Carnival replied, yes, you will need a passport!?

[Slimpickins]

and around and around we go againnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.........weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

Bill

 

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

 

 

 

 

I am getting dizzy :(

 

 

Is it less dizzying in context???:p

[zqvol]

WOW!! They finally did it! Another nail in the coffin for those spreading misinformation.

 

But you don't think that it will stop do you? Some are never going to get it, because they know the law. Yeah, right!

[Slimpickins]

Wouldn't Limon Costa Rica and Colon Panama fall into this category also?

 

Sure, I am not an avid cruiser, and dont know all the ports. I would have to guess that Costa Rica and Panama might fall into the catageroy according to the most recent doc from Dec. 2008. Cherlyandtk(?) thinks that these adjacent island and contigous(?) countries rule issued in Dec, 2008 might not apply to US citizens. If your cruise isnt covered by adjacent island and contigous(?)doc issued/revealed on Dec., 2008 I would recomend calling DHS.

[cusyl]

If you plan to travel within the next 10 years you should just go ahead and get a passport. Eventually everyone will be required to have one.

(Passports are good for ten years)

[beach410]

Again, I have mine:

 

If you were 16 or Older when the passport was issued, then your passport is valid for 10 Years.

If you were 15 or Younger when the passport was issued, then your passport is valid for 5 Years.

[livsmom]

I read all of the stuff on-line and still was apprehensive about not having them. So I called Carnival and was told no I did not need one.:rolleyes: And a few days later DH and I were talking and I decided to call the 877 # that is on the passport paperwork, and the lady there told me that to be safe it is better to get one with the law changing all the time etc....so we went and submitted application and lo and behold our passports where there in 9 days! could't believe it!:cool:

[Esmerelda]

My question is; why would you want to travel WITHOUT a passport?

 

It's not rocket science...just apply...get it...its over ...its good for 10 years.

 

 

nuff said..

[caribbean dreams]

passport: the only officially recognized and accepted travel document by the entire world.

 

Can you please call Bank Of America and let them know that for me!

 

Went to cash a check, needed 2 forms of ID, so i grabbed my DL & PP.......stupid girl at the window told me i couldn't use my PP but if i had a AAA card, she would take it:eek::eek:

 

Had to find the Manager to get "permission" Yes, i used a few choice words.!!

 

OP....we all know it is better to have a PP but it is not required.

[TauruSmith]

A passport covers you for 10 years any time you are out of the country... it's worth the effort.

 

I could see people worrying if they thought they might not get it in time, as was the case 2 years ago when there was the passport rush... but I always say better safe than sorry

[FantasyLineAddict]

Look at Carnivals NEW FAQ, they fixed it. What do I win for posting it :D.

 

Quote and link: http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/New_Passport_Requirements.aspx

 

CRUISE TRAVEL

 

U.S. citizens traveling on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port must show proof of citizenship (such as an original or certified copy of a birth certificate) and a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license). Effective June 1, 2009, U.S. citizens traveling on cruises that begin and end in different U.S. ports, or begin or end in a foreign port, must have a valid passport or recognized WHTI-compliant document. For a complete list of accepted documents, see www.travel.state.gov.

 

YAY!

 

My husband and I have passports, but my children do not, and I am not getting passports for them for a cruise scheduled after June 1st.

 

If my husband and I didn't already have passports, we wouldn't get them either.

 

If having a passport for unforeseen fly-home emergencies makes someone feel secure, they should get a passport. If they can deal with that remote possibility, they should save their money and get one when/if they need one.

[Lady_831]

My question is; why would you want to travel WITHOUT a passport?

 

It's not rocket science...just apply...get it...its over ...its good for 10 years.

 

 

nuff said..

 

Maybe her brother and his family don't want to spend $400 on something that might not be needed and/or may never be used again.

[MDSue]

OP- I understand how an extra $400. seems like alot of money, but with all the conflicting info you are getting from everyone I'd be afraid to show up for a vacation of a lifetime and get turned away. From what I've read on my Carnival documents, passports will be required after June 1st. I would say it's possible that they are requiring it even if homeland security isn't. But for an issue as important as this I wouldn't go by what fellow cc'ers are posting. After all, if you get turned away at the ship, you can't say that the people on cruise critic told you it wasn't needed.

I just think when planning a cruise vacation, you need to factor in everything, including travel insurance and passports.

Good luck:)

[caribbean dreams]

OP- From what I've read on my Carnival documents, passports will be required after June 1st.

 

I'm reading my Doc's right now and they say the same thing as Homeland Security. "cruises that begin & end in the same US port will need BC & ID"

 

Not to say that a PP is not a good thing to have BUT some people will only be cruising once and don't want to spend that kind of extra money.

[Slimpickins]

OP- I understand how an extra $400. seems like alot of money, but with all the conflicting info you are getting from everyone I'd be afraid to show up for a vacation of a lifetime and get turned away. From what I've read on my Carnival documents, passports will be required after June 1st. I would say it's possible that they are requiring it even if homeland security isn't. But for an issue as important as this I wouldn't go by what fellow cc'ers are posting. After all, if you get turned away at the ship, you can't say that the people on cruise critic told you it wasn't needed.

I just think when planning a cruise vacation, you need to factor in everything, including travel insurance and passports.

Good luck:)

 

Carnivals own website(for what it is worth ) says you dont need them for closed loop. DHS says you dont need them for closed loop. Dont see how the OP's brother will be denied boarding. Carnival even went to the extent of changing their FAQ to state they are needed for US citizens traveling on a closed loop cruise. What documents are you refering to?? Are these documents provided to you before Carnival realized they were providing bad info about PP requirements???

[Slimpickins]

My question is; why would you want to travel WITHOUT a passport?

