Confused about passports

[prattmom]

Just got off the Conquest and I noticed that both leaving Cozumel and going through Customs and Immigration were far easier/quicker with a passport. At Cozumel, only my daughter's passport was even looked at - I handed all 5 over, but those with photo I'd were more critiqued. Also when leaving the ship, we sailed through customs, but the family ahead of us only had birth certs and ID's and it took them forever! - wish we'd been ahead of them LOL!

[fann1sh]

See what I mean????

 

Yup. Like I mentioned, 99.9% odds.

 

And hope things continue to work for you on cruise 10, 11, etc.

 

But being willing to play the overwhelmingly good odds yourself is one thing.

 

Telling someone who's asked for the truth not to listen to: "Chances are you'll be fine, but if you want to be 100% certain, get a passport"...implying they're NO truth at all there...isn't that kinda unhelpful, too?

[Alrana Eris]

I always had a passport since I was a teenager, and yes its $95.00- you can get a passport and the passport card (package deal) I find its worth the investment. Its $9.50 per year for 10 years. If you just get passport its $75.00 that's $7.50 for per year for 10 years. Its your decision whether to get it or not.

 

Alrana

[Putterdude]

The OP does not need a passport for the cruise that is planned ....but if for unforeseen reason she had to fly back to the US, she would need a passport, enhanced drivers license, NEXUS card, military ID, or similar approved ID, a birth certificate and DL won't do it.

[NACH]

NCL Epic 21 days, anyone need a passport book to get on and off in this country/island????? All we have is a BC and ID/passport Card....I know card sucks but we needed it a few winters ago to cross the Canadian border/quick way of crossing border:).....Please advise...

[centurycruiser]

NCL Epic 21 days, anyone need a passport book to get on and off in this country/island????? All we have is a BC and ID/passport Card....I know card sucks but we needed it a few winters ago to cross the Canadian border/quick way of crossing border:).....Please advise...

 

Without looking at your specific itinerary I would guess you need a passport. You can get away without a pp on closed looped cruises. That is a cruise that returns to the same port where it originated. With a 21 day cruise, I am assuming you are repositioning (ending in a different port). If that's the case you will need a pp. Also, if you are leaving from a port outside the US, you will need a pp (probably to get to the cruise, too)

 

As far as OP is concerned, I would recommend she get a pp after she's married. She may like to try a resort vacation sometime and if she flies anywhere outside the US she will need a pp. If she gets her pp after she's married, she can get it in her married name. If she gets her pp before she's married she has to get it in her maiden name and then get a new one in her married name (assuming she doesn't plan to use her maiden name).

[dot73]

I think NACH may have meant that the EPIC cruise leaves in 21 days. My suggestion would be (i) call NCL or look at the cruise documents to see what the requirements are; and (2) the better option would be to bite the bullet and find out how to get an expedited passport. I don't want to lecture, but travelling outside your own country these days is strongly not advised without passport. What happens if you have a family emergency or get hurt on the cruise and have to fly home? You won't be allowed on a plane without a passport and trying to get a passport from an embassy or consulate is a real pain and will cost a lot more than getting passport that is good for 10 years. Good luck.

[njhorseman]

NCL Epic 21 days, anyone need a passport book to get on and off in this country/island????? All we have is a BC and ID/passport Card....I know card sucks but we needed it a few winters ago to cross the Canadian border/quick way of crossing border:).....Please advise...

 

You have a passport card, and that is sufficient for a closed loop cruise...or a birth certificate and government photo ID such as a drivers license is also OK.

 

You would only need a passport if you had to fly home mid cruise in an emegency, or get to the next port if you missed the ship.

