Passport required for certain ports

[MommaBear55]

2 hours ago, allyfree said:

why would anyone travel anywhere without a passport in these days of global strife ???

Because if they only travel on Caribbean round trip cruises once a year and have 4 or more in the family, it's an expense they don't want to incur since they don't technically need it. 

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Joseph2018Baltic said:

So, if a passport is needed, either change the cruise, or get one fast

Most reporting suggests that a passport is only needed if you want to go ashore in Martinique and that RC will let you board in Baltimore without one.

[karen1821]

4 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Yes but unfortunately Royal Caribbean in my opinion has the least informative document information online of all the cruise lines and if you call them their reps they can’t be trusted to give accurate information on documents. I feel sorry for OP but really her boyfriend could easily solve the issue by not being stubborn and getting a passport. Also does she really want to travel with an 80 year old without a passport who at that age is at increased risk of an emergency? Whether Martinique is on the itinerary or not he should have a passport. My subjective advice is that she should go and not have him come without a passport. 
 

If they want to go ahead and the policy is that he can’t get off the ship will police that. His card will ping and security will stop him. If he can’t board then he can go home and she can stay. Home seems to be York PA which is about an hour from Baltimore. 

I have a feeling I will be going alone or with someone that has a passport. Just checking to see what the answer is. I have no problem going solo. Have done it many times. Thanks for the info.

[Tatka]

5 hours ago, allyfree said:

why would anyone travel anywhere without a passport in these days of global strife ???

 

 I wouldn't, but I am naturalized citizen. However not very long ago US citizens could even fly without passports  to Mexico, Canada, Caribbeans.. also many people who cruise don't travel abroad otherwise, and on close loops in most cases they are allowed to have only Birth Certificate (as a proof if US citizenship) and driver license.

[c-leg5]

5 hours ago, allyfree said:

why would anyone travel anywhere without a passport in these days of global strife ???

You are in the UK, rightly or wrongly the US has a different attitude to passports and necessity.

[Tatka]

3 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

You are in the UK, rightly or wrongly the US has a different attitude to passports and necessity.

 

This attitude is from possibility to travel without passport.

If it is not possible there is no attitude. I suspect citizens of UK must travel with passport.. otherwise I am sure there would be a number of people who would travel without.

[Charles4515]

5 hours ago, allyfree said:

why would anyone travel anywhere without a passport in these days of global strife ???

There are some situations where a passport can not be obtained in time. 
 

I don’t think “global strife” is a reason to get a passport. That could be more a reason not to travel. 
 

I would not travel out of the US without a passport but it is allowed on most closed loop cruises out of the US.  So while it might not be a wise decision to travel without one the odds are that nothing bad will happen. Hundreds of thousands have taken cruises without one. But when we get older the odds increase that we can have an unexpected health event.  We wear out. 

[Merion_Mom]

On 5/23/2023 at 5:15 PM, Merion_Mom said:

Only the first cruise of the year in 2024 and in 2025 includes Martinique.  Just choose a different date.

 

On 5/23/2023 at 6:11 PM, smokeybandit said:

Vision has a one-off stop there in January, but no other RC ship goes there in the next year.

 

 

[Ret MP]

6 hours ago, allyfree said:

why would anyone travel anywhere without a passport in these days of global strife ???

I agree, no matter what others want to throw up as smoke and mirrors, there are very good reasons for having a Passport for ANY travel outside of the U.S. of A., period.   

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

22 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I agree, no matter what others want to throw up as smoke and mirrors, there are very good reasons for having a Passport for ANY travel outside of the U.S. of A., period.   

No one said there weren't.  But people have their reasons for not getting one.  Usually 1)Money and 2) Not NEEDING one.

 

You may disagree, but those are valid reasons.

[Ret MP]

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

No one said there weren't.  But people have their reasons for not getting one.  Usually 1)Money and 2) Not NEEDING one.

 

You may disagree, but those are valid reasons.

I'll agree, they are reasons and are personal options and your opinion.  I could retort further but I don't want to turn this into another multi-page debate with you or anybody else. <EDITED IN  

Edited May 25, 2023 by Ret MP

[mapleleaves]

4 hours ago, karen1821 said:

I have a feeling I will be going alone or with someone that has a passport. Just checking to see what the answer is. I have no problem going solo. Have done it many times. Thanks for the info.

