Passport Information

[guitarkat]

Got this email from Holland America concerning Passports that we thought we would share.

 

"The U.S. Department of State recently announced an extension of the proposed implementation timeline for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. When enacted, travelers to and from a foreign country (including the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada) must have a valid passport or other secure, accepted document* to enter or re-enter the U.S. The revised proposed timeline is as follows:

January 8, 2007 – Valid passport or other accepted document* required for all air travel to or from the U.S.

June 1, 2009 – Valid passport or other accepted document* required for all travel to or from the U.S. (air, sea or land)

Although the requirement to possess a valid passport for sea and land border crossings has been extended to June 1, 2009, the government can accelerate this date based on meeting certain criteria.

 

Please note that effective January 8, 2007, all cruise guests entering or re-entering the United States by air are required to have valid passports. U.S. cruise guests who travel by air to embark in Vancouver for Alaska cruises and Canadian cruise guests who travel by air to embark in U.S. ports are required to have valid passports for all cruises terminating on or after January 8, 2007. Foreign nationals should contact their respective governments to obtain details regarding current passport requirements.

 

All cruise guests must present the required documentation at embarkation. Cruise guests without required documentation will be denied boarding and no refund will be issued. Holland America Line will strictly enforce this requirement in compliance with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

 

To help ensure your positive travel experience with Holland America Line, we encourage you to make sure that you are prepared to meet these pending passport requirements.

 

Thank you for your interest in cruising with Holland America Line.

 

*The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not yet made a final determination as to which forms of documentation may serve as a valid alternative to a passport. For more information, please visit http://www.travel.state.gov/passport or call the National Passport Information Center toll free at 1-877-487-2778 or TDD/TYY at 1-888-874-7793."

[Don Pedro]

Got this email from Holland America concerning Passports that we thought we would share.

 

Please note that effective January 8, 2007, all cruise guests entering or re-entering the United States by air are required to have valid passports. U.S. cruise guests who travel by air to embark in Vancouver for Alaska cruises and Canadian cruise guests who travel by air to embark in U.S. ports are required to have valid passports for all cruises terminating on or after January 8, 2007. Foreign nationals should contact their respective governments to obtain details regarding current passport requirements.

 

All cruise guests must present the required documentation at embarkation. Cruise guests without required documentation will be denied boarding and no refund will be issued. Holland America Line will strictly enforce this requirement in compliance with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

 

To help ensure your positive travel experience with Holland America Line, we encourage you to make sure that you are prepared to meet these pending passport requirements.

 

Holland America addresses the situation where passengers must travel by air to embark or debark in a foreign port. They acknowledge that any person returning to the USA by air would need a passport, yet, they seem to ignore the problem about what would happen if a cruise passenger, in a Caribbean port, missed their ship.

 

Also, they stop short of defining exactly what documents they will expect of their cruise passengers. What would be wrong with listing the documents acceptable for boarding the ship?

 

We imagine Holland America is in the same quandry as most everyone else who is trying make any sense out of the garbage coming from the Department of Homeland Security.

[just4kixx]

Holland America addresses the situation where passengers must travel by air to embark or debark in a foreign port. They acknowledge that any person returning to the USA by air would need a passport, yet, they seem to ignore the problem about what would happen if a cruise passenger, in a Caribbean port, missed their ship.

 

Also, they stop short of defining exactly what documents they will expect of their cruise passengers. What would be wrong with listing the documents acceptable for boarding the ship?

 

We imagine Holland America is in the same quandry as most everyone else who is trying make any sense out of the garbage coming from the Department of Homeland Security.

 

You covered my thoughts pretty well... It is safest to just get the passport and save having to worry about the "what ifs"

 

A~

[Sheffie]

I just copied this from the RCI website: (They are still going by the Jan. 8 date.)

 

"Until that determination has been made, our requirement for a valid U.S. passport for anyone sailing with us and returning to the U.S. on or after January 8, 2007 remains in effect.

 

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work through this issue.

 

Guests sailing in late December 2006 whose itinerary transits or ends its voyage in the United States on or after January 8, 2007 will be required to present a valid passport during ship check-in formalities.

Guests sailing on or after January 8, 2007 will be required to present a valid passport during ship check-in formalities.

Guests not holding a valid passport should apply for one as soon as possible.

Guests holding ARC/Green Card are exempt."