Does passport speed up boarding process?

[PA_Traveler]

My passport expired a few years back, and neither my wife nor son has ever had a passport. We're taking a closed-loop cruise in November and are considering getting our passports. One thing which will affect our decision is whether or not passports will speed up the process of getting on and off the boat. I have only taken one cruise; it was ten years ago, though, so I don't really remember much about that part of it. Can anyone shed some light on whether passports speed up the boarding/disembarking process and if so, about how much? Thanks.

 

By the way, I am aware of the risks of traveling abroad without a passport; so I don't need 32 replies telling me I'm an idiot or a cheapskate if I choose to do so. If that is your opinion, great. But $350 (what it would cost to get passports for all of us) is a lot to spend for something which has only a fraction of a percent chance of happening. Such risks will definitely factor into our decision, but in and of themselves they have not convinced me. So please, either answer the question I asked or don't bother replying. (Sorry to be so blunt, but in searching the boards for an answer to my question I have noticed a tendency for people to get on a high horse about that.)

[Donder1]

To answer your question, passports do not speed up embarkation process. What does is filling out your forms online through the cruiseline's site.

 

If you are a US citizen and traveling out of the US, you will be denied boarding without one. Period!

[paul929207]

I don't think there is any significant difference when checking in with or without a passport.

[BIG_Steve]

If speed of embarkation is your biggest concern, I wouldn't spend the money. Recently on Carnival we scanned our PP at a Kiosk at the check in counter. The amount of time it saved didn't seem significant at all.

 

Have never used anything but a PP when checking in. But I would imagine if your alternative ID is proper, it wouldn't (??) take any more time.

 

(Sorry to be so blunt, but in searching the boards for an answer to my question I have noticed a tendency for people to get on a high horse about that.)

 

Too bad you felt the need to add that, but I get tired of all the unsolicited life advice dished out too. :rolleyes:

[CalGal777]

On a closed loop cruise a Birth Certificate and picture ID such as a drivers license is sufficient. But as stated above a passport will not get you on and off the ship faster.

[cb at sea]

No...any "proper" ID will work...in the same amount of time.

[PA_Traveler]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[eh2zed]

Won't speed it up any

[Putterdude]

I can't see how it would speed things up materially....good luck.

[missypriss19]

On my last cruise in January having a passport did not speed up the time it took to get on the ship but man did it speed up the time to get off. The line for birth certificates were long and slow while the passport row had no line and I just walked up handed my passport and walked thru easy as pie.

[Bonnie J.]

You can renew your passport - not as expensive. When we renewed we got our new ones in a week! You must send your passport with the renewal forms. I would send a separate check for each passport- makes it easier for them.

When we get off the ship, customs scans your passport, looks at the form you filled out and sends you on your way. Easy and fast.

[trish1c]

I think it does speed things up, a little. We take passports even when flying domestically. That bar code reader at the check out counter at the AP never reads other docs properly for me but I've never had a problem with the passport.

As somebody else pointed out, if you have to stand in a seperate line for BC passangers, that one moves slowly.

[tulsacubfan]

I think it does speed things up, a little. We take passports even when flying domestically. That bar code reader at the check out counter at the AP never reads other docs properly for me but I've never had a problem with the passport.

 

As somebody else pointed out, if you have to stand in a seperate line for BC passangers, that one moves slowly.

 

I agree. I think the newer passports with the chip does make having the PP a bit quicker. At least in the airport...have not used my PP with the chip yet on a cruise.

[Dayenu]

Is passport needed to get on and off the boat? Only the cabin key card that you receive upon embarkation, and in some ports, photo ID. We never took our passports ashore, not in the Caribbeans, not in Europe.

[SadieN]

On my last cruise in January having a passport did not speed up the time it took to get on the ship but man did it speed up the time to get off. The line for birth certificates were long and slow while the passport row had no line and I just walked up handed my passport and walked thru easy as pie.

 

My thoughts exactly-

Embarkation was about the same, maybe a minute longer per person because of the checking of names and such.

 

Debarkation can be a MAJOR PITA without a passport.

 

**

Your wife might have to bring her wedding certificate to prove her name change. Especially if her maiden name was Jane Mary Smith and her married name (drivers license) is Jane Mary Doe. I had no problem when sailing with my married name of Jane Smith Doe.

[SadieN]

Is passport needed to get on and off the boat? Only the cabin key card that you receive upon embarkation, and in some ports, photo ID. We never took our passports ashore, not in the Caribbeans, not in Europe.

 

 

On embark when you arrive and debark when you leave the ship to go home.

[okgirl]

Is passport needed to get on and off the boat? Only the cabin key card that you receive upon embarkation, and in some ports, photo ID. We never took our passports ashore, not in the Caribbeans, not in Europe.

 

The only thing you need to get off the ship in ports is your cabin key and a photo id.

 

To the OP if you do use the BC's make sure they are the official raised seal ones and not the hospital copy.

 

Here is a link to order new BC's if you can't locate yours.

 

Sorry, no link......I had to reload IE last week here at work and lost the link. Hopefully someone will post it so I can rebookmark it.

