Passports, Honestly who cruises without them ?

[sparks1093]

Not many states issue EDL and it is worthy to note that there are a handful of states who issue a DL that TSA will stop accepting as ID for any flights, foreign or domestic. There seems to be a reprieve on the date that goes into effect but if you live in a state where their license does not meet TSA standards, you may wish to prepare for trying to fly in the future.... even within U.S. Avoid the rush and get a Passport. :)

 

 

When the new DHS regulations were first proposed a lot of people got passports to avoid the rush and it turns out that they didn't need to. Only 5 states issue the EDL but the State Department will issue a passport card to do the same thing an EDL will do. I know many people in my community (I live 8 miles from the border) that have one or the other and would laugh if anyone suggested that they get a passport for that trip.

[iancal]

What's all the fuss about?

 

Just make sure that you and those in your party always have a valid passport with an expiration date at least six months later than your return home date.

 

People need to wake up and get with the program. The world has changed. It is smaller and security is tighter. People who travel put their plans at risk by not having the most basic travel document...a valid passport. There is no magics to it nor is it a major hardship. We have zero sympathy for those who attempt to travel without one. Military or otherwise.

Edited February 26, 2016 by iancal

[sparks1093]

What's all the fuss about?

 

Just make sure that you and those in your party always have a valid passport with an expiration date at least six months later than your return home date.

 

People need to wake up and get with the program. The world has changed. It is smaller and security is tighter. People who travel put their plans at risk by not having the most basic travel document...a valid passport. There is no magic to it nor is it a major hardship. We have zero sympathy for those who attempt to travel without one.

 

People have choices, allowed by law. It shouldn't matter a jot to you that they choose a different form of documentation if it works for them.

[iancal]

The problem occurs when you assume that the documentation ( or the laws for that matter) required in your home country are sufficient for other countries or are the same. I have never really understood this line of reasoning.

 

They are not. Big mistake! Wearing these blinders could well preclude you from travelling to certain countries.

 

We are entering Vietnam by land for a month in two weeks. We know we need a passport and a pre arranged visa. We cannot just show up at the border crossing and flash our passports or obtain a visa. Same for here in Thailand when we stay for more than 30 days. A passport that expires prior to Nov. would cause us a great deal angst and could prevent our entry.

[sparks1093]

The problem occurs when you assume that the documentation ( or the laws for that matter) required in your home country are sufficient for other countries or are the same. I have never really understood this line of reasoning.

 

They are not. Big mistake! Wearing these blinders could well preclude you from travelling to certain countries.

 

We are entering Vietnam by land for a month in two weeks. We know we need a passport and a pre arranged visa. We cannot just show up at the border crossing and flash our passports or obtain a visa. Same for here in Thailand when we stay for more than 30 days. A passport that expires prior to Nov. would cause us a great deal angst and could prevent our entry.

 

Whoever said anything about assuming anything? I have only said that travelers need to choose the documentation that meets their travel needs and part of that process is making sure that you have the required documents to enter the country you are visiting and return to the US.

[sail7seas]

And we thank him for his service. We were also in Vietnam (DaNang) and flew on Military Orders. And like your DH, it was some time ago (early 70s). Must admit that Vietnam is more interesting these days :). Have been back twice and would love to return again....except for the long flights.

 

Hank

 

My DH was NORTH of you, north of Quang Tri in Dong Ha. He used to see the No. Vietnamese raise their flag each morning. :eek:

 

[Hlitner]

My DH was NORTH of you, north of Quang Tri in Dong Ha. He used to see the No. Vietnamese raise their flag each morning. :eek:

 

 

