allow passengers to cruise on most closed loop itineraries without a passport. Of course all should check with their cruise line tor document requirements for their itinerary.

The essential purpose of the WHTI was not to permit cruise passengers to carry documentation other than passports. It was to have exceptions to carring a passport in the Western Hemisphere for non air travel. Other approved ID, like EDL for example. The closed loop cruise was added at the behest of the cruise lines. The lines believed that the application process and costs of requiring passports would discourage sales.

A number of yerars ago we were able to make our way to the Jewish Quarter in Venice using Google maps. We discussed it on our roll call and several were planning to visit there but I was the only one who found it because I used Google Maps instead of a paper map. The others who tried using paper maps failed.

While you don’t need a passport for St Lucia I would not make any conclusion from not having to show a passport to get off and back on. The cruise line verifies your documents when you board and they will deny boarding at embarkation if a port requires a passport and a passenger does not have one. Document requirements must be checked with the cruise line. I have been to a lot of ports that require passports and only at one, Russia, did I need to show a passport to get off the ship. Having to showing a passport to get on or off means nothing.

True but OP is sailing on mass marrket cruise line NCL and their requirements are well known. No passport is required for the OP's itinerary. Of course they should NCL's document requirements themselves` which are on NCL's web site.

I have AT&T and have international roaming. Mexico is actualy included in my cell plan plan. Straight Talk is a reseller and they don't have international roaming. You will need to change your cell phone carrier from Srtaight Talk to AT&T, T-mobile or Verizon to call from Mexico or any other country to the US..

I made sure to get my 2 boosters at pharmacies where I could get a digital record. My original vaccinations were not at pharmacies so it was not until last spring that I was able to get those in my digital wallet when the state I was living in when I got them created verifies digital records.

From reading this thread there appears to be a lot of regional variation. Around here I have not been asked to wear a mask anywhere since May. Last winter I did have a mask in my pocket. In the summer I did not need encounter mask requirements so I stopped having one in my pocket. I visted an assisted living facility and I did not have to wear a mask and they did not ask about vaccination. The staff were wearing masks. Some of the residents, If I lived in say for example parts of California I suppose I might have a mask in my pocket.

Statistics are often manipulated to make a political point. What percentage of people who die are 65+? What percentage of people 65+ who get Covid don’t die? If cruise ships are floating Petri dishes you are not safeguarding your health if you cruise. I think getting vaccinated is safeguarding my health and I have had the latest booster but how is carrying my vaccination card safeguarding my health? I leave it up to each person though to decide whether to get vaccinated or not.