Alaska cruise passport question...

[Cruise-Crazzy]

Better to have a Passport and not need it, than not have a passport and find that you need it. Princess says passport required.

[Cruise Raider]

Why not just call Princess and ask?

 

Not arguing for the sake of arguing, but those reps at Princess don't always know the actual requirements and will tell you a passport is required when it is not. They can recommend it, but it is actually not required.

 

Check the info using the following link:

 

https://www.us-passport-service-guide.com/passports-for-closed-loop-cruise.html

 

If you need to fly home from Canada, you will need a passport but for entry back into the US by air, but by ship or automobile, a government issued ID and a certified copy of your birth certificate (with a raised seal) is really all that is required. Would I travel on a cruise without a passport?? Absolutely not!! But if you feel comfortable in doing this, it is allowed on Princess. We checked into this with my brother for that same itinerary as the OP mentioned and even though Princess told him that he needed a passport, that was untrue and the official birth cert and his license was just fine. And, we drive up into Canada from my sister's house in Washington all the time and never take my passport for this. My sister doesn't even have a passport. But some excursions may note that you have to use a passport and that might be true. I would check with guest services onboard to see if your BC and license would be sufficient in for said excursions.

BTW, in California, they are changing the rules for even domestic air travel in the next couple of years (Real ID), so these cruiseline regulations may also be updated but as of now, you're fine with your original assumption.

[Ellipooh]

 

 

Wise? In the words of Insp H.F. Callahan, SFPD, "Do you feel lucky today?" ;)

Okay, wait.

 

Who says his middle initial is “F.”? I know my Dirty Harry, and I’ve never heard that before.

 

Or is it in the nature of “Bucky F. Dent” you hear about in Boston?

[neverbeenhere]

Francis

[Shmoo here]

...

If you need to fly home from Canada, you will need a passport but for entry back into the US by air, but by ship or automobile, a government issued ID and a certified copy of your birth certificate (with a raised seal) is really all that is required. ....

Not quite accurate. Not all birth certificates have a raised seal. Some only have a signed "this is a certified copy" statement on them. That's what my kid's birth certificates have.

[pppiglet]

We just got off the 12 day Princess round trip and had to show our passports to get on our bus tour/ White Pass Railway tour and they checked it both going to and coming back on the tour at the border. Also we had to show our passports coming back onto the ship from Vancouver.

[Shmoo here]

We just got off the 12 day Princess round trip and had to show our passports to get on our bus tour/ White Pass Railway tour and they checked it both going to and coming back on the tour at the border. Also we had to show our passports coming back onto the ship from Vancouver.

That's because you were crossing the border on that excursion. If you don't take that excursion, you don't HAVE to have a passport to just take the cruise.

 

Unless, of course, the cruise line requires passports, regardless of the legal requirements (some do).

[satxdiver]

Not quite accurate. Not all birth certificates have a raised seal. Some only have a signed "this is a certified copy" statement on them. That's what my kid's birth certificates have.

 

My b/c which I obtained decades ago only has a colored stamp on it. In my birth state the county issues the b/c. It is on special paper but says nothing about a certified copy. So with 50 states we have 50 different ways to produce a b/c.

[Ofmyheart]

Princess refused to allow our daughter to book an Alaska cruise last year since her passport was in for a name change (recently married). They are leaving today on an Anniversary cruise instead!

[XBGuy]

I think the OP has been given enough information to make a decision.

 

This might be thread drift, but I think it's an interesting story.

 

I just returned from a round-trip cruise from Los Angeles to Alaska. Interestingly enough, the first port stop on this cruise was Vancouver, BC. The second port stop was Juneau, AK. So, before stepping onto U.S. soil in Juneau, we had to go through immigration. At the port in Vancouver, we were able to pass through U.S. immigration before re-boarding the ship. Also, we were told that birth certificate along with government issued ID would work.

 

That being said, I would never leave the United States without my passport. The odds are pretty overwhelming that I won't really need it, but, if those odds caught up with me, and I did, in fact, need it, . . . .

 

Here is an interesting story. Subsequently, on this cruise at breakfast one morning I met a very nice lady who had her passport confiscated at the immigration check in Vancouver. Years ago she lost her passport and reported it. Then, she found it but did not bother to report that. Naturally, her passport was flagged. So, when she presented it in Vancouver, the agent was required to retain it. She was, obviously, allowed to board the ship.

 

Well, guess what excursion she had booked in Skagway. She was unable to join her group on the train trip to White Horse.

 

Since we had passed through immigration in Vancouver, and had subsequently visited only U.S. ports, we did not have to go through the process again when we arrived back in Los Angeles.

[Haboob]

Princess refused to allow our daughter to book an Alaska cruise last year since her passport was in for a name change (recently married). They are leaving today on an Anniversary cruise instead!

 

Too late for her, but --yeah-- if you plan on honeymooning out of the US, travel on your

maiden name. It's not as if it's still the 1950s.

 

BTW, passport name-changes to your new married name are free for 1st 12 months.

[broberts]

For US citizens Canada requires proof of citizenship and proof of identity (photo id).

 

See Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Canada.html.

 

Also http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html

 

See Princess requirements in Travel Documents Requirements section of https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp.

 

Some Alaskan excursions require passports.

 

Numerous threads on this board about those wondering about past convictions, especially DUI. See Can I enter Canada section of http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/travel-voyage/ivc-rnc-eng.html#a3.