ID requirements for cruise to Alaska

[bkellygr]

We will be traveling on an Alaska cruise in June, leaving from Seattle. We are taking our son who is 3 and our twin girls who will be 18 months. Do they need a passport or will we be able to get away with using just there birth certificates?

[WisconsinFan]

Here is what the US Customs has to say: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/ready_set_go/sea_travel/

 

I am going to do more searching, and ask my cruise line as I thought my under 16 year old would need a passport, this makes it seem like he won't. That would save $$$

[cb at sea]

If you're American, a BC is fine...under 16 doesn't need a picture ID.

[WisconsinFan]

I called the passport 800 number tonight. Yes, they can travel on BC on "closed loop" cruises but the cruise line may require passports and that I should check with them.

[flagger]

Are you planning on doing the White Pass railroad excursion in Skagway? Then a passport is required!

[cantw8togo]

Are you planning on doing the White Pass railroad excursion in Skagway? Then a passport is required!

 

It depends on which excursion you take. One of their excursions only goes to the summit before you turn around to come back and you do not get off. A passport is not required for this trip. If you get off the train at the summit, and carry on to Emerald Lake or Carcross, then I believe that you will require a passport.

[kitty9]

Is your cruise round trip out of Seattle? If not, and you need to fly home from Vancouver, everyone will need a passport/passport card, a Nexus card or an enhanced driver's license. You can no longer fly into or out of Canada with just a birth certificate--and that rule is for adults as well as children of all ages.

[beachchick]

Is your cruise round trip out of Seattle? If not, and you need to fly home from Vancouver, everyone will need a passport/passport card, a Nexus card or an enhanced driver's license. You can no longer fly into or out of Canada with just a birth certificate--and that rule is for adults as well as children of all ages.

 

We just renewed our passports and, according to the Dept of State website, only a passport (book, not card and not WHTI-compliant document) is acceptable for international flights, even between Canada and the US. It says that everyone must have a passport book for international flights into the US, even infants. (Now, I could certainly be reading it incorrectly...but I think I've got it right.)

 

beachchick

[NEcruisers????]

We will be traveling on an Alaska cruise in June, leaving from Seattle. We are taking our son who is 3 and our twin girls who will be 18 months. Do they need a passport or will we be able to get away with using just there birth certificates?

 

This is a simular situation for us and 2 weeks ago we decided to spend the $$ and get the two younger girls their passports. My fear is; what if one of them gets hurt, or sick and needs to fly home, SOON? Without a passport, we are in trouble. So we spent the money and got them.

IF you choose to just use their BC, be sure you have the RAISED SEAL official state BC, not one from the hospital, or a copy. There was a post a week or so ago fom a Dad whose children were refused boarding because they had the wrong BC's! I can't imagine how sad those kiddo's were...

[kitty9]

We just renewed our passports and, according to the Dept of State website, only a passport (book, not card and not WHTI-compliant document) is acceptable for international flights, even between Canada and the US. It says that everyone must have a passport book for international flights into the US, even infants. (Now, I could certainly be reading it incorrectly...but I think I've got it right.)

 

beachchick

 

A family member just flew into Montreal from DTW and used the passport card, but this whole thing is really confusing and messed up. Just leave it to the government to do this. Why not just require passports for everyone, no matter where you travel outside the US? Nearly every other country has required this for decades.

[beachchick]

A family member just flew into Montreal from DTW and used the passport card, but this whole thing is really confusing and messed up. Just leave it to the government to do this. Why not just require passports for everyone, no matter where you travel outside the US? Nearly every other country has required this for decades.

 

It could be that Canada is allowing the passport cards for flights into Canada. Okay...Just checked the entry requirements and Canada is allowing US citizens to use passports, passport cards, and NEXUS cards for entry into Canada. That does not apply to flights going from Canada to the US.

 

Canada's website says this:

 

When returning to the United States from Canada, it is very important to note that all U.S. citizens are required to present a valid U.S. passport to enter or re-enter the United States via air.

 

So, both Canada's website and the US State Dept site say that for flights into the US, passports are required for all US citizens, no exceptions for age. Has your family member flown back into the US from Montreal (or other parts of Canada)? It sure would be nice if there was some darn consistency in the whole thing! I agree that it would be much better to just require passports for everyone; simpler and safer.

 

beachchick