Do we need a passport?

[bgoff60]

Just take your passports!  There are countless situations that might arise where you might need them.  It is easy, small and quick...

[Charles4515]

35 minutes ago, BallFour4 said:

This is not quite true. Cruise lines work with a port agent to get people home without passports. We've experienced this twice with table mates.

 

.

The port agent contacted a consulate or embassy to get an emergency passport. That can be done by phone. ( contrary to some people’s opinion it can be done without an actual visit) They didn’t get home without a passport. The got a temporary or emergency passport. 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Charles4515

[BND]

My passport expires in Aug 2024.  We have a cruise in April 2024 and again in Nov 2024.  As soon as I return from my April cruise, I will send it in for renewal.  Heck, I might even send it in after our Oct/Nov 2023 cruise just to make sure.  So what if it has almost a year on it.  I don't nickel and dime anything.

Edited January 4, 2023 by BND

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

I hope eventually all cruise lines will require a passport.

I don't care if they do or don't, I just don't understand people who don't want one.  The idea that why bother because you'll never need it again seems lame to me.  How do you know you won't need it in 2 or 5 years down the road.  I can't imagine so certain about the future.

[Ferry_Watcher]

16 minutes ago, BallFour4 said:

One more point; every cruise from here in Galveston someone leaves their birth certificate at home. They show up, are sent to the Escalation Desk for what is hopefully a family member or friend that can find the BC, scan it in and send it via email. Escalation prints it off and sends them aboard.
 You'd be amazed at how many times this happens.

.

Same thing in Seattle for the Alaska cruises!

[Charles4515]

5 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I don't care if they do or don't, I just don't understand people who don't want one.  The idea that why bother because you'll never need it again seems lame to me.  How do you know you won't need it in 2 or 5 years down the road.  I can't imagine so certain about the future.

Because they can't imagine themselves needing it. Most people are not world travelers. Many Americans don't get enough vacation time to travel overseas. Many can't afford it. If they have a family the costs would add up getting a passports for all family members. 

[BallFour4]

11 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Same thing in Seattle for the Alaska cruises!

I had forgot you are a embarkation/debarkation agent. You and your peers work like crazy to make people happy.
 True story: I am a ham radio geek. We ride our bikes over to the terminal area on warm days and I take a radio with me. We listen in to the team and hear this unfold.
 See you in June. We cannot wait; 40 plus cruises and we can finally get to Alaska.

.

[Tree_skier]

11 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

Because they can't imagine themselves needing it. Most people are not world travelers. Many Americans don't get enough vacation time to travel overseas. Many can't afford it. If they have a family the costs would add up getting a passports for all family members. 

Hey I get it, it's a sacrifice for some.  I've had one since I was a kid and think it is just a good thing to have in case of emergencies. However, I'm the guy who has a get away bag stashed for my wife and I and over a years worth of emergency food stored in a hidden location 🙂 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Tree_skier

[Mum2Mercury]

22 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I don't care if they do or don't, I just don't understand people who don't want one. 

It's not that people "don't want" a passport; rather 

- They don't want to go through steps necessary to obtain a passport. 

- They don't want to spend the money /have a free option with the birth certificate & gov-issued ID.

- They don't anticipate travel that would require a passport in the near future.

[long4acruise]

5 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

In a way, a passport is a form of travel insurance. You don't want to ever need to use it, but if you need to use it, you're sure glad you have it.

Yes!  Just ask the 100+ would-be Princess holiday cruisers who supposedly said they were told they didn't need a passport. Sadly they were denied boarding and were quite upset. This sad story was constantly repeated on all our local TV channels.

[BND]

13 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Because they can't imagine themselves needing it. Most people are not world travelers. Many Americans don't get enough vacation time to travel overseas. Many can't afford it. If they have a family the costs would add up getting a passports for all family members. 

I got one in 1982 at 22 because I traveled to Europe to visit my DH when he was active Navy.  I went to Italy at 22 and France at 24.  Before that I had never imagined I would need a passport.  Fast forward to 2005 when we started cruising and I had let my original expire so I had to start the process all over.  So, now I'm on my third passport, and will be getting my fourth.  Growing up, the only "foreign" travel anyone in my family had done was driving to Mexico where you didn't need a passport and my great uncle who served in Guam during WWII where he only needed his orders.  When I was growing up, I thought only wealthy people had passports because no one we knew traveled overseas or cruised.  Now, everyone I know has been out of the country (my generation of siblings, our sons, cousins, nieces and nephews).  My parents are 85 and have only been to Mex and Canada.   Never say never.   

 

My feeling also is that if you can afford to spent $1,000 or more on a cruise, you can afford to spend $120 on a passport.  How many of those saying they don't want to spend the money on a passport are spending $1000 and up on drink packages?

