Are Passports needed for a cruise to Alaska?

[engineer24]

We are leaving on a RCCL cruise in May for Alaska from Seattle. We are to visit Skagway Juneau and Victoria BC. The RCCL salesperson said a passport is not needed just a raised sealed birth certificate. Some of the tours out of Skagway into the Yukon says passports are requires but RCCL says the birth certificate and sea pass is all you need. Who can I believe?

[rubrrick]

I would be on the safe side and bring my passport any time that I sail on a ship!:)

 

Rick

[Sue L]

Technically for the cruise itself you need just a birth certificate because you are leaving and returning from the SAME US port, it is closed loop. If you want to go on that tour, it crosses the Canadian border you MUST have a passport. Otherwise pick tours that you don't leave the US.

 

When you arrive in Victoria you are considered in transit, when you cross the border on a tour you are not, confusing I know but thank our government for all these loop holes. :rolleyes:

 

You have plenty of time to get one, so I would suggest you do it so that you CAN go on whatever tours your choose.

[NorbertsNiece]

I believe it states in the T&C that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the relevant documents. There'll be a website which pertains to US citizens and what proof of ID/nationality you will be required to produce. Someone on these boards will know for sure.

 

Edit : I found this link for you from the website. Hope it answers your question.

[NW Native1]

Just under 2 years ago we did the rail/bus tour from Skagway into the Yukon. The tickets we received for the excursion stated clearly "passports required". Before the bus left the dock the tour guide has us show him we had them in our possession. Crossing into Canada & then back into the US they were reviewed by the border officials. If you are considering one of these tours then to be safe I think you should have a passport.

 

Our cruise on Princess left from Seattle too. Though at the stop in Victoria passports nor birth certificates were asked for.

[TravelerThom]

Technically for the cruise itself you need just a birth certificate because you are leaving and returning from the SAME US port, it is closed loop. If you want to go on that tour, it crosses the Canadian border you MUST have a passport. Otherwise pick tours that you don't leave the US.

 

When you arrive in Victoria you are considered in transit, when you cross the border on a tour you are not, confusing I know but thank our government for all these loop holes. :rolleyes:

 

You have plenty of time to get one, so I would suggest you do it so that you CAN go on whatever tours your choose.

Sue is correct, but a little more detail:

 

For the closed loop cruise you need an official state [not hospital] issued birth certificate AND a government issued photo ID [eg driver's license]. If the BC and DL are not in the same name, you should be able to connect them via other official documents [eg marriage license].

 

To cross a land border to Canada [such as on the road out of Skagway to BC and on to the Yukon] you need a passport or a WHTI compliant document [ie a Passport Card or a WHTI compliant Driver's License (most DLs are NOT; unless you know that it is WHTI compliant, it probably is not)]. Passport [not Passport Card] required on any international flight.

 

Thom

[scottbee]

We are leaving on a RCCL cruise in May for Alaska from Seattle. We are to visit Skagway Juneau and Victoria BC. The RCCL salesperson said a passport is not needed just a raised sealed birth certificate. Some of the tours out of Skagway into the Yukon says passports are requires but RCCL says the birth certificate and sea pass is all you need. Who can I believe?

 

They're all right.

 

First, for the cruise itself, there is an exemption that the United States does not require a passport for a person reentering the USA on a closed loop (for example SEATTLE-SEATTLE) cruise, entering Canada does not require a passport, only proof of Citizenship and proof of paperwork to return. (see B below)

 

Second, to cross into Canada from Skagway at the land border, you will require a passport, because of (b) below.

 

Note carefully the wording on all of this, it's the USA that has changed the rules, and Canada's really haven't changed. Canada has always required that USA Citizens;

a) prove that they're US Citizens (BirthCert/PhotoID); and;

b) that they have the documentation to go back to the USA.

 

Unfortunately (b) is now a passport for a US Citizen.

[NordicPrince]

You may need your passport because Sarah Alaska says she can see Russia from her window, so if you make a wrong turn you may be in more trouble than what you realize.

[Bethee99]

I think you need it. My Alaska cruise went out of Vancouver so of course we needed it for that. But, one of our excursions also needed it because it went into Canada. We actually had to get our passports out and a Canadian border guy came on the bus and looked at all of our passports.

[dirtgirl]

I think you need it. My Alaska cruise went out of Vancouver so of course we needed it for that. But, one of our excursions also needed it because it went into Canada. We actually had to get our passports out and a Canadian border guy came on the bus and looked at all of our passports.

 

 

You entered into British Columbia from Skagway. A very popular tour takes you from Skagway to BC to the Yukon.

 

Just get a passport. You will have more freedom with it than without it.;)