Perfect example of why you should get a passport.

[MrsPete]

The problem is that these people expect the cruise line to pay for the consequences by giving them compensation.

 

DON

I'm with you on the concept of personal responsibility. Getting a passport or not getting a passport is a risk vs. cost decision. A traveler should know the rules and should make his decision based upon his personal facts -- and then should live with the choice he makes.

Honestly, if you look at the expense logically, the passport is good for 10 years. Break down the $130 you might be spending to get it (even with shipping) and it's $13/yr. An initial investment but it DOES save a multitude of headaches and can be used for valid i.d. ;)

If you use the passport yearly, it's $13/year. If it sits in your safe most of the time, then the math looks rather different. And it MIGHT save you from a headache IF you end up in a very RARE circumstance.

 

My whole point is that you have to decide how much use you'll get out of a passport, decide how realistic your chances of an emergency are, and then make your own decision.

If you can afford a 7 day RCI cruise, you can afford a trip for 2 to a lot of places in "the world". ;-) I can build a vacation package to Europe or Asia for less than what it might cost an average couple who cruises the Caribbean. I know it's sacrilege to suggest on here that land based vacations can be as fun and interesting as a cruise :-D But they can be, and my family likes to mix it up between eco/adventure travel, land based resorts, tour packages and cruises... a passport just expands options.

 

In the end it's probably moot anyway, because the closed loop rule won't be there forever. Then everyone can have a passport to the world.

Other vacation options are great, and I've done things like you're describing all my life -- after all, I have one parent who wasn't born in America, and both of my parents worked for the airlines, so I've traveled more than the average person. I also agree that other vacations are available for less money than a cruise.

 

But everyone isn't going to go for those options. Quite a few people want to stick to cruises and Disneyland because they're "easy" choices. Just look at how many people are fearful of using private excursions. A whole lot of people are rather afraid of venturing out on their own and have no interest in seeing the world. And what business is it of ours if people don't want to take part in these other types of vacations? I don't see that it's our place to tell others that their vacation comfort zone is wrong.

[fly2cruises]

My (new) daughter in law is cruising on Allure in February. I advised here to renew her passport with her married name just to be safe. She sent the forms, etc. in last week and her new passport arrived yesterday! Seven day turnaround...pretty good...and over the new year's weekend!

[wcook]

The problem is that these people expect the cruise line to pay for the consequences by giving them compensation.

 

DON

Who are "these people" you are referring to? Specifically.

[wcook]

Mandating a passport for all travel can happen at any moment. One terrorist incident and those trying to get back home without one could be in for a mess.

 

Although changes can theoretically happen at any moment, we have a long experience how rule changes are implemented. Rules don't just change overnight. There has always been a long period for the information to get disseminated and to give people a change to react. This includes changes that were put in place following terrorist incidents.

There are many good reasons to get a passport. Fear that the rules will cahnge in the middle of a cruise isn't one.

[FLACRUISER99]

Although changes can theoretically happen at any moment, we have a long experience how rule changes are implemented. Rules don't just change overnight. There has always been a long period for the information to get disseminated and to give people a change to react. This includes changes that were put in place following terrorist incidents.

 

There are many good reasons to get a passport. Fear that the rules will cahnge in the middle of a cruise isn't one.

Lot's things changed real fast in the first few weeks after 9/11.

[MikeNJ1109]

Perhaps, folks, it's best to consider the possibility that "this horse has been whipped to death".

 

Time to move on to other subjects ... there are plenty of fun things to discuss, along the lines of "Dress Code", "Chair Hogs", "Out Of Control Kids" or "Smuggling Alcohol".

 

Michael

[negc]

Lot's things changed real fast in the first few weeks after 9/11.

 

Not the passport requirements. Most of us can recall the extremely lengthy and tortured progress towards the current policy.

[East Bay Skiers]

My (new) daughter in law is cruising on Allure in February. I advised here to renew her passport with her married name just to be safe. She sent the forms, etc. in last week and her new passport arrived yesterday! Seven day turnaround...pretty good...and over the new year's weekend!

 

WOW!!!! That's impressive! My recently divorced daughter is cruising in February also, just sent her name change request last week, but had hers expedited because she was afraid she would't get it on time. I don't think she has received it yet!

[Jimnbigd]

I don't understand what you mean by the above. Renewing a passport doesn't take a couple of months. Usually, the turnaround time is quicker than when applying for a first passport.

