Do It Now - Don't Procrastinate - Do You Want to Board That Ship?

[sparks1093]

When we were young we lived in France for a few years. Both my brother and I were photographed with our mom and were posted on her passport. Maybe this changed? But if you are going to Hawaii, which is the United States and are leaving and returning to the US, why would you need a passport to begin with?

 

Because cruises out of Long Beach to Hawaii include a port stop in either Mexico or Canada in order to not run afoul of the PVSA.

[Folk Singer]

Because cruises out of Long Beach to Hawaii include a port stop in either Mexico or Canada in order to not run afoul of the PVSA.

 

Rather safe than sorry.

[sparks1093]

Rather safe than sorry.

 

marshhawk asked why a passport would be necessary if a ship left from a US port, visited only US ports and returned to a US port and I pointed out that for cruise out of Long Beach there is a foreign port of call involved.

 

If you are saying that you would take your passport on the NCL Pride of America, which indeed only sails to and from US ports with no foreign ports of call that is of course your perogative, but most wouldn't even think about taking their passport or obtaining one for that itinerary.

[Algebralovr]

When we were young we lived in France for a few years. Both my brother and I were photographed with our mom and were posted on her passport. Maybe this changed? But if you are going to Hawaii, which is the United States and are leaving and returning to the US, why would you need a passport to begin with?

 

The idea of putting children on a parent's passport changed many years ago. These days, everyone is required to have their own. because the ship will be for unregistered, foreign built, and primarily Foreign crewed, the ship will make a courtesy stop in Mexico before coming home.

[travelplus]

Better yet don't put down the deposit or soon after the deposit immediately look for the passports to see if they are valid or if you have them.

[ifihadaboat]

Never mind. Found it on Carnival's FAQ. Only those who are 16 years and older are required to have a photo ID with their birth certificates. Phew! Had me worried there for a bit since our cruise is in less than two months and I thought I had everything in order. But it's good to know for other parents out there. Kids 15 and under do not need a government issued ID with their birth certificate. But those 16 and up MUST have one.

 

 

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Good work! It would be so much clearer if Cruise Lines would print that information in large bright letters, but their focus is more about selling the trip than making certain that you are properly documented. May I re-iterate that the BC should be an official government-issued one (no footprints!)

[sparks1093]

Good work! It would be so much clearer if Cruise Lines would print that information in large bright letters, but their focus is more about selling the trip than making certain that you are properly documented. May I re-iterate that the BC should be an official government-issued one (no footprints!)

 

Making sure that we have the right documentation falls squarely in our own laps as passengers. As it is now if you show up with incorrect documentation they can deny boarding without giving you a refund. If they took a more active role in making certain passengers had the right documentation then they probably wouldn't be able to do that.

[ifihadaboat]

marshhawk asked why a passport would be necessary if a ship left from a US port, visited only US ports and returned to a US port and I pointed out that for cruise out of Long Beach there is a foreign port of call involved.

 

If you are saying that you would take your passport on the NCL Pride of America, which indeed only sails to and from US ports with no foreign ports of call that is of course your perogative, but most wouldn't even think about taking their passport or obtaining one for that itinerary.

There are very few times when a cruise itinerary does not include a foreign stop (many of the private islands that a cruise line owns are not US territories. It doesn't work to ask, "how about if I don't get off the ship in that port?" either. US Customs requires all passengers to have proof of citizenship and identification upon return to the US. They have no way of knowing if you got off the ship or not. Passport cards are less expensive and very convenient if you cruise a lot but they won't get you on an international flight. Visit http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english.html for information.

[ifihadaboat]

Making sure that we have the right documentation falls squarely in our own laps as passengers. As it is now if you show up with incorrect documentation they can deny boarding without giving you a refund. If they took a more active role in making certain passengers had the right documentation then they probably wouldn't be able to do that.

So true. You hate seeing a passenger denied, but it does happen. I have seen some cruise lines offer a re-booking at a later date, but I do not know how that worked out for the passenger(s) involved.

[sparks1093]

There are very few times when a cruise itinerary does not include a foreign stop (many of the private islands that a cruise line owns are not US territories. It doesn't work to ask, "how about if I don't get off the ship in that port?" either. US Customs requires all passengers to have proof of citizenship and identification upon return to the US. They have no way of knowing if you got off the ship or not. Passport cards are less expensive and very convenient if you cruise a lot but they won't get you on an international flight. Visit http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english.html for information.

