Passport required!

[pamwigs]

On 8/23/2019 at 6:21 PM, ShawninFL said:

Everyone just needs to break down and get a passport.  Although you can do closed loops to the Caribbean from the US with a birth certificate and a state ID, it's not advisable.  In the event of an emergency, if you do not have a passport, you are very limited as to what you can do.  Emergency back home and no passport, can't fly home.  Unexpected illness or injury that causes you or travel companion to have to leave sailing for land based care, you will have a bureaucratic hill to climb with the local consulate to get you a passport so you can travel home.  Yes, these are highly unlikely, but if they happen, the last thing you want to have to deal with is figuring out how you're going to get home.

 

The passenger can exit the ship in Canada, just can't fly from there. 

If you do travel with only a US birth certificate and driver's license, and some emergency arises while you are in Canada, note that you will not be able to fly back into the US (you would have to get back by land or sea). 

[pamwigs]

On 8/24/2019 at 11:05 PM, indygirl99 said:

Nope no birth certificate needed with the EDL. It is looked at the same way a passport card is. I used my EDL for my most recent flight to Alaska and cruise from Whittier to Vancouver. Went to the Summit on the Canadian side from Skagway and no problems there either.

 

The process to get your EDL (at least in Washington state) is similar to a passport. You show up at the DMV with your certified birth certificate and they take your picture and an extra $30 and 5 minute later you walk out with a temporary license and 5-10 days later your permanent one shows up in the mail. Hubby and I had ours in the mail 2 days later. I was impressed.

This is true. I work at the Whittier Port.

[capriccio]

On 8/25/2019 at 1:57 PM, capriccio said:

 

I don't remember any of those postings (other than a gentleman who missed the ship in Nassau without his passport and had to go to the Embassy and get a new one IIRC) and couldn't find any using the search engine (which is admittedly weak) but here is what the US State Department recommends for cruise ship passengers on https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/cruise-ship-passengers.html

 

Researching something else I just came across the story of the gentleman who missed the ship without a current passport.  it is eye opening:  

 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

On 8/25/2019 at 9:32 AM, cougaraz said:

you will not be able to fly home until you get one.

 

Curious why "you will not be able to fly home until you get one"? Will Canada not let you leave without a U.S. passport?

[capriccio]

29 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

 

Curious why "you will not be able to fly home until you get one"? Will Canada not let you leave without a U.S. passport?

At some Canadian airports (and a few others around the world) you clear US immigration and customs at the airport.  At other foreign airports airlines check to make sure you have proper documentation to enter the US.  I know in the past the airline could be fined for providing passage to someone who will immediately be denied entry.

Edited September 8, 2019 by capriccio

[KeepCalmBearOn]

1 minute ago, capriccio said:

At some Canadian airports (and a few others around the world) you clear US immigration and customs at the airport.  At other foreign airports airlines check to make sure you have proper documentation to enter the US.  I know in the past the airline could be fined for providing passage to someone who will immediately be denied entry.

 

That last phrase is the key. A U.S. citizen cannot be denied entry into the U.S. They can delay them long enough to establish their identity and citizenship, but once it is established they are a citizen, they cannot be denied entry.

[Daniel A]

11 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

 

That last phrase is the key. A U.S. citizen cannot be denied entry into the U.S. They can delay them long enough to establish their identity and citizenship, but once it is established they are a citizen, they cannot be denied entry.

No airline will permit you to board their aircraft without your current passport.  The issue for closed loop cruises is you won't be able to board the airplane back into the U.S. without a passport.

[KeepCalmBearOn]

2 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

No airline will permit you to board their aircraft without your current passport.  The issue for closed loop cruises is you won't be able to board the airplane back into the U.S. without a passport.

 

In western Canada you clear U.S. immigration and customs in Canada at the airport, so you would be cleared before boarding the plane. I don't recall for Montreal, but I am fairly certain I cleared U.S. immigration and customs at the airport in Toronto.

[Daniel A]

21 minutes ago, capriccio said:

At some Canadian airports (and a few others around the world) you clear US immigration and customs at the airport.  At other foreign airports airlines check to make sure you have proper documentation to enter the US.  I know in the past the airline could be fined for providing passage to someone who will immediately be denied entry.

I was under the impression that U.S. Immigration & Customs was located in certain foreign airports so that they could have flights into U.S. airports that are regional airports without Customs and immigration.  I have flown from Pearson airport in Toronto direct to LaGuardia instead of JFK.  (LaGuardia Airport does not have Customs and Immigration.)  JFK is the international airport in NYC.

[capriccio]

1 minute ago, scottca075 said:

 

In western Canada you clear U.S. immigration and customs in Canada at the airport, so you would be cleared before boarding the plane. I don't recall for Montreal, but I am fairly certain I cleared U.S. immigration and customs at the airport in Toronto.

Yes and did you present a valid passport?

[Daniel A]

4 hours ago, capriccio said:

Researching something else I just came across the story of the gentleman who missed the ship without a current passport.  it is eye opening:  

 

Great account!  I was riveted.  Thanks for finding it and sharing.  I think I'll take my passport with me whenever I leave the ship.  (Maybe not if it's a Princess excursion...)