Argh. Those were not nice places (the Air Force Base at DaNang was not too bad). Seems like a lifetime ago. Hard to believe that some of the areas we were in are now resort areas (like China Beach). Times change. We were on the first Western Cruise ship (the Marco Polo) that actually cruised all the way up the Saigon River into Saigon. It was the day after the USA normalized relations with Vietnam (July 11, 1995). As is my usual practice we did not take any tours and I actually walked DW from the small pier over to the old US Embassy (at the time it was the HQ of the Vietnam Petroleum Company). I walked across the street to get a picture of her against the high gates with the old embassy building in the background and she was approached by a Vietnamese Lady...and I saw them talk. A minute later I asked DW what happened and she said the elderly woman walked up to her and ask (in fair English) was she an American. When DW told her yes, she turned and pointed to the building and said, "my country has given that back to you." We did not understand until that night on the ship when we learned that Bill Clinton has just normalized relations and our old diplomatic property was returned.

 

Hank

[slidergirl]

Sparks wasn't misleading he said he traveled to Canada with his EDL instead of a passport. What part of that is misleading? He didn't say he traveled to Canada with his DL.

 

I considered it misleading because not every state issues an EDL and some may confuse the EDL with their state's REAL ID DL. EDLs are special and may be used in place of a passport or passport card when crossing the US/Canadian border. If I remember, you must bring a passport or passport card, or genuine birth certificate from the US, or naturalization papers, proof of state citizenship. It isn't just a normal DL. Not everyone is issued this EDL - you have to have the extra documentation and pay. If you are on a border state, I could paying for it and using it instead of your passport when crossing by land. But, not everyone has access to that special DL.

[pris993]

Hello

Ok don't jump down my throat, but I just booked a closed loop cruise on NCL and I am thinking that I'm not going to have time to get passports. I am thinking about just going without them. How many people actually do that out there?

 

We have always cruised with a passport in the past 35 years.

[sail7seas]

Before 9-11, we always used our passport to fly to a cruise as we needed to bring it anyway. I still remember a check in person behind the American Airlines counter being very suspicious when we showed our passports for I.D. for a domestic flight.

 

When we said we were going to cruise from FLL, she relaxed but thought us odd for using our passport. For all she knew, we were going to sail to So. America or anywhere........ Now no one thinks twice when you show a passport as most travelers know it is the best I.D.

[Keith1010]

I would get a passport.

 

And then that is one less reason not to travel.

 

Keith

[sparks1093]

I considered it misleading because not every state issues an EDL and some may confuse the EDL with their state's REAL ID DL. EDLs are special and may be used in place of a passport or passport card when crossing the US/Canadian border. If I remember, you must bring a passport or passport card, or genuine birth certificate from the US, or naturalization papers, proof of state citizenship. It isn't just a normal DL. Not everyone is issued this EDL - you have to have the extra documentation and pay. If you are on a border state, I could paying for it and using it instead of your passport when crossing by land. But, not everyone has access to that special DL.

 

Sheesh, it wasn't my intent to be misleading and I am truly sorry that you think that I was- if I was trying to be misleading I would have said something like "I just went to Montreal for the weekend and used my drivers license alone to cross the border". I did specify that it was an EDL and while only 5 states issue them at present they are still valid for land border crossings and for cruises and may be used in place of a passport for those purposes which was the point that I was making in that particular post (remember, the person I was responding to said that you need a passport to get to Canada). (And if you live on a border state that doesn't issue EDLs you may obtain a passport card for crossing the border and for cruises. Alternatives and choices:))

Edited February 26, 2016 by sparks1093

[sparks1093]

 

And then that is one less reason not to travel.

 

Keith

 

In all of the years DW and I couldn't travel not having a passport wasn't the reason holding us back. There aren't many people that can just jump on a plane and go jetting off to parts unknown.

[KKB]

We never got passports for the kids. We did for ourselves 9 years ago when there was lots of talk about them soon being required....well, THAT hasn't happened.

Ours expire in January ours expire & we r in no rush to renew.

Yes in an emergency they would simplify things, but until they ARE required they are high priced insurance. (And the hassle to get them offsets any convenience factor, imo)

If having a passport makes sense for you, great. But until it is required we won't worry about it!

