Help Settle this- Is Passport required for St Maarten, St Thomas, Coocay cruise?

[basketballdad]

Hearing different things... Considering the Symphony of the Seas (next week). Miami, St Maarten, St Thomas, CocoCay, Miami.   One adult has his original us birth certificate and a regular, not enhanced US drivers license, and no passport (Expired).  For someone who knows (we have seen alot of guesses) is this enough?  TIA!!

[poocher]

For a cruise that begins and ends in a US port, driver’s license (does not have to be “enhanced”) AND original or raised seal certified birth certificate is sufficient under normal circumstances.  IF however, you get stuck in a foreign country, that will not get you home.  

Edited April 25, 2022 by poocher

[basketballdad]

THanks!!

 

[JordanAndJJ]

I’m on that sailing and going with my birth certificate and regular DL. 

[Joseph2017China]

10 hours ago, basketballdad said:

Hearing different things... Considering the Symphony of the Seas (next week). Miami, St Maarten, St Thomas, CocoCay, Miami.   One adult has his original us birth certificate and a regular, not enhanced US drivers license, and no passport (Expired).  For someone who knows (we have seen alot of guesses) is this enough?  TIA!!

Birth certificate (not all BC have raised seals and is not needed, just on official one, with either a seal or the proper watermarks) and a government issued photo ID, which in most cases just your DL.  St Thomas is a USA territory, so if you were to get stuck in say St Maartin, you can just take a local boat to St Thomas, and fly home from there......but and the Bahamas, you can also hire a boat.  But really, the odds of you ever needing a passport is slim, and you will get home, but maybe a few extra hoops to jumb through.  The risk is mininimal

[PhillyFan33579]

4 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

Birth certificate (not all BC have raised seals and is not needed, just on official one, with either a seal or the proper watermarks) and a government issued photo ID, which in most cases just your DL.  St Thomas is a USA territory, so if you were to get stuck in say St Maartin, you can just take a local boat to St Thomas, and fly home from there......but and the Bahamas, you can also hire a boat.  But really, the odds of you ever needing a passport is slim, and you will get home, but maybe a few extra hoops to jumb through.  The risk is mininimal

i agree the risk is minimal, but when you get stuck in a foreign country without a passport, it is a lot more than a few extra hoops to jump through. Personally I would never cruise without a passport because I would not want to be stranded in another country for several days or longer while waiting for approval to fly back home. 

[SRF]

25 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

St Thomas is a USA territory, so if you were to get stuck in say St Maartin, you can just take a local boat to St Thomas, and fly home from there......but and the Bahamas, you can also hire a boat.  

 

You would be illegally entering the US that way.  Just saying.....

[rudeney]

34 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

You would be illegally entering the US that way.  Just saying.....

 

And is that really a problem these days?  😜

 

I remember years ago, someone posted a long story about being left behind in Nassau with no ID.  I thing the validity of the story was questioned, but if it was true, I'd not want to take any chances.  I carry both my DL and passport whenever I leave the ship.

[taglovestocruise]

5 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

And is that really a problem these days?  😜

 

I remember years ago, someone posted a long story about being left behind in Nassau with no ID.  I thing the validity of the story was questioned, but if it was true, I'd not want to take any chances.  I carry both my DL and passport whenever I leave the ship.

Lose your passport or have it stolen and you are screwed. Miss the ship and your passport will be on the dock waiting for you. Unless absolutely required by a foreign government we have never taken the passport off the ship. Goes into the safe on boarding day and comes out on debarkation morning. 

[Oceansaway17]

7 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

i agree the risk is minimal, but when you get stuck in a foreign country without a passport, it is a lot more than a few extra hoops to jump through. Personally I would never cruise without a passport because I would not want to be stranded in another country for several days or longer while waiting for approval to fly back home. 

I agree but over on another cruise line thread I got a lot of arguments and opinions

folks did not feel paying for passport was needed.

OK so you buy a cruise for let's say 2k, and you don't want to pay $150 for a passport peace of mind. hmmm   interesting thoughts.  oh well.  I play it safe

[Mariketa]

We were in line to board the ship (before checking in) when my mom realized she didn't have her passport, a cruise that started and ended in Miami. She was able to call my dad, have him send her a picture of her birth certificate, and show that to RC. They printed it out and gave her a copy as well, she had to show it when we got off in Miami to leave the cruise.

[smokeybandit]

All this and more on RC's FAQ pages

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/can-i-cruise-with-a-birth-certificate

[time4u2go]

6 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

And is that really a problem these days?  😜

 

I remember years ago, someone posted a long story about being left behind in Nassau with no ID.  I thing the validity of the story was questioned, but if it was true, I'd not want to take any chances.  I carry both my DL and passport whenever I leave the ship.

Same here.  That's what it's for.

[George C]

1 hour ago, taglovestocruise said:

Lose your passport or have it stolen and you are screwed. Miss the ship and your passport will be on the dock waiting for you. Unless absolutely required by a foreign government we have never taken the passport off the ship. Goes into the safe on boarding day and comes out on debarkation morning. 

