Has anyone been stranded somewhere because they didn't have a passport?

[Carnivalbound]

Or on the other hand, has anyone been saved because they had their passport? I know it's best to get ours, but it will cost nearly $400 for the whole family to get them. We will be traveling with 2 young boys and that is a huge expense for us. Please give me your opinions on which way to go on this one.

[Carnivalbound]

42 views and not one will reply? Surely someone can help me out here!

[elon mom]

I have never been stranded and never had to be saved but have read many horror stories. Our cruise in August 2006, a man had to be picked up by an ambulance in St Thomas and his whole family of course got off the ship with him- heart attack....with all the security issues.... I would have a passport. I know it is a lot of money but better safe than sorry. All you could do would be to stand on the dock and say I wish I had spent that extra money.... Happy cruising!!!

[Kempa]

I have never heard about anyone being stranded but the "flying without a passport/visa" stories that I know for sure:

 

A family of four going to a wedding in Brazil. They didn't know they needed a visa. They didn't attend the wedding.

 

Mother and six children arriving at New York's JFK airport with expired US passports. Fine: $100 each. She thought that going to the nearest embassy was too cumbersome. Yeah, now she is $700 shorter and still has to pay for the passports.

 

You might never get stranded anywhere because of the lack of a passport. But it is better to get them and be done with it. And don't you want to book that Mediterranean cruise yet? You will absolutely need it then.

[irishgirl]

Well, you don't really need them to cruise yet. That's probably why there aren't many responses.

 

If you don't plan on traveling again, don't get them.

[LMHSRN]

Or on the other hand, has anyone been saved because they had their passport? I know it's best to get ours, but it will cost nearly $400 for the whole family to get them. We will be traveling with 2 young boys and that is a huge expense for us. Please give me your opinions on which way to go on this one.

 

The OP is incorrect. You do need them to cruise. They are well worth the money as they are good for 10 years.

 

The last thing you would want, anyways, is for your kids to get sick or hurt in a foreign country. They would not be allowed to leave without a passport.

 

You can check this information with your Carnival Rep.

 

They are required!

[Lyncoya]

Per my PVP, passports are NOT REQUIRED for a cruise leaving the good 'ole USA. They will be required next year though. Carnival recommends that we have them, but they aren't required.

[Patdmoose]

The last person I would ask for critical info would be a Carnival PVP.

 

Passports are not required to cruise the Caribbean. (Now), but will probably be in the future. Passports are required to re-enter the US on a flight. But, you can fly (in an emergency) without one, but you will have a huge delay at customs.

 

And, children's passports are only good for 5 years.

[Knights on the Beach]

Well, you don't really need them to cruise yet. That's probably why there aren't many responses.

 

If you don't plan on traveling again, don't get them.

I don't think that's what the OP is concerned about, but rather worrying about NOT having a passport in case of an emergency (i.e. having to fly back to the U.S from a foreign port in the middle of a cruise -- and YES, passports are required for flying into the U.S.).

[vacruizer]

Are you flying into your embarkation port? Should you miss the ship for some reason you won't be able to fly to the next port to catch the ship without passports. There was a tale here a few months ago from someone that happened to. Flight delays caused them to miss the ship and they had to miss the entire cruise since they were unable to fly out to another country.

 

I know $400 is a lot of money but no way would I go without a passport. I made sure I budgeted that into my cruise expense last year before we went.

[cruizer4662]

It has taken people weeks to receive their passports. As long as you have pictured ID AND a receipt stating you have applied for a passport, you will be good to go.

 

DW and I got our way back when they were $40, or 2nd one was $60 and now that is it mandatory I understand they are $100.

 

Good Luck!!!

[elon mom]

I agree with VACRUIZER- I would not leave home without them. There are too many things that you have no control over. Delayed flights happen all the time- I would not want to miss my whole cruise because I was trying to save some money. My biggest fear would be that one of us would get sick and not be able to fly back. Yes you can cruise without the passport but flying to or from a foreign country is a different thing.....