[Clarea]

In all of the years DW and I couldn't travel not having a passport wasn't the reason holding us back. There aren't many people that can just jump on a plane and go jetting off to parts unknown.

Totally agree.

[Keith1010]

To me it is a no brainer and the price is relatively small.

 

Keith

[Warm Breezes]

In all of the years DW and I couldn't travel not having a passport wasn't the reason holding us back. There aren't many people that can just jump on a plane and go jetting off to parts unknown.

 

I agree. In all the years we went without out our passport, we did not travel internationally (beyond closed loop cruises) because we did not have a passport. Our constraint in not traveling internationally was time. We had already travelled to Canada a couple of times with and with out kids before the restrictions of needing an EDL, passport card, or passport and had no desire to return since. If we were going to take a vacation farther away internationally, I want the ability to spend more than 7-10 days which is the maximum we can both get away from work with or with out the kids. We opted for closed loop cruises which we could travel to and enjoy different locations with in our time frame allotted or US land trips flying to those on the west coast and driving to those in the mid-west and south-east. None of which required a passport and we were comfortable enough with the extremely small risk of needing a passport on a closed loop cruise that the value of getting one for us was not worth the cost for a family of four. If at any time we wanted to plan a trip that required a passport, it would have taken months of planning and we would have had plenty of time to get a passport. Saying that not having one limited us is a joke. We have no family internationally so there was no need to worry about having to get there in a hurry. If work needed me to go in a hurry then they could pay for an expedited one.

 

We did end up getting passports for DH and myself for 2nd NCL Jewel cruise because it was our first time leaving our 2 teenagers (16 and 19) home alone and we felt that upped the our personal "risk" of needing to get home fast up high enough to make the value of a passport worth the cost to us.

 

We are taking another cruise in May with the kids. They are now 19 and 22. We are not buying them passports. They are old enough now to make the decision for themselves and purchase one if they feel the risk worth the cost. With the current laws it is their choice to make.

 

For the record, IMHO Sparks was not misleading in anything he said. If people do not understand the terminology and what it represents then they need to do their research or simply ask what an EDL is. He said specifically that he used his EDL not a DL for entry into Canada. Assuming it is a regular DL, when Sparks said EDL is on the reader not on Sparks being misleading.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Warm Breezes

[slidergirl]

I agree. In all the years we went without out our passport, we did not travel internationally (beyond closed loop cruises) because we did not have a passport. Our constraint in not traveling internationally was time. We had already travelled to Canada a couple of times with and with out kids before the restrictions of needing an EDL, passport card, or passport and had no desire to return since. If we were going to take a vacation farther away internationally, I want the ability to spend more than 7-10 days which is the maximum we can both get away from work with or with out the kids. We opted for closed loop cruises which we could travel to and enjoy different locations with in our time frame allotted or US land trips flying to those on the west coast and driving to those in the mid-west and south-east. None of which required a passport and we were comfortable enough with the extremely small risk of needing a passport on a closed loop cruise that the value of getting one for us was not worth the cost for a family of four. If at any time we wanted to plan a trip that required a passport, it would have taken months of planning and we would have had plenty of time to get a passport. Saying that not having one limited us is a joke. We have no family internationally so there was no need to worry about having to get there in a hurry. If work needed me to go in a hurry then they could pay for an expedited one.

 

We did end up getting passports for DH and myself for 2nd NCL Jewel cruise because it was our first time leaving our 2 teenagers (16 and 19) home alone and we felt that upped the our personal "risk" of needing to get home fast up high enough to make the value of a passport worth the cost to us.

 

We are taking another cruise in May with the kids. They are now 19 and 22. We are not buying them passports. They are old enough now to make the decision for themselves and purchase one if they feel the risk worth the cost. With the current laws it is their choice to make.

 

For the record, IMHO Sparks was not misleading in anything he said. If people do not understand the terminology and what it represents then they need to do their research or simply ask what an EDL is. He said specifically that he used his EDL not a DL for entry into Canada. Assuming it is a regular DL, when Sparks said EDL is on the reader not on Sparks being misleading.

