Panama cruise problems

[Potstech]

Friends were just denied boarding on the Caribbean Princes for a 10 day FLL-FLL Panama cruise. They had both Passport Cards and birth certificates.  The ship says it is an "Open loop cruise" and requires a passport book. This was a once in a lifetime cruise for them.  This despite passport office and TA telling them it should not be a problem before leaving for the cruise.  The app even let them scan there card and gave them a green light.

No amount of discussion seemed to matter. They are now back at the airport trying to find a flight back to Virginia,

[jennybenny]

Can you have a passport card without a passport? I am a scaredy cat and while I may bring my passport card as identification off ship, I always bring my passport with me. Sorry to hear your friends just went through this. It's an expensive mistake 😞 I would be devastated. I hate that there are multiple interpretations of what is allowed, passport office, TA, and the cruise port. Absolutely TERRIBLE 😞 

[thinfool]

26 minutes ago, Potstech said:

Friends were just denied boarding on the Caribbean Princes for a 10 day FLL-FLL Panama cruise. They had both Passport Cards and birth certificates.  The ship says it is an "Open loop cruise" and requires a passport book. This was a once in a lifetime cruise for them.  This despite passport office and TA telling them it should not be a problem before leaving for the cruise.  The app even let them scan there card and gave them a green light.

No amount of discussion seemed to matter. They are now back at the airport trying to find a flight back to Virginia,

So sad...the book seems to solve/avoid all problems.  Still, if I were them I would move this issue as far up the Princess food chain that I could.  Chris Elliott (http://elliott.org ) may be of some help doing this.  

Did they possibly have a minor traveling with them?  If so, pp books are required.

Edited November 28, 2022 by thinfool

[sonomaphil]

"Specifically, as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, closed-loop cruises – those that depart and return to the same U.S. homeport and only visit destinations in Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean – do not require passports."

 

The cruise visits Columbia and Panama so you need a real passport. Why anyone gets a passport card is beyond me. 

[1025cruise]

Passport card only good for land crossings and closed loops. Sorry your friends were not informed properly.

[geocruiser]

I looks like the Passport card is good for the Caribbean,  Panama is in Central America.  Maybe Panama is not considered a Caribbean Nation, being in Central America.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html

[NownZen]

There will be a lot of finger pointing. The TA certainly should have known better.

But why would they even consider not bringing their passports.

[startedwithamouse]

33 minutes ago, Potstech said:

Friends were just denied boarding on the Caribbean Princes for a 10 day FLL-FLL Panama cruise. They had both Passport Cards and birth certificates.  The ship says it is an "Open loop cruise" and requires a passport book. This was a once in a lifetime cruise for them.  This despite passport office and TA telling them it should not be a problem before leaving for the cruise.  The app even let them scan there card and gave them a green light.

No amount of discussion seemed to matter. They are now back at the airport trying to find a flight back to Virginia,

Definitely requires a passport book. Why did they just choose to get the card?

[Torfamm]

Their travel summary should list the passport requirements. Mine clearly stated that a passport book is required for my Panama Canal cruise. What a shame that they didn’t see it 

[Potstech]

50 minutes ago, thinfool said:

So sad...the book seems to solve/avoid all problems.  Still, if I were them I would move this issue as far up the Princess food chain that I could.  Chris Elliott (http://elliott.org ) may be of some help doing this.  

Did they possibly have a minor traveling with them?  If so, pp books are required.

No minor traveling with them. One is 85, hard of hearing and very bad eyesight.

[Potstech]

46 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

Passport card only good for land crossings and closed loops. Sorry your friends were not informed properly.

That was why the  TA and us, we are seasoned cruisers, suggested they take birth certificates.  No joy.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Potstech

[Potstech]

28 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Definitely requires a passport book. Why did they just choose to get the card?

[Potstech]

29 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Definitely requires a passport book. Why did they just choose to get the card?

Because this was going to be a one time trip out of the country the passport office said it was all they needed for A cruise.  By the time we found out that is all they had it was too late to get a book. 

[Potstech]

43 minutes ago, NownZen said:

There will be a lot of finger pointing. The TA certainly should have known better.

