Closed Loop Cruises has been updated

[Cruise Cat]

Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that both originate and terminate at the same U.S. port, we, again, strongly recommend all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel).

 

This is the part they added on that I don't get. Is their statement about six months after just a suggestion or is it policy (ours expire 5-1/2 months after). I'll renew this summer if I have to, but don't want to be doing it every 9 years when they are valid for 10 (waste). I have e-mailed them for written confirmation.

[Cruise Cat]

Although a passport is not required for U.S. citizens taking cruises that both originate and terminate at the same U.S. port, we, again, strongly recommend all guests travel with a passport (valid for at least six months beyond completion of travel).

 

This is the part they added on that I don't get. Is their statement about six months after just a suggestion or is it policy (ours expire 5-1/2 months after)? I'll renew this summer if I have to, but don't want to be doing it every 9 years when they are valid for 10 (waste). I have e-mailed them for written confirmation.

[ocntscha]

This is the part they added on that I don't get. Is their statement about six months after just a suggestion or is it policy (ours expire 5-1/2 months after)? I'll renew this summer if I have to, but don't want to be doing it every 9 years when they are valid for 10 (waste). I have e-mailed them for written confirmation.

Please share Carnivals response with us. Its very confusing when they state the guideline is a recommendation as to whether or not it is a suggestion. I hope you get it clarified for us.

[cherylandtk]

If a cruise does not require a passport, it also does not require a validity length on the (non-required) passport.

[Cruise Cat]

If a cruise does not require a passport, it also does not require a validity length on the (non-required) passport.

 

But that is the odd way that paragraph is written. I know we don't need a passport; but that is what we are using. So if we use passports, are we then subjuct to the six month rule/suggestion/policy.... that's the question. Just being safe.:) It did not reject them when I filled out the funpass which does indicate it is a recommendation and not a policy.

[cherylandtk]

But that is the odd way that paragraph is written. I know we don't need a passport; but that is what we are using. So if we use passports, are we then subjuct to the six month rule/suggestion/policy.... that's the question. Just being safe.:) It did not reject them when I filled out the funpass which does indicate it is a recommendation and not a policy.

Yes, that is the odd way the Carnival paragraph is written ;), and no, you do not need a 6 month expiry if the passport itself is not a requirement. You may get some CSR's telling you that if you use a passport then it has to be valid for 6 months, but the fact is no, your passport need not be valid for 6 months if you are using it on a cruise that is otherwise eligible for BC/ID. The US accepts US passports up to and including the day of expiration, and the port countries don't even look at your passport (or know if you are travelling on one) and don't care about whether you have one or it's expiry if you are a day-trip cruiser. Still, you will get told by airlines, and perhaps travel agents and others, to have a 6 month validity period on a passport just because it is the greatest common factor for all the various rules. They don't want to be bothered with paying attention to who will be looking at your passport under what circumstances. It is common to have a less-than-6-month-expiry passport rejected by online cruiseline check-in pages, but most of those can be overridden by a human agent if you call them on the phone. And some passengers don't want to be bothered with the details either, and will just renew early so they don't have to deal with the question.

[floridacruzin]

Just my experience from the Valor last week. My family of 3 travel with a passport. Stopped in Cayman, Belize, Honduras, Key West

 

Our port was changed from Cozumel to Key West and when we stopped in Key West we needed to go through immigration. It was a breeze. However, the couple behind me in line had their birth certificates with them and the officer on board was giving them a hard time about not having passports. He stated that as of June 1, even though it was closed loop he needed the passport because we stopped in Belize..he did let them pass eventually.....

 

I hope the officers get the memo so that passengers on closed loop cruises do not have a problem...but IMO folks...traveling with a passport offers a lot of security....you never know what may happen to you on an island...I think people live in a world where they think that will never happen to me...I will not need to fly home from a port....but if you do having your passport will be one less thing to worry about

[LowRiderMomma]

This is the part they added on that I don't get. Is their statement about six months after just a suggestion or is it policy (ours expire 5-1/2 months after)? I'll renew this summer if I have to, but don't want to be doing it every 9 years when they are valid for 10 (waste). I have e-mailed them for written confirmation.

 

 

 

There is a reason for the 6 month remaining requirement for SOME cruises (currently NOT the Caribbean cruises). There are many countries that have immigration rules that require your passport to be valid for 3 to 6 months past time of visiting their country. It is not a requirement from the US government, it is the requirement of the country being visited.

[TamLaiSang]

I just got an email from Carnival...unfortunately...I deleted it, LOL. It basically said that although passports aren't required, "Enhanced photo IDs"(whatever that means), copies of birth certificates, etc. ARE required.

 

I'd like to see some pushy American trying to argue with a customs official that wants to see their passports, that they really don't need to provide them.:rolleyes:

 

That is...as long as they aren't in front of me...because I want to enjoy my vacation...LOL.

 

I agree with the post below...you never know...