 

The private islands are still a part of a foreign country, regardless of who owns them. NCL's Great Stirrup Cay is still part of the Bahamas (just as the property that I own is still part of Vermont). To be considered a closed loop cruise and to not run afoul of the PVSA a cruise must leave and return to the same US port and make a port call within the Western Hemisphere.

[sail7seas]

The idea of putting children on a parent's passport changed many years ago. These days, everyone is required to have their own. because the ship will be for unregistered, foreign built, and primarily Foreign crewed, the ship will make a courtesy stop in Mexico before coming home.

 

Any non-U.S. flagged passenger vessel sailing from a U.S. port to a U.S. port must stop at a near or distant foreign port before returning to U.S. per the terms of PVSA. (Passenger Vessel Services Act). That means that almost all cruise ships must do that. Definitions of near foreign port and distant are available and the requirement varies. PVSA also applies to foreign flagged airlines.

 

[shellseroni]

When we were young we lived in France for a few years. Both my brother and I were photographed with our mom and were posted on her passport. Maybe this changed? But if you are going to Hawaii, which is the United States and are leaving and returning to the US, why would you need a passport to begin with?

 

 

Yup. As others have said now, our cruise has one stop in Mexico. Because the ship is registered (not sure if that's the right word) in a foreign country (probably Panama), it cannot have an exclusively U.S. Itinerary. It has to have at least one port outside of the U.S. For this cruise to Hawaii, we stop at Ensenada, Mexico, the second to last day. I kind of wish we didn't, though, so debarkation would be easier :/ Oh well. Can't complain. Going on a two week cruise to Hawaii :-)

 

 

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[jocap]

ALSO make sure that there is time left before expiry of the passport according to the rules of the country that you are visiting. Some require 6 months:)

Dee

You're right, Dee, but more than that- many cruise lines require that 6 months left before you can check in...

I was checking in on line 5 months before my passport needed renewing, but wasn't accepted- and that was on a European ship visiting only EU countries, and with an EU passport. I had to renew my passport before I could continue check in. Every country we were visiting would have accepted me until the last date on the passport, but not the cruise line.

My OH is beginning his renewal now, for a passport due to run out next June.

For UK cruisers- you can renew up to 9 months before the date, and those 9 months are ADDED to your next 10 years, i.e. your passport is worth 10 years 9 months.

[sparks1093]

For UK cruisers- you can renew up to 9 months before the date, and those 9 months are ADDED to your next 10 years, i.e. your passport is worth 10 years 9 months.

 

If they did this here in the States people would probably be more willing to renew early. As it is if they renewed 9 months early they would lose that 9 months.

[SewMuch]

After reading this post I immediately checked our passports - they were where they belonged and up to date. Whew!

I want to add for people boarding with a birth certificate and driver's license: The names have to match your cruise documents! For most married women the name on the birth certificate won't match, so you need your marriage license to show the name change.

[jocap]

If they did this here in the States people would probably be more willing to renew early. As it is if they renewed 9 months early they would lose that 9 months.

Perhaps because almost everyone in the UK holds a passport, there would be ructions if the government didn't do this....is it time to start lobbying? ;)

[GoofyCrew]

First-time cruisers and first-time passport users. :)

 

How does that work when we board the ship? Is it similar to boarding an airplane? The passport, along with some sort of cruise doc (too early for us to check in so I don't know exactly what we will get), is our 'boarding pass'?

 

And do you take them with you when you get off at ports? I would assume there is some sort of customs to go through to re-board the ship? TIA

[sparks1093]

First-time cruisers and first-time passport users. :)

 

How does that work when we board the ship? Is it similar to boarding an airplane? The passport, along with some sort of cruise doc (too early for us to check in so I don't know exactly what we will get), is our 'boarding pass'?

 

And do you take them with you when you get off at ports? I would assume there is some sort of customs to go through to re-board the ship? TIA

 

Yes, it's similar to boarding a plane- you present your identification/citizenship documents and boarding pass to enter the terminal and then again at the counter. In port you generally only need a photo ID if you are 16 or over and your cabin key in order to re-enter the port area (the ship's daily paper should have the information that you need to know regarding what documentation you need).

[tigger_ag]

I'm not sure if this is a new thing or just something to get done early, but when booking International flights the other day, during the booking process (booked directly with the airline) we were asked for our passport numbers. This may have just been the particular airline we were booking with or one step that we were being given the option to take care of now instead of waiting, but now it's one less thing to have to remember to take care of before the trip!

