Passport needed in Caribbean

[sparks1093]

1st cruise: Birth certificates, IDs, backup divorce decree to show name change, TA freaking me out telling me I had to have a notarized document from my absent ex-husband to travel with the kids. STRESS.

 

2nd cruise: Wasted money on passport cards that aren't worth the money when you consider they're no better than a BC and ID if you need to fly. Still stressed over names not matching, brought divorce papers. STRESS.

 

3rd cruise: Booked at last minute, paid for an expedited passport because I was tired of STRESS and also ordered a BC in case the passport didn't show up on time because my BC went MIA. STRESS.

 

4th cruise: Proud owner of a passport book..like a real grown up :D No stress. First time I am cruising and have no worries at all about documentation.

 

It's $110 for 10 years of no stress. Just do it already.

 

I've never stressed when not using a passport to cruise, I performed my due diligence, made sure I had everything required by the regulations and off we went. And I'm a real grown up, too;). If you want to spend that kind of money to avoid stress that's up to you, but to use that reasoning for other people isn't right because it may not apply for them. You could get a passport because it's just the right thickness to keep Aunt Matilida's coffee table from wobbling, but don't expect me to use the same reason. I don't have an Aunt Matilda:).

[capriccio]

Technically you do not need a passport to cruise in the Caribbean. A land based trip would require a passport. As an experienced traveler, I would never travel out of the U.S. without a passport. Too many things could happen that might require a passport, like illness or accident. A passport is the gold standard in identification. If anyone had to go back to the U.S before the cruise ended, you would not be able to travel by air without a passport.

 

Add to the list of things that could happen that might require a passport:

 

 

• an emergency return due to death or serious illness of a family member in the States.
  
• missing the ship's departure from the States and the first stop is a foreign country - you will not be allowed to fly to catch the ship (there was a recent thread on that happening to a family cruising out of Miami).
  

Should you need to get a passport to return via air to the States on a Caribbean cruise, be aware that there are only 2 US consulates (in Barbados and Curacao) for all the islands. You will need to get to the nearest consulate during office hours (i.e., they are closed on the weekends) and apply for a rushed passport. Travel costs (air fare and potential hotel costs) could be more than the cost of an initial passport.

[navybankerteacher]

How many times has that happened to you or anyone in your traveling party?

 

Exactly how hard is it to get back to the U.S.? What is the procedure?

 

Bill

 

Not (yet) to me or anyone in my traveling party, but on a number of cruises I have been aware of people leaving the ship early due to their own illness or family crisis at home, and missing the ship is a real possibility.

 

With regard to your second question: pretty hard if you have no passport. On St. Maarten, for example (as with many other islands) there is no U S Consul or Embassy - those functions being served by representatives stationed in Aruba. Of course, something can always be worked out - but it can take days.

 

Sure, the odds of something happening are very small, but those who insist that there is "no problem" should accept the fact that there could be a problem.

[richfret]

Get the passport. Yes, it is not required but unless risk is of no concern to you, it makes better sense to have one with you than not in the Caribbean. This question reminds me of the cruise insurance purchase issue. They issues are similar with the same risk factor.

 

Personally, I do all my gambling in the Casino although the odds are probably worse.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Another vote for a passport. Another view about having to return home by air - cruise ships also have accidents/mechanical difficulties etc. So much simpler if this should happen. You could be stuck for so much longer than necessary while arrangements are made for non-passport holders. It's not always your fault.

 

Noticed in recent years (and fully understand why) scrutiny of documents, at some times and in some ports, has really tightened up. Many people think they can leave the ship with just their Seapass card. This is no longer true in many ports. You need a passport or photo ID and Seapass card to get back on the ship. Recent cruise compass on RC was stressing to have passport or driver's license, or official photo ID, to go ashore.

[sparks1093]

Another vote for a passport. Another view about having to return home by air - cruise ships also have accidents/mechanical difficulties etc. So much simpler if this should happen. You could be stuck for so much longer than necessary while arrangements are made for non-passport holders. It's not always your fault.

 

Noticed in recent years (and fully understand why) scrutiny of documents, at some times and in some ports, has really tightened up. Many people think they can leave the ship with just their Seapass card. This is no longer true in many ports. You need a passport or photo ID and Seapass card to get back on the ship. Recent cruise compass on RC was stressing to have passport or driver's license, or official photo ID, to go ashore.

 

Actually if you are on a ship that has difficulty you are probably better off than if you had to go it alone. A while ago a Carnival ship let everyone off at St Marten due to a mechanical issue. Those without passports were issued letters from CBP allowing them to board the plane without a passport (something which is allowed under the regulations).