Since it was your TA who said a passport was required, why not ask him/her to show you the source of that requirement ? 

[c-leg5]

3 hours ago, Tatka said:

 

This attitude is from possibility to travel without passport.

If it is not possible there is no attitude. I suspect citizens of UK must travel with passport.. otherwise I am sure there would be a number of people who would travel without.

Obviously that is a part of the bigger picture, hence the rightly or wrongly.

[orville99]

On 5/23/2023 at 9:55 PM, Cigar King said:

When we were on a cruise to Columbia and it required a passport, Royal would not let you board unless you had one.  I'd suggest you read the letter they sent you carefully.  Ours spelled it out.  Not sure about Barbados.

Same for us in February. Several emails from RCL stressing that a passport was required because of Colombia's requirements, and passengers without passports would be denied boarding.

 

"Dear Guest,

We're counting down the days until our Serenade of the Seas February 22, 2023 sailing. We have some important information to share with you about required travel documents for your sailing.

As our sailing visits Colombia, all guests are required to present a passport book valid for at least 6 months after the sailing's return date in order to board. Colombian Customs and Immigration requires all visitors to have a valid passport book and will not accept any other travel documents for entry. Unfortunately, any guests without a valid passport book will be denied boarding"

[allyfree]

The rest of the world would like a word ... why does the US think itself exempt from the norms of international travel? 

[not-enough-cruising]

11 minutes ago, allyfree said:

The rest of the world would like a word ... why does the US think itself exempt from the norms of international travel? 

It is called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-the US State Department and the Caribbean Islands really aren't too concerned what the rest of the world thinks about it because it allows BILLIONS of dollars to flow into the Island economies.

[Ret MP]

6 minutes ago, allyfree said:

The rest of the world would like a word ... why does the US think itself exempt from the norms of international travel? 

Well, I believe that ONE reason is that the countries that don't require U.S. Citizens (mostly Caribbean countries) to have a U.S. Passport to enter are strongly dependent on U.S. tourism $ and wanted as much of it as possible, to include $s from those that don't have a U.S. Passport.  

 

Kinda like traveling within the EU, not border checks or no need to have a passport:

 

https://european-union.europa.eu/live-work-study/travelling-eu_en

 

Your rights & EU rules

As an EU national, you enjoy the right of free movement. This means you’re entitled to travel, work and live in another EU country. If you’re a citizen of a Schengen country – which is most EU countries – you’re also free to travel to other Schengen countries without the need for border checks.

 

And BTW, the U.S. Passport laws are part of the International laws/treaties and therefore are a "norm".  

 

[Ret MP]

2 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

It is called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-the US State Department and the Caribbean Islands really aren't too concerned what the rest of the world thinks about it because it allows BILLIONS of dollars to flow into the Island economies.

Two great minds thinking alike  LOL

[allyfree]

5 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Well, I believe that ONE reason is that the countries that don't require U.S. Citizens (mostly Caribbean countries) to have a U.S. Passport to enter are strongly dependent on U.S. tourism $ and wanted as much of it as possible, to include $s from those that don't have a U.S. Passport.  

 

Kinda like traveling within the EU, not border checks or no need to have a passport:

 

https://european-union.europa.eu/live-work-study/travelling-eu_en

 

Your rights & EU rules

As an EU national, you enjoy the right of free movement. This means you’re entitled to travel, work and live in another EU country. If you’re a citizen of a Schengen country – which is most EU countries – you’re also free to travel to other Schengen countries without the need for border checks.

 

And BTW, the U.S. Passport laws are part of the International laws/treaties and therefore are a "norm".  

 

Yes, you are free to travel in the Schengen zone but you can still be stopped and asked for your passport - especially on the German/Austrian border. Your passport is also your access to embassy support among a host of other things and you never know when you might need to prove nationality, especially these days and ID cards are not usually acceptable

Edited May 26, 2023 by allyfree

[Ret MP]

Just now, allyfree said:

Yes, you are free to travel in the Schengen zone but you can still be stopped and asked for your passport - especially on the German/Austrian border. Your passport is also your access to embassy support among a host of other things and you never now when you might need to prove nationality, especially these days and ID cards are not usually acceptable

And a U.S. passport is required to travel back to the U.S. via aircraft.  We can probably split hairs all day long.  There are always exceptions/rules if this happens if that happens, and so on.  

