passport card ?

[mikesusan]

We are booked on the Ruby this Dec and we have the passport book. we're taking my mom and wondering if the passport card would work for her if for some reason she would miss the ship or get sick and have to fly home early, or should we get the book for safety reasons?

[chasinraynbowz]

The Passport Card will not allow her to fly. Its only good for driving across borders or on cruises. If you are worried that she might have to fly home early, she needs the passport book. If you are worried she might miss the ship, get her the book.

 

Just an FYI - My DH and I both have passport cards and used them when we cruised on the Ruby in November. We had no problems at all!

[swom]

My TA does not recommend the card at all. I would go with the full passport. In the long run, it will be worth the cost.

[Colo Cruiser]

We are booked on the Ruby this Dec and we have the passport book. we're taking my mom and wondering if the passport card would work for her if for some reason she would miss the ship or get sick and have to fly home early, or should we get the book for safety reasons?

 

 

Get the regular passport.

[megr1125]

get the regular book.........

[Pam in CA]

Ditto... get the passport. The passport card is really meant for those driving across the borders of Mexico or Canada. You cannot fly with the passport card which means that if you miss a flight connection, you will not be able to fly to the next port if it's a non-U.S. port; ditto being able to fly back to the U.S. should you need to disembark early.

 

The old saying, "Penny wise, pound foolish." There's a lot of truth to that saying.

[caribill]

Remember the passport fiasco of 2007? The one in which lines of people camped out in front of passport offices across the country, hoping to score that treasured little blue book in time to avoid losing out on a long-awaited trip?

 

Those lines were caused by the border-security requirement, new that year, for a U.S. passport for air travel from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. In the summer after the January 2007 deadline, passport offices became so overwhelmed with applications that the usual two- to three-week wait for a passport ballooned to three months. Desperate would-be travelers, on the verge of missing out on a trip abroad, contacted their representatives and senators in Congress.

 

Beginning June 1, a passport or another form of government-approved re-entry ID will be required for cruise passengers and land travelers returning from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

 

Most people have two choices: They can get a passport book — for adults, these are $100 for first-timers, $75 for renewals — or one of the new passport cards, $45 for first-timers, $20 if presented with a passport book. Residents of Washington and New York can get an enhanced driver’s license that denotes citizenship.

 

José Padrazo, communications manager for the Houston Passport Agency, says the card should be adequate for cruises and for folks who are driving across the border. It’s cheaper, and you can carry it in your wallet. But there’s a catch: If you become ill or injured, you can’t fly back.

 

“I’d say it’s advantageous to have a passport book,” Padrazo says. He has both; he likes to have the passport card as a second form of ID.

Applying for a passport doesn’t have to be a big hassle, according to Padrazo. “It’s really easier than most people think,” he says. “I think that’s the hesitation most people have.”

 

With the deadline fast approaching, the State Department has been working behind the scenes to avoid a run on the passport agency. The agency has been holding passport fairs across the country and has hired more staff in anticipation of an increase in applications. March 28 has been declared Passport Day in the USA, and passport offices nationwide will be open late to accommodate applicants. But there’s no need to wait; passport facilities are open on Saturdays and a few on Sundays, so if you work during the week, you can begin the process right now.

 

Keeping post offices that serve as passport centers open an extra three hours on March 28 will help many to take the plunge, Padrazo says.

Linda De Sosa of Woodlake Travel warns that as more people become aware of the deadline and begin applying, the processing time will increase, so vacationers need to work that into their planning.

Also, she points out, it’s not always enough to have a valid passport. Some countries won’t admit travelers whose passports are due to expire within six months.

 

Now’s the time to get out your passport and check the expiration date, she warns, even if you’re not planning to travel.

 

“With so many amazing deals out there right now, you can’t afford not to travel,” De Sosa says. “I just saw a $460 roundtrip to London. That’s cheaper than some places in Mexico. And Mexico’s offering some great deals, too.”

 

Source: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/travel/rss/6305712.html

[cherylandtk]

Beginning June 1, a passport or another form of government-approved re-entry ID will be required for cruise passengers and land travelers returning from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

Source: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/travel/rss/6305712.html

Caribill's post provides excellent information and options for travelers to consider. I would clarify the section quoted above, to note that cruise passengers on round trip cruises and land border travellers have different document/re-entry ID requirements. Land borders, and sea borders on ferries, private boats, etc. will need a border crossing document issued by the government--passport, passcard, EDL, Nexus, Sentri, etc. As will US citizens on one-way cruises. But the exception for round trip cruises still exists after June 1, and US citizens on those cruises may use a certified Birth Certificate and ID.

[caribill]

More info:

 

This rule has two prominent exceptions:

 

• Children under age 18 without the documents required for adults will be able to enter or return from WHTI participating countries with any accepted proof of citizenship, including birth certificate (original or copy), or citizenship card.
  
• Cruise ship passengers on closed loop itineraries (cruises that begin and end at the same U.S. port) can enter or leave with a birth certificate or government-issued photo ID. (You may, however, need a U.S. passport to debark at some ports.)
  

To complete the picture, it's worth repeating that air travelers arriving from any foreign country, including those in the WHTI program, will see no changes: You need a passport; the passport card won't do. This requirement applies to travelers of any age, including children and even infants. The only exceptions are for active-duty military personnel, merchant mariners, travelers with NEXUS cards, and permanent residents—groups with their own specific ID requirements.

 

http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-advice/new-re-entry-requirements-start-in-june.html?id=2849210&source=nltype_senior&value=2009-03-17+00%3A00%3A00&u=3674B0D9D7