Help! Our passports are expired!

[S.A.M.J.R.]

No you don't.

 

My mother has been married 3x and only brought a BC and DL.

 

She got on just fine.

 

3 times.

 

People on this site keep repeating stuff they hear without any factual knowledge...

 

If I've given wrong information, I apologize. I'm repeating what I've read here.

 

But answer me this... if someone shows a BC that says "Jane Doe" and an ID that says "Jane Smith", how does RC know both id's belong to the same person?

[DonnaK]

No you don't.

 

My mother has been married 3x and only brought a BC and DL.

 

She got on just fine.

 

3 times.

 

People on this site keep repeating stuff they hear without any factual knowledge...

 

 

Just because she was never asked for the "bridging document", doesn't mean it is never needed. The RCI website states that you need a document to bridge the BC name to the DL name, so that's the factual knowledge. If you are asked for it and do not have it, you can be denied boarding.

 

In my pre-passport days, I was asked for the ML at Port Canaveral and the Port of NY, but not at any of the other ports.

[LidoBoy]

Not to start an argument, but I don't like to see accurate information discounted. I see that too much in politics!

 

This is copied from my November cruise documents about domestic travel. I've highlighted the statement that backs up your comment about a marriage license:

 

Domestic Travel

 

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires that all travelers entering and departing the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda must present a valid passport book or other Department of Homeland Security-approved travel document that establishes the bearer’s identity and citizenship.

 

Open-loop cruises (voyages that begin in one U.S. port and end in another U.S. port) will require a valid passport book or another WHTI-compliant document for entry or reentry into the United States.

 

Closed-loop cruises (voyages that begin and end in the same U.S. port) allow U.S. citizens to travel with additional travel documents such as a birth certificate plus a government issued picture ID card (i.e., a drivers license).

 

The name on your travel documents needs to match the name on the cruise line reservation or be linked by other legal documents such as a marriage certificate. A birth certificate, issued by a government agency (state, county, city, etc.), is an accepted travel document.

 

A birth notice, issued by a hospital or other or other type of medical facility, is not an acceptable travel document. The name on your travel documents must match the name on your cruise reservation or be linked by a legal document such as a marriage license. For more information regarding domestic travel document requirements, visit: http://www.getyouhome.gov/.

 

Have fun on your cruise!

 

Tom

Edited November 6, 2016 by LidoBoy

[Desert Cruizers]

When I have asked for a copy of my Birth Certificate, I specify, Certified. Neither my husbands nor mine has a raised sea. I am from Rhode Island and he is from Michigan. I bring our Passports

[Clarea]

Not meaning to hijack, but can someone confirm that passports would not be required for a cruise originating and ending in San Juan? I'm pretty sure this is allowed but figured I'd verify

Passports not required since it's a closed end cruise originating in a US port.

[riclop]

Hello! We set sail November 20' date=' 2016 and when I went to check in online I discovered that my passports expired in July 2016. I looked online and called RC who told me as an American citizen cruising on a closed loop cruise that my birth certificate, drivers license and marriage license will be enough. Is this true? Has anyone had experience with this?? HELP!!

 

Thanks in advance!![/quote']

 

Yes it's true but how can you not know it expired.

[Mellowjourney]

http://visacentral.com/passports

 

Royal Caribbean account number 44988 for reduced service fees.

 

As noted above, your state issued ID, marriage certificate, and certified copies of your birth certificates should be fine though.

[kc320]

No you don't.

 

My mother has been married 3x and only brought a BC and DL.

 

She got on just fine.

 

3 times.

 

People on this site keep repeating stuff they hear without any factual knowledge...

 

 

WRONG!! My sister was asked for her ML in Port Canaveral before she got her passport...I was holding my breath for fear they would not let her on the ship...as another poster mentioned...just because they HAVEN'T asked your Mom for her ML doesn't mean they WON'T...

[ColoradoGurl]

WRONG!! My sister was asked for her ML in Port Canaveral before she got her passport...I was holding my breath for fear they would not let her on the ship...as another poster mentioned...just because they HAVEN'T asked your Mom for her ML doesn't mean they WON'T...

 

 

What's an ML???

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Clarea]

What's an ML???

Marriage License.

[MrsKC08]

Hello! We set sail November 20' date=' 2016 and when I went to check in online I discovered that my passports expired in July 2016. I looked online and called RC who told me as an American citizen cruising on a closed loop cruise that my birth certificate, drivers license and marriage license will be enough. Is this true? Has anyone had experience with this?? HELP!!

 

Thanks in advance!![/quote']

 

Yes, this is true. Breathe and enjoy your vacation!

[MrsKC08]

When I have asked for a copy of my Birth Certificate, I specify, Certified. Neither my husbands nor mine has a raised sea. I am from Rhode Island and he is from Michigan. I bring our Passports

 

Mine and my husbands do not have a "raised seal", but they are in fact Certified and not copies. We have never had a problem with them in all of our cruises.

 

No you don't.

 

My mother has been married 3x and only brought a BC and DL.

 

She got on just fine.

 

3 times.

 

People on this site keep repeating stuff they hear without any factual knowledge...