 

It's not rocket science...just apply...get it...its over ...its good for 10 years.

 

 

nuff said..

 

Well, very insightful;). Almost as insightful as "Mission Accomplished":D.

[ManyMore]

ok who is the poster that said go to the source for the correct information the government LMAO!!!!!!!!! Seriously how many of us have known the government to be RIGHT?????? LOL

[Slimpickins]

ok who is the poster that said go to the source for the correct information the government LMAO!!!!!!!!! Seriously how many of us have known the government to be RIGHT?????? LOL

 

Though I agree with you in General, but to the specfic question about PP's, I would suggest calling DHS could/can be a good thing.

[MDSue]

I'm reading my Doc's right now and they say the same thing as Homeland Security. "cruises that begin & end in the same US port will need BC & ID"

 

Not to say that a PP is not a good thing to have BUT some people will only be cruising once and don't want to spend that kind of extra money.

What I'm trying to say is that I think the OP needs to not go by what us other posters are telling her. While I think everyone on this board is trying to be helpful, some are obviously giving the wrong info. Some are saying a passport is required and other are saying it isn't. Which one of us is definitely right? It seems as if she is even getting conflicting info from Carnival also. I did try and go back to where I read that passports were required after June 1st and couldn't find it. What I just read from their website is a passport or other recognized identification was required and it directs you to the state department website.

I quite understand the affordability of a passport and didn't get one myself until last year, but I would hate to see someone turned away from their vacation because they went by the wrong info. I can honestly say that I don't know the definitive answer to this question

[Bobbye]

I agree with you on those 2 ports. They seem to be the only 2 caribbean ports excluded under the newest document. Most docs about the closed loop exception came out around March, 2008. This new document came out in Dec., 2008. If I was going to either of those 2 ports(including Roatan), I would call DHS and get verification.

 

When we got off the Norwegian Pearl in January all the people that were leaving the ship and had traveled on birth certificates were sent to an immigration official. My youngest was one and I went with him and his girlfriend to the officier. The officer told us that this year they could do the cruise (stopped in Belize and Roatan) but that next year they would need a passport to do the same cruise. He told me where to look on the website for the list of countries that were considered permissable for the closed loop exception and emphasized that Belize was definitely not on the list.

[Slimpickins]

When we got off the Norwegian Pearl in January all the people that were leaving the ship and had traveled on birth certificates were sent to an immigration official. My youngest was one and I went with him and his girlfriend to the officier. The officer told us that this year they could do the cruise (stopped in Belize and Roatan) but that next year they would need a passport to do the same cruise. He told me where to look on the website for the list of countries that were considered permissable for the closed loop exception and emphasized that Belize was definitely not on the list.

 

Here is that list and its link:http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/closed_loop_faq.xml

 

Q: What does contiguous territories or adjacent islands mean?

 

A: Contiguous Territories are any country sharing a common boundary with the United States. Canada and Mexico are contiguous to the United States.

 

Adjacent Islands as follows: Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Marie-Galantine, Martinique, Miquelon, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Christopher, Saint Eustatius, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions bordering on the Caribbean Sea.

 

Thought the WHTI Final rule stated the caribbean, its seems that some caribbean countries are not included. For the countries in the Caribbean but not list I would call DHS and verify or get a PP.

[Bobbye]

Yes, I posted that list and link earlier.

[tbrown]

I applied for mine on the 13th of Feb and got it today. The only issue I see in someone not getting theirs is that they don't want to spend the money but I want to be secure in case something happens. JMO

[krystalkruzer]

Just copied this directly from their website under travel documentation :

 

U.S. citizens traveling on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port must show proof of citizenship (such as an original or certified copy of a birth certificate) and a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license). Effective June 1, 2009, U.S. citizens traveling on cruises that begin and end in different U.S. ports, or begin or end in a foreign port, must have a passport or other recognized document. For a complete list of accepted documents, see www.travel.state.gov.

U.S. Alien Residents need a valid Alien Resident Card. Canadian citizens must present a valid passport. Non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport and a valid, unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-entry Visa, if applicable.

[beach410]

Yes, the above is what I posted earlier, I even went to the WHITI FAQ and found the same, I also called Homeland Security and they directed me to Passports and the lady there confirmed the statement about closed looped cruises, but after June 1st, some countries may require a passport for entry but that the Cruiseline will know which.

 

I then called Carnival back again, and one agent told me that this is wrong you DO need a passport, when I asked to speak with her manager when she insisted that their webpage was wrong and getting sick of the misinformation spreading, and she HUNG up on me! LOL (even my TA is insisting we will need one, go figure).

 

I then called back and spoke to yet another agent who insisted that the webpage and previous person I spoke to at the passport # was right, I even asked her about Roatan and Belize and she said for this year you will NOT need a passport. I also checked on Royal Carribeans web page and it says the same as Carnivals.

 

I sent final word to my brother and told him I am washing my hands on this, I spent way too much time investigating and its a shame that you cant get a consistent answer. I told him do what you want, I do recommend you getting one for emergencies, but I have cruised on numorous occasions myself without one. He left me a message last night saying thanks for the info and time spent researching and that I was right. If he chooses to get one that is his business, I did what I could to educate him.

[Thirsty Cruiser]

Why do people think that $400 is a drop in the bucket? My brother is 50 and has never ever vacationed out of the country before, I think hes been camping once in Tenesse with his family. This is their first big vacation and may be his last, if he doesnt plan of traveling internationally again, $400 is a lot to spend if he doesnt NEED to.

I never said $400 was not a lot of money. I said $79 over 10 years was a small investment vs. all the headache and worry over whether he will need a passport. Your original post only mentioned your brother, not his family of 5.

I would personally never travel without my passport because I know that it will be accepted anywhere, and will be mandatory soon.