Documents?????

[patriots00celtics]

So, I am a US citizen. I see by law it says I can go to the Caribbean on a cruise and return to the US with no more than a photo ID and an original birth Certificate... has anyone done this before? My passport got washed and is unusable....

[tedasaurous]

Yes I did this last November and worked fine and am going next month. Also it should say on your cruise lines website. If it is unusable I'm not sure where you would order one....maybe from the hospital you were born at? I don't know. Have fun and good luck.

[NMLady]

So, I am a US citizen. I see by law it says I can go to the Caribbean on a cruise and return to the US with no more than a photo ID and an original birth Certificate... has anyone done this before? My passport got washed and is unusable....

 

Thousands of US cruisers on closed loop cruises to Caribbean cruise with just their govt id and official birth certificate (not the one from hospital). In fact, on the Caribbean closed loop cruises I think those with passports are a minority.

[patriots00celtics]

Yes I did this last November and worked fine and am going next month. Also it should say on your cruise lines website. If it is unusable I'm not sure where you would order one....maybe from the hospital you were born at? I don't know. Have fun and good luck.

 

I'm pretty sure if you do not have the original birth certificate, you can get a government excepted one from the CDC.... FYI

[paul929207]

Yes, people do it every day.

[serene56]

make sure the license is not expired and birth certificate lists parents names

[sparks1093]

make sure the license is not expired and birth certificate lists parents names

 

The parents names are required by the State Department for issuing a passport, it is not a requirement of DHS.

 

OP, I traveled on CCL with a copy of my birth certificate.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Yes I did this last November and worked fine and am going next month. Also it should say on your cruise lines website. If it is unusable I'm not sure where you would order one....maybe from the hospital you were born at? I don't know. Have fun and good luck.

 

I'm a bit confused (and I'm guessing others are too) from your post. The OP said his/her passport is unusable. Apparently (hopefully), he has an official one (which are usually issued by your county of birth, and not the hospital, which only issues a nice little certificate you can frame, but it's not legal for any real use).

 

The real source of info about what documents are required would be the government one (one with a .gov in its address such as this one:) http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_1168.html

[Scrapnana]

Everything will be fine with your original birth certificate and photo ID as long as you don't have to fly home (from outside the US) for any reason. Is there enough left of the first page of your passport (the really important part of it) left that you could take it with you (just in case)?

[wallie5446]

A problem solver post in the Dallas Morning News a few months back addressed this issue. A couple showed up at the port in Galveston with no Passport and was not allowed to board.

FYI,

Why take a chance, get the Passport replaced.

[cb at sea]

On a closed-loop cruise, your BC and DL are fine. That's all we ever use! No problem at all.

[Underwatr]

I see by law it says I can go to the Caribbean on a cruise and return to the US with no more than a photo ID and an original birth Certificate.

Note that you must return to the same US port where you boarded. You can't cruise, say, from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale without a passport.

[sparks1093]

A problem solver post in the Dallas Morning News a few months back addressed this issue. A couple showed up at the port in Galveston with no Passport and was not allowed to board.

FYI,

Why take a chance, get the Passport replaced.

 

What's the rest of the story? Were they on a cruise that required passports? Did they fail to bring any documentation at all? Showing up without a passport is not a reason to deny boarding unless you are on a cruise that requires it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I wouldn't take any chances -- get a new passport.

[serene56]

Note that you must return to the same US port where you boarded. You can't cruise, say, from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale without a passport.

 

 

which when you book an agent SHOULD be telling people that. Was looking at a cruise that went one way-- Out of NY to San Juan you will need a passport. or from San Juan to NY- will need a passport.

[njhorseman]

Note that you must return to the same US port where you boarded. You can't cruise, say, from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale without a passport.

 

which when you book an agent SHOULD be telling people that. Was looking at a cruise that went one way-- Out of NY to San Juan you will need a passport. or from San Juan to NY- will need a passport.

 

In addition to passports, both passport cards and enhanced drivers licenses may be used for open jaw cruises under DHS regulations. However, cruisers should always check with their cruise lines because some impose requirements beyond those set by government regulations. For example there are cruise lines (such as Regent Seven Seas) that require a passport even for a closed loop cruise.