 

 

As others have mentioned, she might not have been asked, but that was pure luck. I have been on a few cruises and I've been married before. I've even been asked for my divorce decree because my name on my current marriage license is my previous last name from my first marriage. Thankfully I always have that documentation every time I cruise...JUST IN CASE!

[sparks1093]

But "original birth certificate" doesn't just mean "the first one you got from the state". It means the certified copies of the info that the state keeps. I'm on my third certified copy.

 

And actually if you look at cpb and getyouhome, they don't say certified copy but just copy. But who wants to push it?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I did. When I sailed on Carnival there was much debate about Carnival's FAQ that said that a legible Xerox copy was acceptable, so when I boarded that is what I presented, a photocopy. No one batted an eye. Of course it's best to bring the original if you can, but it's nice to know that a copy will do in a pinch (I have read of many cruises being saved by a faxed birth certificate).

[sparks1093]

If I've given wrong information, I apologize. I'm repeating what I've read here.

 

But answer me this... if someone shows a BC that says "Jane Doe" and an ID that says "Jane Smith", how does RC know both id's belong to the same person?

 

I know that here in Vermont before a name can be changed on a drivers license the individual has to produce a document allowing the change. I presume this is the case in all 50 states. So if a married woman presents a drivers license in a different name than the birth certificate than the name change has already been proven. There is no regulation that I am aware of mandating any type of bridging document, although CBP officers do have the discretion to ask for them if they feel it is warranted.

[ColoradoGurl]

Marriage License.

 

 

Oh, thank you!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[S.A.M.J.R.]

I know that here in Vermont before a name can be changed on a drivers license the individual has to produce a document allowing the change. I presume this is the case in all 50 states. So if a married woman presents a drivers license in a different name than the birth certificate than the name change has already been proven. There is no regulation that I am aware of mandating any type of bridging document, although CBP officers do have the discretion to ask for them if they feel it is warranted.

I may be dense, but that doesn't answer the question. I agree if a woman presents a DL only for something (cashing a check?), the name change has been proven.

 

But how does RCI know the BC (showing citizenship), in the name of "Jane Doe", matches the DL (showing ID), in the name of "Jane Smith"?

[Clarea]

I may be dense, but that doesn't answer the question. I agree if a woman presents a DL only for something (cashing a check?), the name change has been proven.

 

But how does RCI know the BC (showing citizenship), in the name of "Jane Doe", matches the DL (showing ID), in the name of "Jane Smith"?

You are correct, the DL alone may show a legal name, but it does not show citizenship.

[sparks1093]

I may be dense, but that doesn't answer the question. I agree if a woman presents a DL only for something (cashing a check?), the name change has been proven.

 

But how does RCI know the BC (showing citizenship), in the name of "Jane Doe", matches the DL (showing ID), in the name of "Jane Smith"?

 

It doesn't matter because the DHS regulations don't require any type of bridging document, so why should RCI care? DHS can verify this by accessing the DMV's records if they need to.

[RNRcruisers]

I went on 8 cruises before I had a passport, always brought just a birth certificate and drivers license with no problems. And I don't even have a legal middle name so one less name to match. I guess after the discussion here I would bring it to be safe but it never even occurred to me back then.

[The Fun Researcher]

Our passports were expired for both of our first two cruises. They were closed loop (leaving from USA). Drivers License , Birth Certificates and Marriage License (to verify my wife's last name change) was all that was needed.

 

It is riskier, since if you need to fly back from one of the countries you are visiting, typically for an emergency of some kind, it can be a nightmare to get back.

 

Once we started bringing the kids with us, we all got passports.

 

Happy sailing!

 

Dan

[ThePNVT]

We arrived at the port (which we flew to) for our last cruise and my husband (who didn't have a passport) presented his birth cert.....and HIS NAME HAD WORN OFF OF IT!!!!!!!!!!! (Because he kept it folded and the fold kind of eroded the ink) it was GONE, nothing, nada, a BC without a name! We about died. His mother pulled through and emailed them a photograph of the copy she kept. SAVED THE DAY. I think it took 10 years off my life. :eek: He would have been totally shipwrecked if he had missed the boat at a port, etc, I was paranoid about it the whole vacation. He has a passport now.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

It does not have to be an original birth certificate, but a "certified" (I think that's what it's called) one. If you don't have one, contact the state (whichever one you were born in) to get a certified copy.

 

Do this MONDAY if you can't find an official copy somewhere this weekend.

 

A certified certificate. :D

[clean1owner]

Hahahaha. .. you haven't been around here for very long, have you ?!

 

 

Been around plenty. Long enough to understand that a birth cert and Drivers license is all you need.

[Albertacruisers55]

In Canada our passports are still good as long as they don.t expire 6 months from start of your trip.The problem is that the airlines won't allow online check-in.They need to verify passport in person.My guess is that your USA Passport is the same.Just go to the airport your passport is active.

 

Gerald

[jled]

We flew in to Miami from New York last January and somewhere between the airport and the ship, my husband lost his passport. We went to RCI at the port and they told us we would need a photocopy of his birth certificate. A copy of his current passport was not good. We were able to get my next door neighbor to go into my house, go into the safe in my closet and email us a copy of the birth certificate and we went to the crew services store at the Miami pier to have our email printed out. NOw I always carry a copy just in case..but I can confirm that you can sail with a copy of a birth certificate on a closed loop cruise...