 

I have read somewhere that there is an option to add the time remaining from the old pasport onto your new passport, so that the new passport may be valid for 10 years, plus the two months from your old passport.

 

Last time I renewed it did take about seven weeks. I don't know why.

 

Even if the turnaround time is only a couple of weeks, I still wonder what people do whose business requires them to travel outside the USA. Do they not travel those weeks when they have to surrender their current passport to renew it?

 

Thanks for the tip about adding the unexpired days onto the renewed passport. I'll check into this.

[sparks1093]

Last time I renewed it did take about seven weeks. I don't know why.

 

Even if the turnaround time is only a couple of weeks, I still wonder what people do whose business requires them to travel outside the USA. Do they not travel those weeks when they have to surrender their current passport to renew it?

 

Thanks for the tip about adding the unexpired days onto the renewed passport. I'll check into this.

 

I may be mis-reading the State Department's website but it looks like you only have to surrender the passport if you are re-newing by mail. If you re-new in person you may use one of the other documents listed to verify citizenship.

[jaspup]

Living in Northwest Ohio, we had gotten passport cards for the whole family since Canada is so close. We have also visited Mexico while in San Diego.

No problems.

Passport Cards also work on cruises and cruise ports.

Then, just recently, I found out that if something happened (emergency while in foreign port), there is no way to fly home if that is what the cruise ship felt was in your best interest.

Well, I leave in only a couple of weeks for a first time cruise. Not enough time to get 4 REAL passports.

I hope that when people read this thread they consider this as well. I wish now that there wasn't an option for passport cards. I would have just purchased a REAL passport and wouldn't have this weird dilemma.

[sparks1093]

Living in Northwest Ohio, we had gotten passport cards for the whole family since Canada is so close. We have also visited Mexico while in San Diego.

No problems.

Passport Cards also work on cruises and cruise ports.

Then, just recently, I found out that if something happened (emergency while in foreign port), there is no way to fly home if that is what the cruise ship felt was in your best interest.

Well, I leave in only a couple of weeks for a first time cruise. Not enough time to get 4 REAL passports.

I hope that when people read this thread they consider this as well. I wish now that there wasn't an option for passport cards. I would have just purchased a REAL passport and wouldn't have this weird dilemma.

 

Ah, but it's a dilemma only if something happens that would make you have to fly back early. You are fine otherwise. Oh, and if you do have to fly home you won't be stuck in a foreign port forever a la "Man Without a Country", you'll still get home but it could take a little time for the Embassy to work their magic (which actually may be facilitated by your passport card).

[Ocean Boy]

Ah, but it's a dilemma only if something happens that would make you have to fly back early. You are fine otherwise. Oh, and if you do have to fly home you won't be stuck in a foreign port forever a la "Man Without a Country", you'll still get home but it could take a little time for the Embassy to work their magic (which actually may be facilitated by your passport card).

 

That is usaully when dilemmas occur.... When something doesn't go the way it was planned.

[donaldsc]

Ah, but it's a dilemma only if something happens that would make you have to fly back early. You are fine otherwise. Oh, and if you do have to fly home you won't be stuck in a foreign port forever a la "Man Without a Country", you'll still get home but it could take a little time for the Embassy to work their magic (which actually may be facilitated by your passport card).

 

Hopefully, the embassy will take a very long time and subject you to all sorts of problems before they give you your paperwork - that is what you deserve for being too cheap to get passports.

 

DON

[Rancher Dave]

That is usaully when dilemmas occur.... When something doesn't go the way it was planned.

 

Kind of funny this thread...In talking with some folks about ending up inthe ER....I ask how many folks plan on being there any given time...nobody really said yep I planned to go there....

 

Better to be prepared with a passport than to have to deal with getting one to get back into the country. Just because someone needs to be medivac'd to the USA or their home city doesn't mean they get special treatment at the border....same as terrorists have a passport to show at the airport.

 

Better to have it and not need it than the other way around...just like with insurance for your car, house, healthcare, travel, etc...

[Coralc]

Hopefully, the embassy will take a very long time and subject you to all sorts of problems before they give you your paperwork - that is what you deserve for being too cheap to get passports.

 

DON

 

Perhaps you should read the Wave Season reminder: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/announcement.php?f=83&a=243

 

That is a mean spirited statement that you made. The poster that you quoted said that they were regretting their decision and you seemed to infer something else.

