Closed Loop from Seattle to Alaska- Enhanced DL

[Ferry_Watcher]

25 minutes ago, erisajd said:

And - @Ferry_Watcher - not ALL states have licenses that say 'enhanced DL' - I have one from California and Arizona and the California one has a little golden bear on it and the Arizona one has a gold circle with a white star in it - so @Pepohwin the problem is that you are relying on the NCL employee checking you in to know all of those little nuances of 50 state enhanced licenses. . .

 

My friend, check-in agents are well trained when it comes to qualifying citizenship documents.  There are only 5 US states that offer an Enhanced Driver's License: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington State.  When the OP said that her MIL had an Michigan State Enhanced DL, I just wanted to make sure it truly said 'Enhanced' on it, because I already knew that it was from a state that actually offered an Enhanced DL.

 

As for 'little golden bears or gold circle with a white stars', it doesn't add anything to our check-in process - maybe it indicates that the DL is 'Real ID'. but it's not an Enhanced DL.  We (check-in agents) know what to look for, and what is acceptable to get on a cruise ship (closed loop). 

Edited March 27 by Ferry_Watcher

[Charles4515]

23 minutes ago, erisajd said:

 

And - @Ferry_Watcher - not ALL states have licenses that say 'enhanced DL' - I have one from California and Arizona and the California one has a little golden bear on it and the Arizona one has a gold circle with a white star in it - so @Pepohwin the problem is that you are relying on the NCL employee checking you in to know all of those little nuances of 50 state enhanced licenses. . .

You don't have an Enhanced Drivers License. Only five states have them and neither Arizona or California issue them. What you have is Real ID which won't get anyone on a closed loop cruise without an official birth certificate. A lot are confused like you that is why we wanted to make sure the mother in law actually had an EDL.

Edited March 27 by Charles4515

[Pepohwin]

@NikiPinkston yes I am aware. She’s from Michigan and they have enhanced DL, but….. apparently she doesn’t have an Enhanced DL. She swore up and down that she did, even my SIL said she did. Come to find out it’s just a REAL ID (maybe she had a senior moment). I asked her to send me a pic of her ID and that’s how I found out. 

Also….My son and husbands passports also expired but we did the renewal already on Monday so hope to get those soon. If not we have a copy of their Birth certificates on hand. So we’ll use that. In the past for my kids, passports were received in 3 weeks. Last year a friend’s renewal took 6 months… expedited! So that’s why we aren’t hopeful, but we’ll see. Like I said we just booked last minute since the price and date were right. My MIL has never cruised before and was super stoked to be invited. She didn’t realize her passport was expired until I told her to check haha. So we are doing the following things to resolve this chaotic fiasco. 
1) MI has an online service for certified Birth Certificate requests. She’s requested her BC. We did that for my husband and he got it in the mail in 3 days from the time he ordered. So this may be our best bet. 
2) she lives in SF with my SIL and they have a passport agency in the city so she’ll make an appointment there within 14 days of sailing and do an in person renewal, and she’ll pick it up the day after. I did the passport agency in LA for my renewal last time for another last minute cruise and it was a breeze. She just needs to go into the city and sit and wait to be called. 
 

We are fortunate enough to have these two easy avenues to resolve this Charlie Fox. 
 

thanks for every one’s shared insights and experiences. 

[cruiseny4life]

9 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

My friend, check-in agents are well trained when it comes to qualifying citizenship documents.  There are only 5 US states that offer an Enhanced Driver's License: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington State.  When the OP said that her MIL had an Michigan State Enhanced DL, I just wanted to make sure it truly said 'Enhanced' on it, because I already knew that it was from a state that actually offered an Enhanced DL.

 

As for 'little golden bears or gold circle with a white stars', it doesn't add anything to our check-in process - maybe it indicates that the DL is 'Real ID'. but it's not an Enhanced DL.  We know what to look for, and what is acceptable to get on a cruise ship (closed loop). 

