Passports for Cruises

Table Of Content

• REQUIRED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
• Cruise Line Adds “Glacier Day” to Its Alaskan Cruise Itineraries
• Accepted Identification for U.S. Citizens
• Royal Caribbean Blog is your ultimate source for Royal Caribbean coverage.
• Documents needed for cruisers to board a ship
• Do You Need a Passport to Take a Caribbean Cruise?
• Travel document requirements for sailings from Japanese homeports

If you plan to fly to your cruise embarkation port, this could be a problem. If you're a U.S. citizen and don't have a passport, you actually have quite a few cruise options. We recommend investing in a passport cover or wallet to protect your pages from bends, tears and spills. It’s important to keep your passport in good condition for easy inspection. Amid the fallout from the Boeing 737 MAX crisis, there is a looming possibility of airline tickets becoming more expensive. Incidents like the door of an Alaskan Airlines 737 MAX detaching mid-flight have prompted Boeing to slow down the production of this aircraft.

Carnival Cruise Line Issues Reminders to Booked Guests - Cruise Hive

Carnival Cruise Line Issues Reminders to Booked Guests.

Posted: Fri, 06 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

REQUIRED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

If your cruise is not closed-loop and you board, for example, in San Diego for a one-way Panama Canal cruise to Ft. Check our travelers page to learn more about specific issues you might face abroad. These include special considerations for older travelers, those with disabilities, women, and LGBTQI+ travelers. Although you should always take steps to protect your personal documents and only take them out with you when necessary, you also want to be prepared in case your wallet or passport is stolen or misplaced. With the pandemic and how overbooked flights and hotels can be these days, I like the peace of mind that comes with knowing I'm covered if something goes wrong. Only after port officials check and verify each of these at the terminal will you be permitted to board your ship.

Cruise Line Adds “Glacier Day” to Its Alaskan Cruise Itineraries

Most cruise lines will not allow women to sail in the third trimester of pregnancy; you must typically be 24 weeks pregnant or less on the day of disembarkation in order to cruise. You'll want to double-check the current guidelines (with a site like travel.state.gov for U.S. citizens) as they pertain to your specific travel plans. To that end, we've provided you with your very own toolbox of internet resources, in addition to our general overview. If you lose your passport while on a cruise, the first thing you need to do is notify the nearest U.S. consulate in order to get a replacement passport issued.

Accepted Identification for U.S. Citizens

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Photocopies of important documents

Even if you plan to stick to a closed-loop cruise, we still recommend you invest in a passport or passport card before your cruise. Though you can cruise without a passport and still get home if you get stranded in port, the hassle of obtaining a temporary passport on top of making arrangements for last-minute travel is rarely worth it. In our minds, investing around a dollar per month for 10 years of security is a steal. Even though a passport isn’t required for most sailings offered by cruise lines, unexpected accidents or emergencies occur while traveling. Even though your cruise will visit a foreign port (because it’s required to), passports likely won’t be required to go ashore if the voyage meets the closed-loop requirements. Even if you're on a closed-loop sailing, certain islands in the Caribbean – Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barts, Barbados and others -- require a passport for entry.

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Once you have all your documentation, then you’ll need to submit it in person at a Passport Acceptance Facility. Once you decide which type of passport you’d like, you’ll need to gather the appropriate documents. If you are unsure if your cruise is domestic, consult the cruise line, as they can quickly tell you what type of cruise it is and your specific I.D. While it may sound a bit frustrating, the answer is it will depend on several factors. For starters, you need to determine if your cruise is departing from and returning to your home country.

Do You Need a Passport to Take a Caribbean Cruise?

Because both are US territories, The Department of State doesn’t require a passport to travel to and from Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. There are rare instances where a port of call may require cruise passengers to have their passport to go ashore or take an excursion, even if the cruise itself doesn’t require it. For the birth certificate, it’s important to stress that it must be an original or certified copy of the birth certificate, which has the raised seal branded into it. For example, a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise from Miami won’t require a passport because you’re beginning and ending the cruise from the same US port.

