Passport??

[catnpkg]

I just wanted to make sure that I don't need a passport to do a 7 day from Miami to Grand Cayman, roatan, Belize and cozumel. Then back to Miami. I can still use my birth certificate right?

 

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[BoomerSoonerCruisers]

Correct! However having a passport with you can save some major headaches in case of an emergency and you have to return to Miami on something other than the cruise ship.

[sparks1093]

Presuming that you are a US citizen and your birth certificate was issued by a government entity in the US yes, you can use that with a government issued photo ID to board your cruise.

[hftmrock]

passport preferred... not mandatory.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Yes, you can. But a passport is good for ten years, can be used in many situations, regardless of residency for identication, and reduces hassle. Bite the bullet and get a passport unless you do not plan on leaving US soil in the next ten years

[summersigh]

From what I read on Cruise Critic the OP should ok at those ports of call with a BC.

Do keep in mind that if anyone has a trip going to Costa Rica a passport IS required to even board the ship in the US.

[Jamericannn]

Not sure when your cruise is but if you decide to get your passport you can do priority and get in back very fast. I just did my daughter's first passport and got it back in loess than 2 weeks. They are working pretty fast.

[spleenstomper]

Passports are good back up because if you have to leave the ship for any reason and have to fly home (say medical evac), you would need a passport.

[rtw68]

I just wanted to make sure that I don't need a passport to do a 7 day from Miami to Grand Cayman, roatan, Belize and cozumel. Then back to Miami. I can still use my birth certificate right?

 

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Yes you can. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law did cruise without passports with us in 2015. A couple important things to keep in mind:

 

1) The birth certificate has to be an official issue (not a photocopy).

 

2) For married ladies, a copy of your marriage license is highly recommended for a paper trail (since the last name is different on the birth certificate). My sister-in-law needed this, so glad I forced the issue of bringing it. Their cruise would have been ruined by not having the right paperwork.

 

YMMV!

 

I personally would never cruise without one. You never know when something can happen and make it difficult to travel home if not on the cruise ship.

[Tyme2Cruise]

The short answer is yes. However, as other posters have stated, I would highly recommend a passport. In the event of an emergency and you needed to be back in the USA quickly, you will need a passport. You can get an emergency passport when out of the country, but it is a hassle and takes time. I'll never understand, with the low cost of a passport, why all travelers don't have one. Better to have a passport and not need it, than to need it and not have it. We never leave the good ole USA without them. :)

[snowskier]

Yes you can. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law did cruise without passports with us in 2015. A couple important things to keep in mind:

 

1) The birth certificate has to be an official issue (not a photocopy).

 

 

 

Carnival disagrees -- but to many that doesn't matter. When deciding if I am going to cruise per the cruise line documented rules or CC interpretation -- I always go with the cruise line.

 

"A clear, legible copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified."

[catnpkg]

Thanks everyone. I am looking into getting passports. Just in case I cant get both of them in time I wanted to make sure they were not required. Going to do one at a time. :)

[sparks1093]

Yes you can. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law did cruise without passports with us in 2015. A couple important things to keep in mind:

 

1) The birth certificate has to be an official issue (not a photocopy).

 

2) For married ladies, a copy of your marriage license is highly recommended for a paper trail (since the last name is different on the birth certificate). My sister-in-law needed this, so glad I forced the issue of bringing it. Their cruise would have been ruined by not having the right paperwork.

 

YMMV!

 

I personally would never cruise without one. You never know when something can happen and make it difficult to travel home if not on the cruise ship.

 

The regulations say that a traveler may use the "original or copy" of a birth certificate and CCL does say they will accept them. It is best to use the original but it is also important to keep the alternatives in mind as I have read of a number of cruises that were saved because someone was able to have copy of their BC faxed to them.

[Jamericannn]

Thanks everyone. I am looking into getting passports. Just in case I cant get both of them in time I wanted to make sure they were not required. Going to do one at a time. :)

 

Do the express if you have the money for it. It will cost about $182. Better to go on your cruise with less worry. As others have stated, it will be fine to go with the BC but in case of emergency and you need to fly home, a passport is required. You don't want to get stuck in an unknown country.

[rtw68]

Carnival disagrees -- but to many that doesn't matter. When deciding if I am going to cruise per the cruise line documented rules or CC interpretation -- I always go with the cruise line.

 

"A clear, legible copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified."

 

I always smile when I see things like that. Better safe than sorry, especially if people refuse to consider passports.

 

All I know is what has been fool proof for us and others that have traveled with us. Would not want a vacation ruined by lack of proper paperwork. Again, YMMV.