You must mean like this (y'all, the blue lines and circles aren't a part of the license - just in case someone gets confused):

 

 

To be honest, I wish I had little bears on my license! There's just a big ole bear on it instead. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

@cruiseny4life, thanks for sharing your NY EDL.   For folks who are looking at this photo above of an NY EDL, the word 'Enhanced' is in yellow below the words Drivers License, and above the first line of blue.  

Actually, I find that the NY EDL is the hardest to read because the yellow lettering is so subtle, that (at least for me) it takes a few extra seconds to read.

 

Thanks again!

[Ferry_Watcher]

9 minutes ago, Pepohwin said:

She’s from Michigan and they have enhanced DL, but….. apparently she doesn’t have an Enhanced DL. She swore up and down that she did, even my SIL said she did. Come to find out it’s just a REAL ID (maybe she had a senior moment). I asked her to send me a pic of her ID and that’s how I found out. 

 

OMG, thank goodness that you checked!.. This happens all the time on cruise days.  So glad that you/she has the birth certificate option.

 

This is a good teachable moment.  

[hallux]

7 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Actually, I find that the NY EDL is the hardest to read because the yellow lettering is so subtle, that (at least for me) it takes a few extra seconds to read.

They've changed it since I got mine, then (in 2017, and it was my SECOND Enhanced).  Mine doesn't have that stylized graphic, it's a box that reads 'ENHANCED' within.  The other, quick, way to tell is that is has the American flag on it rather than nothing or a star - https://dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/which-id-right-me

 

Here's my take on the entire question - this cruise is to US ports, except for the requisite stop in Victoria.  If she actually had an EDL then the BC would have been superfluous and the stress over getting the copy was unwarranted.  But @Ferry_Watcher can correct me on that.

Edited March 27 by hallux

[nordicacres]

Only select states bordering Canada offer EDLs - I know for certain MN, MI, and WA. There may be others but there aren’t many.

 

Nevermind - it was addressed above. Minnesota’s is very obvious - big red, bold letters state ENHANCED DRIVER’s LICENSE.

Edited March 27 by nordicacres

[NikiPinkston]

@Pepohwin So glad that you have those avenues available to get your documents in time. We'll be doing our 4th Alaska cruise from Seattle on NCL in May. You're going to have an amazing time! BTW, welcome to Cruise Critic!

[Ferry_Watcher]

2 minutes ago, nordicacres said:

Only select states bordering Canada offer EDLs - I know for certain MN, MI, and WA. There may be others but there aren’t many.

 

As well as New York and Vermont.

[hallux]

3 minutes ago, nordicacres said:

Only select states bordering Canada offer EDLs - I know for certain MN, MI, and WA. There may be others but there aren’t many.

The list was shared earlier in the thread...

[Charles4515]

23 minutes ago, Pepohwin said:

. She’s from Michigan and they have enhanced DL, but….. apparently she doesn’t have an Enhanced DL. She swore up and down that she did, even my SIL said she did. Come to find out it’s just a REAL ID (maybe she had a senior moment). I asked her to send me a pic of her ID and that’s how I found out. 

I was suspicious to begin with that is why I said she should bring her birth certificate. We noticed in past discussions that Real ID confuses some people into thinking they have an EDL. 

[Pepohwin]

@Charles4515 you were right to be suspicious. My SIL is usually in top of things like that but it’s easily misunderstood I guess. They better get it together lol. 

[razor7_us]

17 hours ago, IAcruising said:

 

That won't buy her a cup of coffee. Bring the EDL and birth cert. No problem.

 

This is not necessarily true. The passport may be expired but her citizenship is not. If the passport is in good condition and less than 1 year expired it can be used as proof of citizenship. 

[erisajd]

4 hours ago, NikiPinkston said:

Actually, California does not issue Enhanced DL's, just Real ID's.

https://fox5sandiego.com/news/california-news/the-real-id-deadline-is-next-year-heres-what-californians-need-to-do/#:~:text=Some states do issue Enhanced,permanent%2C in the United States.

oh sorry - thought it was the same thing!  my bad!  