 

Sigh. Some people do not know what certain acronyms are. Someone here used "CWW" and someone did not know what it was. Someone may see "EDL" and not know that it is a special passport card-like drivers license issued by a very few northern border states. I'm sorry I am trying to help keep things clear.

 

Otherwise, we will always go round and round on this topic. Just like travel insurance, some will never believe it is necessary, some will believe it is needed and just part of the overall price of a vacation. For the record, I carry both my passport and my travel insurance card on any trip that leaves the lower 48...

[sparks1093]

Sigh. Some people do not know what certain acronyms are. Someone here used "CWW" and someone did not know what it was. Someone may see "EDL" and not know that it is a special passport card-like drivers license issued by a very few northern border states. I'm sorry I am trying to help keep things clear.

 

Otherwise, we will always go round and round on this topic. Just like travel insurance, some will never believe it is necessary, some will believe it is needed and just part of the overall price of a vacation. For the record, I carry both my passport and my travel insurance card on any trip that leaves the lower 48...

 

Using an acronym isn't misleading though (especially if the term had already been used in the thread, which I believe it had been by the time that I used it). If someone doesn't know what an acronym is they ask or they google the term (the way that I did with CCW;)). I personally think that it's good that there is debate about the issue, that way someone deciding what to do can see the issue from all sides and make the best decision for them.

[whataboutport]

Sigh. Some people do not know what certain acronyms are. Someone here used "CWW" and someone did not know what it was. Someone may see "EDL" and not know that it is a special passport card-like drivers license issued by a very few northern border states. I'm sorry I am trying to help keep things clear.

 

Otherwise, we will always go round and round on this topic. Just like travel insurance, some will never believe it is necessary, some will believe it is needed and just part of the overall price of a vacation. For the record, I carry both my passport and my travel insurance card on any trip that leaves the lower 48...

 

It's CCW not CWW.

[Warm Breezes]

Sigh. Some people do not know what certain acronyms are. Someone here used "CWW" and someone did not know what it was. Someone may see "EDL" and not know that it is a special passport card-like drivers license issued by a very few northern border states. I'm sorry I am trying to help keep things clear.

 

Otherwise, we will always go round and round on this topic. Just like travel insurance, some will never believe it is necessary, some will believe it is needed and just part of the overall price of a vacation. For the record, I carry both my passport and my travel insurance card on any trip that leaves the lower 48...

 

That is exactly why I said if they don't know the acronym they need to research it or just ask. If someone assumes "EDL" is the same as "DL" without asking what it is if they don't know....then they were not mislead, they just chose to be ignorant by not researching the unknown.

[sail7seas]

In all of the years DW and I couldn't travel not having a passport wasn't the reason holding us back. There aren't many people that can just jump on a plane and go jetting off to parts unknown.

 

It's CCW not CWW.

 

Bad enough all the abbreviations and sure we can google for 'some' of them but if they aren't even written correctly, it's hopeless. :D :D

 

 

[sail7seas]

Those who don't want to get passports, please don't enter any contest where you might win travel/cruise to a location you'd need a passport. It would be so painful to have to decline of rush around like crazy to get travel documents. Could take away some of the excitement and that would be a shame.

[sparks1093]

Those who don't want to get passports, please don't enter any contest where you might win travel/cruise to a location you'd need a passport. It would be so painful to have to decline of rush around like crazy to get travel documents. Could take away some of the excitement and that would be a shame.

 

Passports don't take that long to obtain. If I won a trip I would certainly pay the expedite fee if necessary (and with most of the contests that I've seen the dates of the trip were well in the future or could be chosen by the winner, thereby allowing plenty of time to obtain any necessary travel documentation).

[sail7seas]

No humor here......

 

I wasn't about to offer anyone a free tip to Paris. :eek: ;) :D