 

Here's the closed loop cruise rule, from DHS:

 

http://www.getyouhome.gov/html/lang_eng/eng_sa.html

 

"Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

[njhorseman]

Without looking at your specific itinerary I would guess you need a passport. You can get away without a pp on closed looped cruises. That is a cruise that returns to the same port where it originated. With a 21 day cruise, I am assuming you are repositioning (ending in a different port). If that's the case you will need a pp. Also, if you are leaving from a port outside the US, you will need a pp (probably to get to the cruise, too)

 

As far as OP is concerned, I would recommend she get a pp after she's married. She may like to try a resort vacation sometime and if she flies anywhere outside the US she will need a pp. If she gets her pp after she's married, she can get it in her married name. If she gets her pp before she's married she has to get it in her maiden name and then get a new one in her married name (assuming she doesn't plan to use her maiden name).

 

You've misinterpreted...the poster is cruising in 21 days, not on a 21 day cruise...they are on a closed loop Western Caribbean itinerary on the Norwegian Epic, which is currently alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries out of Miami.

[centurycruiser]

As Emily Littella used to say, "Never mind."

[MrsPete]

You've received good information already. With a driver's license /certified birth certificate, you can board the ship, get off at the ports, and re-enter the US. You are taking a SMALL risk in that IF you have an emergency and need to fly home, you can't do that from all locations with out a passport (or some trouble). Yes, that will certainly happen to someone somewhere, but it will not happen to the vast, vast majority of cruisers. So you have to decide whether to roll the dice. Is the cost of a passport worth the small bit of extra security that it would afford you IF you have an emergency?

You can do it with a birth certificate, but you need to have the original. Too much hassle. Just get a passport.

This particular argument doesn't hold water. Why? Because you'd ALSO need a certified birth certificate to obtain a passport.

I think you have to understand the history. As US citizens, we never needed passports to travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Caribbean Islands. Then, in response to concerns about terrorism after 9/11, our own government, not the governments of the other countries, imposed new requirements on our own citizens, which doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense to a lot of people.

Also, you have to understand the geography. The US is larger than most other countries, most of us would have to drive a solid day to reach a border; thus, we don't need to prove our citizenship often. Now, for people who live on the border of Canada or Mexico, that's a different story: They probably come and go more frequently, and they'd have a greater need for a passport.

 

And there's the biggest reason of all: A free alternative exists! You already have a driver's license and a birth certificate . . . you can pay NOTHING, or you can pay $95. Multiply that times a family, and you're talking about real money. The "but it's $9.50/year" isn't a very good argument IF you only use it 2-3 times in that 10 years; it's more fair to consider the per-use cost, which if you use it 2-3 times total, is $50-33/use. Again, compare that to free.

[Cristallo]

Please don't flame me - I am a Canadian and just asking this question out of curiosity. :confused:

 

Why are Americans so reluctant to get a passport? The price of your passport is a bargain as it is good for ten years. Our passports, at roughly the same price, are only good for five years and most Canadians wouldn't think of leaving Canada without one.

 

My advice to anyone who travels outside the US or Canada, take a passport with you. Most likely everything will go smoothly and you won't need it, but why take a chance. You know Murphy's Law ...

 

To expand on what others have said and on a personal level I don't have one because I have no need for one. I don't plan on going anywhere where one is required.

[Travelcat2]

Oh my goodness. Yet another thread where everyone is arguing with everyone. If you sail out of Canada, you need a Passport. They do not care if you are on a closed loop or whatever. It may help to pay attention to Shorex -- definitely posting accurate information.

 

Below is what I posted on another thread. Hopefully, instead of arguing, all of you will do what is necessary to be allowed to go on your cruise.

 

There are a few basic facts. First, having a passport is the best form of identification (not going to get into Nexus, iris scanning, GOES, etc. as you need a passport to even begin the process to obtain these cards). Second, depending upon the cruise line and itinerary, it is very possible that your passport will be taken when you board the ship as your passport information is required prior to entering certain countries.

 

When we go ashore, we have a photo identification and a copy of our passport. We do this in every country - whether or not it is required. This does not mean you should do it as everyone can do as they please.

 

As a side note, we will not travel without our passport. When stuck in Hawaii due to weather on the mainland, we could have flown into Vancouver, BC IF we had our passport with us (unfortunately we did not). Lesson learned.

