Do you cruise with a Passport or with a certified birth certificate?

[DaniJo]

I used my birth certificate the last two times because I didn't get my name changed in my passport after I got married. I used my driver's license and marriage license for confirmation. I had no issues and didn't even need the marriage license - and if I don't feel like renewing my passport again I will do the same thing in May. Although I do still bring my passport with my maiden name just in case, but I haven't used it.

[Smokin J]

We used BC for the first 12 CRUISES and the only hassle was taking all documents to show DW name changes, that why we got passports. However I'm always tickled that when people get off the ship they leave their passports in the safe, now how will they help if you miss the boat and the passports are sailing away.

[Medtech2]

The reason why I ask, is that we always travel with our passports, but my 3 children's passports just expired 2 months ago. Mine and my husband's are valid still to travel. I did not renew them because we have a closed looped cruise from NYC on the BA 11/8. This cruise I figured I would just use the kids birth certificates to travel with and renew them later....Now as it gets closer I'm just fearful for some reason we will run into an issue with checking in.. I looked at NCL and I saw that it's still acceptable to use them. Just making sure!!! I know the whole issue if we got stranded in a port we would need them to fly home. We know better not to let that happen. Just curious who travels with which documents? Thanks

I wouldn't lose sleep at this point, just use the birth certificates but you can start the renewal process now and they just might come in time.

 

It's good that you do plan on renewing as your children may have opportunities to travel with school or friends.

 

My son was asked to accompany one of his friends to Costa Rica with only 2 weeks notice as the boy's parents realized last minute they wanted a friend to help keep him happy on their trip. He was good to go and had a wonderful time!

[sparks1093]

We used BC for the first 12 CRUISES and the only hassle was taking all documents to show DW name changes, that why we got passports. However I'm always tickled that when people get off the ship they leave their passports in the safe, now how will they help if you miss the boat and the passports are sailing away.

 

Conventional wisdom says that if a passenger misses the ship the crew will retrieve the passport from the safe and leave it with the port agent. I understand the reasoning behind it- that the passport is safer in the safe than on one's person (not only from theft but also damage or loss). We still haven't decided what we are going to do (heck, we may even leave the passports at home on our next cruise:eek:).

[kmease]

We just did the closed loop Alaska in July on the Pearl and my family of 5 all used birth certificates no problems at all. When we checked in I had to sign a document about not having passports and that we were aware that if something occurred we would be on our own getting back into the states.

[ksimpso3]

We are leaving in 3 days on the Dawn to Bermuda. My husband, I, and my 28 year old daughter have passports, but we are traveling with her new husband (enhanced license), 8 month old baby (birth certificate only) and my husband's nephew and his family (GF and 3 and 7 year old girls) all using BC. We will let you know how it works out!! We did cruise in 2013 with my younger daughter using just her BC because she lost her passport and didn't think about it in time to get a replacement. You will be fine! Don't worry :)

Edited October 14, 2015 by ksimpso3

[setsail1975]

Thank you all for your feedback. We will travel with their BC this time and I will bring their expired passports with us as a back up. They did just expire August 2015. I know they aren't valid any longer but I'll take them anyhow and do the renewal process upon our return. Our next cruise after our November cruise is not until April. So I'll have plenty time. I feel much better knowing we shouldn't have any issues upon boarding in NYC. ... Please do Ksimpso3 share your experience . Enjoy your trip we did Bermuda on the Dawn a few years back.. Dawn is still my favorite NCL ship[emoji4][emoji568]

[TraJon9]

When you do get your passports I recommend getting the passport card as well. It is good through Canada and the Caribbean. This way our passports are in the safe. Cards on us when we get off the ship.. I made laminated copies of our passports before the cards when at ports of call and brought our license.. That was always good enough when getting back on the ship. Snorkeling together and keeping our belongings safe is always something for us. We have a little waterproof bag one of us wears out in the water.