Travel document requirements for sailings from Japanese homeports

You might be surprised to know that certain U.S.-based cruises allow you to cruise without a passport. But just because some cruise passport requirements allow for “no passport cruises” doesn't mean you should sail without one. We break down closed-loop cruises, what happens in an emergency if you cruise without a passport, and what passport rules are for Alaska, the Bahamas and other popular cruise destinations.

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Cruise News Update: Royal Caribbean Cancels, Carnival Policy, NCL.

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For most cruises, you'll need a passport book that's valid for at least six months from the day your sailing ends. In some cases, you can use a passport card instead of a passport book, but that will only work if you plan to reenter the United States via your ship from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or the Caribbean. Depending on where you are traveling and your nationality, you may also require an entry visa to board the ship or enter certain countries the ship will visit. While most cruise lines are happy to provide this information, it is ultimately the passenger’s responsibility to ensure they have all of the necessary visas before they board the ship. It’s worth noting that although you can take a closed loop cruise with proper ID and your birth certificate, we recommend getting a passport. Passports are generally easier to check than other documentation and may save you time when boarding and deboarding.

Most people’s official state ID would be their driver’s license, state ID card, or learner’s permit. Thanks to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), you don’t need a passport to cruise if you’re a US citizen. Then, once back in New York, U.S. customs and border protection will require a passport to get back into the United States. A one-way fall cruise from New York City to Quebec requires a passport because you start in the US and end in another country.

Disney Cruise Line, a branch of The Walt Disney Company, has been providing unique oceanic journeys since 1996. It boasts a fleet of 6 luxury liners, each offering state-of-the-art amenities, exceptional service, and exclusive Disney activities. Whether you need a passport for a cruise can be both yes and no—it largely depends on the specifics of your cruise. In this guide, we will explore all these detailed elements of cruise travel to make sure you understand exactly what you need to know for your upcoming vacation on the seas.

Princess Cruises and Holland America require that at least one parent carry a passport, even if you're on a closed-loop sailing. Some lines always require a passport for all travelers, no matter the itinerary, including Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Azamara, Windstar Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Seabourn. In a nutshell, a passport card is a plastic card that can fit into a wallet and are accepted for land and sea border crossings between  the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. That said, you generally do not need to bring your physical passport as you exit the ship at a port of call. That is because you have already registered with the ship, and they will present this information to any customs agents on your behalf.

For more information on travel requirements for Carnival Cruise Lines, visit the What travel documents do I need to bring? Generally, vaccinations are not required for travel to cruise destinations, though many countries do list vaccine recommendations for travelers. (Taking medications to prevent malaria transmission in affected areas is a commonplace suggestion, for instance.) The main, albeit rare, exception is for yellow fever inoculations. Also, some ports, like Martinique and Guadeloupe, will not allow you to enter the country without a passport, even on a closed-loop cruise. However, other Caribbean countries may require a valid passport for closed-loop cruises if you plan to disembark, so verify this before your trip and ensure you travel with all necessary documentation. However, while many cruise lines may not require passengers to bring their passports, plenty recommend it, as does the U.S.

Open-loop cruises require guests to present and carry a valid passport book with (typically) at least 6 months of validity remaining after the last date of their cruise. If you find yourself without a passport but in need of one, you would need to contact and locate the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and request an emergency limited validity passport in order to fly home. The process requires explaining your urgent situation, completing an application, and showing your travel documents, photo identification and proof of citizenship. If you’re taking a closed-loop cruise, you’re only required to travel with a birth certificate or a government-issued photo ID. But, it’s recommended that you travel with a passport card or passport book as well. Going on a cruise is possible without a passport, but it is important to check the specific documentation requirements with your cruise line as well as the countries you will be visiting on your journey.

Also, while carrying a passport isn’t always necessary, it can offer several benefits, including smoother entry processes, flexibility in case of an emergency, and peace of mind during your travels. Always check your cruise line’s specific travel document requirements for more information on whether a passport card is an acceptable form of identification for your specific cruise. Additionally, if you are a U.S. permanent resident, you must carry your green card. You can use it instead of a passport on closed-loop sailings, but carrying a passport from your country of citizenship is highly recommended. Also note that if your green card is expired, you likely will not be allowed back into the U.S. You are responsible for contacting the embassies in the places you'll be visiting to make sure there is no additional paperwork required.