 

It does not matter who is right. None of us want to end up being denied boarding on a ship, an airplane or entrance into a country. That is one way to ruin a vacation.

[fann1sh]

Sorry, but I still think stories about why U.S. citizens don't need a passport are rationalizations, not real reasons.

 

I'm "half and half" - I live on the border between Canada and the U.S. , my family/friends are split, etc. etc. etc. My comments below are based on my family, not directed at any posters here.

 

My family says, "But I don't need a passport" (in circumstances that prove they *do* need a passport :rolleyes: .) What they really mean is "I don't want a passport."

 

Some people complain about the cost. However, I'm convinced my family would spurn free passports! It's the paperwork, the fuss, the idea your own government (and foreign ones) have a record of you. And....let's face this....a bit of arrogance, too. Deep in their hearts, my family believe American citizens shouldn't have to have papers to travel.

 

I can't crack their thick skulls, so I don't expect to change any minds here. However, for those convinced they don't need a passport, here's a version of the last ditch plea I used on my family:

 

If you ever get left behind by the ship in a foreign port due to a late shore excursion; if you ever have a broken bone from a fall in rocky seas, and have to leave the ship to get it set; if you're late embarking the ship on the departure day, and need to fly to the next port to catch up....

 

...then, you'll know a U.S. passport is the cheapest cruise insurance you can buy. Think of it only that way: insurance. A hedge against some scary expenses, such as being stuck in a foreign city. Like most insurance, you probably won't need it.

 

If you do, and don't have it...well, people find someone else to blame other than themselves.

 

(Yeah...still talking about my own family, and the year Christmas got postponed... :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:)

[BruceMuzz]

Please don't flame me - I am a Canadian and just asking this question out of curiosity. :confused:

 

Why are Americans so reluctant to get a passport? The price of your passport is a bargain as it is good for ten years. Our passports, at roughly the same price, are only good for five years and most Canadians wouldn't think of leaving Canada without one.

 

My advice to anyone who travels outside the US or Canada, take a passport with you. Most likely everything will go smoothly and you won't need it, but why take a chance. You know Murphy's Law ...

 

People in most countries know that requiring everyone to have passports is a very good way to deter terrorists.

Far too many Americans seem to think that national security and personal safety is not worth the $10 or so per year that a passport costs.

 

If anybody needs a birth certificate or driving license for ID, I can make one for them with Photoshop on my computer in about 10 minutes. My fake ones will look better than the originals.

[MrsPete]

Some people complain about the cost. However, I'm convinced my family would spurn free passports! It's the paperwork, the fuss, the idea your own government (and foreign ones) have a record of you. And....let's face this....a bit of arrogance, too. Deep in their hearts, my family believe American citizens shouldn't have to have papers to travel.

Nope, in my mind it's totally about the money!

If you ever get left behind by the ship in a foreign port due to a late shore excursion; if you ever have a broken bone from a fall in rocky seas, and have to leave the ship to get it set; if you're late embarking the ship on the departure day, and need to fly to the next port to catch up....

Yes, we understand perfectly that those things can happen even to young, healthy people who aren't falling down drunk . . . but what's the likelihood? The passport faithful make it sound as if you roughly have a 50-50 chance of making it back to the ship after a port stop, that helicoptors make regular flights between the ship and the closest island shuttling people in tragic circumstances to the airport, and that the ship regularly arrives back at its home port carrying a hundred fewer passengers than set sail. The reality is that you're very unlikely to need to return home before the cruise ends, you're very unlikely to have an emergency that would require you to leave the ship. Yes, IF you're the unlucky one, I understand that it won't matter . . . but it's a gamble. Pay $100 x every member of the family ON THE OFF CHANCE that something bad might happen? Not everyone is willing to do that, especially if this cruise may be the only time they ever need the passport.

