Please help me conform what requirements are needed in a closed loop?

I am the one that organized 6 families to come on a cruise with us with ages ranging from 7 to 50’s. I want to send a group email out that includes Carnival’s link to their Passport requirements. A few families made it clear early on that they do not want to spend the $400+ for passports for families of 4-5 people, so I get that. So I am trying to make it simple for them to understand what they will need, so please correct, or add, to anything wrong listed below. I know Passports are ideal, but I cannotforce that on them:

• Adults:Pictured Driver’s license and birth certificate
  

• 16 +:Government pictured ID and birth certificate. (trying to find out if high school student picture ID will do) If not, we may have to get pictures and ID at Department of Motor Vehicle or just get the passport card at the post office.
  

15 -:It appears just a birth certificate will do, but if you have a student pictureID, I would bring it as well.

• For thekids, if you do not want to get the passports, I strongly recommend the PassportCard.
  

For 16+ "government id" includes school ID if they have one with a picture.

For 16+ "government id" includes school ID if they have one with a picture.

WHEW, so school ID with a birth certificate will work?

Yes.

You're good to go.

Have someone at home that is not going to be on standby to gather any thing else they may ask for. If someone happens to forget something sometimes someone at home can send a fax or picture of the missing item. Looks again though like you are good to go.

Make sure the birth certificate is an official one, not the souvenir given by the hospital. EM

Make sure the birth certificate is an official one, not the souvenir given by the hospital. EM

Yes, most states have a short form and a long form, need to make sure it is the official long form birth certificate.

Is San Juan the same rules as US states when it comes to closed loop cruises? I can't find anything official on the web when it comes to San Juan.

The downside to not having a regular passport is that if for some reason, heaven forbid, you need to leave the cruise at a foreign port, in order to fly you will have to get a passport at the closest Consulate, which can take several days.

Yes, most states have a short form and a long form, need to make sure it is the official long form birth certificate.

Not necessary unless you are applying for a passport with it. The birth certificate may be in any form as long as it's issued by the government.

Is San Juan the same rules as US states when it comes to closed loop cruises? I can't find anything official on the web when it comes to San Juan.

Yes, San Juan is a US territory and has the same closed loop rules in place.

The downside to not having a regular passport is that if for some reason, heaven forbid, you need to leave the cruise at a foreign port, in order to fly you will have to get a passport at the closest Consulate, which can take several days.

Not necessarily since the State Department has the authority to waive the passport requirement for emergencies and for humanitarian reasons. It might take a while if you over stay at Senor Frogs since it's hard to see that as an emergency, but the few cases that I've read about involved very little time. For most people the risk of leaving the cruise early is low enough that they are willing to accept it.

Yes, San Juan is a US territory and has the same closed loop rules in place.

Thanks for the information.:cool:

I am the one that organized 6 families to come on a cruise with us with ages ranging from 7 to 50’s. I want to send a group email out that includes Carnival’s link to their Passport requirements. A few families made it clear early on that they do not want to spend the $400+ for passports for families of 4-5 people, so I get that. So I am trying to make it simple for them to understand what they will need, so please correct, or add, to anything wrong listed below. I know Passports are ideal, but I cannotforce that on them:

 

• Adults:Pictured Driver’s license and birth certificate
  

 

• 16 +:Government pictured ID and birth certificate. (trying to find out if high school student picture ID will do) If not, we may have to get pictures and ID at Department of Motor Vehicle or just get the passport card at the post office.
  

15 -:It appears just a birth certificate will do, but if you have a student pictureID, I would bring it as well.

• For thekids, if you do not want to get the passports, I strongly recommend the PassportCard.
  

high school picture id will not be accepted - it has to be a State Issued ID. When I called CBP (Customs and border protection) they said that its best to have a State Issued ID AND the birth certificate for any aged child. As for adults, the same applies - an adult does NOT have to have a passport on a closed loop trip - where you are returning to the same US port that you started from. However a state issued id or drivers license and certified birth certificate are needed. When i went on the first cruise i did not have a passport and I was required to show both my certified copy of my birth certificate as well as my license. when I took my kids, i was required to show both a state id and certified birth certificate (they will not take a photo copy, it has to have the raised seal for the birth cert.) My youngest son was 7 for that cruise and my oldest son 16

high school picture id will not be accepted - it has to be a State Issued ID. When I called CBP (Customs and border protection) they said that its best to have a State Issued ID AND the birth certificate for any aged child. As for adults, the same applies - an adult does NOT have to have a passport on a closed loop trip - where you are returning to the same US port that you started from. However a state issued id or drivers license and certified birth certificate are needed. When i went on the first cruise i did not have a passport and I was required to show both my certified copy of my birth certificate as well as my license. when I took my kids, i was required to show both a state id and certified birth certificate (they will not take a photo copy, it has to have the raised seal for the birth cert.) My youngest son was 7 for that cruise and my oldest son 16

