Passport for Martinique

[lobster1313]

This another reason to always travel with a passport when you leave the country because security procedures can change at anytime and without warning.

[drafterdw]

19 hours ago, emilysmom97 said:

Personally, I think this is a rumor that has taken off. If you're on a closed-loop cruise (leaving at the same port and returning at the same port) I don't think you need to worry. I'm one of those lazy people who has never gotten my passport. Last month (Sept 2019) I went St. Lucia, St. Maartan, St. Kitts, etc. Just got off the ship using only our key cards. 

 

Good luck in Martinque.....I am going on the cruise I pick because of that island, not taking chance that I can't get off ship. I always travel with passport.

 

[coevan]

My understanding is South America and Cuba both require passports for cruise passengers

[Honolulu Blue]

UPDATE:  I have a cruise going to Martinique in January.  Today I received a letter about Martinique's passport requirements that was exactly the same as the one shof515 posted earlier in this thread, except for the date and the ship info.  So I guess I'll find out first hand what they're going to do.

[jsglow]

I'm amazed by the number of folks that think that simply because they do not have to personally carry their own Passport down the gangway that their Passport isn't required and hasn't already been cleared by Customs.  Each country has their own entrance requirements.  And rest assured those are cleared when cruisers are asleep in their bed.  Martinique requires Passports.  It's really pretty simple.  What IS interesting here is that Martinique will seemingly allow non Passport holders to remain on the ship.  That privilege is not always extended meaning that failure to meet the Customs requirement in any country visited can result in being denied boarding permission. 

 

There were the famous stories from many years ago as pax boarded Splendor about to embark on their circumnavigation of South America.  One or more of their destinations en-route (Brazil if I recall correctly) required Visas regardless if they wanted to exit the ship or not.  Show up at Fort Lauderdale without one and they were denied boarding.  No exceptions.  The number was at least several dozen.  Of course they had been told many, many times. 

[Essiesmom]

14 minutes ago, jsglow said:

I'm amazed by the number of folks that think that simply because they do not have to personally carry their own Passport down the gangway that their Passport isn't required and hasn't already been cleared by Customs.  Each country has their own entrance requirements.  And rest assured those are cleared when cruisers are asleep in their bed.  Martinique requires Passports.  It's really pretty simple.  What IS interesting here is that Martinique will seemingly allow non Passport holders to remain on the ship.  That privilege is not always extended meaning that failure to meet the Customs requirement in any country visited can result in being denied boarding permission. 

 

There were the famous stories from many years ago as pax boarded Splendor about to embark on their circumnavigation of South America.  One or more of their destinations en-route (Brazil if I recall correctly) required Visas regardless if they wanted to exit the ship or not.  Show up at Fort Lauderdale without one and they were denied boarding.  No exceptions.  The number was at least several dozen.  Of course they had been told many, many times. 

I believe that number was at least 200.  EM

[evandbob]

I've been to Martinique 3X on 3 different cruise lines in the last 5 or 7 years.  I always travel with a passport, but sometimes on a ship excursion, I won't bring it ashore with me.  I don't recall ever being asked for my passport by the local port authorities when returning to the ship.

 

Perhaps the reason I didn't need to show a passport was that the cruise line already supplied the locals with all pax data and information?

[Manatee Mom]

On ‎9‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 1:21 AM, emilysmom97 said:

 

A VISA is very different than a PASSPORT. All this is saying is you don't have to buy the extra VISA. You still need to have a Passport!

 

[5000]

Martinique stop on January 5 2020  Pride cruise.    Got the same letter today from Carnival ( not facebook, not John H ).

All cruise visitors must have a valid, unexpired passport to go ashore in Martinique.

[5000]

[coevan]

4 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

UPDATE:  I have a cruise going to Martinique in January.  Today I received a letter about Martinique's passport requirements that was exactly the same as the one shof515 posted earlier in this thread, except for the date and the ship info.  So I guess I'll find out first hand what they're going to do.

 

 

You already know the answer. We did a U.S., Canada, Alaska, and Canada required passports to disembark. We were told in advance.

[jsglow]

2 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

You already know the answer. We did a U.S., Canada, Alaska, and Canada required passports to disembark. We were told in advance.

 

Exactly.  I wonder what the question is?  If you go to the island and don't have a Passport you ain't leavin' the ship.  Any cruise.  Any cruise line.  Any date.  Clear enough? 

[jsglow]

3 hours ago, Manatee Mom said:

 

A VISA is very different than a PASSPORT. All this is saying is you don't have to buy the extra VISA. You still need to have a Passport!

 

 

Very true.  VISAs are becoming more common basically as a way for countries to get some money from tourists.  Australia and New Zealand require them.  It's a simple online procedure for any American with a valid Passport without a criminal conviction.  A few clicks and about $50 gets 'er done for each country requiring.  

