Drivers licence question

[MWBearFan]

My wife and I are going on a cruise in October and I have a question about Real ID driver's licenses. This may be a silly question.

 

Having renewed my license this February, I do have the new Real ID license. My wife doesn't as her current one isn't up for renewal yet. I believe the year that they start requiring you carry a Real ID license is this year. However being in Indiana we are one of the states that were granted an extension to 2020 as the year we'll be required to switch.

 

 

Our cruise sails out of Miami. I know that when you initially board the ship you use your passport as ID. But after that when the ship stops at various ports you only need a valid Driver's license to re-board. Unless I'm mistaken. If we get to say our first port is Half Moon Cay and go to re-board, we have a problem that her license isn't a Real ID version even if it is valid and active? Should we get my wife's license updated or should we play it safe and take our passports with us when we stop in ports?

[CruiserBruce]

HMC is a private island, so you will only need your ship's ID/room card to board. Most ports are that way, but occasionally a government issued photo ID is required. Having or not having the Real ID program doesn't matter in any Caribbean port. It is still a government issued photo ID.

[MWBearFan]

Thanks for the quick reply! That helps ease my mind. Our other stop is Nassau with Carnival We sail from Miami and return to Miami so it being a closed loop cruise probably helps too. We're in the process of getting our passports. I'll be getting my first one she's getting her expired one updated. We definitely want be minimal on what we take with us off the ship when we stop in port. Ideally we'd keep our phones and our passports locked in the safe in our cabin and only carry the sign and sail, driver's license, beach items, some cash, a waterproof camera.

[TheOldBear]

My wife and I are going on a cruise in October and I have a question about Real ID driver's licenses. This may be a silly question.

 

Having renewed my license this February, I do have the new Real ID license. My wife doesn't as her current one isn't up for renewal yet. I believe the year that they start requiring you carry a Real ID license is this year. However being in Indiana we are one of the states that were granted an extension to 2020 as the year we'll be required to switch.

 

 

Our cruise sails out of Miami. I know that when you initially board the ship you use your passport as ID. But after that when the ship stops at various ports you only need a valid Driver's license to re-board. Unless I'm mistaken. If we get to say our first port is Half Moon Cay and go to re-board, we have a problem that her license isn't a Real ID version even if it is valid and active? Should we get my wife's license updated or should we play it safe and take our passports with us when we stop in ports?

 

Most of the time the government ID is used to permit you entry into an area where your ship ID can be scanned. You are only permitted back on the ship when you can be compared to your stored ID picture.

 

You will be informed what ID is required [just the ship ID; Ship's ID + Government issued ID; Ship's ID + Passport] - the only constant here is the Ship's ID.

 

For your cruise, if you brought a passport it will just stay in the safe until you need it at the end of the cruise.

 

Passports are only required for shore excursions when the country/region you are visiting requires them. My recent example was on a Transatlantic - UK Customs/Immigration needed to see the passport on the Eastbound crossing [between NY & Southampton] so the entire ship was considered 'cleared'. No passports were checked on UK ports [just the Ship's ID].

 

France needed to see the passport both leaving the ship and getting back onboard. [ship was not 'cleared']

[Keith1010]

Yes definitely leave the passport on the ship.

 

The chance of losing it or having it stolen is far greater then any benefits of having it with you off the ship.

 

Keith

[thinfool]

For US passengers....

 

The cruise industry has no ID requirements for Real ID drivers licenses. It just needs to be current...not expired. Note: Real ID licenses allow air travel without extra ID.

 

Enhanced Drivers licenses are valid for both ID and citizenship for cruise travel in most of the Caribbean.

 

Enhanced Drivers licenses are available in very, very few states. Real ID licenses are available in almost all states and, as you mentioned, will be in all states when the current extensions expire.

[sanger727]

The real ID requirement applies only to US domestic air travel. No one else will know or care of an ID is real or not. You will need you passport to board the ship and at the end of the cruise. When you are on shore, I just take my drivers license for ID. It won’t make any difference if it’s real or not.

 

 

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[SRF]

It is REAL ID, all DLs are real IDs. :D

[thinfool]

It is REAL ID, all DLs are real IDs. :D

 

 

 

True but the RealID being discussed here is the kind needed to board an airplane or enter a federal building.

 

 

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[SRF]

True but the RealID being discussed here is the kind needed to board an airplane or enter a federal building.

 

That is my point. All driver's license are real (actual, bona fide) IDs.

 

But not all are REAL ID compliant, which will be required for using the ID to fly.

 

I don't use a DL to enter a Federal building. I use my Federal ID. :D