Passports

[sparks1093]

I wonder how vastly the cruise industry would change if the US got rid of jus soli (birthright citizenship), where birth proves citizenship in 99.9% of cases. If a birth certificate no longer proved citizenship, and everyone needed a passport or something like that, I imagine the industry would take a huge blow.

 

It might cut down on first time cruisers (if my family had needed passports to cruise it would have set us back close to $900 so we wouldn't have given cruising a second thought at that point) but others would adjust.

[sparks1093]

One other reason I always use my passport when traveling: it makes check-in and customs/immigration easier. I've been on trips, including cruises, where I've watched as the person doing check in called over the supervisor to decide if the ID and BC offered was to be accepted. Meanwhile, we got to check in, presented our passports, we're checked in and on our way to our first drink while the person with the DL and BC was still standing there.

 

Additionally, we've often cruised through re-entry by showing our passport while people around us using DL and BC were definitely taking more time. On our first cruise, out of Mobile, AL, the agents at both ends looked almost relieved to see passports. There was just no question.

 

On our trip last February, they set up a couple of lines just for US citizens holding passports that moved a little faster than the lines that allowed other ID. Of course, they also had a separate line that was for non-US citizens that moved even slower than the rest.

 

We are definitely glad we sprung for passports.

 

I am not doubting your experience or your observations but we've embarked and disembarked in three different ports and we were checked in and cleared at the end just as fast as those around us who were presenting passports. Personally, having either process take a little longer is not enough of a motivator for me to obtain a document that I don't otherwise need. (We have had two CBP officers tell us we should obtain passports, which they are told to say, but I'm not obtaining a passport just to make their job easier, either.)

[BlueRiband]

.... since we waited until now to get the passports they will have a full ten year validity. Had we obtained them when we first started traveling then 6 years would be gone.

 

What many overlook is that a good travel insurance policy covers more than trip cancellation or trip interruption- they also cover medical expenses and medevac expenses. Those last two items are the main reason that I buy travel insurance in the first place because frankly I don't have $25k to $50k just sitting around not being used...

 

One could apply your passport logic - six years of validity gone - to travel insurance. X dollars in premiums gone over six years that would have paid for a couple of nice cruises?

 

I guess we all have different levels of risk tolerance.

[FLACRUISER99]

I don't get it as I have always had a Passport. What if you wake up some morning and want to go to France, Japan or any other country. If you have a Passport you just can go, if you don't have one you have to get one.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

One could apply your passport logic - six years of validity gone - to travel insurance. X dollars in premiums gone over six years that would have paid for a couple of nice cruises?

 

I guess we all have different levels of risk tolerance.

 

Exactly, it's the same reasoning applied to avoid a potential risk. Because no trip is 100% risk free I always make sure that we have insurance (and yes, I do make sure that they don't exclude coverage if any part of the loss stems from not having the appropriate travel documents).

[sparks1093]

I don't get it as I have always had a Passport. What if you wake up some morning and want to go to France, Japan or any other country. If you have a Passport you just can go, if you don't have one you have to get one.

 

 

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If you are at a place in your life where you can realistically wake up one morning and jet off to exotic foreign places on the spur of the moment then this is certainly a consideration. This however does not apply to my situation as trips normally take at least a year's worth of planning before coming to fruition.

[BruceMuzz]

Travel and cruising have changed dramatically over the past few decades.

 

We are now seeing more and more travelers who really can just barely afford to be on a cruise or traveling somewhere.

As experienced travelers already know, running into unexpected situations is pretty normal when traveling. This usually involves spending more money to resolve those situations.

 

The travelers who cannot afford a passport, insurance, or quality travel will just have to learn the hard way - and hope the lesson is not too expensive.

[CPT Trips]

Oops

Edited August 30, 2014 by CPT Trips