[OceansOfTravels]

This would make sense though and I always wondered why they weren't more vigilant about it. Martinique is an Overseas Collectivity of France, which basically just means it's like Puerto Rico to the USA, except with more rights and legal representation. Their official language is French, they use the Euro, and people born in Martinique can play for France in the Olympics and World Cup. The flight from Fort-de-France to Paris is domestic, and technically would not require a passport to complete. Therefore, you would be able to enter Metropolitan French territory without a passport, which is not only a problem for France, but for the entire EU and Schengen zone.

 

I know it's dramatic, but it makes sense. This also is another reason why Martinique has fallen out of favor with the American lines and is not featured on many of the prominent sailings, especially with CCL, RCI and NCL. It's kind of a small price you have to pay if you want to visit Martinique, but I cannot blame them. This also shows you why European lines base their ships in Martinique, Guadeloupe, Barbados and La Romana in the winter and do not call on St.Thomas and San Juan, because the US government requires everyone to have a passport with permission to enter the USA (if they're not from one of the areas where we have a 90 day grace period with no visa like Europe), and all must go through US Immigration, which occurs onboard. I think it's a fair trade off, and the French officials are not wrong for becoming stricter with this. I know the USA officials set up entire immigration procedures in the theaters and atriums of ships just trying to port in St.Thomas for the day that did not start in the USA, so I can't knock them for it.

[Lottacruises]

We received our email this morning too. Well be going in January.

[tuffyiscruisin]

You should check with the French embassy what a “valid” passport means there is a lot of contradicting information on different websites. So as New Zealanders I checked with our local French embassy and the passport must be valid for six months from departure date of cruise from Martinique. 

[drafterdw]

On 9/29/2019 at 1:39 AM, Illbcruzn4life said:

 

A rumor? Someone posted a letter from John Heald earlier in the thread. 

We got our notice today for our Jan. 2020 cruise that to disembark in Martinque we would need passports. We already have them but if did not would get them, we are taking this cruise because this is one of the ports.

[Lottacruises]

On 9/29/2019 at 7:58 PM, coevan said:

My understanding is South America and Cuba both require passports for cruise passengers

 

Cuba yes, I've been to cartegena a couple of times and haven't been told to bring my passport off the ship, nor been explicitly told we had to have it. I could have missed that though admittedly, I always travel with mine.

[Honolulu Blue]

UPDATE:  So my cruise ship stopped in Martinique last week.  I'll post what happened mostly for my benefit.

 

There were several announcements made that we had to have a passport to get off the ship.  There was at least one announcement that  if we did not have a passport, that we could (indeed, had to) stay on the ship while we were there.  They also mentioned that the ship's staff might check for passports as we were leaving the ship.

 

I had an excursion in Martinique on that day.  I got off the ship without anyone asking to see my passport.  I went through the excursion without anyone asking to see my passport.  I went into the little shopping area by the pier, and no one asked me for my passport there.  On the way back to the ship I went through two official checkpoints.  I gave them my ship card and passport.  I thought about using my DL, but thought that was too cute.  I was given permission to pass.

 

And that was my experience in Martinique.  Your mileage may vary.

[coevan]

However, if you got off the ship without a passport and were questioned by the Gendrmerie, you would be arrested

[Sagittarius traveler]

I agree things changed all the time when traveling and just in general stores changes their policy all the time , hotels, airlines and other things. 

 

Just because you sailed last month to Martinique without a passport doesn't mean a thing if they saynfurute sailings need a passport insay get a passport.

 

 

On 9/29/2019 at 4:42 PM, regoodwinjr said:

This another reason to always travel with a passport when you leave the country because security procedures can change at anytime and without warning.

 

[RWolver672]

On 9/29/2019 at 1:05 AM, emilysmom97 said:

I wonder if it's only a Martinique requirement? 

 

Not sure if Carnival stops there anymore or not but when we went to Cuba in 2017, we had to have a valid passport and a VISA.

[Mslewis1999]

What ship sails to Martinique and which month does it sail?  This is on my bucket list considering I was named after the island.  Thanks in advance

[Honolulu Blue]

7 minutes ago, Mslewis1999 said:

What ship sails to Martinique and which month does it sail?  This is on my bucket list considering I was named after the island.  Thanks in advance

 

The Carnival Pride and the Carnival Breeze sailed there earlier this month.

 

I did a search on CruisePlum.com and got a big fat zero for future sailings on Carnival to Martinique.  Other cruise lines sail there at least occasionally, so if you really want to get there, do your own search and see who's going.

[thinfool]

As Ocean of Travels commented, this is not about Martinique, it is about France.  Staying on the ship is an obvious accomodation for those without passports and/or visas...tho ignoring the letters sent could result in denial of boarding.

No one could leave a ship to visit a port in mainland France without a valid passport.  Indeed, you cannot even fly or cruise to Europe without a passport.  

I see the tightening up of this matter as either politics or a reaction to the horrific terror events that have been in the news from France in recent months, or both.

Question is...will Marigot in St. Maarten be next?