 

Just my experience from the Valor last week. My family of 3 travel with a passport. Stopped in Cayman, Belize, Honduras, Key West

 

Our port was changed from Cozumel to Key West and when we stopped in Key West we needed to go through immigration. It was a breeze. However, the couple behind me in line had their birth certificates with them and the officer on board was giving them a hard time about not having passports. He stated that as of June 1, even though it was closed loop he needed the passport because we stopped in Belize..he did let them pass eventually.....

 

I hope the officers get the memo so that passengers on closed loop cruises do not have a problem...but IMO folks...traveling with a passport offers a lot of security....you never know what may happen to you on an island...I think people live in a world where they think that will never happen to me...I will not need to fly home from a port....but if you do having your passport will be one less thing to worry about

[Studebaker59]

We used our passports as ID in May to cruise. They expire in August so the cruise was three months prior to passport expiration. No problem!

 

When we returned home, we applied for passport renewals.

[lizardhowson]

I just got an email from Carnival...unfortunately...I deleted it, LOL. It basically said that although passports aren't required, "Enhanced photo IDs"(whatever that means), copies of birth certificates, etc. ARE required.

 

I'd like to see some pushy American trying to argue with a customs official that wants to see their passports, that they really don't need to provide them.:rolleyes:

 

That is...as long as they aren't in front of me...because I want to enjoy my vacation...LOL.

 

I agree with the post below...you never know...

 

To retreive a deleted E-mail go into deleted items in your email app

 

Enhanced Photo ID's are supposed to be Driver's Licenses and State ID cards with additional security features. Many states have just started changing over to these new security measures.

[trock]

Closed Loop Cruises has been updated on the Carnival website!!!

 

:D

 

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) Passport Requirements became effective June 1, 2009, for land and sea borders. While the WHTI requires a valid passport for land and sea travel, a final ruling was issued allowing leniency for “closed-loop” cruises, i.e., sailings that both originate and terminate in the same U.S. port.

 

Recent guidance received from the Department of Homeland Security indicates the documentary requirements under WHTI for “closed loop” cruises are not limited to cruises that travel only to contiguous territories or adjacent islands. This means U.S. citizens calling on ports in Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica and Belize will also be exempt from the passport requirement.

 

U.S. citizens taking “closed-loop” cruises are not required to have a passport, but will need proof of citizenship such as an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization, a passport card, an enhanced driver’s license (EDL) as well as a government-issued photo ID. Children are also required to bring proof of citizenship, and if 16 and over, a photo ID is also required. Canadian and Bermudian citizens are required to have a passport for air, land and sea travel, including all Carnival cruises.

 

 

What is confusing is, if you go on to Carnival to process information for a newly booked cruise, it states on the first page that as of June 1st... a passport is needed.. and when you fill out what type of identification you are taking, there is not much room for anything other than a passport or enhanced drivers license...

:)

[LemurCat]

Enhanced Photo ID's are supposed to be Driver's Licenses and State ID cards with additional security features. Many states have just started changing over to these new security measures.

 

Yup, they're the new digital IDs with the holographic watermarking. They're replacing the old laminated cards, or in the case of NJ, the licenses without pictures. (Yup, if you were over a certain age and had a certain amount of years driving, you didn't need to have a picture on your license in the state of NJ until about 5 years ago.)

[TamLaiSang]

To retreive a deleted E-mail go into deleted items in your email app

 

Yeah...I did...but strangely it was one of the few emails that wasn't there...

 

Thanks for the info about Enhanced IDs. I'm used to DLs expiring frequently...Unlike my very first DL in Arizona that didn't expire until the year 2035!:eek:

[SMA9497]

What is confusing is, if you go on to Carnival to process information for a newly booked cruise, it states on the first page that as of June 1st... a passport is needed.. and when you fill out what type of identification you are taking, there is not much room for anything other than a passport or enhanced drivers license...

:)

 

I just filled out our funpass information for our cruise at the end of June and there was a place to select the type of Identification you were using and Birth Certificate was an option. We are using BCs because we made a last minute decision to take a cruise and my passport needed to be updated with married name and DH needed one. I didn't want to spend the extra money for expediting so we'll just get our passports later.

[cherylandtk]

EDL's are more than just a holographic watermark or the addition of a picture. They must adhere to similar security standards of a passport card, they contain an RFID chip, they are proof of citizenship as well as identity and as far as I know, only four states are issuing them as of now. New Jersey is not one of them.

 

http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossingborders/gc_1197575704846.shtm

[lizardhowson]

EDL's are more than just a holographic watermark or the addition of a picture. They must adhere to similar security standards of a passport card, they contain an RFID chip, they are proof of citizenship as well as identity and as far as I know, only four states are issuing them as of now. New Jersey is not one of them.

 

http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossingborders/gc_1197575704846.shtm

 

I know Ohio has just started issuing them at the main office in Columbus. The other renewal stations will begin later.

[Cruise, J.D.]

I just filled out our funpass information for our cruise at the end of June and there was a place to select the type of Identification you were using and Birth Certificate was an option. We are using BCs because we made a last minute decision to take a cruise and my passport needed to be updated with married name and DH needed one. I didn't want to spend the extra money for expediting so we'll just get our passports later.