Totally agree, we just carry drivers license. 

[rudeney]

1 hour ago, taglovestocruise said:

Lose your passport or have it stolen and you are screwed. Miss the ship and your passport will be on the dock waiting for you. Unless absolutely required by a foreign government we have never taken the passport off the ship. Goes into the safe on boarding day and comes out on debarkation morning. 

 

How will they know where your passport is?  If it's in the safe, I can see that, but if it's tucked away in a suitcase, are they really going to search for it?  

[rudeney]

48 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

I agree but over on another cruise line thread I got a lot of arguments and opinions

folks did not feel paying for passport was needed.

OK so you buy a cruise for let's say 2k, and you don't want to pay $150 for a passport peace of mind. hmmm   interesting thoughts.  oh well.  I play it safe

 

I  agree!  It really is easy now to get a passport.  I even take and print our photos and have never had an issue there.  Besides using it for international travel, you can use it for access to federal buildings and airports without the need to get a "Star ID".  It can also be used as the only thing you need for an I-9 form when starting a new job.  And then, who knows?  Someday you might be sitting around decide you need to see the world - you'll have the passport, so the rest is just deciding where to go and paying for the trip!

[Oceansaway17]

1 hour ago, rudeney said:

 

I  agree!  It really is easy now to get a passport.  I even take and print our photos and have never had an issue there.  Besides using it for international travel, you can use it for access to federal buildings and airports without the need to get a "Star ID".  It can also be used as the only thing you need for an I-9 form when starting a new job.  And then, who knows?  Someday you might be sitting around decide you need to see the world - you'll have the passport, so the rest is just deciding where to go and paying for the trip!

good answer.  and I agree. but folks over on the thread for the ships with red tails, well they like to argue and some have gotten quite defensive.   

[baelor]

There is no reason not to get a passport.  It also makes presenting two IDs very easy at all times.  Also, unlike driver's licenses, you do not need to worry about it when you move states.

[Lane Hog]

I love how on any thread asking "are a BC and DL sufficient?" it never fails that all of the document police come out in force and make endless arguments about why they have/need a passport... and the actual question gets ignored.  Fortunately it was answered before the police showed up.

If you missed it... the answer is YES you can use an official birth certificate and valid government issued photo ID in lieu of a passport.

Edited April 25, 2022 by Lane Hog

[jeh10641]

2008. Precruise trip to Barcelona. Color copies of passport in my hotel room. Passports stolen (through a bird poop scam). Spent 3 hours first day (Sunday) in police station filling out a stolen passport/cash/travelers checks report. Spent 2 hours (9 AM to 11 AM; embarkation 4 PM) in U.S. Consulate getting new temporary passport using color copies. Took back all my bad thoughts of U.S. State Department forever. NEVER LEAVE THE U.S. WITHOUT IT.

[Lane Hog]

5 minutes ago, jeh10641 said:

Passports stolen (through a bird poop scam). Spent 3 hours first day (Sunday) in police station filling out a stolen passport/cash/travelers checks report. Spent 2 hours (9 AM to 11 AM; embarkation 4 PM) in U.S. Consulate getting new temporary passport using color copies. Took back all my bad thoughts of U.S. State Department forever. NEVER LEAVE THE U.S. WITHOUT IT.

Yikes.  That's probably the best example of why our passports stay locked up in the room safe and only on our person at airport border control or or embarking/disembarking at the port.

Good idea to have copies of the facer page of your passport.  I keep it that on my phone along with my current DL and vax cards.  We just heard a couple weeks ago of someone losing their wallet on arrival at their departure city, and still being able to board their cruise with the photo of their DL from their phone and their BC...

[SG65CB]

3 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

How will they know where your passport is?  If it's in the safe, I can see that, but if it's tucked away in a suitcase, are they really going to search for it?  

 

Yes they search for it until they are satisfied you took it off the ship with you, I read an interview with people left behind that besides their passport the ship security also found their medications and left it with the port agent, and one cell phone that was left on the ship. Another said that besides retrieving their passport from the safe they also retrieved their credit cards so they wouldn't be stuck without money. 

[Intent2smile]

5 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Lose your passport or have it stolen and you are screwed. Miss the ship and your passport will be on the dock waiting for you. Unless absolutely required by a foreign government we have never taken the passport off the ship. Goes into the safe on boarding day and comes out on debarkation morning. 

We always leave our passports in the safe as well.  We always have a picture of our passport on our phones and I am sure it would do nothing if something happened but it makes me feel better so it is on my phone.

[johnjen]

11 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

And is that really a problem these days?  😜

 

Well put....

[SRF]

19 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

Lose your passport or have it stolen and you are screwed. Miss the ship and your passport will be on the dock waiting for you. Unless absolutely required by a foreign government we have never taken the passport off the ship. Goes into the safe on boarding day and comes out on debarkation morning. 

 

FYI, this is NOT guaranteed.  They will try to do so, but it does not always happen.

 

I carry my passport when doing non-RCI excursions.  MY level of comfort.