Unfortunately you have been informed incorrectly and even CBP officers can get it wrong. If the school ID is issued by a public school it is indeed accepted by CCL as a government issued ID. Only those 16 and older require a photo ID, 15 and under only need a birth certificate. And the DHS regulations indeed do allow photocopies as it specifically states that you may use an "original or copy" (and I presented a photocopy of my birth certificate when I sailed on Pride the first time and no one batted an eye). Here's what CCL's FAQ says:

Birth Certificate Information

The following are acceptable:

• An original or copy of a birth certificate issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics
  
• A clear, legible copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified.
  
• Birth Certificate Card
  
• A Consular report of Birth Abroad
  
• Internationally adopted children (under the age of 18): If the adoptive parent was not issued a birth certificate, we will accept as proof of citizenship, a Certificate of Citizenship by the U.S. and adoption paperwork. A Certificate of Citizenship is issued by the U.S. once the adoption is finalized.
  

Guests may obtain a copy of a birth certificate by contacting: The Department of Health and Vital Statistics at: www.vitalchek.com. If the guest has laminated their birth certificate, it is acceptable.

Birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued prior to July 1, 2010 are not valid forms of proof of citizenship and are not accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Guests from Puerto Rico either need to present a WHTI-compliant document or a government-issued photo I.D. with a validated birth certificate issued after July 1, 2010.

AND

Photo Identification

A non-expired government-issued photo I.D. is required of all guests 16 years of age and older. The following are acceptable:

• Driver's License
  
• Driver's Permit
  
• School/Student I.D. (acceptable for guests 16/17/18 years of age)
  
• Government-issued identification card (city/state/federal)
  
• Government-issued Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card (NEXUS/SENTRI/FAST) - for photo identification use only
  

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/category/c/173,406

For US Citizens Only:

Traveling with a Birth Certificate and Photo Identification

Birth Certificate Information

The following are acceptable:

• An original or copy of a birth certificate issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics
  
• A clear, legible copy of a birth certificate that was originally issued by a government agency (state/county/city) or the Department of Health and Vital Statistics. The copy does not need to be notarized or certified.
  
• Birth Certificate Card
  
• A Consular report of Birth Abroad
  
• Internationally adopted children (under the age of 18): If the adoptive parent was not issued a birth certificate, we will accept as proof of citizenship, a Certificate of Citizenship by the U.S. and adoption paperwork. A Certificate of Citizenship is issued by the U.S. once the adoption is finalized.
  

Guests may obtain a copy of a birth certificate by contacting: The Department of Health and Vital Statistics at: www.vitalchek.com. If the guest has laminated their birth certificate, it is acceptable.

Birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued prior to July 1, 2010 are not valid forms of proof of citizenship and are not accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Guests from Puerto Rico either need to present a WHTI-compliant document or a government-issued photo I.D. with a validated birth certificate issued after July 1, 2010.

AND

Photo Identification

A non-expired government-issued photo I.D. is required of all guests 16 years of age and older. The following are acceptable:

• Driver's License
  
• Driver's Permit
  
• School/Student I.D. (acceptable for guests 16/17/18 years of age)
  
• Government-issued identification card (city/state/federal)
  
• Government-issued Trusted Traveler Program Membership Card (NEXUS/SENTRI/FAST) - for photo identification use only
  

I just booked a cruise minutes ago and the PVP said that my 15 yearold should bring her high school student photo id as well as her birth certificate. She said that 15, 16, 17 can use student id's. 18+ need state id's.

If using birth certificates and your name has changed (i.e. married) to bring a bridging document such as a marriage certificate. Of course a photo id as well such as your drivers license.