 

But, you made the statement about "norm'.  I'm saying our passport requirements for visiting certain countries are GENERALLY no more out of the "norm" than it is elsewhere (EU, for example).  

 

[Fouremco]

24 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

It is called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative-the US State Department and the Caribbean Islands really aren't too concerned what the rest of the world thinks about it because it allows BILLIONS of dollars to flow into the Island economies.

I would be interested in knowing how many of those billions of dollars are spent in the Caribbean by US cruise passengers who don't carry a passport versus US passport holders who fly to the Caribbean for a holiday (and do need a passport), plus those US passport holders who take them when they cruise the islands. I'd be surprised if the average passenger spent more than $200 there, if that, versus the thousands of dollars spent staying at a Caribbean resort or hotel for a week. 

[orville99]

11 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I would be interested in knowing how many of those billions of dollars are spent in the Caribbean by US cruise passengers who don't carry a passport versus US passport holders who fly to the Caribbean for a holiday (and do need a passport), plus those US passport holders who take them when they cruise the islands. I'd be surprised if the average passenger spent more than $200 there, if that, versus the thousands of dollars spent staying at a Caribbean resort or hotel for a week. 

$$$$ are fungible...it makes no difference to a Caribbean island's economy if it comes in by air, a boat, or floats in on the tide.

[Ret MP]

16 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I would be interested in knowing how many of those billions of dollars are spent in the Caribbean by US cruise passengers who don't carry a passport versus US passport holders who fly to the Caribbean for a holiday (and do need a passport), plus those US passport holders who take them when they cruise the islands. I'd be surprised if the average passenger spent more than $200 there, if that, versus the thousands of dollars spent staying at a Caribbean resort or hotel for a week. 

I'm one of those that don't spend much money in a Port of Call, at least not for the local bandit/souvenir stores.  However, all of us cruisers do pay a port fee/tax regardless, that's no small thing that adds to the island's/country's revenue.  Many many many of us do purchase "Duty-Free" items, but that's "Duty-Free" for entering back into the U.S. (Galveston (Texas) exceptions), and some revenue does go to the local government.  Also, meals and excursions and tips to the local service providers.  Cruisers may not spend as much, generally speaking, as those that are on X or XX days at a resort/hotel.  But, cruisers are only there for hours, usually not days and the port fees/taxes go directly to the local government.  

Edited May 26, 2023 by Ret MP

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Cruisers may not spend as much, generally speaking, as those that are on X or XX days at a resort/hotel.  But, cruisers are only there for hours, usually not days and the port fees/taxes go directly to the local government.

Yes, that's exactly my point, in most cases passengers are only there for a few hours and contribute very little to the local economy. I agree, some people do buy meals or purchase duty free items, and port fees definitely go to the local government. On the other hand, airport landing fees also go to the local government, the resort or hotel  customer also buys meals and duty free, and many long time cruisers don't even bother to get off the ship anymore.

 

At the time that DW and I switched from all inclusive resorts to cruising ffor our winter getaway, a week or two cruise or land holiday cost about the same, but there was no comparison between the money entering the island economies versus US and Canadian economies.

 

 

[not-enough-cruising]

26 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Yes, that's exactly my point, in most cases passengers are only there for a few hours and contribute very little to the local economy. I agree, some people do buy meals or purchase duty free items, and port fees definitely go to the local government. On the other hand, airport landing fees also go to the local government, the resort or hotel  customer also buys meals and duty free, and many long time cruisers don't even bother to get off the ship anymore.

 

At the time that DW and I switched from all inclusive resorts to cruising ffor our winter getaway, a week or two cruise or land holiday cost about the same, but there was no comparison between the money entering the island economies versus US and Canadian economies.

 

 

$50,000 or so in port fees for every ship that pulls in every day adds up quick.