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First time cruisers-passport question


Cah1988
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Hi all. Can anyone help clear up some confusion. I’m taking a carnival cruise from Tampa to Cozumel and grand cayman and we leave Nov 10. Per the website and someone via phone with carnival that we will not need passports, just id and birth certificate? I believe this is correct but want to be sure. Will we be able to get off the ship in Cozumel and Grand Cayman? Thanks so much

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You will be able to get off in Cayman and Mexcio. Officials from the country don't actually check anything getting off in the ports, but your ship will check ID/room key.

 

 

Cuba is the only country in the Caribbean I've needed a passport to get off in.

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One caveat: are you flying to Tampa? If so, you now will need the newer "real i.d." driver's license (or a passport/passport card for domestic air travel.

 

And, of course, not having a passport in any international location, where some personal emergency may require flying home to the U.S., is a "pennywise/pound foolish" risk.

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One caveat: are you flying to Tampa? If so, you now will need the newer "real i.d." driver's license (or a passport/passport card for domestic air travel.

 

And, of course, not having a passport in any international location, where some personal emergency may require flying home to the U.S., is a "pennywise/pound foolish" risk.

 

I thought the "real I'd" requirement for domestic flights didn't start until 2020??

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Unless I've misunderstood, i think that 2020 is when there will be no more extensions allowed to non-compliant states. Maybe someone with specific knowledge can shed some light. I'm pretty sure that flying out of California requires Real ID license starting this month (October 2018).

I'm not worried though because we've got both passport books and passport cards.

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Unless I've misunderstood, i think that 2020 is when there will be no more extensions allowed to non-compliant states. Maybe someone with specific knowledge can shed some light. I'm pretty sure that flying out of California requires Real ID license starting this month (October 2018).

I'm not worried though because we've got both passport books and passport cards.

 

 

 

Just checked the DMV website: looks like it is 2020. My apologies.

Nonetheless, I still urge folks who do (or intend to) cruise to get a passport: essential for flights home from emergencies abroad; moving from closed loop cruises to cruises with other international ports; taking advantage of great deals you couldn't enjoy w/o passport; complying with the requirements of a growing number of cruise lines that require all passengers to have one for all itineraries.

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We live in Michigan and have the Enhanced Drivers License. We’ve never had any issues using that. We take it on and off the ship with us at every stop - no need for a birth certificate.

The enhanced drivers license acts as a passport for any travel by land or sea.

 

 

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And, of course, not having a passport in any international location, where some personal emergency may require flying home to the U.S., is a "pennywise/pound foolish" risk.

 

The only risk involved with not having a passport is a delay in getting home and travel insurance would cover any expenses associated with that. Depending on where you are and the nature of the emergency you very well may be allowed to board a flight to the US without a passport. It's up to each person to determine what risk level they are comfortable with and what documentation they need for their personal travel needs.

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Pennywise and pound foolish. That "delay" could be very costly in terms of lost work days, insurance limitations (covered reasons et al.), consulate/embassy locations (or lack thereof).

In this day and age, the cost of a passport(s) is "chump change" over its effective life. The same can be said for Global Entry.

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Pennywise and pound foolish. That "delay" could be very costly in terms of lost work days, insurance limitations (covered reasons et al.), consulate/embassy locations (or lack thereof).

In this day and age, the cost of a passport(s) is "chump change" over its effective life. The same can be said for Global Entry.

 

If anything even happens in the first place and since millions of people travel on closed loop cruises every year with something other than a passport with no issues at all, so the odds are heavily in most people's favor. Again it comes down to what someone's travel needs are.

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If anything even happens in the first place and since millions of people travel on closed loop cruises every year with something other than a passport with no issues at all, so the odds are heavily in most people's favor. Again it comes down to what someone's travel needs are.

 

 

You do realize that "odds" are irrelevant when you're today's loser.

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You do realize that "odds" are irrelevant when you're today's loser.

 

Yes, but the fact still remains it's a low risk proposition that is easily covered by good travel insurance. I know for my family not spending $850 for passports when we didn't have to for a 4 day cruise made a big difference.

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You're giving way too many CC visitors/posters too much credit for researching/understanding the ins/outs of insurance.

And, even then, you are minimizing all that it takes to make folks "whole" again.

As for the $850, didn't you eventually get passports?

Pay now or pay later....

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You're giving way too many CC visitors/posters too much credit for researching/understanding the ins/outs of insurance.

And, even then, you are minimizing all that it takes to make folks "whole" again.

As for the $850, didn't you eventually get passports?

Pay now or pay later....

 

Whether they do or don't do the research is completely on them, they are presumably adults who can make their own decisions.

 

Yes, eventually we did get passports, for two (instead of 7), in 2015 when we actually needed them for the travel we were doing. By paying later we ended up with a full 10 years of validity at a time when we would actually be using it, instead of letting over half of the clock tick away. Personally any expense I can push down the road I will, especially if it comes with an expiration date.

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Whether they do or don't do the research is completely on them, they are presumably adults who can make their own decisions.

 

 

 

Yes, eventually we did get passports, for two (instead of 7), in 2015 when we actually needed them for the travel we were doing. By paying later we ended up with a full 10 years of validity at a time when we would actually be using it, instead of letting over half of the clock tick away. Personally any expense I can push down the road I will, especially if it comes with an expiration date.

