Passport Requirements and Formal Night Attire

[deansara]

I am planning my first cruise with the family and it is last minute! I am looking at going in 3 weeks and I do not have passports for my 3 children. I thought that I may need to go to DC to get the expedited passports, but a friend told me that children only need a birth certificate and photo ID to travel. We will be going from Baltimore to the Bahamas. Is that correct?

 

Also, this same individual said that they recently took this same trip and men wore slacks and collared shirt for the formal nights and women wore normal dresses, not formal cocktail attire. Is that correct on the Carnival Pride?

 

Thanks!

[Scrapnana]

As long as the kids were born in the US and the birth certificates are issued by the state you should be fine. If they are under 16 they do not need photo ID.

 

Good information here.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise

[sparks1093]

I am planning my first cruise with the family and it is last minute! I am looking at going in 3 weeks and I do not have passports for my 3 children. I thought that I may need to go to DC to get the expedited passports, but a friend told me that children only need a birth certificate and photo ID to travel. We will be going from Baltimore to the Bahamas. Is that correct?

 

Also, this same individual said that they recently took this same trip and men wore slacks and collared shirt for the formal nights and women wore normal dresses, not formal cocktail attire. Is that correct on the Carnival Pride?

 

Thanks!

 

Some people dressed up a little more for the elegant nights but you won't be out of place with what you list.

 

As stated the kids may use a government issued birth certificate and if the are 16 and above a government issued photo ID (that goes for adults too;)). Of course if they had to fly back they would have to visit a Consulate to obtain an emergency travel document.

[paul929207]

Assuming the kids are all US citizens, they can get by with a birth certificate. A government issued photo ID would all so be needed for any over 15.

 

Just be aware, that if any of the children needed to fly back to the US for any reason, they would need a passport. Getting passports at an embassy or consulate will become expensive in a hurry as you will be paying all your expenses for the several days or longer the process takes

[sparks1093]

Assuming the kids are all US citizens, they can get by with a birth certificate. A government issued photo ID would all so be needed for any over 15.

 

Just be aware, that if any of the children needed to fly back to the US for any reason, they would need a passport. Getting passports at an embassy or consulate will become expensive in a hurry as you will be paying all your expenses for the several days or longer the process takes

 

There are provisions in the regulations that allow the State Department to waive the passport requirements for an unforeseen emergency or for humanitarian reasons and as I understand it this is done with the issuance of an emergency travel document prepared and issued locally (of course one should know where the Consulate is located and take this into account when deciding to travel without a passport). If one has good travel insurance any expenses incurred would be covered.

 

Also, children 16 and over need a photo ID.

[deansara]

Thank you all so much for your help! I am still going to apply for the passports, but just in case if I do not get them in time it is good to know that I can still use the birth certificates.

[pale lady]

Just remember, you have to give the passport office the birth certificates when you apply. They send them back with the passport.

[NMLady]

Just remember, you have to give the passport office the birth certificates when you apply. They send them back with the passport.

 

Usually the birth certificates are returned in a separate mailing from the passports, often returning a week after the passports.

[pale lady]

Usually the birth certificates are returned in a separate mailing from the passports, often returning a week after the passports.

 

True. I was just concerned that they were going in 3 weeks and if they sends off for the passports and do not get the birth certificates back they might be out of luck.

[Langley Cruisers]

Thank you all so much for your help! I am still going to apply for the passports, but just in case if I do not get them in time it is good to know that I can still use the birth certificates.

 

Ooo, yikes - I hope you come back and see that several of us say you should not do this so close to cruise time. As stated, you will need to send the BC in with the passport application, and then you will be without any ID! I would wait until after the cruise, if I were you.

[sparks1093]

Ooo, yikes - I hope you come back and see that several of us say you should not do this so close to cruise time. As stated, you will need to send the BC in with the passport application, and then you will be without any ID! I would wait until after the cruise, if I were you.

 

Or make a copy of the birth certificates to use just in case they don't make it back in time.

[deansara]

Thank you all for your advice! I went ahead and applied for the expedited passports that should be here in time. If not, our local DMV now provides birth certificates, so if it gets down to the wire I can go in there and get additional copies of the BCs to use.

[Langley Cruisers]

Or make a copy of the birth certificates to use just in case they don't make it back in time.

 

If cruising without a passport and using a BC, a passenger would not be able to use a photocopy of the birth certificate.

 

I went ahead and applied for the expedited passports that should be here in time. If not, our local DMV now provides birth certificates, so if it gets down to the wire I can go in there and get additional copies of the BCs to use.

 

Awesome! The whole world just opened up to you and your family! That's how I like to think of it, anyway. :)

 

Have a great cruise.

[navybankerteacher]

There are provisions in the regulations that allow the State Department to waive the passport requirements for an unforeseen emergency or for humanitarian reasons and as I understand it this is done with the issuance of an emergency travel document prepared and issued locally (of course one should know where the Consulate is located and take this into account when deciding to travel without a passport). If one has good travel insurance any expenses incurred would be covered.

 

Also, children 16 and over need a photo ID.

 

Yes, emergency travel documents can be obtained, but they still need to be obtained from consulate or embassy - which means you have to get there during business hours, convince them of the emergency , etc. it is virtually inconceivable that it could be done in an hour or two - meaning that you will have hotel and meal expenses while you wait.

[sparks1093]

If cruising without a passport and using a BC, a passenger would not be able to use a photocopy of the birth certificate.

