Passports?

[CruisingGAL82]

Do my kids need passports for our cruise leaving from Ft. Lauderdale on Freedom. It does leave the country on some ports and then back to Ft. Lauderdale? Are they fine with just birth certificates?

[ryano]

Do my kids need passports for our cruise leaving from Ft. Lauderdale on Freedom. It does leave the country on some ports and then back to Ft. Lauderdale? Are they fine with just birth certificates?

 

No. They do not need Passports. Passports are highly recommended but that simply is not the question you asked :) BC will be fine. If they are over 16 they will also need a govt issued ID. The simple answer to your question is NO but expect a big sermon and debate to follow. ;)

Edited July 14, 2016 by ryano

[SheehanDJ]

I'd never waste the money on a passport for any child below the age of the 10 year expiration cut off date.

 

Off the ship they are always going to be with you, your passport and their BC will (eventually) over come any immigration issues if you miss the ship.

 

All that being said, if they are step and the birth mom isn't on the trip (I'm a guy and this makes me unspeakably angry, but it is what it is) I'd get a passport and a letter as the "father" line on a BC is pretty much useless.

Edited July 14, 2016 by SheehanDJ
Can't type today.

[njkruzer]

Ok, they don't need passports assuming everything goes as planned. But if for some reason, illness, missed ship, other emegency, you need to fly home from a foreign port, then they will need the passport. Your choice.

[Fouremco]

If all goes well, passports won't be needed. There are many potential scenarios, however, where passports would be required. Given the minuscule price compared to the cost of a cruise, it's money well spent.

 

It's a lot like insurance. Do you NEED it for a cruise? No, you can save a few dollars by not bothering to buy it, but if something goes wrong, you will definitely regret your decision.

[uksimonusa]

All the above answers are contingent on the kids being US born citizens

[silentbob007]

Just make sure they are legitimate BC copies and not "souvenir" BCs.

[Durkman]

Ok, they don't need passports assuming everything goes as planned. But if for some reason, illness, missed ship, other emegency, you need to fly home from a foreign port, then they will need the passport. Your choice.

And I would qualify this "need" with "they will need a passport to get back into the U.S. without your having to work through a U.S. consulate/embassy to arrange for entry to the U.S. without a passport." Your child/children will not be stuck in a foreign country forever (for some reason "Charlie on the MTA" just popped into my head :)).

 

We went on a Disney cruise out of Port Canaveral to Nassau/Castaway Cay last fall without passports for our teen boys (12/13). We were aware of the (low) risk of getting stuck in the Bahamas without passports for them but understood that if it happened we would need to jump through some hoops to get back into the U.S. We had no issues, along with (I would guess) the other 99.99+ % percent of those who bring their children on such cruises without passports.

[mollyeilis]

No. They do not need Passports. Passports are highly recommended but that simply is not the question you asked :) BC will be fine. If they are over 16 they will also need a govt issued ID. The simple answer to your question is NO but expect a big sermon and debate to follow. ;)

 

You feel that "for the cruise itself they are not needed (assuming closed loop and US citizens) but should the need to fly home internationally arise, you'll be doing paperwork when you just want to be on a plane" is a "big sermon and debate"?

 

Or perhaps is that just a very informative and full response?

 

I go for the latter.

 

All that being said, if they are step and the birth mom isn't on the trip (I'm a guy and this makes me unspeakably angry, but it is what it is) I'd get a passport and a letter as the "father" line on a BC is pretty much useless.

 

I don't even understand what you're saying or what you're unspeakably angry about.

 

If you're traveling internationally with one birth (or adoptive) parent, you should have a notarized form from the at-home parent giving permission. It's just common sense. What if, just before you travel (or while you're traveling) there's a high profile case of a parent kidnapping their kid and taking them out of the country? Do you REALLY want to deal with all of that? Or would you rather just pull out a nice form from the other parent saying "I know they are traveling and it's all cool" (though perhaps you would want better wording there)?

 

Mom or dad, doesn't matter; it's a good idea to have.

 

All the above answers are contingent on the kids being US born citizens

 

Absolutely.

 

And I would qualify this "need" with "they will need a passport to get back into the U.S. without your having to work through a U.S. consulate/embassy to arrange for entry to the U.S. without a passport." Your child/children will not be stuck in a foreign country forever .

 

I don't get it.

 

"Need" = "having to work through a U.S. consulate/embassy"...etc. Though what they will be doing is *getting a passport*, not getting permission to enter without a passport.

 

You read "need" = "stuck forever", but I've seriously NEVER read that from anyone other than from people translating it wrong.

 

I want to be on a plane, not at an embassy, if there's an urgent need to get home. You need a passport for that flight, and you'll be working to GET that (expensive and from what I've heard even-shorter-term-than-normal) passport.

 

But for the cruise itself, assuming all the above assumptions, nope, you don't need the passport.

 

 

The passport which gives you almost the whole world. If you play lottery and one day you win it, or if you won a trip somewhere outside the country, wouldn't it be MORE fun to just go, rather than wait for a passport???

[jamesr3939]

No, you don't need it; until you do.

 

I got one for my six week old granddaughter and took out a MedJet policy. Did I need to? No, not until I might have.

 

Small expense and who knows what travel you/they might do in the future where they really will need it.

[Desert Cruizers]

We have our Passports with us for every cruise that travels to places outside the US. At anytime we were needed to suddenly fly home, our passports would save a lot of time. In a perfect trip and nothing goes wrong, you would be fine without one, but for that one time you find yourself having to make emergency flights home then you would be glad you had them.