[bnorris10]

The reason why I ask, is that we always travel with our passports, but my 3 children's passports just expired 2 months ago. Mine and my husband's are valid still to travel. I did not renew them because we have a closed looped cruise from NYC on the BA 11/8. This cruise I figured I would just use the kids birth certificates to travel with and renew them later....Now as it gets closer I'm just fearful for some reason we will run into an issue with checking in.. I looked at NCL and I saw that it's still acceptable to use them. Just making sure!!! I know the whole issue if we got stranded in a port we would need them to fly home. We know better not to let that happen. Just curious who travels with which documents? Thanks

 

 

You are able to travel with just your birth certificate if you have to - the only problem you will run into is IF for some reason you got stuck in a foreign port - up until my last cruise I never traveled with a passport but got one because our next cruise requires us to fly overseas

[setsail1975]

When you do get your passports I recommend getting the passport card as well. It is good through Canada and the Caribbean. This way our passports are in the safe. Cards on us when we get off the ship.. I made laminated copies of our passports before the cards when at ports of call and brought our license.. That was always good enough when getting back on the ship. Snorkeling together and keeping our belongings safe is always something for us. We have a little waterproof bag one of us wears out in the water.

 

 

Great idea. Thanks

[razor7_us]

I was hoping that someone used a birth certificate recently had no issues with boarding.. I don't understand why threads have to turn into sarcasm ?

 

My wife and I always travel with passport, but took or 11 yo granddaughter on that same cruise just this past April and we used her certified birth certificate. No issues going or coming.

[fairygirl1]

I agree,but cruising is definitely still ok to travel with certified birth certificates right? That's my biggest concern. We will renew them before our next cruise for our children, other then cruising from U.S. Ports we never take them to other countries. It's either Disney or cruising [emoji4]

 

It is ABSOLUTLY ok to use the childrens birth certificates... we did w/all 4 of our kids...never 1 issue! Enjoy your trip! :o

[ksimpso3]

Thank you all for your feedback. We will travel with their BC this time and I will bring their expired passports with us as a back up. They did just expire August 2015. I know they aren't valid any longer but I'll take them anyhow and do the renewal process upon our return. Our next cruise after our November cruise is not until April. So I'll have plenty time. I feel much better knowing we shouldn't have any issues upon boarding in NYC. ... Please do Ksimpso3 share your experience . Enjoy your trip we did Bermuda on the Dawn a few years back.. Dawn is still my favorite NCL ship[emoji4][emoji568]

 

Just back from Bermuda today. Birth certificates were used for 5 out of 11 in our group with no issues. My niece was asked for the birth certificates for her older daughter getting back on to the ship because they have different last names but other than that, no problems. Enjoy your trip !

[setsail1975]

Just back from Bermuda today. Birth certificates were used for 5 out of 11 in our group with no issues. My niece was asked for the birth certificates for her older daughter getting back on to the ship because they have different last names but other than that, no problems. Enjoy your trip !

 

 

Thank you so much for the response!! So glad to hear it was not an issue. We will be sailing in a couple of weeks. We are looking forward to it!!

[StuckiTribe]

Our last cruise in February we took our 3 younger children with only their birth certificates because we booked a last minute deal. I had read on the NCL website that we could use passports or original birth certificates. Once we were checking in, we had to sign the form stating if something happened, we understood that we could not fly back into the U.S. without passports. Now everyone has passports and I don't have to worry. So to answer your question, yes, you should be ok, and then you can renew their expired passports for the next trip. We chanced it once and were OK, but I'm just not comfortable doing that again. Good luck to you!

[ray98]

BC's....well over a dozen times. Not one problem.

[ray98]

Once we were checking in, we had to sign the form stating if something happened, we understood that we could not fly back into the U.S. without passports.

 

If it was truly worded that way it was not true. Obviously you can't just stroll to the ticket counter and buy a plane ticket but there is a process. The port agent will get you to the consolutate and they can get you the appropriate paperwork.

[perkydebrajean]

We use passports. Had someone from one of our roll calls fly home from one of our ports mid-cruise due to developing pneumonia.

[beachys]

Cruised with 12. For of us had passports, rest had birth certificates and my kids only had birth certificates. We had no problems. In fact have Done that twice and no problems.

[setsail1975]

[emoji106]🏼

[beachys]

We cruised twice recently and had a combination of both passports and birth certificates.

 

We got off the boat at all ports, even Nassau, had no problems getting back on.

 

Last cruise there were 12 of us and only 4 of us had passports. In fact one of my children has one and the other didn't. None of our parties were treated any differently and check in did not take longer, nor disembarkation.

 

It's a hard choice between Disney /Universal and a cruise for me! I love love love Harry Potter world and Epcot!

[setsail1975]

We made our cruise with us using passports and the kids using their BC. No issues at all , everything went well. We came home today from cruising the Breakaway.