[OctoberKat]

Today mailed soon-to-expire passports, completed forms and almost $400 for renewal requesting expedited service. Ought to have our new passports in hand in the first half of December. Good to have this chore crossed off.

 

Our first cruise is on Regent Navigator sailing out of Miami on Jan. 27th.

Edited November 10, 2014 by OctoberKat

[Philob]

I'm not sure if this is a new thing or just something to get done early, but when booking International flights the other day, during the booking process (booked directly with the airline) we were asked for our passport numbers. This may have just been the particular airline we were booking with or one step that we were being given the option to take care of now instead of waiting, but now it's one less thing to have to remember to take care of before the trip!

 

It's been going on for quite awhile. Assume Homeland Security will run it through the "no-fly list", etc....

[AZbeachboy]

I do something similar. We have one of the fabric 12x12 cube storage containers. Everything we need to pack is staged in our guest room and all the small stuff goes into the basket. The passports are placed in a double ziplock bag and placed In the cube along with are travel size containers, our travel book with our boarding passes, excursion reservations, plane reservations etc. it makes it so much easier to pack, especially if going during a busy holiday time. Makes the final packing so much easier.

quote]

 

Great idea. I keep ours in a drawer, but I think I will add the box to just pull out and have all docs there. We use our passports for all air travel. That way we can keep track of them and not have to look for them on the yearly or every other year occasion.

[jszpira]

For those who are within that "days before travel" frantic stage, the state department has multiple passport agencies across the US that expedite passports for a very reasonable fee.

I posted a link, but if that doesn't work, you can google "passport agency travel.gov" and you can find the site pretty easily.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/where-to-apply/agencies.html

 

We (my boyfriend stalled on getting a passport and then we were in a frenzy) paid $195 ($110 for first time passport, $25 agency processing fee, $60 expedited fee. We would have paid $135 if we had mailed everything and then waited 4-6 weeks, so the only "upcharge" was the $60 for expedited) and had a passport in hand in 2 business days.

 

While we were waiting at the place in Colorado, there was a guy who went to the airport only to find out that he didn't have the 6 months before expiration necessary to travel. He was in the agency at 12pm and they told him his passport would be ready at 2 pm. Incredible.

 

This is a service provided by the government. I know there are a lot of private expediting companies, but these government run passport agencies are incredible!!!

 

There are only a handful across the US, but worth checking out if you need a passport update in a short time frame.

[sparks1093]

For those who are within that "days before travel" frantic stage, the state department has multiple passport agencies across the US that expedite passports for a very reasonable fee.

I posted a link, but if that doesn't work, you can google "passport agency travel.gov" and you can find the site pretty easily.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/where-to-apply/agencies.html

 

We (my boyfriend stalled on getting a passport and then we were in a frenzy) paid $195 ($110 for first time passport, $25 agency processing fee, $60 expedited fee. We would have paid $135 if we had mailed everything and then waited 4-6 weeks, so the only "upcharge" was the $60 for expedited) and had a passport in hand in 2 business days.

 

While we were waiting at the place in Colorado, there was a guy who went to the airport only to find out that he didn't have the 6 months before expiration necessary to travel. He was in the agency at 12pm and they told him his passport would be ready at 2 pm. Incredible.

 

This is a service provided by the government. I know there are a lot of private expediting companies, but these government run passport agencies are incredible!!!

 

There are only a handful across the US, but worth checking out if you need a passport update in a short time frame.

 

One can also pay the $60 expedite fee by mail and receive the passport in 2-3 weeks. We are planning a trip to Germany for next year and will be filing for our passports in January so there won't be a need to expedite:).

[Athankfulheart]

I have a family member who lives in Texas and has been trying to obtain his passport, but has hit a HUGE roadblock! He was adopted when he was 10 (now 75) and he was an orphan living in an orphanage in NY until then. It was a closed adoption, has NO CLUE who his parents might have been & hence has no real birth certificate, only a "birth record". According to the powers that be, he has to have an actual.birth certificate with a parent's name, as well as for his application for the b.c. His birth record has a raised seal (slightly), but they tell him that he needs to go to NY and go to court to have the records unsealed...

Anyone know of anything similar?

 

While we were at the PP office in Hot Springs, AR for my daughters passport we watched a situation unfold with the patron who was ahead of us. He did not have a birth certificate and was able to get his passport with other things and witnesses who were willing vouch for him. I wonder if he could get to a government passport office and open a file with them to begin the process of taking care of the birth certificate requirement using one of the alternatives.