Edited January 4, 2023 by BND

[Charles4515]

12 minutes ago, BND said:

I got one in 1982 at 22 because I traveled to Europe to visit my DH when he was active Navy.  I went to Italy at 22 and France at 24.  Before that I had never imagined I would need a passport. 

I got one last year of college because I wanted to travel. I recall you had to put down an overseas trip to apply so I made up one. Always had one after that. Before college our family trips were always camping which I grew to hate. My father traveled the world on business but never took my mother or us. After college I never went camping again. I started right away traveling in US and overseas. I did not cruise though until I was 45. I thought I would hate it. 

[mjkacmom]

47 minutes ago, BND said:

I got one in 1982 at 22 because I traveled to Europe to visit my DH when he was active Navy.  I went to Italy at 22 and France at 24.  Before that I had never imagined I would need a passport.  Fast forward to 2005 when we started cruising and I had let my original expire so I had to start the process all over.  So, now I'm on my third passport, and will be getting my fourth.  Growing up, the only "foreign" travel anyone in my family had done was driving to Mexico where you didn't need a passport and my great uncle who served in Guam during WWII where he only needed his orders.  When I was growing up, I thought only wealthy people had passports because no one we knew traveled overseas or cruised.  Now, everyone I know has been out of the country (my generation of siblings, our sons, cousins, nieces and nephews).  My parents are 85 and have only been to Mex and Canada.   Never say never.   

 

My feeling also is that if you can afford to spent $1,000 or more on a cruise, you can afford to spend $120 on a passport.  How many of those saying they don't want to spend the money on a passport are spending $1000 and up on drink packages?

My family of 7 has passports, but it definitely cost more than $120 for our family, I completely understand what families cruise without passports.

[BND]

47 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

My family of 7 has passports, but it definitely cost more than $120 for our family, I completely understand what families cruise without passports.

Per person.  I can't believe I had to state that.

 

Point is, people think nothing of spending thousands for the cruise, drink packages, etc, but not a passport.  Not to mention travel insurance.  I just think it's an excuse.

Edited January 4, 2023 by BND

[Charles4515]

6 minutes ago, BND said:

Per person.  I can't believe I had to state that.

 

Point is, people think nothing of spending thousands for the cruise, drink packages, etc, but not a passport.  Not to mention travel insurance.  I just think it's an excuse.

They might have the thousands on their credit card and have a debt. I pay my cards off every month but a lot of people carry debt. That is why banks issue credit cards. Because people carry debt.  Also seems like a substantial number don’t get insurance. From time to time people post crying they missed a cruise and did not have insurance and ask what to do. 

[mjkacmom]

22 minutes ago, BND said:

Per person.  I can't believe I had to state that.

 

Point is, people think nothing of spending thousands for the cruise, drink packages, etc, but not a passport.  Not to mention travel insurance.  I just think it's an excuse.

I’m aware of that, but $1000 or so for passports for the family to take a cruise where passports aren’t necessary might seem wasteful.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

16 hours ago, bgoff60 said:

Just take your passports!  There are countless situations that might arise where you might need them.  It is easy, small and quick...

"Countless"?  Doubtful.  A "handful"?  Sure.

 

Here's when you NEED a passport:

* Traveling internationally OTHER than by cruise ship.

* Needing to leave a cruise early (for medical or other reason).

 

What else? 

 

I got my first passport for a class trip in 1987.  My next international trip was 2012.   That's over 30 years of no use.  I would think MOST Americans would KNOW they don't have a NEED for a passport.

 

Now, we always take passports on cruises.  But I'm not going to fault someone for going with the minimum REQUIRED documents.  There are people who don't get trip insurance.  But no one criticizes them (until it's found out they need it).  That's all a passport is on a closed loop cruise... insurance. 

[alfaeric]

No thoughts on going outside of the country other than a closed loop cruise? 

[Ret MP]

48 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

"Countless"?  Doubtful.  A "handful"?  Sure.

 

Here's when you NEED a passport:

* Traveling internationally OTHER than by cruise ship.

* Needing to leave a cruise early (for medical or other reason).

 

What else? 

 

I got my first passport for a class trip in 1987.  My next international trip was 2012.   That's over 30 years of no use.  I would think MOST Americans would KNOW they don't have a NEED for a passport.

 

Now, we always take passports on cruises.  But I'm not going to fault someone for going with the minimum REQUIRED documents.  There are people who don't get trip insurance.  But no one criticizes them (until it's found out they need it).  That's all a passport is on a closed loop cruise... insurance. 