But why would they even consider not bringing their passports.

Because they did not have a book.  Our TA of over 25 years thought they were okay with BC but no dice.  She is still trying to get things straight from Princess as apparently there are different "opinions" on this even there.

[ChutChut]

Panama Canal cruises always require the Passport book. Princess' website is very clear abut Passport Book being required for partial/full Panama Canal transit. I'm afraid this error is on the cruisers.

[ChutChut]

1 minute ago, Potstech said:

Because they did not have a book.  Our TA of over 25 years thought they were okay with BC but no dice.  She is still trying to get things straight from Princess as apparently there are different "opinions" on this even there.

Again - there is NO ambiguity. Princess website is very clear about needing a Passport Book for any type of Panama Canal cruise. Unfortunately, your friends made a mistake. Unless they have something in writing from Princess or their travel agent stating otherwise, I'm afraid they're out of luck.

[Potstech]

As is apparent they truly are. But then why did the app accept the passport card scan instead of rejecting it. Most that you say that is clearly posted IS NOT to people with poor eye sight or first time cruisers.  My friends were not the only ones with passport problems because there were several other having similar problems.

 

The website might be clear in very small lettering and many people here at the terminal gave varying renditions on what was required. Clear, probably, in print that can be read by all, not hardly.

[Steelers36]

7 minutes ago, Potstech said:

As is apparent they truly are. But then why did the app accept the passport card scan instead of rejecting it. Most that you say that is clearly posted IS NOT to people with poor eye sight or first time cruisers.  My friends were not the only ones with passport problems because there were several other having similar problems.

 

The website might be clear in very small lettering and many people here at the terminal gave varying renditions on what was required. Clear, probably, in print that can be read by all, not hardly.

I don't trust a TA to know more than I do.  I don't trust the MC App either.  I doubt they have any intelligence in the code to analyze what type of ID is required.  

 

It does seem like they did a reasonable amount of due diligence - just not enough unfortunately.

[NownZen]

49 minutes ago, Potstech said:

That was why the  TA and us, we are seasoned cruisers, suggested they take birth certificates.  No joy.

A birth certificate is not an immigration document. I feel sorry for them but by saving a few dollars on the passport, they lost a lot more. I am paranoid about having all my documents done right and in multiple copies, checked many times.

 

The passport office may have said that the card was all you needed for A cruise but that does not mean ALL cruises.

[startedwithamouse]

Will their travel insurance pay for last minute flights home?

[ChutChut]

31 minutes ago, Potstech said:

As is apparent they truly are. But then why did the app accept the passport card scan instead of rejecting it. Most that you say that is clearly posted IS NOT to people with poor eye sight or first time cruisers.  My friends were not the only ones with passport problems because there were several other having similar problems.

 

The website might be clear in very small lettering and many people here at the terminal gave varying renditions on what was required. Clear, probably, in print that can be read by all, not hardly.

UMMMM - it's in very large lettering. There's no excuse not to read the passport requirements for one's cruise. 

[ChutChut]

23 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I don't trust a TA to know more than I do.  I don't trust the MC App either.  I doubt they have any intelligence in the code to analyze what type of ID is required.  

 

It does seem like they did a reasonable amount of due diligence - just not enough unfortunately.

Sorry, but reasonable due diligence would have been to READ the plain text on Princess' website. I found it in one second. Panama Canal cruises always have required actual passports and it's very clearly stated on the website. Bottom line is it's the cruiser's responsibility to obtain the necessary info re: travel requirements. It appears that was NOT done in this matter. 

[startedwithamouse]

It's also the very first thing mentioned on the booking summary. Just looked at ours for our upcoming Panama Canal cruise. There's no excuse for not having a passport. 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, Potstech said:

Our TA of over 25 years thought they were okay with BC but no dice.

Thought? She thought? What a poor excuse for a travel agent. They weren't on their own trying to read the fine print as you say, they had a TA steer them wrong. A reputable one wouldn't tell anyone to take a BC just in case. They would tell their clients a passport book was required. Princess clearly states in writing a passport is required. 

[Potstech]

50 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Will their travel insurance pay for last minute flights home?

We hope so.