Important Passport Question

[amybeth4]

Hey everyone,

 

Have any of you in the past or will any of you in the future be cruising to Belize without a passport?

 

I know you don't need one on a closed-loop cruise but I'm concerned about Belize, even though it's part of a closed-loop cruise.

 

Thanks!

[cherylroslyn]

Hey everyone,

 

Have any of you in the past or will any of you in the future be cruising to Belize without a passport?

 

I know you don't need one on a closed-loop cruise but I'm concerned about Belize, even though it's part of a closed-loop cruise.

 

Thanks!

your fine......

[gkrebs]

We have cruised to Belize both with and with out passports. But curious as to why you would be concerned if you already know we dont need one.

[Pssunshinegal]

What I find so dangerous about this situation is, what would you do if you had an emergency at home and had to fly there, or were ill and had to be evacuated. I don't get this closed loop business to avoid passports, but you cannot board a plane and enter the US without a passport. I just can't imagine taking a chance. I must have become my parent.

[amybeth4]

We have cruised to Belize both with and with out passports. But curious as to why you would be concerned if you already know we dont need one.

 

I'm concerned because when I saw the list on the US Govt website explaining the closed-loop cruise, Belize was the one Caribbean country not listed. But thanks for letting me know that you've done it!

[amybeth4]

What I find so dangerous about this situation is, what would you do if you had an emergency at home and had to fly there, or were ill and had to be evacuated. I don't get this closed loop business to avoid passports, but you cannot board a plane and enter the US without a passport. I just can't imagine taking a chance. I must have become my parent.

 

Because in my mind, the chances that something like that happening are SO crazily slim, that I'm not gonna worry about it. AND the US isn't gonna deny you entry back into the country forever. You'll be able to fly home, it'll just be more of a hassle.

 

I DO have my passport because I travel a lot, but my friend REALLY didn't want to spend $100 on a passport she won't be using in the near future. The last time she left the country was in 1999. So she preferred spending $20 and getting her birth certificate isntead. I convinced her she doesn't have to worry and she'll be fine without the passport and I don't want to end up at the pier on 11/1 and her being told, "Sorry, you're going to Belize so you can't board without a passport."

 

Thanks!

[Pssunshinegal]

Because in my mind, the chances that something like that happening are SO crazily slim, that I'm not gonna worry about it. AND the US isn't gonna deny you entry back into the country forever. You'll be able to fly home, it'll just be more of a hassle. Thanks!

 

Amybeth,

 

Have a great trip. I have been where you are and at times regret that I got some smarts. Life was so much more fun flying by the seat of my pants. Lets hope your friend never finds out what the risk is. And just so you know, the US can deny you entry back into the country. But it would never get to that because you could not get on a plane to get you back there to even test the theory.

 

Janice

[amybeth4]

Janice,

 

If they deny her boarding, I'll say, "I owe you $500. Have a good flight home and I'll have a nice, empty cabin."

 

:)

[Pssunshinegal]

Janice,

 

If they deny her boarding, I'll say, "I owe you $500. Have a good flight home and I'll have a nice, empty cabin."

 

:)

 

They won't deny her boarding to the ship so you won't be having the empty cabin, they will deny boarding should she need to fly home for any reason. So if you have to pick up any fees, it will be those to take care of her until you can find some way to get her back in the country.

 

As I said, hopefully you will never need to know this information, but being informed helps some people make different choices. Have a wonderful trip and hopefully you will enjoy Belize, a country very close to my heart.

 

Janice

[amybeth4]

They won't deny her boarding to the ship so you won't be having the empty cabin, they will deny boarding should she need to fly home for any reason. So if you have to pick up any fees, it will be those to take care of her until you can find some way to get her back in the country.

 

As I said, hopefully you will never need to know this information, but being informed helps some people make different choices. Have a wonderful trip and hopefully you will enjoy Belize, a country very close to my heart.

 

Janice

 

I was actually referring back to my original question, will she have a problem at embarkation or debarkation with no passport because of Belize. She's 47 years old so I'm fairly confident she won't have a heart attack onboard, nor break a hip. AND she recently broke her toe so she won't be running around, crashing into things, falling, etc. Or falling off any zip lines.

 

:)

[GTJ]

While a passport may not be necessary, having a passport is, in general, a very good document to have since it provides the best identification that one can have, usable for any travel (international or domestic) or for any other purpose for which identification might be useful While many Americans have become used to motor vehicle licenses performing that function, only a fraction of Americans have such licenses . . . and many people who do have such licenses don't want to use them for any purpose other than for operating motor vehicles. State identification cards issued by motor vehicle departments seem less useful as they might not be readily accepted outside the state of issue (and almost certainly not outside the United States). Passports are recognized as identification worldwide, and the price amortized over their lifespan is not all that unreasonable.