[Nemomof3]

We went on our first two cruises without them (one with kids) no problems. Last week I applied for mine before our next cruise. The choice is yours as how much risk you are comfortable with.

[CruisingGAL82]

Thank you all for your input.

 

Yikes! I feel like I should get them now. I hadn't really thought about any of those things happening and was just going to go with the easiest option of just birth certs and not paying for 3 passports for little kids. 7,6, and 3 when we cruise Freedom in Jan.

 

Now I have to think it over...

[FireStation46]

If you travel enough, even domestically, you should check TSA pre-check

 

https://www.tsa.gov/precheck

[matj2000]

Because so many people need to fly home.......

[LovesCruising]

Ok, they don't need passports assuming everything goes as planned. But if for some reason, illness, missed ship, other emegency, you need to fly home from a foreign port, then they will need the passport. Your choice.

 

As you have already realized, the above reason is the main reason to get the passports. Id do it.

[ryano]

You feel that "for the cruise itself they are not needed (assuming closed loop and US citizens) but should the need to fly home internationally arise, you'll be doing paperwork when you just want to be on a plane" is a "big sermon and debate"?

 

Or perhaps is that just a very informative and full response?

 

 

First of all, you are preaching to the choir but thanks for the sermon I said would happen anyway :) I have a Passport :) I would NEVER consider leaving this country without a Passport. That is not what the OP asked though. She was not looking for opinions. She clearly asked if her children needed Passports on a closed loop cruise. The OP is from NJ. I will go ahead and assume her kids are too and are US citizens. Maybe a dangerous assumption but simply put, in that case, the answer is NO. Invariably in all Passport threads the "if you have to fly home early" speeches will start though. Im betting the OP is fully aware of that.

Edited July 15, 2016 by ryano

[frawnsay]

We're getting passports for our boys (5 & 3)--it's the best identification to have in certain situations when out of the country.

 

It's like trip/travel insurance--costs a bit more, but if you ever need it...

[CruisinBarb63]

Definitely don't "need". I recall about a year ago asking this same question then doing my own research as I planned a cruise for myself and three of my daughters. I was not going to spend the extra $400+ on passports. In my research I found that some of the islands where we were stopping did not have a consulate of their own; instead they shared with several islands and there would only be a representative, at most, once a week on each island. Even though the risk of us being injured or missing the ship was low, I was less interested in the prospect of spending several unplanned days on an island (no matter how beautiful) with my three teen age girls while we waited for assistance to get home (especially if someone was sick or injured).

 

I decided to spend the money since we will be cruising again. It was worth the peace of mind for me!

[ash2bear]

We just took our 3 kids (15, 13, 12), on the Anthem, with only their birth certificates. Upon debarkation, customs agent gave us a hard time about not having picture ID for them. In all my research, I couldn't find anywhere that said they needed picture ID.

[reallyitsmema]

We just took our 3 kids (15, 13, 12), on the Anthem, with only their birth certificates. Upon debarkation, customs agent gave us a hard time about not having picture ID for them. In all my research, I couldn't find anywhere that said they needed picture ID.

 

A picture ID is needed for those who are 16 years and older. Personally, if you decide to get your kids passports, I would wait on the 15 yr old since they can get a 10 yr passport once they turn 16. I would only get one now if you had a trip planned where a passport was required.

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

Do my kids need passports for our cruise leaving from Ft. Lauderdale on Freedom. It does leave the country on some ports and then back to Ft. Lauderdale? Are they fine with just birth certificates?

 

Depends on what state you live in. I live in the wonderful State of Missouri and may soon need a passport to get on a domestic airline. Our wonderful legislature thought they could ignore the real id act passed 10 years ago. They have found out you can't we may have to have TSA approved IDs to travel. My daughter is 13 and is proud that she is on her 3rd passport. She needed it to fly to Rome, France, Mexico and Canada. Cruises you don't need it and if you are driving or flying from a real id compliant state you don't need one. If you are from Missouri you may need one to fly to Florida.

[starrcards]

I have a passport for my 10 year old son and wouldn't think of cruising without it. Call it paranoia or insurance but since he is adopted from Vietnam, I think a passport is well worth the money.

[CruisingGAL82]

First of all, you are preaching to the choir but thanks for the sermon I said would happen anyway :) I have a Passport :) I would NEVER consider leaving this country without a Passport. That is not what the OP asked though. She was not looking for opinions. She clearly asked if her children needed Passports on a closed loop cruise. The OP is from NJ. I will go ahead and assume her kids are too and are US citizens. Maybe a dangerous assumption but simply put, in that case, the answer is NO. Invariably in all Passport threads the "if you have to fly home early" speeches will start though. Im betting the OP is fully aware of that.

 

Thank you! We are from NJ and all US citizens. :) I understand now that we do not need passports for the kids for this situation but can choose to do so if we feel there could be a chance something could happen where we would need to fly home. I might take my chances though since the kids are so small and we will prob be fine!

[nolesrule]

Thank you! We are from NJ and all US citizens. :) I understand now that we do not need passports for the kids for this situation but can choose to do so if we feel there could be a chance something could happen where we would need to fly home. I might take my chances though since the kids are so small and we will prob be fine!

 

 

Since you're from New Jersey.... Niagara Falls is less than a day's drive away. And the Canadian side is better. If you already have a passport, that's something else you can do with it.

 

We're doing this next week.