 

Of course passports are best, but it is a decision that individuals have to make. I made my mom get her first one at age 80, so we could fly to Vancouver, BC.....and the next year, she went to China..on her own! :D

[TahoeBob]

I hate having to fumble my license out of my wallet and hate to carry it loose in my pocket.

Please tell me what the difference between fumbling for your license and fumbling for a PassPort. Just where would you keep your passport that would be different than your license?

[sparks1093]

Hopefully, the embassy will take a very long time and subject you to all sorts of problems before they give you your paperwork - that is what you deserve for being too cheap to get passports.

 

DON

 

Thanks for the laugh.

 

Please tell me what the difference between fumbling for your license and fumbling for a PassPort. Just where would you keep your passport that would be different than your license?

 

As Don was so kind to point out I'm too cheap to have a passport. But when I get one I'll carry it in my shirt pocket so I grab it and hand it over.

[wcook]

Then, just recently, I found out that if something happened (emergency while in foreign port), there is no way to fly home if that is what the cruise ship felt was in your best interest.

Of course there is a way to fly home. You apply for emergency passports, get them, and fly home. It's a routine transaction... usually takes about a day.

 

No, it's not desirable. But that's the risk people take when traveling without a passport.

[wcook]

Hopefully, the embassy will take a very long time and subject you to all sorts of problems before they give you your paperwork - that is what you deserve for being too cheap to get passports.

 

Thank you for so perfectly summarizing the attitude and spirit of the many in the tell-people-they-must-get-a-passport crowd.

[BND]

I guess some people want to belong to the "I wish I had listened and gotten a passport" group that invariably will run into a problem. Are odds against it? Yes, but odds are against you getting hit by a bus too, but it happens.

 

I'm also sure the same people who say the government shouldn't make them get a passport for a cruise have no problem buying one to go to Europe once in their lives. What's the difference, really? And don't tell me it's "not required", because that's not really the point.

[Ocean Boy]

Of course there is a way to fly home. You apply for emergency passports, get them, and fly home. It's a routine transaction... usually takes about a day.

 

No, it's not desirable. But that's the risk people take when traveling without a passport.

 

I think if there were an emergency, either on my part or a family member at home, that necessitated me cutting my vacation short the last thing I would be looking for is the added stress of loosing time trying to obtain the necessary documents in order to be able to get home..... even if it is a routine transaction that takes about a day.

[Happy ks]

We were required to have passports for a cruise in 2002, so we already had them. Back then, there were seperate lines for disembarkation for people with passports and people with BC/DL and it was worth it to have the passports to avoid those hour long lines ;)

 

But, that's not what I'm writing about, that's just a memory.

 

For the parents who want to acquire passports for their families, what we did was to do them seperately, to spread the expense out a bit. It still cost the same, yes, but at the time it was easier to pay out the $X every 2 months rather than all at once. When we got them for the kids, both parents were not required to be there in person, the parent not attending had to fill out a form. This does take advance planning, but many people plan their cruise a year or even 6 months in advance...plenty of time to get passports issued.

[marci22]

Thank you for so perfectly summarizing the attitude and spirit of the many in the tell-people-they-must-get-a-passport crowd.

 

A lot of those who recommend passports have read countless posts of how people were impacted because they did not have proper documentation. Many have missed cruises, or been very inconvenienced, because of it.

 

It seems like such a simple thing to do. Get one and quit worrying about the seal on a bc, what ID to use, etc, etc. I wouldn't call anyone a cheapskate over it but I do question why anyone who travels out of the country, cruise or no, would not just get one.

[nrdsb4]

We were required to have passports for a cruise in 2002, so we already had them. Back then, there were seperate lines for disembarkation for people with passports and people with BC/DL and it was worth it to have the passports to avoid those hour long lines ;)

 

But, that's not what I'm writing about, that's just a memory.

 

For the parents who want to acquire passports for their families, what we did was to do them seperately, to spread the expense out a bit. It still cost the same, yes, but at the time it was easier to pay out the $X every 2 months rather than all at once. When we got them for the kids, both parents were not required to be there in person, the parent not attending had to fill out a form. This does take advance planning, but many people plan their cruise a year or even 6 months in advance...plenty of time to get passports issued.

 

It's still the case that one parent can fill out a form giving the other parent permission to apply for the passport without him/her.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds3053/ds3053_846.html