Passport Card

[Greysea74]

I am going to be taking my beloved boys ages 11 and 14 on a cruise in 2020. I am wondering if a passport card is good for cruising. I have always used my birth certificate and DL, but I am worried that I will misplace my birth certificate. It has always worried me. I looked into getting passports for all of us, but it seems a bit pricey for me. The passport cards are $40 each for the boys and $55 each for me and my husband. I was curious to see if anyone else has just the card and not a full passport. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

[famof4togo]

I could be wrong but aren't the passport cards only an additional item to get when you buy your passport...meaning I don't believe you can buy the card unless you buy the passport but I could be wrong??????

[johnlisac]

I would say if your gonna go thru the passport application you should get passports. Even though the cost is a lot more.

 

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[readsontheship]

If you do not have plans to fly internationally in the next 3-5 years, get the card. (Children's passports expire in 5). Save your money!

[sparks1093]

I am going to be taking my beloved boys ages 11 and 14 on a cruise in 2020. I am wondering if a passport card is good for cruising. I have always used my birth certificate and DL, but I am worried that I will misplace my birth certificate. It has always worried me. I looked into getting passports for all of us, but it seems a bit pricey for me. The passport cards are $40 each for the boys and $55 each for me and my husband. I was curious to see if anyone else has just the card and not a full passport. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Yes, passport cards may be used for cruising. If you are worried about misplacing your birth certificate make a photocopy of it and present that for check in and disembarkation and keep the original in a secure spot in your luggage where it can stay throughout the cruise. Of course you could just take the copy and use it, too.

[ewenix]

I could be wrong but aren't the passport cards only an additional item to get when you buy your passport...meaning I don't believe you can buy the card unless you buy the passport but I could be wrong??????

You can get just the card without the passport book. There is a family joining us on our next cruise and they went with that option due to the price. ($55 vs $135 per person)

[georgiahiker]

I am going to be taking my beloved boys ages 11 and 14 on a cruise in 2020. I am wondering if a passport card is good for cruising. I have always used my birth certificate and DL, but I am worried that I will misplace my birth certificate. It has always worried me. I looked into getting passports for all of us, but it seems a bit pricey for me. The passport cards are $40 each for the boys and $55 each for me and my husband. I was curious to see if anyone else has just the card and not a full passport. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Greysea,

 

My wife and I just got the cards. Was a pretty easy process and quick! Yes, it is a bit cheaper too. Plus, its a little smaller than the book (basically the size of your license), so easy to carry around. Of course, as others stated, it has a more limited use. But should be good for cruising.. Good luck.

 

Nick

[bingomamma19]

I am going to be taking my beloved boys ages 11 and 14 on a cruise in 2020. I am wondering if a passport card is good for cruising. I have always used my birth certificate and DL, but I am worried that I will misplace my birth certificate. It has always worried me. I looked into getting passports for all of us, but it seems a bit pricey for me. The passport cards are $40 each for the boys and $55 each for me and my husband. I was curious to see if anyone else has just the card and not a full passport. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

 

 

My daughter (12) and I use passport cards. Very easy to use (but I also bring our birth certificates as backup-I am paranoid about losing stuff).

 

Its cheaper and yes, you just apply for the card--you do not get the full passport, just the card. Adults are good for 10 years and kids under 16 are good for 5 years

[cruzeluver]

Couldn't you misplace a passport card just as easily as a birth certificate? You are no better off documentation wise with a passport card than you are with a birth certificate. So if you do not want the expense of full passports, stick with the birth certificates.

[sept2405]

I have the passport card only and have never had any trouble. With that being said, with having family with you if something was to happen to one of them and needed to be flown back to the states, you can’t do that with a card. You have to have the full passport.

[marion10]

You can order extra copies of your birth certificate. If there were a real emergency and you had to be flown home, the US consular officer would issue you a temporary passport for boarding. You would not just languish on an island somewhere.

[shellsd]

I got the passport card for my kids since it is so much cheaper and they expire every 5 years. Bonus is that it is waterproof and your passport book is not. Also smaller and easier to carry.

[gcbranscome]

So glad I found this post! I've been back and forth about getting just the passport card for my family of 5. We never go out of the country and this is our first cruise. If we like cruising then I'll spend the extra money, but right now I think the passport card makes more sense financially for us.

 

 

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[tcw92]

my kids got passport cards for their first cruise. The only difference between passport book and passport card is, that if something unfortunate happens while at port, such as a medical issue or miss the ship, you will not be allowed to fly off that international port.

[ksmcdonald]

FYI, it is much easier to replace a birth certificate than a passport. I just called the court house in the county I was born and ordered three original birth certificates with the official seal. $10 a piece. Received the same week I ordered.

 

 

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[readsontheship]

^^if not for the U.S. State Department, that would be true, but the federal employees would quickly issue you a temporary document to fly home.

[Donray]

Passport cards are good for all domestic travel as an ID. I have both passport and the card and use the card for all air travel in the USA.

[sanger727]

my kids got passport cards for their first cruise. The only difference between passport book and passport card is, that if something unfortunate happens while at port, such as a medical issue or miss the ship, you will not be allowed to fly off that international port.

 

That's also the only difference between boarding with a birth certificate and driver's license vs a passport.

 

IMO, the passport card is a waste of money unless you cruise frequently or live near a border. A passport has value because you can use it to fly internationally. A birth certificate has value because it's a budget option for cruising. I personally don't see the value in paying for a passport card when it provides no more benefits than a birth certificate.

[Elaine5715]

You can order extra copies of your birth certificate. If there were a real emergency and you had to be flown home, the US consular officer would issue you a temporary passport for boarding. You would not just languish on an island somewhere.

 

^^if not for the U.S. State Department, that would be true, but the federal employees would quickly issue you a temporary document to fly home.

""quickly" is debatable. The Embassies aren't open on weekends and holidays. You need to get to the Embassy which is likely not near the port. So, quickly can be 3-4 days.

[coevan]

Passport cards are good for all domestic travel as an ID. I have both passport and the card and use the card for all air travel in the USA.

 

 

there is not many reasons to have both unless you travel by boat from USVI to BVI every day, so you don't run out of stamps. Also for land travel to Canada if you frequently visit Canada by land. Passport cards are useless for any foreign air travel

[TNcruising02]

If you are afraid of losing your birth certificates, just scan them and save them to your phone or email them to yourself. Then you can print it out at any time.

[Jerseygirl1416]

That's also the only difference between boarding with a birth certificate and driver's license vs a passport.

 

IMO, the passport card is a waste of money unless you cruise frequently or live near a border. A passport has value because you can use it to fly internationally. A birth certificate has value because it's a budget option for cruising. I personally don't see the value in paying for a passport card when it provides no more benefits than a birth certificate.

 

I was thinking this exactly. If I were the OP I’d save the $190 and use birth certificates and DL or I’d just spend the money and get the passport book.

[ntourtelotte]

We drive to Canada regularly so my kids have had passport cards for years. My husband and I have had real passports because we have used them for other travel and they last 10 years. We did chose real passports for our upcoming cruise simply due to the possibility of emergency. We decided that if an emergency were to arise, we would want to be able to fly immediately. Not likely, but worth the money to feel secure.

[SadieN]

there is not many reasons to have both unless you travel by boat from USVI to BVI every day, so you don't run out of stamps. Also for land travel to Canada if you frequently visit Canada by land. Passport cards are useless for any foreign air travel

 

 

 

Valid point but not many places stamp passports anymore.

[Cruiseaholichal]

What is a passport card ?