Passports ??

[abbyrose]

I know we do not need a passport for our cruise, we need DL and BC and for our 2 1/2 yr old just BC. But we are wondering if we should just spend the money and get passports, is it worth it to get a passport or would it be a waste of money?? What are your thoughts?

[cb at sea]

I think it's a waste of money---they are NOT required---why give the government any more of your hard-earned cash?

If you plan on traveling out of the country in the near future, and want them, go ahead, but unless you HAVE to have it, why spend that money?

There will be those who say YES,,,GET THEM NOW!!!! (I think they must get some sort of "kick-back"!) but you don't need them.

 

If, for some reason, you must leave the cruise and fly home, it will be a bit of a hassle, but you WILL get home...

Waste of money, IMO!

[newbiecruiser09]

Only you can really answer if it is worth the cost. Yes, if you need to fly home unexpectedly it will be a LOT easier with a passport. If you decide spur of the moment to take that really low priced Med cruise, passports are worth it. If you travel a lot and may be going international (Canada and Mexico by air too) then they may be worth it. Hubby and I have always had passports and our kids have had them since they were about 3 (just a timing thing so they would renew on the same year). We don't country hop but having something that shows we are US citizens (and is generally more accepted/not questioned) is important to us (in case we do decide to take that last minute Med cruise!).

[notentirelynormal]

Well, I'm not getting a kick back but I say just do it. For me its peace of mind to a lot of things. Its one less thing on my "to do" list that I don't have to worry about. I like to travel and I plan on doing it so for me, getting a passport is just part of it. Its also great ID even when you are not leaving the country. Yes, your child's is only good for 5 years. Really, though, in the scheme of things as far as the cost, is it really THAT much money. No. Years ago I was "in transit" on my passport and had a chance to go to South Africa with my DH on a last minute business trip. I couldn't because I didn't have one and I'm still ticked with myself. Seriously, its good for 10 years and you never have to ask yourself this question again.

[uppitycats]

Getting passports gives you much more flexibility to travel, flexibility to get home from foreign ports (even if you're doing a closed-loop cruise and didn't need it "technically" to take the cruise) should there be some problem that you can't get back to the ship, and frankly, passports are universally recognized as one sure identification of citizenship.

 

Yes, they're expensive. And yes, they have to be renewed more often for children. Chalk it up as one more travel expense, and get them..

 

would be my opinion. I've had one since my first trip abroad at 17, with family. I'm now 62.

[jtm22372]

my wife and i missed our boat in miami and had to fly to jamacia to get the boat if we did not have our passports we would not have been allowed in jamacia and would have missed our entire cruise GET YOUR PASSPORTS!!!!!!!!

[Onessa]

My family loves to travel -- each of us having a passport has allowed us to take advantage of some really good "last-minute" deals. If all you plan to do is Carribean cruises, close looped, from a US port; then it is likely that you will never need a passport.

 

As others noted, PP are useful in case of emergency.

 

And my DD (now 14yo) uses hers regularly as proof of ID/age (for athletics, work permit, scholarship applications, etc.).

 

The embedded electronically recognized information in the PP, may slightly expedite your embarkation/debarkation through US customs at your US port. My sister had all sorts of embark/debark horror stories -- she, her DH and DS each have different last names (red flag), all of which are very common names -- "pre-passport" but has had no issues since one Canadian customs agent told her that passports might help because the electronic id stuff ties you directly to your information and then they don't have to wade through all of the other "Tom Johnson"s that are out there.

 

Not any stunning "You'd be nuts not to get them" evidence! From someone who just got the whole family new passports in September, I think it worth the cost. (PS - no one, not the US State Department, the US Postal Service, nor JCPenney's Portrait studio; provided any sort of renumination -- financial or otherwise -- for the opinion written above)

[zoncom]

If you can afford a cruise you can afford a passport. Best form of personal ID in world. Used one at out of state RE closing in lieu of local ID. Cashing checks in strange places etc. You will eventually get bored with Caribbean. Bet Obama raises PP. prices soon.

[cruisealot]

You can add me to the get the passport group. Should things go wrong while out of the country, the money spent on the passport will be well worth it. Also, if you decide to take an international vacation after the cruise, you will already have the passport instead of having to apply for it before the next trip. We got one for our DD when she turned 1.

[abbyrose]

So if we got passports for our cruise in Jan, and if it took 6 wks like the wait is saying we'd get it the wk before we leave IF we went to get them this wk! That's cutting it way to close! I Do want to get PP I traveled A LOT out of country and plan to do a lot in the future, my passport has been expired for 2 years now, never renewed it. We will get them but probably not before this cruise, thanks for all your guys help! :) I know they are important and so much easier then any other forms of ID. :)