Passport needed for US legal resident to travel a closed loop cruise??

The OP's situation raises the importance of checking travel requirements in advance. I just hope it's far enough in advance for him to either renew his Vietnamese passport or to cancel and get a refund.

About a year or so ago we had a thread from a women who wanted to give her parents a cruise. Same situation as the OP: the parents had US "green cards" but expired Vietnam passports. Fortunately she asked early enough to cancel without penalty as her father was unwilling to renew his passport.

I don't think so. We were always asked for passport.

Did you try?

We boarded 4 cruises with DW's naturalization certificate, so I think that counts as "try";). Is it easier for officials to say "passport" or "passport, passport card, EDL, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, CRBA"?

Good you asked and if your passport from home counry is expired, you need to get it renewed. Hope you have time to do that. Does your home country have an embassy or consulate within easy reach of where you live?

 

Given you stated concern about 'leaving Mexico', if your passport is from Mexico and needs renewing,hopefully that should be possible?

Yes, go to the local Vietnamese embassy or Consulate in San Francisco and renew your passport. You can then leave the US and return on your Green Card

GET your passport renewed........ ASAP

There are at least three entities that may have requirements which you must meet:

The US Customs and border protection has requirements. They do NOT require a passport for any lawful permanent resident (green card holder) to enter the US, whether via cruise ship, airplane, or whatever. The Green Card is the only document required for entry to the US. That makes sense, because the US issues Green Cards only after the individual has been subject to a thorough vetting, and the US can trust the Green Card it issued more than they would trust a passport issued by a foreign government.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1191/kw/traveling%20outside%20of%20the%20US%20documents%20needed

But the country or countries you will be visiting may have their own requirements, and may require a passport. Some countries near the US have less stringent requirements for US LPRs than the would have for other citizens of the same country who did not hold a US Green Card. But I'm not up to date on Mexican requirements. I would suspect they'd want a passport, but it's worth checking if a green card is sufficient.

The cruise line may impose its own requirements, and they may be more stringent than the requirements of the US government or the government of foreign ports where you'll be visiting. So whatever you hear from the governments, you must check with the cruise line and be absolutely certain you meet their requirements.

Google is your friend:

If you are a U.S. green card holder (lawful permanent resident), the right to travel outside the U.S. and return is one of the privileges that comes with your status. However, that does not mean that your reentry is guaranteed. You will need to take care to bring the proper documents, maintain your U.S. residence, and be aware of the risks of being found inadmissible or deportable upon your reentry.

Documents to Bring When Traveling

Passport From Country of Origin and Your U.S. Green Card

Even though you are now a U.S. resident, you will need to bring your foreign passport when traveling, for purposes of entering other countries. A U.S. green card is not sufficient by itself as a travel document, though it is enough to get you back into the United States.

You will, in fact, be expected to present your valid, unexpired green card upon reentry to the United States. (This is also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Form I-551.)

http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/us-immigration/leaving-returning-green-card.html

Can someone please tell me if I need a passport to travel.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. (If some random poster answers "no", do not rely on that answer.) Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Experienced travelers on this board do have your best interest at heart. Do not play Russian Roulette with this cruise.

If, for any reason, you choose to try to board the ship without a passport and fail, do not come back here for sympathy. However, if you try to board the ship without a passport and succeed, you have full rights to come back and say, "nah, nah, nah."

Google is your friend:

 

If you are a U.S. green card holder (lawful permanent resident), the right to travel outside the U.S. and return is one of the privileges that comes with your status. However, that does not mean that your reentry is guaranteed. You will need to take care to bring the proper documents, maintain your U.S. residence, and be aware of the risks of being found inadmissible or deportable upon your reentry.

Documents to Bring When Traveling

 

Passport From Country of Origin and Your U.S. Green Card

 

Even though you are now a U.S. resident, you will need to bring your foreign passport when traveling, for purposes of entering other countries. A U.S. green card is not sufficient by itself as a travel document, though it is enough to get you back into the United States.

You will, in fact, be expected to present your valid, unexpired green card upon reentry to the United States. (This is also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Form I-551.)

http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/us-immigration/leaving-returning-green-card.html

No, Google is your enemy because it will bring you to sites such as the one you've cited, which is not a source of official information, but rather a commercial (for profit) site which exists for the purpose of referring you to a lawyer. The website makes its money by receiving a referral fee from lawyers that receive clients through the site.

The fact is that the OP's question can't be reliably answered by an internet search. The answer has to come from the government of the country, in this case Mexico, that the OP is planning to travel to.

In all probability the OP needs a passport, but you can't do internet searches that send you to commercial websites for an official answer.

Cruises going to Mexico don't need lifejackets or lifeboats either - until they do.

International law requires those items. In some cases some passengers aren't required to have a passport, although the jury appears to be out in the instant case (although it does look like the OP would require a passport from his native land). It's unfortunate- in your position you could offer so much to the CC community with your wealth of knowledge and experience but you choose to make nonsensical posts instead.

Deleted. Already been covered.

Just get your passport renewed from your home country. You are lucky you are in the United States with Green Card because in many other countries if your passport is not valid your resident card also is not valid.