Passports

[4bellablue]

Hi I am confused. What is the deal on passports

Traviling from NY Feb21st to FL and Bahamas.

Do we need passports.

Have 8 year old and 15 year old.

[Philob]

You'll get a lot of back and forth, my 2 cents is to get them.

 

 

 

Heating up the popcorn oil....:D

[cantstopcruising]

Hi I am confused. What is the deal on passports

Traviling from NY Feb21st to FL and Bahamas.

Do we need passports.

Have 8 year old and 15 year old.

As of rite now you don't need passports for Cruises to bahamas and the keep pushing it back but it could chang by then

[musicgirl63]

Passports are always a hot topic....get them if you can. If you want to wait closer to the cruise to see if they change the rules, it takes around 3 weeks to get them right now. I've even heard less than 2 weeks now that the major rush to get them is over.

 

One of the arguments to have passports that I have heard over the years is that you could lose/misplace your birth certificate way to easy. Well I have to counter this....I actually lost all 3 of our passports on the way home this past Sunday. :o Happy ending, I had set them down to check luggage for Amtrak. The lady saw them after we left...I now have them safely in my home after a quick trip through Fed-ex!

[chrisbd1]

If you have to fly back to the US, however, you will need a passport. There was a story about a family on RCCL that had to fly back to the US ,from the Bahamas, because of a sick child. It took a few thousand dollars, for a flight and emergency passports. I'm sure they thought they didn't need passports, as it was only a three or four day cruise. They were wrong. It also highlights the importance of trip insurance.

[salty dingo]

If you never expect to travel abroad in the next 10 years, you may have a case for not getting one, but if you think you will cruise again, why not make it easier and get them. They are pretty quick nowadays.

[7leagueboots]

If you have to fly back to the US, however, you will need a passport. There was a story about a family on RCCL that had to fly back to the US ,from the Bahamas, because of a sick child. It took a few thousand dollars, for a flight and emergency passports. I'm sure they thought they didn't need passports, as it was only a three or four day cruise. They were wrong. It also highlights the importance of trip insurance.

 

I remember that story. It would up causting them a lot of money and time to get the emergency passports.

 

You are going to need them eventually, so why not get them now?

[pumpkin228]

I would definitely get them now as it just makes things easier. We just had our 4 year old on a cruise to Bermuda. Although passports were not required on more than one occasion re-entering the boat in bermuda security asked for a picture ID of our son. (you need to present cabin card and photo id for each re-entry). There were probably three security guards throughout the week, only one of them wanted his picture so we started carrying the passport on and off board with us just in case! You never know!!!

[lady_cruiser]

Ahhh, go ahead and get them. Then your kids can brag to their friends that they have their own U.S. Passports.

[4bellablue]

Ahhh, go ahead and get them. Then your kids can brag to their friends that they have their own U.S. Passports.

 

Good One: I have looked into it it is very expensive, but I have awhile to get them.

[sealuber]

We leave tomorrow on our Alaskan cruise. In Skagway we are taking a tour into Canada. On the excursion description it says that you need a valid US passport. Well I thought all of ours were up to date but my kids passports expired last year and dh could not find his. Lucky for us we live about 80 miles from Seattle and were able to get them done the same day. Unfortunaty they came with alot of fees. We paid $450.00 for 3 passports. 1 adult and 2 children. Save yourself the fees and do it through snail mail. It might cost you but what price do you put on your piece of mind that if you had to fly out that you already had everything ready.