[Warm Breezes]

You clearly have not sailed from Galveston. Last year they scanned our passports before we went thru security. Then they wrote "key" on our boarding pass. After we got thru security and went up to the check-in area, we saw 2 different lines. Someone looked at our boarding pass and directed us to the much, much shorter line. When we got to the front of the line I asked someone what the difference in the 2 lines was. We were in the line for people with passports, all we had to was get our room key. The other line, which was waaaay longer, was for people with BC & DL. He said they had to look closely at each BC and it took so much more time. It would have taken us 4-5 times longer to check in using the BC line. We went thru the line, got our room keys and were on the ship within 15 mins. That was the first time they had that at Galveston (and we have sailed out of Galveston exclusively for about 4-5 cruises) and it was great.

 

Your right I haven't sailed from Galveston. But I have sailed from New Orleans, Tampa, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, and New York with DL/BC and have never witnessed what you described. We have always gotten through check in at the same speed whether it was with our passports or DL/BC. On our last cruise out of New Orleans our kids (22 and 19) had DL/BC and DH and I had passports. Customs scrutinized my passport asking if I had lost a lot of weight (which I had) and didn't even look at the kids DL/BC. On one of our cruises out of Miami when we all had BC/DL, the couple in front of us at Customs took three times as long with their passports as the 4 of us did with our DL/BC.

[Shorex]

Here is the decision tree: Given

 

1) your nationality AND

 

2) the itinerary of your cruise AND

 

3) the requirements of the cruise line that you chose,

 

is a passport an absolute necessity?

 

If yes, have one.

 

If no, do the research to understand what documents are required in YOUR case. In addition to birth certificate and photo ID, you might need bridging documents. Do the research on primary resources, do not rely on the collective wisdom of the interwebs. Make an informed decision whether to get a passport or not. Pass GO, collect $200.

[Warm Breezes]

Get the passport. Yes, it is not required but unless risk is of no concern to you, it makes better sense to have one with you than not in the Caribbean. This question reminds me of the cruise insurance purchase issue. They issues are similar with the same risk factor.

 

Personally, I do all my gambling in the Casino although the odds are probably worse.

 

Actually the risk factor is not the same. Cruise insurance covers much more than what a passport would...things that could get extremely expensive (like an air lift or hospital stay) and things that occur with much more frequency. I don't sail without Cruise Insurance. I would not have an issue sailing without one it the circumstances were right for us to do so.

[KBD1516]

insurance and passports have something in common -- you don't need them until you do. And they both have to be purchased in advance.

[FlyerTalker]

Going the "no-passport" route is cheaper. You get to save roughly $11 per year over the lifetime of the document. Whoopee!!

 

If $11 is going to be the difference in your financial situation, you probably should be reconsidering your vacation expenditures. Or maybe just skip one of the "umbrella drinks" and you've recouped the $11 bucks.

 

There are SO many advantages to just having a passport. Rock solid ID, proof of citizenship, single document as opposed to multiple papers (especially after marriages, divorces, name changes).

 

Get the passport.

[LA_CA_GAL]

Yes you really do (accidents, ships have accidents while overseas!!!

 

I am convinced now.

 

Just wondering, should you tip those that do the processing?

 

If I get there, can I use a towel to hold my spot while I go get something to eat. And is it OK to bring bottled water into the facility.

 

Can I wear shorts and flip flops?

Edited August 18, 2016 by LA_CA_GAL

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Not (yet) to me or anyone in my traveling party, but on a number of cruises I have been aware of people leaving the ship early due to their own illness or family crisis at home, and missing the ship is a real possibility.

 

With regard to your second question: pretty hard if you have no passport. On St. Maarten, for example (as with many other islands) there is no U S Consul or Embassy - those functions being served by representatives stationed in Aruba. Of course, something can always be worked out - but it can take days.

 

Sure, the odds of something happening are very small, but those who insist that there is "no problem" should accept the fact that there could be a problem.

 

I don't insist it's no problem. Every person must weigh their own situations and decide for themselves.

 

Some on here make it sound like there is a 50/50 chance that you will need it on every cruise.

 

Bill

[sparks1093]

Going the "no-passport" route is cheaper. You get to save roughly $11 per year over the lifetime of the document. Whoopee!!

 

If $11 is going to be the difference in your financial situation, you probably should be reconsidering your vacation expenditures. Or maybe just skip one of the "umbrella drinks" and you've recouped the $11 bucks.

 

There are SO many advantages to just having a passport. Rock solid ID, proof of citizenship, single document as opposed to multiple papers (especially after marriages, divorces, name changes).

 

Get the passport.

 

Too bad the State Department won't let you pay in installments, then maybe "$11 per year" would actually mean something:). I know that for us the cost of passports was in the neighborhood of $850 for the 7 of us, so we had to decide whether or not we needed to spend that kind of money for the type of travel we could do and we decided that we did not- at that time we could only travel on closed loop cruises and then only once every year or two. We decided to wait to get passports until we needed them for the travel we were doing. Yes, a passport has many uses but it's primary purpose is for international air travel.

[notentirelynormal]

I have been cruising for years, and until today, reading the "head lines" on CC , it said we did not need a pass port if going to the Caribbean.