[sparks1093]

The short answer is yes. However, as other posters have stated, I would highly recommend a passport. In the event of an emergency and you needed to be back in the USA quickly, you will need a passport. You can get an emergency passport when out of the country, but it is a hassle and takes time. I'll never understand, with the low cost of a passport, why all travelers don't have one. Better to have a passport and not need it, than to need it and not have it. We never leave the good ole USA without them. :)

 

I can't answer for everyone but in our situation that "low cost passport" would have set our family back around $850 when we first started cruising. I did my research and decided that a closed loop cruise presented a very low risk that did not warrant that kind of expenditure. We decided then that we would wait until the time came that we actually needed a passport for our travels as we did want to fly to Europe for vacation at some point. Every traveler has different travel documentation needs. I know many people in my community that only travel by land into Canada and they have a passport card or an Enhanced Drivers License. Yes, they could spend the money on a passport if they wanted to, but why?

 

If the only travel someone can do is by closed loop cruise every year or two then it might make more sense for them to just use birth certificates. Yes, something might happen but for most travelers the risk that something might happen is slight, so it all comes down to how much risk one is willing to tolerate.

[ray98]

Yes....BC is fine.

[Tyme2Cruise]

I can't answer for everyone but in our situation that "low cost passport" would have set our family back around $850 when we first started cruising. I did my research and decided that a closed loop cruise presented a very low risk that did not warrant that kind of expenditure. We decided then that we would wait until the time came that we actually needed a passport for our travels as we did want to fly to Europe for vacation at some point. Every traveler has different travel documentation needs. I know many people in my community that only travel by land into Canada and they have a passport card or an Enhanced Drivers License. Yes, they could spend the money on a passport if they wanted to, but why?

 

If the only travel someone can do is by closed loop cruise every year or two then it might make more sense for them to just use birth certificates. Yes, something might happen but for most travelers the risk that something might happen is slight, so it all comes down to how much risk one is willing to tolerate.

 

Passports are good for 10 years. $850.00 amortized over 10 years, is $85.00 a year. That seems to me, to be "low cost". We don't want to risk being stuck outside the USA for any reason, so for us any risk which can be avoided, is well worth the price. YMMV

[sparks1093]

Passports are good for 10 years. $850.00 amortized over 10 years, is $85.00 a year. That seems to me, to be "low cost". We don't want to risk being stuck outside the USA for any reason, so for us any risk which can be avoided, is well worth the price. YMMV

 

If it could be paid for that way, sure, but no matter how you slice it, it cannot be paid that way and has to be paid up front. For a 4 day cruise it just wasn't worth it for something that only "might" be needed. Millions of people cruise on closed loop cruises every year with something other than a passport with no issues at all, so the risk is low enough for me to take it (well, to have taken it I should say since we now have passports for our annual trip to Germany). (And as for the passports being good for 10 years 4 of them were for kids under 16 so they would have only been good for 5 years.)

[Mfnb812]

I would never go without one. If I have to leave from a non US port I won't have any issues.

[Cruiserbarbie]

If I recall the Carnival Triumph situation (4 days at sea, no plumbing, AC, etc, etc), one problem they had was that although they were closer to Mexico, 700+ cruisers had no passports, so the ship had to be towed back to its departure or closed loop port.

[estillcrew]

I just wanted to make sure that I don't need a passport to do a 7 day from Miami to Grand Cayman, roatan, Belize and cozumel. Then back to Miami. I can still use my birth certificate right?

 

Sent from my Z981 using Forums mobile app

Yes, but you have to have a photo ID. And, if your name is different on your birth certificate from your photo ID, then you will need to bring your marriage certificate.

[teknoge3k]

Do the express if you have the money for it. It will cost about $182. Better to go on your cruise with less worry. As others have stated, it will be fine to go with the BC but in case of emergency and you need to fly home, a passport is required. You don't want to get stuck in an unknown country.

 

I wouldn't pay for expediting / express. Typical turnaround for a Passport right now is around 2-3 weeks. There's plenty of other threads discussing this.

[sparks1093]

If I recall the Carnival Triumph situation (4 days at sea, no plumbing, AC, etc, etc), one problem they had was that although they were closer to Mexico, 700+ cruisers had no passports, so the ship had to be towed back to its departure or closed loop port.

 

Well, the people without passport did make it home. I didn't follow that story very well but if it did actually play out like that it was because DHS was not prepared for it. (I recall there was another ship that had to be towed and by the time the tugs got to it the distance was the same to Mexico or the US so they chose the US). A more recent example is when CCL disembarked the ship in St Marten. Those without passports were given letters from CBP allowing them to return to the US by air. In any event I personally wouldn't allow any of that to influence my decision to get a passport.

[adam3313]

I had to renew my passport this year. I opted to grab a Passport Card too, since it can be used throughout the Caribbean.

 

I likely would bring my passport just in case, but felt the passport card would be easier to carry off the ship, etc. If the ship decided to leave me, they would give my passport to the port manager before pulling away, so I would be able to fly home, haha.