I am the one that organized 6 families to come on a cruise with us with ages ranging from 7 to 50’s. I want to send a group email out that includes Carnival’s link to their Passport requirements. A few families made it clear early on that they do not want to spend the $400+ for passports for families of 4-5 people, so I get that. So I am trying to make it simple for them to understand what they will need, so please correct, or add, to anything wrong listed below. I know Passports are ideal, but I cannotforce that on them:

• Adults:Pictured Driver’s license and birth certificate
  

• 16 +:Government pictured ID and birth certificate. (trying to find out if high school student picture ID will do) If not, we may have to get pictures and ID at Department of Motor Vehicle or just get the passport card at the post office.
  

15 -:It appears just a birth certificate will do, but if you have a student pictureID, I would bring it as well.

• For thekids, if you do not want to get the passports, I strongly recommend the PassportCard.
  

The birth certificate needs to have the raised seal on it.

I understand their concerns with cost, but keep this in mind: although only a birth certificate and photo ID are required for a closed loop cruise, if anyone needs to fly home from an island for any reason (accident, injury, emergency) they will not be allowed to fly home without a passport. You may want to let them know this. Passports are a big expense when a whole family needs them, but almost a necessity now days. I would never consider traveling to any foreign country without one. And Im a perfect example of things happening on a cruise and needing to fly home. I had to leave a cruise on day 3 and fly home from an island because of an emergency back home. Nobody expects something bad to happen, but they do occasionally.

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Birth certificates do not need a "raised seal", since many states do not use embossed, notary style seals anymore.

And, as Sparks posted above, you certainly don't need a passport if you have to fly home from abroad unexpectedly. You contact the US consulate in the country you are in, and they will issue a temporary passport for your travel home. Having the passport only expedites the process.

high school picture id will not be accepted - it has to be a State Issued ID. When I called CBP (Customs and border protection) they said that its best to have a State Issued ID AND the birth certificate for any aged child. As for adults, the same applies - an adult does NOT have to have a passport on a closed loop trip - where you are returning to the same US port that you started from. However a state issued id or drivers license and certified birth certificate are needed. When i went on the first cruise i did not have a passport and I was required to show both my certified copy of my birth certificate as well as my license. when I took my kids, i was required to show both a state id and certified birth certificate (they will not take a photo copy, it has to have the raised seal for the birth cert.) My youngest son was 7 for that cruise and my oldest son 16

Even for a child who is 7? Or 12? They need a State issues picture ID, really? carnival does not say that anywhere.

Can someone confirm?

Birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued prior to July 1, 2010 are not valid forms of proof of citizenship and are not accepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Guests from Puerto Rico either need to present a WHTI-compliant document or a government-issued photo I.D. with a validated birth certificate issued after July 1, 2010.

• 
  

Two of the parents where born in PR and are in their 40's. They just requested and received new birth certs from PR last week. Are these birth certs and a pictured driver's license good enough?

Two of the parents where born in PR and are in their 40's. They just requested and received new birth certs from PR last week. Are these birth certs and a pictured driver's license good enough?

Presumably since they were issued after July 1, 2010. And you don't need photo ID's for the 7 yo or 12 yo.

Birth certificates do not need a "raised seal", since many states do not use embossed, notary style seals anymore.

 

And, as Sparks posted above, you certainly don't need a passport if you have to fly home from abroad unexpectedly. You contact the US consulate in the country you are in, and they will issue a temporary passport for your travel home. Having the passport only expedites the process.

I've always wondered when people say in absolute terms "you can't fly home without a passport." Sure you can. (Technically, you probably fly on a temporary passport or even an expedited passport) I guess I should say you can fly home without having a passport in hand when you board the ship...

Is it a pain to get back to the U.S. without a passport? Yes. Probably terribly so. But not impossible.

On the other hand, maybe the United States will decide leave you without a country because you had a few too many drinks and missed a ship in Cozumel.

Don't forget if your name of your birth certificate is different from your name on your ID, you will need a document such as marriage license to explain the name change.

Even for a child who is 7? Or 12? They need a State issues picture ID, really? carnival does not say that anywhere.

 

Can someone confirm?

They do not need a state issued \ school photo id until they are 15. Birth certificate is sufficient under 15.

I always thought photo id was 16+ but I was told told today by a Carnival PVP it's 15+. Not going to haggle over a year, I'll bring the photo id since my kid has one.