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Passports?

MissCheekx

By MissCheekx,
in Ask a Cruise Question

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gjc1111

gjc1111

Posted
Posted
In my carry-on luggage and then in my room safe. Instead of carrying my passport on the islands, I carry the passport card. Prior to the passport card, I carried the passport in my pocket and it showed signs of wear much quicker than it gets now. My passport still looks new after a couple of years use.

 

I don't use a passport card, so I leave my passport in the room safe and carry a photocopy of my passport with me when I leave the ship.

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phred119s

phred119s

Posted
Posted

Like a PP mentioned, all 3 of us have passports and use them even when traveling in the US. It's so much easier!! My daughter has had hers since she was 7-8 months old. She's barely over 1 now and is about to use hers for the second time. I think they are a good investment.

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Desert Cruizers

Desert Cruizers

Posted
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tinkr2, you are correct they don't need one for their cruise, I only wanted to let the OP know that with a Passport, it would elminate any problems should an emegency occur and they need to fly a member of their family & themselves home. We had a friend on our TA, who were doing a med cruise and suddenly her husband had to be hospitalized in Rome. Without going into a lengthy story, thanks to the insurance, Passports, he was stabilized and they were flown home along with a nurse accompanying him while he was on IV's.

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Ladysilver

Ladysilver

Posted
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Passports are recommended, but not required. If you don't have a passport and choose not to apply and get one, then you'll need to have a certified copy of your birth certificate.

 

 

My daughter and I were able to fly back to the US from Mexico while on a cruise without passports. She got very sick and ended up in a Progresso Hospital. Our birth certificates worked just fine. :)

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sparks1093 Great Review Rare

sparks1093

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Technically not true. True for most cruises but there are closed loop cruises which REQUIRE a passport. It's true if the cruise does not go beyond Mexico, Caribbean, Bermuda, and Canadian ports, but there are round trip cruises that go to Europe and South America. For anything beyond North America and environs you need a passport, closed loop or not. Not needed for OP. I think if you can pre-register on the Royal website, your documentation should be sufficient.

 

Roy

 

maddycat specified that the closed loop cruise must start and end in the same US port, which is true. Obviously a cruise that starts and end in Rome doesn't match the definition of closed loop cruise.

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sparks1093 Great Review Rare

sparks1093

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My daughter and I were able to fly back to the US from Mexico while on a cruise without passports. She got very sick and ended up in a Progresso Hospital. Our birth certificates worked just fine. :)

 

Thanks for the info. If you don't mind my asking, how long were you delayed by not having a passport? Who did you contact and what did they do to facilitate you getting home?

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cherylandtk

cherylandtk

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My daughter and I were able to fly back to the US from Mexico while on a cruise without passports. She got very sick and ended up in a Progresso Hospital. Our birth certificates worked just fine. :)

 

Thanks for the info. If you don't mind my asking, how long were you delayed by not having a passport? Who did you contact and what did they do to facilitate you getting home?

I would add the question 'How long ago did this happen?'. It IS possible to fly without a passport internationally, but only in an emergency (and this sounds like one) and ONLY with a transit letter issued by the State Department. I very much doubt that anyone could turn up at the airport in Mexico with just a BC these days and be allowed on a jet. There has to be some additional intervention.

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  • 8 months later...
Treven

Treven

Posted
Posted (edited)

I too have both a passport book and card. The passport book stays in my cabin and I carry the card as my official photo ID whenever I'm off the ship.

So far it's worked out ok, and almost all my cruises have been closed loop.

Edited by Treven
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firerunner

firerunner

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I would suggest checking with the cruise line. I am traveling in 2 weeks and I didn't have time to get a passport but they said I needed my original birth certificate but online it said I could use a certified copy so I would suggest checking with them.

 

I just became a US Citizen and during or Ceremony we were informed that you can go to the passport office in ANY STATE right up to the day before you leave and get a passport ON THE SPOT.

 

He stated

1) You have to prove that you are leaving the country within two weeks (so you have to show cruise documents airline tickets ect)

2) You have to call them and make an appointment.

 

The reason we were told this is because at the ceremony they take away our green cards and give us a naturalization certificate. Therefore if we had to leave the country we had NOTHING (99.9 % of custom agents have no idea what a naturalization cert looks like so we cant use that) to prove we belong here.

 

He said this service is available to any US Citizen.

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Shmoo here

Shmoo here

Posted
Posted
I just became a US Citizen and during or Ceremony we were informed that you can go to the passport office in ANY STATE right up to the day before you leave and get a passport ON THE SPOT.

 

He stated

1) You have to prove that you are leaving the country within two weeks (so you have to show cruise documents airline tickets ect)

2) You have to call them and make an appointment.

 

The reason we were told this is because at the ceremony they take away our green cards and give us a naturalization certificate. Therefore if we had to leave the country we had NOTHING (99.9 % of custom agents have no idea what a naturalization cert looks like so we cant use that) to prove we belong here.

 

He said this service is available to any US Citizen.

 

While true, the actual process isn't as simple as walk in and walk out with a passport.

 

Generally, you need to make an appointment, however, there is a walk-up line that they fit around the scheduled appointments. It's best to be there first thing in the morning, and you are likely to be able to pick up your passport late that afternoon. Many times, arriving later in the day, you will need to return the next day to pick up the passport.

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Mytime2014

Mytime2014

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Posted
While true, the actual process isn't as simple as walk in and walk out with a passport.

 

Generally, you need to make an appointment, however, there is a walk-up line that they fit around the scheduled appointments. It's best to be there first thing in the morning, and you are likely to be able to pick up your passport late that afternoon. Many times, arriving later in the day, you will need to return the next day to pick up the passport.

 

And at a nice additional cost I believe...

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sparks1093 Great Review Rare

sparks1093

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Just as an update, none of us had passports and we had no issues. We had a most wonderful vacation and the memories will last a lifetime!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Thanks for the update.

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dorisis

dorisis

Posted
Posted
Reading the many replies to your post, I'm not sure if people realize what a passport card is. I personally travel with both my passport and passport card. This allows me to put my passport in my luggage and passport card in my pocket. The cruise lines take either. I used my passport card on my last 2 cruises.

 

For everyone to reference. From the Department of State website:

"The U.S. Passport Card can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air."

 

I think you answered your own question.

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NMLady

NMLady

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Posted
Just as an update, none of us had passports and we had no issues. We had a most wonderful vacation and the memories will last a lifetime!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Thank you for coming back and telling us that all went well and that you had a wonderful cruise.

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