Passports on Domestic Cruise

[Bookbug53]

57 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

 

I will add, in case this thread gets moved, that some cruise lines do require everyone to have a passport but Carnival isn't one of them.

Carnival will certainly require one depending upon the itinerary. Can you name a cruise line that requires a passport for everyone?

 

[sparks1093]

15 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

It is argument for both.  Travel insurance won't help you get back to the US

No, but the regulations will. There are provisions to waive the passport requirement for emergencies and for humanitarian reasons.

[sparks1093]

8 minutes ago, Bookbug53 said:

Carnival will certainly require one depending upon the itinerary. Can you name a cruise line that requires a passport for everyone?

 

They don't require one for a closed loop cruise such as the OP is taking. Oceania is one line that I am aware of that requires passports regardless of itinerary and most of the premium and luxury lines also require it. 

[Lottacruises]

1 hour ago, evandbob said:

That's okay, I had the same question about "domestic cruises" with Cozumel as a port.  Closed loop sure, but domestic with an international port seems like a contradictory term.  Probably be a term I wouldn't use again.

 

We also have an annual travel insurance policy since we take numerous trips and cruises each year.

 

 

Annual travel insurance? Who would you recommend? I imagine it's cheaper than per trip policies...

[sparks1093]

14 minutes ago, Lottacruises said:

 

 

Annual travel insurance? Who would you recommend? I imagine it's cheaper than per trip policies...

I have seen them at insuremytrip.com and it's cheaper if you travel enough. It think for us it's more than 2 trips a year in order for an annual policy to make sense.

[Lottacruises]

3 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

I have seen them at insuremytrip.com and it's cheaper if you travel enough. It think for us it's more than 2 trips a year in order for an annual policy to make sense.

 

 

Thanks, looking now.  I don't buy insurance for all trips but when I don't I'm a little uneasy. This looks like it would work well for us, thanks again

[coevan]

We never travel without insurance and a passport. We do travel internationally at least twice a year. 

[Elaine5715]

3 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

No, but the regulations will. There are provisions to waive the passport requirement for emergencies and for humanitarian reasons.

You keep saying that but the facts are there is no provisions to waive passport requirements for individuals who miss the ship.  You miss, you apply for an emergency passport at the speed of that consulate, not open on weekends.  

[Homosassa]

4 hours ago, Bookbug53 said:

Carnival will certainly require one depending upon the itinerary. Can you name a cruise line that requires a passport for everyone?

 

Besides Oceania, Viking ocean also requires passports.

 

Holland America will also require a passport for everyone in the party when a minor is sailing with only one legal guardian. It is to make sure that travel arrangements can be made if the need arises.

[ABQrobin]

Get the passport.  It will be an excuse to travel more often..... cuz we all know you will be hooked.  

 

 

[ParrotRob]

15 hours ago, GradUT said:

I agree with this 100%.  Thousands of people sail closed-loop itineraries every week with a BC and photo ID with absolutely NO problem.   

 

(And FWIW, my spouse was in charge of the Passport Section of an American Consulate for 2 years in a city visited by multiple cruise lines.   Not once did he have to process an emergency passport for someone on a cruise ship who had to return to the US.  It just doesn’t happen very often at all.)  

 

Nothing ever happens.  Until it does.

[coevan]

bingo! That's why it's called an accident, otherwise it would be an on purpose 😄

[bingomamma19]

20 hours ago, Katelynw98 said:

I am going on a cruise in January 2020 to Cozumel.  I have a passport, but it needs to be renewed due to being 17 when I got it.  My fiance has never had a passport before.  So it would cost us over $200 to get passports and a lot more to do before the cruise.  We are trying to save as much as we can on this little getaway.  Is it too risky to travel without a passport and just bring a birth certificate and driver's license?  I have read that Carnival allows this on domestic cruises which is what I am going on, but it does recommend having a passport.  What do I need to do?

You do not need a passport, just bring your DL and BC, that is what tens of thousands of cruisers use each week.

 

Have a great time

Edited September 6, 2019 by bingomamma19

[PhillyFan33579]

5 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

You keep saying that but the facts are there is no provisions to waive passport requirements for individuals who miss the ship.  You miss, you apply for an emergency passport at the speed of that consulate, not open on weekends.  

 

I think most people on this site would agree missing a ship would not be considered an emergency. 

[ChinaShrek]

The OP is going on 4 day cruise and wants to spend as little money as possible.  Everyone responding must have loads of money and should offer to pay for OP's passports and insurance! Yet they are quick to tell you to shell out your money.  I say ditch the passports, forget travel insurance, and fly in on the day of the cruise.  I predict everything will be fine. 

Edited September 6, 2019 by ChinaShrek

[Cushing985]

It's really a gamble.  Don't even think about being late to reboard and miss the ship.  If you do an excursion make it a Carnival excursion as the ship will wait for you.

 

If you miss the ship for whatever reason you won't be a "man without a country" but having a passport will certainly speed things along.

[joepeka]

And yet another thread about "passport or no passport?" goes down the rabbit hole. 

[BeachChik]

43 minutes ago, Cushing985 said:

It's really a gamble.  Don't even think about being late to reboard and miss the ship.  If you do an excursion make it a Carnival excursion as the ship will wait for you.

 

If you miss the ship for whatever reason you won't be a "man without a country" but having a passport will certainly speed things along.

 

How many threads have you read on any of the boards here where someone was stranded without a passport?

 

If it was as big a deal as some here make it out to be then passports would be mandatory. Maybe someday they will be required. But at this point it has been determined that the risk is minimal thus you can sail without a passport. 

 

And to the comment about its not it’s not a problem until it’s a problem, I could get hit by a bus leaving my house. I still go outside because the risk is low. We take risks everyday, driving a car, taking a bus, flying on a plane. But the risk is low enough that we do these things anyway. Sailing without a passport is no different. No one is going to be held captive in Mexico because they somehow got left behind and don’t have a passport. 

[coevan]

3 minutes ago, BeachChik said:

How many threads have you read on any of the boards here where someone was stranded without a passport?

 

 

Generally people don't brag about this. Like the casino, everyone wins. I never see anyone posting about how much they lost in the casino, like most people do lose. 

[Elaine5715]

9 minutes ago, BeachChik said:

 

How many threads have you read on any of the boards here where someone was stranded without a passport?

 

If it was as big a deal as some here make it out to be then passports would be mandatory. Maybe someday they will be required. But at this point it has been determined that the risk is minimal thus you can sail without a passport. 

 

And to the comment about its not it’s not a problem until it’s a problem, I could get hit by a bus leaving my house. I still go outside because the risk is low. We take risks everyday, driving a car, taking a bus, flying on a plane. But the risk is low enough that we do these things anyway. Sailing without a passport is no different. No one is going to be held captive in Mexico because they somehow got left behind and don’t have a passport. 

There have been threads here but the majority of posters know they won't be getting much sympathy. There have been many news stories about people unable to return immediately to the US after missing a ship or having a medical emergency.  Of course, US citizens will eventually return but they will be out hundreds, if not thousands of dollars having to shell out for transport to the nearest consulate, hotels, flights and the cost of an emergency passport.  You can also drive a car, own a home without insurance.  

Edited September 6, 2019 by Elaine5715

[coevan]

ever try buying a last minute airline ticket one way? Not cheap