Using a birth certificate or do we have to have a passport

[Trevor Fountain]

Just curious. How long does a US passport last?

[sparks1093]

26 minutes ago, Trevor Fountain said:

Just curious. How long does a US passport last?

10 years for adults, 5 years for children under 16. But if you don't use it for what it was intended for what difference does it make? We started cruising in 2009. We knew that at some point that we wanted to fly internationally but we didn't know when that would be so we decided to wait to get them until that day arrived, which was in 2015. Many people wouldn't care about that lost 6 years, but I would have considered it to have been a waste. (And even now if I have to cross into Canada which is 8 miles from my door I don't use my passport, unless we are flying out of Montreal.)

Edited October 25, 2019 by sparks1093

[ObstructedView2]

The bottom line is this... The list of possible reasons or possible needs for someone to own a passport is tremendous. The list of possible reasons or needs for someone not to own a passport is completely opposite.

 

Ownership of a passport certainly & clearly outweighs the reasons not to own one.

 

 

☺️

[Trevor Fountain]

It's really hard to imagine not having a passport. I have had one as long as I can remember.

Obviously it is a lot different here in the UK. I sometimes have no travel plans for the foreseeable  future, but then I might say to DW, lets go to Barcelona, or Amsterdam or wherever for the weekend. We need a passport to travel anywhere outside the UK, and I guarantee most of us will have a passport, but no birth certificate to hand.

It also serves as probably the most important ID document that we have, used for many purposes beyond just travelling.

I am amazed that some US citizens don't feel they need one and I'm sure many folks around the world reading "passport" posts here are also bemused by them.

[sparks1093]

14 minutes ago, ObstructedView2 said:

The bottom line is this... The list of possible reasons or possible needs for someone to own a passport is tremendous. The list of possible reasons or needs for someone not to own a passport is completely opposite.

 

Ownership of a passport certainly & clearly outweighs the reasons not to own one.

 

 

☺️

It depends on what your travel patterns are:

 

1. You live near the border and the only travel you will ever do is crossing that border. You can use something other than a passport if you wish to.

2. You like to cruise but you can only cruise via closed loop cruise once every year or two. You can use something other than a passport if you wish to.

 

 

There is no doubt and no argument that the passport is the king of the travel documents and may be used in every travel situation. But for some, especially those with families, the alternatives are much more attractive and likely ready at hand. It's a personal decision and what one person decides doesn't impact what another person decides.

[grandmarnnurse]

20 hours ago, beshears said:

I ask this question in another area, and received several responses, some joking about it, which I didn't think was very funny, but I thought there might be some people that would see this question, and would like to respond.

 

My friend was told that if she renewed her drivers license before she left on the cruise in March, going to Jamaica, and other ports, she would be able to cruise with just her new driver's license and birth certificate.  If you know for SURE this is true, I would like to know.  I told her she "might" be able to get by with it, but if something happened while she was in Jamaica, etc., and had to fly back home before the cruise was over, she might have problems.  Just wondering how I can find out the REAL facts on this issue?

That is correct. For a closed loop cruise (starting and ending in the USA), a BC and DL is sufficient, BUT if any emergency requiring her to fly home from a port, she could not without a passport. My advice, as someone who has had an emergency and had to fly home mid-cruise from a port, if she has time, get a passport. If not, she has sufficient documentation to board ship. Please be aware that if flying after October 1, 2020, a Real ID DL or Enhanced DL will be required to fly out of any airport in USA. 

[ObstructedView2]

6 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

It depends on what your travel patterns are:

 

1. You live near the border and the only travel you will ever do is crossing that border. You can use something other than a passport if you wish to.

2. You like to cruise but you can only cruise via closed loop cruise once every year or two. You can use something other than a passport if you wish to.

 

 

 

You're clearly extremely passionate within this thread in regards to reasons why someone might not need a passport. There are many reasons other than travel to own one. Look up reasons to own a passport or not to own one.

