Hawaii Cruise and Passports

[TriumphGuy]

We are booked on the March 6 LA>Hawaii>Ensenada>LA cruise. I have renewed our passports (US) because they expire at the end of March. Current processing time is 8-11 weeks, which puts it about mid January when we should receive them.
I am curious though, on Princess' website, it states that passports are not required for passage on Hawaiian cruises and that an enhanced drivers license is acceptable. However, when I try to input documents into the Medallion app the only choice is Passport. I am a bit concerned because if the government shuts down in December passport delivery may be delayed.
Has anyone traveled on a Hawaii cruise on just a drivers license? Enhanced or otherwise?

[cr8tiv1]

I knew of someone who lost her license the day of her cruise and had to use the. photo on one of her credit cards to get onboard.  (Don't know if she also had her birth certificate). I would not recommend that.

 

But yes, you "may" travel with a birth certificate and enhanced driver's license but it is not a recommended choice.  You are stopping in Ensenada (you won't be able to get off the ship) and in case of an emergency, you might need a "passport" to get home.  

 

If your passports do not arrive, you will be able to show your documents to an agent to get onboard since you will not be in the green lane.

 

I am glad you are thinking ahead and planning for the unknowns.  Good Luck, you will have a wonderful time on the islands.

 

Aloha....E Komo Mai

[dog]

Ensenada- will you need a passport?  
 

to submit passport info to Princess you may have to wait until you get your new ones. 
 

mine was 3 months close to expiry & Princess wouldn’t accept it until renewed for the cruise I was booked on

 

[cr8tiv1]

No, you do not need a passport for Ensenada if you are careful and don't fall ill or get injured and have to be airlifted home.  

[skynight]

12 hours ago, TriumphGuy said:

Has anyone traveled on a Hawaii cruise on just a drivers license? Enhanced or otherwise?

Apparently if you have an Enhanced Drivers License (EDL) you can use that document to travel on a closed loop sea voyage and in your case as long as Mexico will accept. I would surely check out the procedure with Princess. There is no space in the app for this information. Probably would have to be handled at the pier. Does Illinois issue EDLs? Only a few States have this option. An EDL is not the same as the Real ID driver's license available in most States. US citizens can also travel on a closed loop cruise with a government issued ID and an original birth certificate. A passport would be required to return home by air from another country. In your case if you are somehow stranded in Ensenada you could return home by land.

• U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port) are able to enter the United States with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

[pms4104]

14 hours ago, TriumphGuy said:

We are booked on the March 6 LA>Hawaii>Ensenada>LA cruise. I have renewed our passports (US) because they expire at the end of March. Current processing time is 8-11 weeks, which puts it about mid January when we should receive them.
I am curious though, on Princess' website, it states that passports are not required for passage on Hawaiian cruises and that an enhanced drivers license is acceptable. However, when I try to input documents into the Medallion app the only choice is Passport. I am a bit concerned because if the government shuts down in December passport delivery may be delayed.
Has anyone traveled on a Hawaii cruise on just a drivers license? Enhanced or otherwise?

Illinois does NOT issue EDL ... yes, Real ID in Illinois ... and what each can be used for differs.

[JF - retired RRT]

13 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I knew of someone who lost her license the day of her cruise and had to use the. photo on one of her credit cards to get onboard.  (Don't know if she also had her birth certificate). I would not recommend that.

I remember that one...it was a fascinating adventure that they had (but not for the faint of 💗).

[TriumphGuy]

2 hours ago, skynight said:

Apparently if you have an Enhanced Drivers License (EDL) you can use that document to travel on a closed loop sea voyage and in your case as long as Mexico will accept. I would surely check out the procedure with Princess. There is no space in the app for this information. Probably would have to be handled at the pier. Does Illinois issue EDLs? Only a few States have this option. An EDL is not the same as the Real ID driver's license available in most States. US citizens can also travel on a closed loop cruise with a government issued ID and an original birth certificate. A passport would be required to return home by air from another country. In your case if you are somehow stranded in Ensenada you could return home by land.

• U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port) are able to enter the United States with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

Thank you for this info. I was under the mistaken impression that REAL ID and Enhanced were the same thing. Lesson learned: never assume anything when it comes to government bureaucracy...
Anyway, worse case, we have our ancient original and certified copies of our birth certificates and REAL ID drivers licenses, so we should be good. But hopefully our passport renewals will arrive in January, in time for the trip in March which will make this a non-issue. We are also getting passport cards with our renewals and those may come first.
Thanks for all who responded, one learns something new every day!

Edited November 20, 2021 by TriumphGuy

[chamima]

3 hours ago, skynight said:

 

• U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port) are able to enter the United States with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

 

Is this bullet point from Princess information?

Asking because I just realized this week that my passport expired in 5 months and we have a (closed loop) cruise scheduled in January. (Not planning on getting off the ship at all!)

I know that Princess likes you to have at least 6 months to expiration so I sent my passport in (expedited!!) to be renewed and am now nervous that it won't be done in time.

If all I need is a birth certificate and drivers license I'm set.

Edited November 20, 2021 by chamima

[Daniel A]

14 minutes ago, chamima said:

Is this bullet point from Princess information?

Asking because I just realized this week that my passport expired in 5 months and we have a (closed loop) cruise scheduled in January.

I know that Princess likes you to have at least 6 months to expiration so I sent my passport in (expedited!!) to be renewed and am now nervous that it won't be done in time.

