Real ID and cruising with NCL

[cebee123]

I live in Michigan and we are going to the Real ID drivers licenses (mandatory in 2020 but optional now) I will be cruising on the Getaway in December to Cozumel and Progreso. My understanding is that a Read ID drivers license should allow me to travel to Mexico without a passport (I do have a passport but...)   The info I can find online says cruise ships can still require a passport (depends on the cruise line). I do have a passport but am curious if anyone knows NCLs policy on this? I’m good for this year but my passport expires in 2020 and am debating renewing it or not..

[ColeThornton]

Here is what the NCL web site says about documentation from their Frequently Asked Questions section:

 

https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents

[dbrown84]

You can use your ID and birth certificate.  I've never had a passport.  I'd and birth certificate is all I ever use.  You said your passport expires in 2020.  Make sure you still have at least 6 months left on it when your cruise starts.

[PTC DAWG]

My advice, renew your passport when the time comes...

[ColinIllinois]

8 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

My advice, renew your passport when the time comes...

 

 

Agree.  Passports aren't very expensive to renew and it guarantees that you won't have any problems in case of an emergency where you may have to fly from a distant port to home.  

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, cebee123 said:

My understanding is that a Read ID drivers license should allow me to travel to Mexico without a passport (I do have a passport but...)  

No...it's an Enhanced Drivers License that can be used in lieu of a passport, not a REAL ID drivers license. Michigan is one of only 5 US states (as well as 4 Canadian provinces) that Issue an EDL, which provides verification of citizenship and identification in a single document, much as a passport or passport card does. REAL ID is something completely different.

That having been said a US citizen can use any type of valid drivers license  with an official birth certificate to take a closed loop cruise from a US port.

However, since you already have a passport, I'd recommend renewing it. A passport is required for international flights.

Edited July 7, 2019 by njhorseman

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

Here is what the NCL web site says about documentation from their Frequently Asked Questions section:

 

https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents

The Real ID Act and the WHTI (Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative) are two separate things.  While a Real ID will be required for domestic air travel, it has no advantage over a non-Real ID driver's license when taking a cruise.  You will still need a birth certificate to travel with a Real ID driver's license.  The linked document says that you don't need a birth certificate if you have a WHTI compliant ID.  A WHTI compliant ID is an Enhanced Drivers License.  Your state is one of the 5 states that issue Enhanced Drivers Licenses, the difference is in the amount of documentation required to get one, and the Real ID license will have a "gold star" on it, while and Enhanced License will have a "US flag" on it.   Just saw NJhorseman's reply as I was typing.

[zqvol]

8 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

You can use your ID and birth certificate.  I've never had a passport.  I'd and birth certificate is all I ever use.  You said your passport expires in 2020.  Make sure you still have at least 6 months left on it when your cruise starts.

 

Why 6 months? Neither NCL nor the US government require that?

[smplybcause]

12 minutes ago, zqvol said:

 

Why 6 months? Neither NCL nor the US government require that?

 

Some countries require it for entering. Depends on where the cruise is going. 

[zqvol]

27 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

 

Some countries require it for entering. Depends on where the cruise is going. 

 

On a cruise you don't enter a country, you are in transit.

[smplybcause]

28 minutes ago, zqvol said:

 

On a cruise you don't enter a country, you are in transit.

 

Of course, but if you have to disembark for some reason you will have to enter. I'm unsure of exceptions in the case of emergencies, but there probably are. 

[njhorseman]

55 minutes ago, zqvol said:

 

On a cruise you don't enter a country, you are in transit.

No...you've legally entered a country once you're within their territorial waters.  Try cruising to a country that requires everyone to have a visa by saying you're not going to get off the ship. Guess what...the cruise line won't even let you board if you don't have the required visa because they know you would be entering the country illegally.

 

That having been said many countries treat cruise passengers as if they were in transit and as a result may not have the same entry requirements for cruise passengers as those entering the country by other means. However that doesn't mean you're not legally in the country, it just means that as a cruise you're subject to less stringent requirements.

 

During the summer cruising season to Bermuda hardly a week goes by without a cruise passenger on one ship or another being arrested for having marijuana. Bermuda police bring drug sniffing dogs on board and when the dog alerts to weed in a cabin the cabin is searched, any illegal drugs and paraphernalia are seized and the occupant of the cabin is arrested. The passenger does not have to have set foot on land for this to happen. So, if someone hasn't entered the country, please explain how that country can arrest them?

Edited July 8, 2019 by njhorseman