[capriccio]

6 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I was under the impression that U.S. Immigration & Customs was located in certain foreign airports so that they could have flights into U.S. airports that are regional airports without Customs and immigration.  I have flown from Pearson airport in Toronto direct to LaGuardia instead of JFK.  (LaGuardia Airport does not have Customs and Immigration.)  JFK is the international airport in NYC.

Pre-clearance is currently offered in 15 foreign airports:  " in 6 countries: Dublin and Shannon in Ireland; Aruba; Freeport and Nassau in The Bahamas; Bermuda; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; and Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Winnipeg in Canada."  https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/operations/preclearance

 

"The Department of Homeland Security has already announced its intentions to expand preclearance to the following airports:

• Brussels Airport
• Punta Cana International Airport
• Narita International Airport
• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
• Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
• Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport
• Stockholm Arlanda Airport
• Istanbul Ataturk Airport
• London Heathrow Airport
• Manchester Airport
• https://pointmetotheplane.boardingarea.com/15-foreign-airports-with-u-s-customs-and-immigration-preclearance-locations/

 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

10 minutes ago, capriccio said:

Yes and did you present a valid passport?

 

I did.

 

But the point is.... a lot of the information being given out is incorrect. Especially as it relates to Alaska cruises and closed loop West Coast cruises.

[capriccio]

4 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

Great account!  I was riveted.  Thanks for finding it and sharing.  I think I'll take my passport with me whenever I leave the ship.  (Maybe not if it's a Princess excursion...)

I was so impressed with the help provided by the gentleman from the Port Authority and even the cruiseline.  If the passenger had a valid passport in his safe I bet the crew would have given it to the agent.

[capriccio]

1 minute ago, scottca075 said:

 

I did.

 

But the point is.... a lot of the information being given out is incorrect. Especially as it relates to Alaska cruises and closed loop West Coast cruises.

The information on the necessity of a valid passport to fly out of any foreign country including Canada is correct.

[bonship]

Just completed Alaskan cruise with Princess last month with whole family R/T from Seattle.  My son and all six of my grand children DID NOT have passports, only birth certificates.  No problems checking in and no passport needed at the stop in Victoria--just needed cruise card.    Lots of wrong information is this thread, although I agree that it is best to be safe and have a passport whenever leaving the country and always if Princess says you need one. 

 

[Outerdog]

15 minutes ago, bonship said:

Just completed Alaskan cruise with Princess last month with whole family R/T from Seattle.  My son and all six of my grand children DID NOT have passports, only birth certificates.  No problems checking in and no passport needed at the stop in Victoria--just needed cruise card.    Lots of wrong information is this thread, although I agree that it is best to be safe and have a passport whenever leaving the country and always if Princess says you need one. 

 

 

What does your Alaska cruise yesterday have to do with OP's December Caribbean cruise in regards to passports? What information is wrong in the thread?

 

[Lindaru]

Alaska cruise in May with Victoria as a stop.  I had my passport card and cruise card with me at all times, even in the Alaskan ports.  While we do not fly, we would have needed it in case of emergency to rent a car and drive back to Seattle.  Princess did say we needed to have either the full passport *or* the card.

 

[broberts]

1 hour ago, scottca075 said:

 

Curious why "you will not be able to fly home until you get one"? Will Canada not let you leave without a U.S. passport?

 

The trick is convincing the airline to issue a boarding pass. (Once boarded, an airline is responsible for the passenger and may have to bear the costs of returning him/her to the point of origin if denied entry.)

 

In Canadian airports with US pre-clearance it may be easier given that CBP agents are on site and there may be avenues of communications available to handle such a situation. 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

59 minutes ago, capriccio said:

The information on the necessity of a valid passport to fly out of any foreign country including Canada is correct.

 

No, it is not.

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, scottca075 said:

 

I did.

 

But the point is.... a lot of the information being given out is incorrect. Especially as it relates to Alaska cruises and closed loop West Coast cruises.

Long story short it wouldn't be an issue if one just carried a valid passport.  🙄

Especially if one has to leave the cruise early.

Just can't understand the resistance.  

[pamwigs]

2 hours ago, scottca075 said:

 

Curious why "you will not be able to fly home until you get one"? Will Canada not let you leave without a U.S. passport?

I can tell you if you get on a ship in Alaska or Seattle that ends in Canada, you MUST have a passport if flying home from Canada to the US.

I work at the Whittier port in Alaska.

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, scottca075 said:

 

No, it is not.

Why did you bother to bring a passport if you don't need one?  Seems as if the cost of the passport would be an awful waste of money if you didn't need one.

Edited September 8, 2019 by Daniel A

[LoriPhil]

Awful waste of money?  Nope - at least not for for us because we plan on leaving the US from time to time.   At less than $200 to receive a government-issued document good for 10 years that validates identity, citizenship, it's worth coughing up less than $20/year for this little jewel. 

[Colo Cruiser]

1 minute ago, LoriPhil said:

Awful waste of money?  Nope - at least not for for us because we plan on leaving the US from time to time.   At less than $200 to receive a government-issued document good for 10 years that validates identity, citizenship, it's worth coughing up less than $20/year for this little jewel. 

Eventually they will be required regardless.