 

 

 

So, you saved $850 (actually $85 per year over the life of a passport) on a bet that, with "seven players," could've cost you thousands (in uncovered insurance items) and trouble on each cruise you took during a ten year span. You ARE a risk taker!

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One caveat: are you flying to Tampa? If so, you now will need the newer "real i.d." driver's license (or a passport/passport card for domestic air travel.

 

And, of course, not having a passport in any international location, where some personal emergency may require flying home to the U.S., is a "pennywise/pound foolish" risk.

Domestic Airline Travel ID Requirements for U.S. Citizens

 

As a result of the REAL ID Act, new airline travel restrictions will take effect in 2018 for U.S. citizens traveling by air domestically. The REAL ID Act establishes minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards and prohibits federal agencies, like TSA, from accepting licenses and identification cards for official purposes from states that do not meet these standards. Beginning January 22, 2018, guests with driver’s licenses or state IDs issued by states that are not in compliance with the REAL ID Act and have not been granted an extension by DHS may not use these forms of identification to fly within the US. If the state is in compliance, guests may continue to use state-issued driver’s license or ID for domestic air travel only if your state has been granted an extension to the compliance deadline by DHS.

 

Guests should take this into consideration when planning travels for their cruise.

 

To find out if your state is in compliance, please*click here.

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

 

For more information, including other acceptable forms of identification, please*click here.

https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

 

 

 

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So, you saved $850 (actually $85 per year over the life of a passport) on a bet that, with "seven players," could've cost you thousands (in uncovered insurance items) and trouble on each cruise you took during a ten year span. You ARE a risk taker!

 

For a 4 day cruise, yes, I considered it worth the risk. It's also worthy to note that 4 of those passports would have expired in 5 years due to the age of the players. If someone doesn't want to take the risk then obviously they should get a passport.

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We live in Michigan and have the Enhanced Drivers License. We’ve never had any issues using that. We take it on and off the ship with us at every stop - no need for a birth certificate.

The enhanced drivers license acts as a passport for any travel by land or sea.

Most states don't issue an Enhanced DL, which is not the same as a Real ID.

 

You still won't be able to fly home from the Caribbean with an Enhanced DL, which is the most common reason people are advised not to cruise with just BC/ID.

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For a 4 day cruise, yes, I considered it worth the risk. It's also worthy to note that 4 of those passports would have expired in 5 years due to the age of the players. If someone doesn't want to take the risk then obviously they should get a passport.

 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2018/01/11/the-share-of-americans-holding-a-passport-has-increased-dramatically-in-recent-years-infographic/amp/

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Most states don't issue an Enhanced DL, which is not the same as a Real ID.

 

 

 

You still won't be able to fly home from the Caribbean with an Enhanced DL, which is the most common reason people are advised not to cruise with just BC/ID.

 

 

 

That’s not entirely true - we could fly home from Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands without a passport, should an emergency occur.

 

Both of those stops happen to be on our next cruise. And since my husband and I both already have the enhanced drivers licenses - we will take our chances [emoji1303]

 

 

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So? If you want to get a passport because it's just the right thickness to keep Great Aunt Matilda's coffee table from wobbling then go for it. Just don't expect me to use the same reasoning. I don't have an Aunt Matilda.;):')

 

I have a good number of neighbors whose only foreign travel is crossing the border that's 8 miles from my front door. They aren't going to fly to Europe. They aren't going to go on a cruise. They have either a passport card or an Enhanced Drivers License (since Vermont is one of the 5 states that issue them) and would scoff at the idea that they need a passport.

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While I don't advocate cruising without a passport, I do know that millions have done so and realistically, the odds of actually needing one is going to be low. Of course, that isn't going to comfort anyone the does need it for one reason or another.

 

JMHO but I feel that Sparks posts are valid....

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While I don't advocate cruising without a passport, I do know that millions have done so and realistically, the odds of actually needing one is going to be low. Of course, that isn't going to comfort anyone the does need it for one reason or another.

 

 

 

JMHO but I feel that Sparks posts are valid....

 

 

Speaking of "validity," the mathematical problem with "statistical odds" when it comes to cruising is that there are just too many "variables" to make them useful. It isn't horse racing.

 

And, as is the case with any odds, on any given day, you can be the "loser."

 

Moreover, any argument suggesting that it's "no big deal" if you get stuck in a foreign country (requiring air travel to return home) and/or that travel insurance will honor a "trip interruption" claim arising from intentional negligence (i.e., not bringing a passport as opposed to losing it) is just so fallacious.

 

Of course, where Sparks is correct is that each person needs to "assess their own risk." However, it is my contention that, like so many other arenas requiring human judgement (preparing for disasters, retirement, etc), a surprising number of folks are incapable and/or too lazy to do their homework and/or the "right thing." And, thus, they remain clueless as to what exactly they are risking and how much it would ultimately cost (money, time, effort) to rectify problems that may arise.

 

On a side note about "odds":

We live fairly close to the Hayward Fault. Though our last major earthquake was about 20 years ago (Loma Prieta), the "odds" of having "the big one" this morning are "slim to none." Yet, under our bed you will always find shoes, flashlight and a blue bar. Like a passport, small price to pay to make life easier if they're ever needed.

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