[Hlitner]

Passports will not speed up your boarding process since its just a matter of waiting in line at the port until it's your turn to go to the counter. However, if you are planning on using birth certificates be very careful that all in your party have true original birth certificates that show the names of the birth parents and also have an offical seal. Copies are not good enough nor is the so-called short forms issued by some jurisdictions.

 

Hank

[PA_Traveler]

On my last cruise in January having a passport did not speed up the time it took to get on the ship but man did it speed up the time to get off. The line for birth certificates were long and slow while the passport row had no line and I just walked up handed my passport and walked thru easy as pie.

 

That's exactly what I was wondering about. Thanks.

 

It sounds like that varies from cruise to cruise, since many folks say it doesn't speed things up much at all. With that in mind, I'm thinking that maybe since I'm going with Carnival (one of the cheaper cruise lines), the BC line might be longer. Not trying to stereotype everyone that cruises with Carnival, but I would think Carnival would have a higher percentage of cheapskates (like myself) than more expensive cruise lines would. So I would expect it to have a higher percentage of folks who are just using BCs instead of passports.

[PA_Traveler]

I agree. I think the newer passports with the chip does make having the PP a bit quicker. At least in the airport...have not used my PP with the chip yet on a cruise.

 

Are you talking about passport cards, or do the new passport books also have chips in them?

[PA_Traveler]

My thoughts exactly-

Embarkation was about the same, maybe a minute longer per person because of the checking of names and such.

 

Debarkation can be a MAJOR PITA without a passport..

 

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know.

 

Your wife might have to bring her wedding certificate to prove her name change. Especially if her maiden name was Jane Mary Smith and her married name (drivers license) is Jane Mary Doe. I had no problem when sailing with my married name of Jane Smith Doe.

 

Thanks for the heads up. And that is her situation -- she kept her maiden middle name, not her maiden last name, as her married middle name. I'll have to check with Carnival about what they need.

[PA_Traveler]

To the OP if you do use the BC's make sure they are the official raised seal ones and not the hospital copy.

 

Thanks. We do have the official kind.

 

Makes you wonder, though, what President Obama does when he wants to go on a cruise. :)

[SMerritt]

Passports will not speed up your boarding process since its just a matter of waiting in line at the port until it's your turn to go to the counter. However, if you are planning on using birth certificates be very careful that all in your party have true original birth certificates that show the names of the birth parents and also have an offical seal. Copies are not good enough nor is the so-called short forms issued by some jurisdictions.

 

Hank

 

Great post Hank!

 

This is so important! besides having all of the ORIGINAL documents, make sure that the names on the documents match your confirmation/reservations. Everything MUST MATCH on your documentation. I would just get passports and avoid carrying around a pile of papers.

 

My husband had a brain fart and slipped his PP in his suitcase with the laptop at the dock - fortunately, with the help of NCL, we got to the bag just as it was about to go up the conveyer. If not, he would have to had to sit at check-in and wait for our luggage to arrive in our suite, have me get it, and run it back downstairs :confused:

 

Anyone remember the Cruise Critic show where the lady signed up for the cruise with her married name but had her maiden name on her ID's?? They would NOT let her on until someone faxed a marriage cert.

[njhorseman]

Passports will not speed up your boarding process since its just a matter of waiting in line at the port until it's your turn to go to the counter. However, if you are planning on using birth certificates be very careful that all in your party have true original birth certificates that show the names of the birth parents and also have an offical seal. Copies are not good enough nor is the so-called short forms issued by some jurisdictions.

 

Hank

There's absolutely nothing in the Department of Homeland Security rules that requires the parents names on birth certificates or prohibits the use of so-called "short form" birth certificates for proof of citizenship on closed loop cruises.

 

You're confusing this with the State Department's rule effective 4/1/11 requiring the parents names to be on the birth certificate in order to use that birth certificate as primary evidence of US citizenship to obtain a passport.

 

By the way the State Department rule does not say anything about prohibiting the use of "short form" birth certificates. They are perfectly acceptable as long as the parents names are listed, and some short form birth certificates do include this, such as those issued by New York City.

 

Here's exactly what the State Department says:

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_5401.html

 

Beginning April 1, 2011, the U.S. Department of State will require the full names of the applicant’s parent(s) to be listed on all certified birth certificates to be considered as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship for all passport applicants, regardless of age. Certified birth certificates missing this information will not be acceptable as evidence of citizenship. This will not affect applications already in-process that have been submitted or accepted before the effective date.

 

 

 

For more information, see 22 CFR 51.42(a).

 

To obtain a new birth certificate, see the CDC.

 

 

 

In addition to this requirement, certified copies of birth certificates must also include the following information to be considered acceptable primary evidence of U.S. citizenship:

 

Full name of the applicant

Date of birth

Place of birth

Raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal of issuing authority

Registrar’s signature

The date the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office (must be within one year)

[tulsacubfan]

Are you talking about passport cards, or do the new passport books also have chips in them?

 

New passport books have chips. I had to renew mine in February or March of 2011 and it has a chip in it.