Has anyone cruised without a passport?

[Pooker]

I'm wondering how big of a hassel it is to travel without a passport in the caribbean. I understand that the rules are changing and that one is required in 2006. I'm traveling in September and would be interested in hearing from some of you that have cruised with a passport. I've the got the form and pictures...just haven't turned it in yet. --Dave

[skyking]

My wife cruises with a birth certificate and has never had a problem. She needs to get a passport soon however:)

 

Tim

[bigreid07]

I just went to Bermuda without a passport and had NO trouble.

[Pablo's Cruise]

My wife & I both used birth certs & Photo DL's to Bermuda last week. No probs, but we're gonn have to get the passports soon, it seems!

[lovepuzzles]

We cruised last year to the Carribbean with our birth certificates and DL. It was very simple, had no problems at all. We will be doing the same this Sept.

[knothead]

Three cruises with only a DL & Birth Certificate! We have never had any trouble, now sometime it was a pain to get both out when needed and tote them around.

 

We have applied for our passports just recently so I guess our next cruise we will see if it make much difference! I hope it speeds check in up!

[Dem920]

I have traveled both with a passport and without and I will tell you that I have never been stopped going through customs with a passport, but have been stopped on a few occassions with my birth certificate and driver's license. I think passport gets you through with the least amount of questions. I now fly domestically with my passport as well. The process just seems easier. It may be in my head, but the few times I traveled without it, I always seemed to get the extra screening.

 

-DEM920

[Flossie]

Just make sure that the birth certificate that you use has the raised seal on it, and not just a copy. We have done several cruises with just this but now we have our passports, you should have time to get your passport if you are not sailing til Sept. Ours came back 3 weeks to the day. I know that now it is taking longer since alot of people are getting them before the new law takes effect.Call the office where you will turn in the paper work and ask them how long it is taking right now for them to come back.

[justaknucklehead]

Always use my passpart, simple and quick. Love it.

[twinkletoes204]

Opposite to what others have been saying, my travel agent told me that you MUST have a passport to cruise by this November (or close to). You may definitely want to look into it, though. But either way, it never hurts to have a passport.

 

I know I'll be getting one for my first cruise in May 06!! :D

[PhoenixCruiser]

Opposite to what others have been saying, my travel agent told me that you MUST have a passport to cruise by this November (or close to). You may definitely want to look into it, though. But either way, it never hurts to have a passport.

 

 

Your travel agent is incorrect.

 

Here are the "proposed" timelines:

 

"Proposed Timeline for Implementation for Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Requirements

 

 

The travel initiative requirements will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed implementation timeline is as follows:

 

December 31, 2005 – Passport or other accepted document required for all travel (air/sea) to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America.

 

December 31, 2006 – Passport or other accepted document required for all air and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.

 

December 31, 2007 – Passport or other accepted document required for all air, sea and land border crossings."

 

###

[Onessa]

Passport requirements are in the midst of changing. For OP's September '05 cruise date, they will not yet be required.

 

I have always travelled with passport. I travel to Canada and overseas on business regularly. I've travelled to Canada with family and business associates w/o passports. I generally get through the lines at immigration and customs a bit more quickly than they do.

 

I have been with folks who had been randomly selected for additional screening - for them, a passport was a big plus, those you did not have passports spent more time with the agents than those with passports.

 

I was also once travelling with a business associate whose government issued ID was within two weeks of expiring - they requested additional ID. She had brought her BC but not her marriage license no proof of the name change - that seemed to set off a major red flag :) and it took her an extra DAY (22 hours) to get home! Now we laugh about it - then it wasn't too much fun.

 

So it boils down to an IDOTS (it depends on the situation). Immigration and customs will tell you they prefer the passport, but for a September '05 sailing, if you are a US citizen, have up-to-date government issued picture-ID, and an appropriate certified copy of your BC (and ML if your name changed when you got married) - you should be fine.

[Pooker]

Thanks for the help everyone! Still not sure what I want to do...I'll most likely go ahead and get the passport application turned in.

 

--Dave

[amynkeith]

I don't know how similar the situation in the Caribbean is to sailing in Mexico - but people with passports got through customs MUCH faster than those of us with BC's. My stepdad was the only one in our party with a passport and he ended up waiting for us in the luggage pick up area for a half an hour.

 

Something to think about! We have our passports now, thank goodness! :)

[Cindy]

I always travel with a passport, and it seems to make things faster and smoother. I even used my passport to cross into Canada back in the pre-9/11 days.

 

Last March, we were on the Grand Princess when my father unexpectedly passed away and we had to leave the ship to fly home. Both at Cozumel (leaving the ship & at the airport) and in Houston, the passports made things much easier. There was a couple in front of us at immigration in Houston who only had birth certificates and driver's licences. They were asked numerous questions. All we did was show our passports...no questions asked. I commented to my DH several times that day how glad I was that we use passports when we travel.

[kathi29]

We are using our passports whenever possible now. It's just easier. Not as many papers to keep track of, no worries about if we need photo ID for the kids, and it seems like we clear customs faster when we have them.

[blueyesdm]

I cruised with my birth certificate this past May and I didn't have any problems! You should be fine! I'll be getting my passport here shortly though with all the new requirements coming up!

[CruisinDawn]

One big advantage is peace of mind, you loose your drivers license just prior to the cruise your in a world of hurt. Our DMV no longer offers drivers licenses on the spot since 9/11. You get a piece of paper for 6 weeks before you get the real thing. Imagine the piece of mind knowing you have a back up ID. When we get off in port we only take our drivers license so again in case of theft we don't have issues getting home with our passports safely locked in our cabin safe. You are going to have to get one anyway someday so why not now when you have the picture & papers filled out already.

 

BonVoyage

 

Dawna

[Wennfred]

We travel with our Birth Certificate all the time, no problems, but we now have our Passports since the rules have changed.