[xxoocruiser]

So, I am a US citizen. I see by law it says I can go to the Caribbean on a cruise and return to the US with no more than a photo ID and an original birth Certificate... has anyone done this before? My passport got washed and is unusable....

 

This only applies if it's a "Closed Loop Cruise " meaning the ship embarks from and disembarks from the same USA Port . Yes people do "Closed Loop Cruise" with only a government insured photo ID and Certified Birth Certificate insured from a government agency not a Hospital issued BC.

[serene56]

In addition to passports, both passport cards and enhanced drivers licenses may be used for open jaw cruises under DHS regulations. However, cruisers should always check with their cruise lines because some impose requirements beyond those set by government regulations. For example there are cruise lines (such as Regent Seven Seas) that require a passport even for a closed loop cruise.

 

 

when looking at those one way trips we were told that the Passport card will not be good for those sailings. My dad has a card-- not a passport. He is 85 years old and cant see spending that kind of money for one trip.

we opted out of that particular cruise

[serene56]

In addition to passports, both passport cards and enhanced drivers licenses may be used for open jaw cruises under DHS regulations. However, cruisers should always check with their cruise lines because some impose requirements beyond those set by government regulations. For example there are cruise lines (such as Regent Seven Seas) that require a passport even for a closed loop cruise.

 

 

when looking at those one way trips we were told that the Passport card will not be good for those sailings. My dad has a card-- not a passport. He is 85 years old and cant see spending that kind of money for one trip.

we opted out of that particular cruise

[navybankerteacher]

Everything will be fine with your original birth certificate and photo ID as long as you don't have to fly home (from outside the US) for any reason. Is there enough left of the first page of your passport (the really important part of it) left that you could take it with you (just in case)?

 

"Original", especially in this context, is a meaningless term. Many people think the birth certificate they get from the hospital - obviously the "original" one they got because it was the first one, will do: it won't. You need to get an official, government-issued one, which bears the seal of the issuing government agency.

 

Also, if the name on it does not match the name on your photo ID, as in the case of a married woman with her husbands name, you need a bridging document: marriage certificate.

[njhorseman]

when looking at those one way trips we were told that the Passport card will not be good for those sailings. My dad has a card-- not a passport. He is 85 years old and cant see spending that kind of money for one trip.

we opted out of that particular cruise

 

I don't know who told you that, because it isn't true as far as the regulations from DHS are concerned...but as I said sometimes cruise lines impose requirements that are more stringent than those imposed by the government, so a particular cruise line might not accept a passport card for that type of itinerary.

[patriots00celtics]

Thank you everyone.... I do have a birth certificate that the government excepted when I applied for my passport, I live in Vermont and can get an enhanced ID rather cheap ( Because we live so close to canada most vermonters have one), so I will bring all three, a driver's licence, my Gov. issue birth C, and my enhanced ID.... And yes my cruise boards in Miami and disembarks in Miami.....

 

Again thank you all, it is nice to know some people have actually used just a driver's licence and BC on applicable cruises... The cruise line always recommends a passport in case you have to fly back for emergency reasons.......

[sparks1093]

Thank you everyone.... I do have a birth certificate that the government excepted when I applied for my passport, I live in Vermont and can get an enhanced ID rather cheap ( Because we live so close to canada most vermonters have one), so I will bring all three, a driver's licence, my Gov. issue birth C, and my enhanced ID.... And yes my cruise boards in Miami and disembarks in Miami.....

 

Again thank you all, it is nice to know some people have actually used just a driver's licence and BC on applicable cruises... The cruise line always recommends a passport in case you have to fly back for emergency reasons.......

 

Your Enhanced ID is enough although you could certainly bring your birth certificate as back-up.

[patriots00celtics]

Has anyone ( US Citizen) been on a cruise that embarked and disembarked at the same US Port, with a Mexican Itinerary without a passport recently? The Law says what it says but has anyone actually done it? Thanks a ton again... I may be getting a few weeks off Mid-November, and was thinking about a short Cozumel Cruise...

[Krazy Kruizers]

Has anyone ( US Citizen) been on a cruise that embarked and disembarked at the same US Port, with a Mexican Itinerary without a passport recently? The Law says what it says but has anyone actually done it? Thanks a ton again... I may be getting a few weeks off Mid-November, and was thinking about a short Cozumel Cruise...

 

You should start a thread on the cruise line section that you are thinking about sailing on.