[jkjmt]

I'm 48, and in very good health and had a pulmonary embolism this summer....:eek:....sometimes you just don't know.

 

We have passports and made my daughter's boyfriend get one to travel with us, even though it was a closed-looped cruise....better safe than sorry.....:)

[STARFISH*4]

i will be in BELIZE in January and wouldnt think of leaving home without my passport....it doesnt matter how young or old or healthy you are you just never KNOW and why put yourself thru that HASSEL and HEARTACHE of finding out if you dont have to...i just wouldnt take the CHANCE....like the poster before me said BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY;)

[amybeth4]

i will be in BELIZE in January and wouldnt think of leaving home without my passport....it doesnt matter how young or old or healthy you are you just never KNOW and why put yourself thru that HASSEL and HEARTACHE of finding out if you dont have to...i just wouldnt take the CHANCE....like the poster before me said BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY;)

 

Problem is...she's not leaving home without it. She doesn't HAVE one...

[Dirtbleed]

If you leave the USA you NEED a passport. What if the ship breaks down in Belize and has to fly everyone home? Then what?

Passport is $100 for 10 years, that's 3 cents a day to have one.

[amybeth4]

If you leave the USA you NEED a passport. What if the ship breaks down in Belize and has to fly everyone home? Then what?

Passport is $100 for 10 years, that's 3 cents a day to have one.

 

Please don't misinform people saying if you leave the USA you NEED a passport...you NEED it if you're flying or driving in and of another country, NOT on a Caribbean cruise. SHOULD you have one? Sure, it's the best form of ID. But you don't NEED one.

 

Somehow I highly doubt the ship is gonna break down so badly (at 2 years old, no less) forcing everyone to fly home from Belize. And if she DID have to fly home from Belize, it would be a hassle to get back in but she's not gonna forever be denied entry. She has her birth certificate, her driver's license AND a very old expired passport.

 

I just saw your edit so here's mine...I know $100 is a good investment. However, if she has no intention of traveling outside the country in the next ten years, then it wasn't $100 well spent, not on one trip and not when she has limited funds to begin with. She has enough to cruise (it was ridiculously cheap), fly (about $400) and for spending money onboard.

 

But I do thank you for your comments and concern. (Really.)

[rebfan831]

Hi AmyBeth,

 

I've got the same deal. My friend that I'm cruising with in January has some kind of weird deal about getting a passport. Her reason is that she isn't EVER going to travel out of the country except on a cruise so she doesn't want a passport. I've finally talked her into getting a passport card rather than the book. It's $45 instead of $100 and is good for driving across borders like Canada (we live in Michigan). I got my passport for my last cruise 3 years ago mostly because I didn't want to haul all those other documents around.

 

Anyway, I completely understand you wondering...I do the same thing.

 

Jean

[amybeth4]

Hi AmyBeth,

 

I've got the same deal. My friend that I'm cruising with in January has some kind of weird deal about getting a passport. Her reason is that she isn't EVER going to travel out of the country except on a cruise so she doesn't want a passport. I've finally talked her into getting a passport card rather than the book. It's $45 instead of $100 and is good for driving across borders like Canada (we live in Michigan). I got my passport for my last cruise 3 years ago mostly because I didn't want to haul all those other documents around.

 

Anyway, I completely understand you wondering...I do the same thing.

 

Jean

 

How funny that we're in the same "boat!"

 

My friend actually thought about the passport card and I said that was a complete waste of money for her purposes at this point. If, as someone above said, every engine on the ship dies, they can't fix it, they lost their 2-year warranty and we all have to fly home from Belize, that passport card's not gonna help her anyway. :) Why in the world do passports have to expire in the first place? She was a citizen in '99 and she's still one in '09. Grrrr!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Dirtbleed]

Good Luck. You'll NEED it!

[spaceflower77]

I've cruised twice without a passport and though I'll be getting one for me and the kids for our Fall cruise NEXT year ('10), we all sailed last fall w/out one and I didn't worry at all. We're traveling enough now that I just think it's a good idea... but I'll probably get the card for the kids. Their passport has to be renewed every 5 years, I think -- so I can just get them a "real" one next time when we have the money to actually get on a plane and fly to Europe or something! :) The hub and I are flying to Jamaica for our 10 year so I guess I'll need to go ahead and get the real thing, too! :) Something that would have been SO helpful to know before I threw away my OLD passport is that it's CHEAPER to RENEW them, so instead of just getting a new one, your friend (and everyone w/an expired passport), should renew them when they need to.