 

The bottom line isn't simple: Recognize the real need, recognize the real risk, and make up your mind what you need. That'd mean considering whether you have children back at home, what islands you're visiting (for example, on our upcoming cruise, we're only stopping at Labadee, San Juan, and St. Martin -- you'd have to be a real idiot to be left behind at Labadee, San Juan is an American territory, and we're staying right in port in St. Martin), and how many times you're going to use the passport in the future.

 

Personally, I'm in favor of going to a nationwide driver's license: Everyone'd have the same ID, it could take the place of the passport, it'd fit in a wallet, and hopefully it wouldn't cost a fortune.

[MrsPete]

People in most countries know that requiring everyone to have passports is a very good way to deter terrorists.

Far too many Americans seem to think that national security and personal safety is not worth the $10 or so per year that a passport costs.

 

If anybody needs a birth certificate or driving license for ID, I can make one for them with Photoshop on my computer in about 10 minutes. My fake ones will look better than the originals.

And people with terrorist connections and plenty of funding can get fake passports easily enough. Plus, all the illegal immigrants prove that it's pretty easy to get into this country without a passport.

 

Passports are like locks on the door of your house: They keep out honest people. They keep out people who'd commit crimes of opportunity (oh, look, the Joneses are gone . . . ). But a person who's intent upon getting into your house will throw a piece of firewood through your patio door and will get in. Similarly, lack of a passport isn't going to prevent a terrorist from getting into the country.

[Travelcat2]

Similarly, lack of a passport isn't going to prevent a terrorist from getting into the country.

 

It is really sad that you feel this way. Not sure if you are a world traveler -- perhaps your views would be a bit different if you were as many people in the U.S. have "tunnel vision". In any event, the lack of a passport might not prevent a terrorist from getting into the U.S. But, it can prevent you from getting home. If everyone would make an effort, our borders might just become more secure (and, no, a passport cannot be forged using Photoshop). IMO, there is no place on CruiseCritic for anti-American (or Canadian) comments. This forum is to answer questions for people and advise them on the best ways to cruise the world. This can not be accomplished without a passport, JMHO.

 

TC2

Passport Holder

CBP Trusted Traveler

Nexus Pass Holder w/iris scan on file

[fann1sh]

TravelCat2, I'm also a Nexus holder, also owned by a cat. I'd like to think we're on the same wavelength.

 

When I make comments on this forum about people who are stubborn about not wishing to get a passport, I try to always mention "my family", to make it clear I'm not slamming particular posters, and certainly not an entire nation.

 

I made a snarky post early on this thread I regret. Whenever I post something angry, you can bet as I type I'm mentally arguing with an aunt/ uncle/cousin/friend!

 

The hard luck border crossing stories generated by my family and friends can keep a party crowd laughing all night. Problem is, they're not funny when they happen. Like...

 

...the friend who thought (during 9/11) it wasn't anyone's business what was in his luggage - too personal to disclose that weird item was a crystal body deodorant? Spent three days in lock up 'til it could be tested, proved not to be an ingredient for explosives.

 

My posts are pleas: Don't let anything like this happen to you!

 

The way I think is: "What's the worst that could happen? Is my credit card limit high enough to cover that?" If not...well, pay a little now, so you don't have to pay a LOT later. That either makes me a pessimist, or very cautious. Thousands of people go on closed loop cruises with no trouble. For the few who have trouble, it's big trouble. I hate big trouble. It's only funny at a party.

 

Apologies to anyone who felt slammed, or singled out.

[Travelcat2]

fann1sh: Thanks for the wonderful explanation. I was upset by some of the posts from people who sounded as if they were slamming the U.S. for requiring passports. This morning, concidentally, we were at the Nexus office to renew our pass. Some people probably do not know that there are both Canadian and U.S. Border Agents that work together in these offices. We had the opportunity to speak with Agents from both countries. The Agent from the U.S. suggested that we Google "Passports" and said that we would find discussions, newspaper articles, etc. dating back over 100 years. Many of them had people complaining about the requirements. He said that the requirement began to protect naturalized citizens of the U.S. Many of them visited their birth country and were forced to serve in their army. Having a U.S. Passport was proof that they are a citizen of another country.