 

 

 

Awesome! The whole world just opened up to you and your family! That's how I like to think of it, anyway. :)

 

Have a great cruise.

The DHS regulations state that an "original or copy" of a BC may be used, CCL states in their faq that a readable photocopy is acceptable and I presented a photocopy of mine to board the Pride. Bringing the document received from the state is best but a copy is acceptable. Having a copy ready is an inexpensive backup plan for the OP.

 

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[sparks1093]

Yes, emergency travel documents can be obtained, but they still need to be obtained from consulate or embassy - which means you have to get there during business hours, convince them of the emergency , etc. it is virtually inconceivable that it could be done in an hour or two - meaning that you will have hotel and meal expenses while you wait.

Do you happen to have a link to a regulation that says that a traveler must obtain services from the Consulate only in person? I believe that the facts of each case are going to dictate how the Consulate responds. I would expect that their response in a medical emergency would be different than their response if someone overstays at Senor Frogs. If something happens and one misses a ship even if they have a passport they are likely to incur extra expenses so that is more of a reason why good travel insurance is necessary. Having a passport is certainly the best bet if something goes wrong but not having one isn't the end of the world, either. If something goes wrong the Consulate exists to assist travelers not to throw unnecessary riad blocks in the way.

 

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[navybankerteacher]

Do you happen to have a link to a regulation that says that a traveler must obtain services from the Consulate only in person? I believe that the facts of each case are going to dictate how the Consulate responds. ... If something goes wrong the Consulate exists to assist travelers not to throw unnecessary riad blocks in the way.

 

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Agreed - the Consulates exist to promote commercial interests and to assist US persons. But they are staffed by government employees who have rules to follow. Sort of like DMV personnel, just on the Federal level.

 

Someone hospitalized overseas due to accident or illness could probably initiate something by phone - but sick or otherwise he is going to have to do something to convince Consular staff that he is entitled to Consular assistance in the first place. Whatever the situation, it is not going to be resolved by a phone call or in a couple of hours. We got off on this tangent by discussing the fact that someone missing a sailing (for whatever reason) should be prepared to spend some time getting things fixed - hotels, meals, etc. and would be one whole lot better off if he travelled with a passport.

[sparks1093]

Agreed - the Consulates exist to promote commercial interests and to assist US persons. But they are staffed by government employees who have rules to follow. Sort of like DMV personnel, just on the Federal level.

 

Someone hospitalized overseas due to accident or illness could probably initiate something by phone - but sick or otherwise he is going to have to do something to convince Consular staff that he is entitled to Consular assistance in the first place. Whatever the situation, it is not going to be resolved by a phone call or in a couple of hours. We got off on this tangent by discussing the fact that someone missing a sailing (for whatever reason) should be prepared to spend some time getting things fixed - hotels, meals, etc. and would be one whole lot better off if he travelled with a passport.

 

Convice the Consular staff to do their job? I would hope not. The post of mine that you quoted was in response to someone who said that is someone had to fly back they would need passports and it would be expensive and take several days or longer. I merely pointed out that there are provisions to waive the passport requirements and the implication is that the process does not necessarily need to take several days. These are all things that someone should take into consideration when deciding to cruise on a closed loop cruise with any of the alternatives available under the regulations. If someone is averse to all risk and uncertainty than it may behoove them to obtain a passport.

[navybankerteacher]

Convice the Consular staff to do their job? I would hope not.

 

Not to do their job (but having had experience with government personnel on all levels, that could be a consideration) I meant to convince them that you were not only stranded without a passport - but that you were actually entitled to get the necessary emergency documentation - to enter the US. Remember - we are talking about people who do NOT have their documentation.

[sparks1093]

Not to do their job (but having had experience with government personnel on all levels, that could be a consideration) I meant to convince them that you were not only stranded without a passport - but that you were actually entitled to get the necessary emergency documentation - to enter the US. Remember - we are talking about people who do NOT have their documentation.

 

They aren't document-less, but even if they were the Consulate still has the means to verity someone's information (which would take a bit longer). They have or should have the documents that they used to board the ship and those documents prove both identity and citizenship. The cruise line has the record of them being on the ship, DHS has the record of the checks that were done on them.

[cherylandtk]

Even so, for most people who present documents to a consular official, it is typically a couple of days (48-72 hours) to process the documents and issue a short-term passport. Cost is the same as a regular passport application. Speed depends on urgency of need and how many others are clamoring for the same thing. Simply being stranded is not a consular emergency. Being in a hospital generally precludes immediate travel, so again, it will be a couple of days to be medically cleared to travel during which a passport can usually be processed. Nowadays consulates have to send much of the information back to the US and receive clearance to issue the passport. In the past, such decisions were handled directly by the consulate.

 

Emergency Travel Authorizations are extremely rare and only really issued in life or death cases. I have seen one such event posted here on CC in all these years.

 

LBNL, most travel insurance policies do cover medical emergencies under trip interruption. Trip interruption covered reasons are generally the same as covered cancellation reasons before the trip. Most do not include coverage for other reasons for trip interruptions, such as missing the ship because the rental car broke down or needing hotels and food for the extra days to get a passport issued. Some better policies have partial coverage for trip delay, but that is often limited to a maximum of $200 or less per day up to about five days. Travel Insurance is for specific, named perils only; it does not cover all events that can occur during a trip.

[dwjoe]

Another factor to consider is the location of the nearest US consulate. If there is one local to you, it will be probably be faster to get an emergency passport issued than if the nearest one is far away (or on another island).