[Marylander1]

My daughter and I just returned from our cruise on Carnival Liberty out of Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas, Mexico, and Grand Cayman (We were on the ship where the gentleman from Rockville, MD jumped off and was rescued.). We had our passports. Our friend had her driver's license and birth certificates and just birth certificates for her kids because her passport did not arrive before the cruise. We had no issues leaving or re-entering the ship. They said to bring a photo ID when we exited and our "sign and sail card" you receive from Carnival. (The card is used to purchase items, enter your state room, and come and go from the ship.). We only were asked for our passports once: re-entry to the USA yesterday. Our friends used their licenses and birth certificates.

 

I believe there is mention of not needing passports for some cruises until 2008. Check the Carnival website.

 

Hope this helps.

Marylander1 who very much enjoyed their Carnival Cruise.

[back2tampa]

If you dont have your passport then you better have your birth certificate.They will ask you for it berfoe you get on the ship and dont let the wife pack it becouse you will have to produce it to get off the ship.My wife packed the cloths before we got off the ship and packed the birth certificates in the luggage and had a brain fart and could'nt remember where she put them.We had to go through all the luggage in the terminal, then finally the security guy said go ahead...about that time(20 minutes later)she found it.

 

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR BIRTH CERTIFCATE HANDY WHEN LEAVING THE SHIP AT THE END OF YOUR CRUISE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[moesyk4]

Several posters on this board and other boards get very angry at people for asking if they need their passport at all and their response is not responding to the original posters request, but instead voicing their own stance on the "passport issue".

To just answer the question, in my many many months and years of following these boards and cruises in general, I have never once heard of anyone who was injured outside of the US on a cruise and was denied access to the US. There are several posts around here that quote that in unique circumstances (emergencies included) the US will work around this law to get someone safely back into the US.

The other poster is correct, if your plane is delayed you won't be able to meet the ship up at another port, but this can be prevented 99% of the time by flying in at least a day early, which is considered wise for many reasons.

And officially, passports are not required for travel to the Caribbean or Mexico until at least summer of 2008 under the recently changed rules. Any flights out of the country, however, would require it.

IMHO (and it's just that, an opinion) if you are planning on being a regular cruiser or traveler of any sort, it would be worth the investment to just get it done now. If you are only planning on traveling infrequently or you are really tight on a budget right now, there's no reason to get a passport when it is not any more convenient that the BC at this point.

[TNtraveler]

A practical reason, however, for getting passports now (or, at least, applying for them -- I realize the wait is substantial): it isn't going to get any cheaper.

When I first got a passport, almost 20 years ago, the total cost was $65. When I replaced it after it was lost on a trip, the passport alone cost $65. When I renewed it a few months ago, the renewal fee was $67, and the cost for a new one, with the mandatory 'execution' fee, is $97.

It's cheaper now than it's ever going to be again. If you think you'll ever need one, getting it today is going to be the best deal.

[Carnivalbound]

Thank you everyone for your responses, I have more info now to figure out the best thing to do. We do have a tight budget and do not plan on traveling that often (out of the country at least). So, I may opt out of them for this trip. I will do some more research around here, which may change my mind.

 

Thanks again!

[mapsmith]

And since a passport is good for 10 years, that is only $10/year. Not quite the price of two Drinks of the Day and you are covered.

[mother of twins]

Carnivalbound, I was in your shoes before our trip. I choose not to buy the passports since I did not think we would leaving the country again either. First thing, we will be cruising again next summer...WE ARE HOOKED! so now i will invest in buying them...however if you so not get them go right now and make sure that if you do not have ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTS...that they ARE STATE CERTIFIED COPIES!!!! I was in major panic one week before we left for our trip. I had not touched our birth certs in over 16 years..had no idea they were not original. long story short...i had certified copies but not STATE CERTIFIED COPIES....we live in LA but DH and i were both born in other states...MAJOR PANIC ISSUE to get copies that fast...but i did it and we loved our trip...

GO CHECK YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATES NOW AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE THE CORRECT ONES!!!!!!!

enjoy your trip....

[clackey]

We got passports in 2002 and have never had a regret. However, I can't get a straight answer on whether to carry them onshore when we are in port. Some say to take a copy and leave the original onboard in your safe. I can't see how this would do any good if you got stranded or hurt and they had to fly you home. I doubt if a copy would suffice.

 

Some cruiselines keep your passport until you return to the states. Why would they do this? Then there is the issue of having one stolen. Can you imagine how much crap you would have to jump through with the FEDs?