 

Just got home -- but do plan on looking this up. Just thought I'd share this information.:)

[phish tales]

WHY WHY WHY ????????????? would you travel anywhere without a passport? they are less than 100 bucks and last for 10 years. that's less than 10 bucks a year to put your mind at ease and travel worry-free.. wake up and smell the coffee.

[rxmurphy]

WHY WHY WHY ????????????? would you travel anywhere without a passport? they are less than 100 bucks and last for 10 years. that's less than 10 bucks a year to put your mind at ease and travel worry-free.. wake up and smell the coffee.

 

I get a kick out of people going through the trouble to get a passport, and then leave it on the ship! Does a lot of good there.

[phish tales]

I get a kick out of people going through the trouble to get a passport, and then leave it on the ship! Does a lot of good there.

 

i agree with you 100% rxmurphy. i have a passport and a new passport card. we never ever leave the ship without our passports. if for some unexpected reason you must fly due to missing the ship, try telling the people at the airport--"my passport is safe on the ship locked in our safe". they will laugh in your face and tell you to come back when you have passport IN HAND.....

you paid for the passport so you can fly, SO CARRY IT..

[MrsPete]

It is really sad that you feel this way. Not sure if you are a world traveler -- perhaps your views would be a bit different if you were as many people in the U.S. have "tunnel vision". In any event, the lack of a passport might not prevent a terrorist from getting into the U.S. But, it can prevent you from getting home. If everyone would make an effort, our borders might just become more secure (and, no, a passport cannot be forged using Photoshop). IMO, there is no place on CruiseCritic for anti-American (or Canadian) comments. This forum is to answer questions for people and advise them on the best ways to cruise the world. This can not be accomplished without a passport, JMHO.

 

TC2

Passport Holder

CBP Trusted Traveler

Nexus Pass Holder w/iris scan on file

World traveler? I'm actually the child of an immigrant. I cannot imagine what you saw as anti-American (or anti-Canadian) in my post. If it was the comment that people get into the country all the time without a passport, that was a truthful statement (ask the students in my classroom -- they'll tell you about how they got here) and not a bash on our country; after all, it's a statement about what people will risk to gain entry to this country! But it's pie in the sky to say, "Oh, if everyone had a passport, no terrorist could enter the US, and we'd all be safe."

 

My entire point is that a passport is an expense, whereas you already have the required documents necessary for cruising. Yes, it's a risk -- I've not said otherwise -- but it's a small one. And although I never said you could fake a passport with PhotoShop, a person with ample funding (i.e., some terrorist groups) certainly can do it. Passports don't make us safer.

 

You might notice that I also said I'm in favor of a national driver's license. It wouldn't be any more or less effective than a passport, but it'd cost less and would fit into a wallet.

The way I think is: "What's the worst that could happen? Is my credit card limit high enough to cover that?" If not...well, pay a little now, so you don't have to pay a LOT later. That either makes me a pessimist, or very cautious. Thousands of people go on closed loop cruises with no trouble. For the few who have trouble, it's big trouble. I hate big trouble. It's only funny at a party.

Whereas I think, "What's the most likely scenerio? Is the very slight possibility of trouble worth $400?"

[fann1sh]

Whereas I think, "What's the most likely scenerio? Is the very slight possibility of trouble worth $400?"

 

I understand. I'm not bashing you, or even disagreeing with you. As you know from reading my whole post, I've seen a lot of "What's the worst that can happen?" :rolleyes:

 

Gosh, I make my family sound like dumb hillbillies, don't I? :D

 

You're going into this with eyes open - that's the important thing.

 

But, while I'm playing mother hen....you do have out of country medical insurance, right? :) Don't let this happen to you, either:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1121463

 

I'm just a ray of sunshine, aren't I?