 

I still say her best bet is a new passport-  get a passport card also - valid for surface transport bet US/Can/Mex and fits in the wallet - no worries of losing it. . . 

[erisajd]

@Pepohwin - did you go into a passport office to renew?  Cause if you mailed them or even did an online renewal you're not likely to  get them by 4/23 . . . 

[Pepohwin]

45 minutes ago, erisajd said:

@Pepohwin - did you go into a passport office to renew?  Cause if you mailed them or even did an online renewal you're not likely to  get them by 4/23 . . . 

My husband was a mail in renewal. Expedited. Overnight shipping so it’s in their mailbox yesterday. 
 

My son was done at a passport acceptance facility since he’s a minor and it’s expedited.
We did my daughter’s last year for her first passport at the same passport acceptance facility and expedited it. Received it 21 days from when we went in for her appointment. 
 

I’ll update this thread on if/when we receive these passports. 

[IAcruising]

1 hour ago, razor7_us said:

If the passport is in good condition and less than 1 year expired it can be used as proof of citizenship. 

 

I call BS on this one. It might work at a US Embassy to get a new one, but no chance it will be accepted to enter any country, including the US.

 

[Charles4515]

19 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

I call BS on this one. It might work at a US Embassy to get a new one, but no chance it will be accepted to enter any country, including the US.

 

The problem is they won't be allowed to embark the ship with an expired passport. Or board an international flight. If somehow they arrived at a US border entry with an expired passport, after verification they will be allowed into the US.  

[IAcruising]

3 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

If somehow they arrived at a US border entry with an expired passport, after verification they will be allowed into the US.  

 

Verified by whom? Your average INS agent? Not gonna happen. They will be detained and have to go through processing.

 

They won't make their flight.

 

 

[psuboater]

I have gone on a closed loop from Seattle on the cruise as well as the Victoria Clipper (Direct fast ferry from Seattle to Victoria,BC) with only my Enhanced Drivers License.

 

Currently, only 4 states offer this - NY, MI, VT and WA that serve as proof to cross into Canada (I am unaware of the Mexico/US agreements with Southern States). If it is truly an Enhanced Drivers License and not a REAL ID, no birth certificate is needed. The *only* issue I can see is that if something happens in Victoria, you would not be able to fly from Victoria to Seattle or any other US cities, you would have to ferry to south of Vancouver and drive across the border, or take the clipper direct to Seattle as mentioned. Case in point, I am on a vacation to Quebec, and because I had to fly there, my license means nothing for proof of citizenship/border crossing.

 

It feels a bit weird to go across the border without a passport, but with the proper drivers license it is possible.

[Charles4515]

16 minutes ago, IAcruising said:

 

Verified by whom? Your average INS agent? Not gonna happen. They will be detained and have to go through processing.

 

They won't make their flight.

 

 

I said border entry. 

[IAcruising]

4 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I said border entry. 

 

Sorry, I should have said "average border agent". Same result.

 

[hallux]

23 minutes ago, psuboater said:

Currently, only 4 states offer this - NY, MI, VT and WA

no, it's 6 as explained earlier in the thread, but if you had read the entire thread before replying and duplicating (sometimes incorrect) info you would know that...

Edited March 27 by hallux

[psuboater]

31 minutes ago, hallux said:

no, it's 6 as explained earlier in the thread, but if you had read the entire thread before replying and duplicating (sometimes incorrect) info you would know that...

Currently it’s 5 as OH isn’t issuing them so we’re both wrong. 
 

I frequent this board often (thought we were on the West Coast departure boards, I am at the mercy of ViaRail between QC and Montreal on my own trip) and am confident to say I’m decently respected for my advice here and while I am incorrect by one here, I don’t appreciate your rudeness. 

Edited March 27 by psuboater