 

If you plan on cruising in the future, you might as well bite the bullet and get them. If you think this might be the your only trip, it is your call. Just don't wait too long. It takes longer to get one everyday.

[kimmimom]

as we planned a cruise for Jan 2006. At that time, that was going to be required date to have them for cruises to mexico. I got mine and was going to space them out a bit to hit the wallet a little slower. A couple days after I did mine, they changed the date and said they would be required 2007 instead, so i did not get dh or my 3 kids passports at that time. Now the date has been pushed back until at least 2008 for cruises. Had I gotten them back them, the kids passports would be almost 2 years old already wtih no plans for any other travel out of the country, thus spending all that money for not needing them for Jan 2006 (and kids passports are not much cheaper even though good for half the amount of time, I think $82 versus 97). My dh and I took another cruise Sept 2006 and are going Sept 2007. We might go in Aug 2008 wtih the kids and if they are required, we will get them next year. Why get them early if you don't know if you will start traveling out of hte country a lot (if you like cruising if this is your first time, if your kids won't be seasick the whole time, etc.)?

 

If you have a true emergency they will get you back in the US. So, if it was me, I wouldn't get them this time. If you decide you love cruising and might start doing it more often, then get them.

 

I have heard that they are planning on issuing something other than "passports" (can't remember what they are called) and these might be cheaper. Who knows when/if that will happen though.

[PoopDeckPappy]

as we planned a cruise for Jan 2006. At that time, that was going to be required date to have them for cruises to mexico. I got mine and was going to space them out a bit to hit the wallet a little slower. A couple days after I did mine, they changed the date and said they would be required 2007 instead, so i did not get dh or my 3 kids passports at that time. Now the date has been pushed back until at least 2008 for cruises. Had I gotten them back them, the kids passports would be almost 2 years old already with no plans for any other travel out of the country, thus spending all that money for not needing them for Jan 2006 (and kids passports are not much cheaper even though good for half the amount of time, I think $82 versus 97). My dh and I took another cruise Sept 2006 and are going Sept 2007. We might go in Aug 2008 with the kids and if they are required, we will get them next year. Why get them early if you don't know if you will start traveling out of the country a lot (if you like cruising if this is your first time, if your kids won't be seasick the whole time, etc.)?

 

If you have a true emergency they will get you back in the US. So, if it was me, I wouldn't get them this time. If you decide you love cruising and might start doing it more often, then get them.

 

I have heard that they are planning on issuing something other than "passports" (can't remember what they are called) and these might be cheaper. Who knows when/if that will happen though.

DW & I were in the same situation, sans the kids, and I completely agree with your post. I now have "$200" sitting on a shelf that I can't use except to see what I looked like last year when I took the picture. Every year I don't officially need them that's $20 buck down the drain. I travel a couple of times per year and have always used my bc & drivers license w/o any problems whatsoever. No longer lines, closer scrutiny, confusion etc as people claim you avoid by having a passport. If you legally need it then you need it. If the gov doesn't require them then you do not need them. If you miss your boat at port you won't have your passport to get you to another port anyway if you can't fly w/o it. IMHO, you have a much greater chance of losing it ashore vs. missing your ship if you carry it w/ you on land.

 

While the price of passports will go up (as do most things), one needs to factor the $10/year it costs. If you don't need a passport for 3 yrs then they have to go up $30 for this to be worth it to follow this reasoning (for the accountants I mean generally of course :). I realize the time value of money is involved and passports are essentially only "good" for travel for 9.5 yrs, etc.)

 

To the OP, have a great time, I'm sure this will be a non-issue when it's all said and done :)

[Ocham's Razor]

Per my PVP, passports are NOT REQUIRED for a cruise leaving the good 'ole USA. They will be required next year though. Carnival recommends that we have them, but they aren't required.

 

This will save us a lot of money, at least for our Feb. cruise...I knew the gov. would drag this out !

[irishgirl]

This will save us a lot of money' date=' at least for our Feb. cruise...I knew the gov. would drag this out ![/quote']

 

The Government had to drag it out because of procrastinators complaining to their Congressmen.

[JaneBP]

The Government had to drag it out because of procrastinators complaining to their Congressmen.

 

It's also because of the inefficient bureaucracy in the State Department which wasn't ready (and still isn't) to handle the demand from both new travelers and the procrastinators. It's just like other governmental departments, underfunded and overworked.