 

This has really thrown me for a loop. I have always heard we needed one to go to the Caribbean. Is this a new rule or what. I have several grown children that do not have a passport, and we were planning on cruising next year, and I told them they NEEDED one.

 

Please advise if you know?

 

Are you a US citizen or Landed Immigrant? If you are not, that might be why you have received a different answer. Other countries traveling from the US have different requirements.

[cherylandtk]

Should you need to get a passport to return via air to the States on a Caribbean cruise, be aware that there are only 2 US consulates (in Barbados and Curacao) for all the islands. You will need to get to the nearest consulate during office hours (i.e., they are closed on the weekends) and apply for a rushed passport.

 

With regard to your second question: pretty hard if you have no passport. On St. Maarten, for example (as with many other islands) there is no U S Consul or Embassy - those functions being served by representatives stationed in Aruba. Of course, something can always be worked out - but it can take days.

There are also US Consular agents in the ports of Cozumel, Cancun, Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, Antigua, Nassau, Martinique, Dominican Republic (Puerto Plata) and Trinidad and Tobago.

[navybankerteacher]

There are also US Consular agents in the ports of Cozumel, Cancun, Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, Antigua, Nassau, Martinique, Dominican Republic (Puerto Plata) and Trinidad and Tobago.

 

Apparently - but that still leaves a question of what to do in St. Maarten and other places not so served.

[Extra Kim]

I just can't understand how 11$/year can be an issue. I guess that most people tip more then that on every cruise without even giving it a second thought and still some think it's worth saving 11$/year on a passport. I just don't get it.:eek:

[zqvol]

I have been cruising for years, and until today, reading the "head lines" on CC , it said we did not need a pass port if going to the Caribbean.

 

This has really thrown me for a loop. I have always heard we needed one to go to the Caribbean. Is this a new rule or what. I have several grown children that do not have a passport, and we were planning on cruising next year, and I told them they NEEDED one.

 

Please advise if you know?

 

 

I am not going to get into the discussion of why or why not you should have one (there will be enough people telling OP what they would do and what they think, but am simply going to answer the question that was asked.

 

Legally there is no requirement that a US citizen on a closed loop cruise leaving from the mainland, San Juan or St. Thomas have a passport. Some cruise lines (usually the luxury lines) require them, but most mass market lines do not have the requirement.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I just can't understand how 11$/year can be an issue. I guess that most people tip more then that on every cruise without even giving it a second thought and still some think it's worth saving 11$/year on a passport. I just don't get it.:eek:

 

Like someone else answered earlier. There is no installment plan of $11 a year. It's a one lump sum.

 

Bill

[sparks1093]

I just can't understand how 11$/year can be an issue. I guess that most people tip more then that on every cruise without even giving it a second thought and still some think it's worth saving 11$/year on a passport. I just don't get it.:eek:

 

Our passports for DW and I cost $150 a piece, $300 total (not counting what we paid for pictures) and we got them to fly to Europe last year. Spending that much money on something that we didn't need just didn't make sense to us, especially when you factored in the cost for the kids' passports.

[sparks1093]

Apparently - but that still leaves a question of what to do in St. Maarten and other places not so served.

 

I don't have the answer, but I'm not reading about a lot of stories (here or in other travel news sources) about a lot of US citizens being stranded in St Maarten or on any other Caribbean Island. I know that if I were traveling without a passport the first thing I would do would be to contact the cruise lines' port agent as I am sure he or she is the local expert about what to do. If someone isn't comfortable traveling to islands where there is no obvious State Department help then they can get passports to remove the uncertainty.

Edited August 18, 2016 by sparks1093

[mamajules]

Our passports for DW and I cost $150 a piece, $300 total (not counting what we paid for pictures) and we got them to fly to Europe last year. Spending that much money on something that we didn't need just didn't make sense to us, especially when you factored in the cost for the kids' passports.

 

 

$150? The fee is $110 plus $25 acceptance fee (the local clerk's office took the pictures for them when we applied). Not sure why you are paying more.

[sparks1093]

$150? The fee is $110 plus $25 acceptance fee (the local clerk's office took the pictures for them when we applied). Not sure why you are paying more.

 

Trackable return of the passport when they mail it to you. (And even if you forego that for two passports you are still talking $270 for two, still a good chunk of change.)

Edited August 19, 2016 by sparks1093

[navybankerteacher]

Like someone else answered earlier. There is no installment plan of $11 a year. It's a one lump sum.

 

Bill

 

Just as when you might figure you can go on a cruise for $95 a day, you do not get to pay it in daily installments - you have to pay the whole thing before you get on the ship.

 

Or when you buy an I-phone - or almost anything else that lasts a fair length of time-- you figure the true cost of the thing over its life span. It would be easier to understand someone's reluctance to pay $125 for a passport if it was just good for one year - but that $125 gets one good for ten years.