Passport or Passport card needed?

[Tgentilesco]

Hi there, first time cruisers here on the Allure of the Seas in June 2018. We are leaving from Fort Lauderdale and going throughout the Caribbean (for example, Cozumel, Nassau,etc). When we port at these locations we don't plan on going far and plan on being on the ship most of the time. Do we need a passport or passport card? Some people are getting us worried...and I read that it is not necessary since we are travelling to and from the US via ship. FYI, we do have passport cards JUST IN CASE... but do we NEED them? THANK YOU!

[Karyn RN]

I thought you could only use the passport card for Mexico and Canada, unless that has changed. Do your research. You don’t want to get to the ship and not have proper documents

 

 

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[sparks1093]

No you don't need them, but you do need something else in their place which in your case is more unwieldy (government issued photo ID and a birth certificate) so it's much easier to bring and use the passport card since you already have one. (Yes, passport cards are good for sea port of entry returning from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.) And it doesn't matter if you are getting off the ship or not, you still need the correct documents.

[Z'Loth]

From travel.state.gov - Passport book verses passport card.

 

Passport books are recommended.

[pacruise804]

If you have the card that should be sufficient and the simplest option for a US closed loop sailing by a US citizen. The full passport book would be helpful (and possibly necessary) for air travel in the event of an emergency.

 

You should have time to get the book before your cruise. I advise reading the travel.state.gov information and your cruise contract (in case they have stronger requirements) since that is the official rules and decide for yourself.

[pacruise804]

I thought you could only use the passport card for Mexico and Canada, unless that has changed. Do your research. You don’t want to get to the ship and not have proper documents

 

 

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Passport cards can be used for land border crossings and for closed loop cruises. Everyone should always double check though that rules haven't changed.

[thinfool]

You do not need to carry a passport or passport card when you explore a port in the Caribbean (Cuba may be the exception). The vast majority of cruisers leave their passports in their cabin safe.

 

Some folks feel differently, and that is their perogative.

 

To leave/return to the ship you will need your

 

1. ship card

2. photo ID (govt issued, like a drivers license, passport card also works)

[paul929207]

Are you US citizens?

[njhorseman]

Are you US citizens?

 

The OP says they have passport cards: "FYI, we do have passport cards JUST IN CASE", so they have to be US citizens. The US is the only country that issues a passport card.

[lenquixote66]

No you don't need them, but you do need something else in their place which in your case is more unwieldy (government issued photo ID and a birth certificate) so it's much easier to bring and use the passport card since you already have one. (Yes, passport cards are good for sea port of entry returning from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.) And it doesn't matter if you are getting off the ship or not, you still need the correct documents.

 

We have been on 17 out of the US cruises .Nobody at any port has ever asked us to show ID ,very strange.

[sparks1093]

We have been on 17 out of the US cruises .Nobody at any port has ever asked us to show ID ,very strange.

 

My response was regarding the documentation that one needs to board the ship at the embarkation port and to disembark at the end of the cruise and I'm pretty sure you had to show ID for that. As for in port, it does seem to vary by port but in 7 cruises we've been asked in most ports for ID and cabin card.

[lenquixote66]

My response was regarding the documentation that one needs to board the ship at the embarkation port and to disembark at the end of the cruise and I'm pretty sure you had to show ID for that. As for in port, it does seem to vary by port but in 7 cruises we've been asked in most ports for ID and cabin card.

 

 

Correct re Cabin card but never asking for our drivers license or other ID.

[gerelmx]

The future is unpredictable, any event could happen. Although it is not necessary The best thing is that you travel with your passport in case you need it for an unforeseen event.

[njhorseman]

Correct re Cabin card but never asking for our drivers license or other ID.

 

That's unusual. You must have visited a very limited number of ports in your 17 cruises. For example Nassau and Bermuda, two very commonly visited ports on cruises that depart from the East Coast require a photo ID to reenter the cruise terminal and board the ship. It's local port security that requires the photo ID, not the cruise ship.

[Shmoo here]

Correct re Cabin card but never asking for our drivers license or other ID.

We, on the other hand, have rarely had to show only the ship's card. We've had to show both government issued photo ID along with our ship's card to enter most port areas where the ship is docked.

 

In many cases these docks are secured areas, and ID is required.

 

Do the security people at the gate always ask? No. Should you bring it ashore anyway? Yes.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Correct re Cabin card but never asking for our drivers license or other ID.

Not sure what ports you have visited, but that's highly unusual. Usually have to show ship's ID plus photo ID - often had bag searched too just like TSA. Varies from country to country.

[SuiteTraveler]

We have been on 17 out of the US cruises .Nobody at any port has ever asked us to show ID ,very strange.

 

That IS strange as we've had to present our passports many, many times for rebounding the ship including in the Caribbean, Europe and Canada. Most of all the passports are required upon final disembarkation to go through immigration at the US port.

[SadieN]

We have been on 17 out of the US cruises .Nobody at any port has ever asked us to show ID ,very strange.

 

 

 

Then you’re not going to the right ports, lol

 

We repeated ports many times. We’ve been asked for ID in several ports, just not every cruise.

[lenquixote66]

We have never been in Europe or Asia .We have never been asked for photo ID in any of the Caribbean islands.

[SRF]

The OP says they have passport cards: "FYI, we do have passport cards JUST IN CASE", so they have to be US citizens. The US is the only country that issues a passport card.

 

True. But many countries have national ID cards that can be used for certain border crossings. Similar, but yes, different term.

[SRF]

We have been on 17 out of the US cruises .Nobody at any port has ever asked us to show ID ,very strange.

 

Bermuda and Bahamas both needed photo ID to enter the dock.

 

You could get in without it, but you had to be security screened and they looked you up on the manifest. Just more time and hassle.

[sleepless]

Correct re Cabin card but never asking for our drivers license or other ID.

 

 

DH and I have been asked for government issued photo I'D - passport or drivers license - to get through the security gates to get back on the ship several times in Caribbean ports, (Nassau each time we visit there), and in Victoria, (British Columbia, Canada). But to actually get back on the ship, we only needed our ship card.