 

The bottom line is this... The list of possible reasons or possible needs for someone to own a passport is tremendous. The list of possible reasons or needs for someone not to own a passport is completely opposite.

 

Ownership of a passport certainly & clearly outweighs the reasons not to own one.

 

 

 

 

☺️

[sparks1093]

15 minutes ago, ObstructedView2 said:

 

You're clearly extremely passionate within this thread in regards to reasons why someone might not need a passport. There are many reasons other than travel to own one. Look up reasons to own a passport or not to own one.

 

The bottom line is this... The list of possible reasons or possible needs for someone to own a passport is tremendous. The list of possible reasons or needs for someone not to own a passport is completely opposite.

 

Ownership of a passport certainly & clearly outweighs the reasons not to own one.

 

 

☺️

Yes, there are reasons to own one other than travel and if they apply to someone then they should certainly get one, but if those reasons don't apply then why get one? The main reason to have a passport is to travel internationally via air and if someone doesn't do that then there are alternatives that may be used. Some will choose to use the alternatives and some will choose to get the passport. 

[ObstructedView2]

22 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

 

The main reason to have a passport is to travel internationally via air 

 

 

You're clearly extremely passionate within this thread in regards to reasons why someone might not need a passport. There are many reasons other than travel to own one. Look up reasons to own a passport or not to own one.

 

 The bottom line is this... The list of possible reasons or possible needs for someone to own a passport is tremendous. The list of possible reasons or needs for someone not to own a passport is completely opposite.

 

Ownership of a passport certainly & clearly outweighs the reasons not to own one.

 

 

☺️

 

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, ObstructedView2 said:

 

You're clearly extremely passionate within this thread in regards to reasons why someone might not need a passport. There are many reasons other than travel to own one. Look up reasons to own a passport or not to own one.

 

 The bottom line is this... The list of possible reasons or possible needs for someone to own a passport is tremendous. The list of possible reasons or needs for someone not to own a passport is completely opposite.

 

Ownership of a passport certainly & clearly outweighs the reasons not to own one.

 

 

☺️

 

And again if someone doesn't have any of those "many reasons other than travel" why should they have a passport? I'm pretty sure that for all of the "many reasons other than travel" that exists there are many alternatives than a passport and those alternatives aren't as expensive. (And you yourself are extremely passionate about people getting a passport that they don't need, so that river flows both ways.)

[ObstructedView2]

2 minutes ago, sparks1093 said:

And again if someone doesn't have any of those "many reasons other than travel" why should they have a passport? I'm pretty sure that for all of the "many reasons other than travel" that exists there are many alternatives than a passport and those alternatives aren't as expensive. (And you yourself are extremely passionate about people getting a passport that they don't need, so that river flows both ways.)

 

 

Oy...

 

 

 

🤐

[sparks1093]

54 minutes ago, regoodwinjr said:

You need valid id to get past security in Mexican airports  just like an airport in the United States.

Yes, and the arrangements that are made take that into account.

[bamelin]

I'm realizing now that this argument on Cruise Critics has been going on forever and is likely an annoying discussion to see repeated ad nauseum.

 

Looking at the optics of the thread though, the original OP was asking for facts on the issue.  Both sides have provided their version of the facts.  The OP can make up his or her mind.

 

@beshears for what it's worth my advice is not just my opinion, it's also the professional advice of the vast majority who work in the travel industry, myself included.

 

While it can be done on closed circuit cruises, it is extremely unwise for a US citizen to leave the United States without a passport.  When in a foreign country, your passport is the ONLY document that foreign governments will fully recognize.   Your state license, birth certificate, etc -- they mean nothing when not in the States.  Getting an emergency passport sent to an embassy is an expensive and potentially time consuming expense.

 

Ask any travel industry veteran and they will tell you the same thing -- get a passport if you are leaving the country.

[beshears]

I just want to say thank you to "everyone" who posted to my question.  I have let my friend know what you and others have told me, and hopefully nothing will happen, while on the cruise, and that she will have decided to order her passport!