If all I need is a birth certificate and drivers license I'm set.

Michigan is one of the few states that offer Enhanced Driver Licenses so if you have a Michigan driver license now you should be able to go to your local Secretary of State Office and upgrade your current license to Enhanced.  Per their website:

To apply:

1. Visit any Secretary of State office. Make sure you bring documentation of:

   1. A valid Social Security number (for example, a Social Security card)

   2. U.S. citizenship (for example, a certified copy of your birth certificate with a raised seal, must be issued by a governmental unit in the U.S. or U.S. territory)

   3. Identity (for example, a current Michigan photo license or ID card)

   4. Residency (for example, a current Michigan photo license or ID card)
      Please refer to the Documents Required for an Enhanced License or ID form for a complete list of acceptable documentation.

2. Have a new photograph taken

3. Pay $45 for the standard enhanced license. There are additional fees for an enhanced chauffeur license and commercial driver's license designations and endorsements.

More info is here: SOS - Applying for an Enhanced Driver's License (Over 18, Already Licensed) (michigan.gov)

 

I hope this helps...🙂

[TracieABD]

56 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

Is this bullet point from Princess information?

Asking because I just realized this week that my passport expired in 5 months and we have a (closed loop) cruise scheduled in January. (Not planning on getting off the ship at all!)

I know that Princess likes you to have at least 6 months to expiration so I sent my passport in (expedited!!) to be renewed and am now nervous that it won't be done in time.

If all I need is a birth certificate and drivers license I'm set.

Fingers crossed that you receive your passport quickly. I will be following...

At the rate Passport Services is going, I am taking other's experiences- and probably going to try to renew around a year early. The biggest problem with renewal is that you have have to give up your passport for however long it takes- which means no out of country travel. Boo.

 

I will say, in 2017 when I renewed- I received mine back in less than 3 weeks- unexpedited. Oh! for the good old days....

[chamima]

22 minutes ago, TracieABD said:

Fingers crossed that you receive your passport quickly. I will be following...

At the rate Passport Services is going, I am taking other's experiences- and probably going to try to renew around a year early. The biggest problem with renewal is that you have have to give up your passport for however long it takes- which means no out of country travel. Boo.

 

I will say, in 2017 when I renewed- I received mine back in less than 3 weeks- unexpedited. Oh! for the good old days....

 

 

I also remember getting this last one way, way quicker than I anticipated. But then, of course, I had plenty of time so it didn't matter.

My husband's expires in October and I'm trying to figure out when would be good to mail his in.

What I could really kick myself about is that the last year and a half we have barely left the house - forget even thinking about leaving the country. I had  20 months where I could have mailed in both for renewals stress free and didn't even think about it.

[Astro Flyer]

I was unaware of the difference between EDL (available in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Washington) and REAL ID.

 

EDL has an RFID chip or MRZ barcode which per DHS permits “entering the United States from Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean through a land or sea port of entry”.

 

https://www.dhs.gov/enhanced-drivers-licenses-what-are-they

 

Edited November 20, 2021 by Astro Flyer

[thinfool]

1 hour ago, Astro Flyer said:

I was unaware of the difference between EDL (available in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Washington) and REAL ID.

 

EDL has an RFID chip or MRZ barcode which per DHS permits “entering the United States from Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean through a land or sea port of entry”.

 

https://www.dhs.gov/enhanced-drivers-licenses-what-are-they

 

Acquiring an EDL requires proof of citizenship, same as a passport, whereas a Read ID only requires proof of residency.  

[nocl]

18 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

No, you do not need a passport for Ensenada if you are careful and don't fall ill or get injured and have to be airlifted home.  

Ensenada is close enough to San Diego that it is much easier and cheaper for land transportation, even if by ambulance, to get back into the US.

[Daniel A]

3 hours ago, nocl said:

Ensenada is close enough to San Diego that it is much easier and cheaper for land transportation, even if by ambulance, to get back into the US.

I wouldn't want to take an ambulance to Mass General...or Columbia Presbyterian... 

[nocl]

8 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I wouldn't want to take an ambulance to Mass General...or Columbia Presbyterian... 

No, however just pointing out that even if injured one can return to the US from Ensenada without a passport, and once inside the US you can chose whatever mode of travel you desire.

[TriumphGuy]

8 hours ago, chamima said:

 

Is this bullet point from Princess information?

Asking because I just realized this week that my passport expired in 5 months and we have a (closed loop) cruise scheduled in January. (Not planning on getting off the ship at all!)

I know that Princess likes you to have at least 6 months to expiration so I sent my passport in (expedited!!) to be renewed and am now nervous that it won't be done in time.

If all I need is a birth certificate and drivers license I'm set.

From Princess' website:
https://www.princess.com/cruise-tips-vacation-ideas/cruise-destinations/cruise-tips-advice-and-information/cruises-that-dont-require-a-passport.html

[skynight]

20 hours ago, chamima said:

 

Is this bullet point from Princess information?

Asking because I just realized this week that my passport expired in 5 months and we have a (closed loop) cruise scheduled in January. (Not planning on getting off the ship at all!)

I know that Princess likes you to have at least 6 months to expiration so I sent my passport in (expedited!!) to be renewed and am now nervous that it won't be done in time.

If all I need is a birth certificate and drivers license I'm set.

Highlighted phrase is not relevant. Requirements are the same if you stay on board or disembark.