 

Same here. I had absolutely no problem selecting the birth certificate option during the Fun Pass process for a November cruise.

[Elletrain]

It seems odd that they would not require a passport for people who are making stops in Mexico. For example, I have a friend taking her kids on a Catalina cruise that ports for a day at Ensinada, (it's a closed loop cruise though) and she will not have to obtain permission from her exhusband now to take these kids out of the country. Had she been required to get a passport, the father would have to authorize this trip. With all the parental kidnappings that take place, I can't believe they would allow people to get off the boat in Mexico with children that don't have passports.

 

We cruised to Catalina in May and sailed to Ensinada but never ported there because of the swine flu. We were still required to show passports getting on and off the boat and it was a closed loop cruise. Why would the regulations on this become more lax? My travel agent had told me that I had to have it, even though Carnival didn't. I almost didn't get my passports because they had to be expedited and we were no longer porting in Mexico. I'm glad I listened to the travel agent and paid for the passports.

 

Is it possible my friend could find that she will need passports for her kids once she gets to the ship despite Carnival's official statements?

That is why my travel agent told me to get them. Better safe than sorry.

[cherylandtk]

.. For example, I have a friend taking her kids on a Catalina cruise that ports for a day at Ensinada, (it's a closed loop cruise though) and she will not have to obtain permission from her exhusband now to take these kids out of the country. Had she been required to get a passport, the father would have to authorize this trip.

Getting a passport and giving parental authorization are two different actions. Giving permission for a passport does not authorize unlimited trips using that passport. A parent may be required to show travel permission from the absent parent whether or not they use a passport for the children. In reality, this permission is not asked for most of the time, but it is possible and there are many posts on this board attesting to that fact.

 

We were still required to show passports getting on and off the boat and it was a closed loop cruise. Why would the regulations on this become more lax? My travel agent had told me that I had to have it, even though Carnival didn't. I almost didn't get my passports because they had to be expedited and we were no longer porting in Mexico. I'm glad I listened to the travel agent and paid for the passports.

 

Is it possible my friend could find that she will need passports for her kids once she gets to the ship despite Carnival's official statements?

That is why my travel agent told me to get them. Better safe than sorry.

Passports have never been required to travel to Mexico on a cruise; the fact that you used them just means they are one of several different documentation options, not that they were previously required and now are not. You are probably better off having a passport, but you did not require one on your cruise, you could have used just a certified Birth Certificate and your Driver's License. Your friend will be fine with those as travel documents unless she has an emergency in Ensenada and needs to fly home from Mexico.

 

Many people, including your TA, will say to go ahead and get passports just in case of emergency. That is fine, and something I recommend if asked for my advice. But they are not required by law.

[Cruise, J.D.]

It seems odd that they would not require a passport for people who are making stops in Mexico. For example, I have a friend taking her kids on a Catalina cruise that ports for a day at Ensinada, (it's a closed loop cruise though) and she will not have to obtain permission from her exhusband now to take these kids out of the country. Had she been required to get a passport, the father would have to authorize this trip. With all the parental kidnappings that take place, I can't believe they would allow people to get off the boat in Mexico with children that don't have passports.

 

We cruised to Catalina in May and sailed to Ensinada but never ported there because of the swine flu. We were still required to show passports getting on and off the boat and it was a closed loop cruise. Why would the regulations on this become more lax? My travel agent had told me that I had to have it, even though Carnival didn't. I almost didn't get my passports because they had to be expedited and we were no longer porting in Mexico. I'm glad I listened to the travel agent and paid for the passports.

 

Is it possible my friend could find that she will need passports for her kids once she gets to the ship despite Carnival's official statements?

That is why my travel agent told me to get them. Better safe than sorry.

 

The US government does not require passports for US citizens on closed-loop cruises. There is nothing to debate about on this. Any info to the contrary is simply wrong. If people are unable to read the actual LAW and understand it, they cannot be helped.

http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/whti_landseafinalrule.pdf

 

Mexico grants a limited visa to cruise ship passengers and does not require passports for cruise ship passengers. The likelihood of that changing anytime soon is close to nil.

[Denton_Geek]

So, I wonder what happens if we have another Ike... cruise originated in Galveston and ended up in New Orleans.

[Cruise, J.D.]

So, I wonder what happens if we have another Ike... cruise originated in Galveston and ended up in New Orleans.

 

I answered a similar question here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=19809889&postcount=21

[cruisin_happy]

So, I wonder what happens if we have another Ike... cruise originated in Galveston and ended up in New Orleans.

 

That's a very good question, and J.D., thanks for the link to that answer. ;)

[jahck]

warning: this is completely useless information read at your own risk.

 

what the heck is the problem with just getting a passport?!? is it really that hard? you people will be complaining about how horrible carnival is when they leave your rear in port or when you get ill at a foreign port and you cant fly home cause you were too cheap to pick up a passport