I personally don't fault those that don't feel it necessary to get a passport.  I'm one that got a passport early in life, while in the Army I got official passports (the red ones), and didn't need one for a couple decades.  But, as soon as we decided to cruise, we immediately went out and got passports, the blue ones for personal use.  

 

Having said that, my only concern is for those that don't realize the ramifications of WHAT COULD HAPPEN if you don't have a passport.  Not everyone that cruises has the knowledge and experience as many of us world wide travelers do and traveling can be quite a technical and overwhelming experience.  I'm not saying that I'm an expert cruiser/traveler, not one bit. But, I do know of the ramification of not having one even IF NOT REQUIRED!  Not required doesn't mean it's the best decision.  Not required doesn't mean that you shouldn't.  

[S.A.M.J.R.]

4 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I personally don't fault those that don't feel it necessary to get a passport.  I'm one that got a passport early in life, while in the Army I got official passports (the red ones), and didn't need one for a couple decades.  But, as soon as we decided to cruise, we immediately went out and got passports, the blue ones for personal use.  

 

Having said that, my only concern is for those that don't realize the ramifications of WHAT COULD HAPPEN if you don't have a passport.  Not everyone that cruises has the knowledge and experience as many of us world wide travelers do and traveling can be quite a technical and overwhelming experience.  I'm not saying that I'm an expert cruiser/traveler, not one bit. But, I do know of the ramification of not having one even IF NOT REQUIRED!  Not required doesn't mean it's the best decision.  Not required doesn't mean that you shouldn't.  

I agree, it's better to have one and not need it, than need it and not have it.  And I have no problem with someone saying "if you have to fly home from a cruise, it will make things easier."  However, IMO, they should also point out the ODDS of having to fly home early are pretty slim.  Does it happen?  Yes.  "Often"?  Not really.  It is just insurance. 

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, mjkacmom said:

I’m aware of that, but $1000 or so for passports for the family to take a cruise where passports aren’t necessary might seem wasteful.

Until you have an emergency and waiting for a period of time on the U.S. Embassy to get you a Temp. passport to fly home may make the difference of extreme seriousness or life or death.  AND the Embassy can only slowly or quickly act after it has been notified by the port representative or some other local entity of an emergency of a person(s) needing emergency evacuation back to the U.S. proper via air travel.

[mjkacmom]

1 minute ago, Ret MP said:

Until you have an emergency and waiting for a period of time on the U.S. Embassy to get you a Temp. passport to fly home may make the difference of extreme seriousness or life or death.  AND the Embassy can only slowly or quickly act after it has been notified by the port representative or some other local entity of an emergency of a person(s) needing emergency evacuation back to the U.S. proper via air travel.

And the chance of needing to fly back, and in an emergency situation, is very very small. It’s a calculated risk that a lot of people take. 

[Ret MP]

4 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

I agree, it's better to have one and not need it, than need it and not have it.  And I have no problem with someone saying "if you have to fly home from a cruise, it will make things easier."  However, IMO, they should also point out the ODDS of having to fly home early are pretty slim.  Does it happen?  Yes.  "Often"?  Not really.  It is just insurance. 

Can't/won't debate that with you other than to say that THAT INSURANCE is what some decide not to purchase and regret it, like you said, not often.  Right now, a passport (First time passport) costs $130.00 plus App Fee, per person.  That's $130.00 that I'm more than willing to pay for the insurance of my loved ones.  

[Ret MP]

1 minute ago, mjkacmom said:

And the chance of needing to fly back, and in an emergency situation, is very very small. It’s a calculated risk that a lot of people take. 

Okay, we're going around in circles here.  So, I'll end my involvement by saying, if you don't want a passport, don't get one.  I'm not trying to force you into anything.  However, if you or a loved one cruises and have a medical emergency miles and mile from port and you or a loved one is in need of emergency evac back to the U.S. and you don't get the emergency/Temp passport from the U.S. Embassy or from your safe in your cabin in time to save life or limb, you can't say you weren't forewarned.  No matter what the odds of that happen are.

 

That is all, carry on!

[mjkacmom]

5 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Okay, we're going around in circles here.  So, I'll end my involvement by saying, if you don't want a passport, don't get one.  I'm not trying to force you into anything.  However, if you or a loved one cruises and have a medical emergency miles and mile from port and you or a loved one is in need of emergency evac back to the U.S. and you don't get the emergency/Temp passport from the U.S. Embassy or from your safe in your cabin in time to save life or limb, you can't say you weren't forewarned.  No matter what the odds of that happen are.

 

That is all, carry on!

As I stated earlier, my entire family has valid passports, but I also know folks who’s only I international travel have been closed looped cruises. BTW I believe it’s now $165 (and at least here it can be a pita to get them).