This may sound crazy...

[taliacamp]

but I have to ask anyway. My friend went on a Carnival cruise last month and when I told her that we didn't have passports (we have birth certifs and license) for our upcoming cruise she told me that we wouldn't be able to leave the ship at the ports without a passport because of customs. Of course she had her passport so she's not speaking from experience but I have never heard this before. It's not true right?:confused:

[wadethegringo]

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.

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/EMB_travel_document.aspx

[klmorg]

but I have to ask anyway. My friend went on a Carnival cruise last month and when I told her that we didn't have passports (we have birth certifs and license) for our upcoming cruise she told me that we wouldn't be able to leave the ship at the ports without a passport because of customs. Of course she had her passport so she's not speaking from experience but I have never heard this before. It's not true right?:confused:

 

No, it's not true for a closed loop cruise, which is likey what you are referring to. And furthermore, I've never been asked to show any sort of ID when leaving the ship at the ports (except when we debark at the end of the cruise & go thru Customs). I've only been asked for my S&S card when leaving the ship, so they can "ding" you out.

[taliacamp]

No, it's not true for a closed loop cruise, which is likey what you are referring to. And furthermore, I've never been asked to show any sort of ID when leaving the ship at the ports (except when we debark at the end of the cruise & go thru Customs). I've only been asked for my S&S card when leaving the ship, so they can "ding" you out.

It is a closed loop cruise..miami to miami. I figured that was the fact but when my friend told me this I just wanted to double check...she made me doubt myself:eek:

[nrdsb4]

but I have to ask anyway. My friend went on a Carnival cruise last month and when I told her that we didn't have passports (we have birth certifs and license) for our upcoming cruise she told me that we wouldn't be able to leave the ship at the ports without a passport because of customs. Of course she had her passport so she's not speaking from experience but I have never heard this before. It's not true right?:confused:

 

Sorry, but your friend doesn't know what she's talking about.

[Cruise, J.D.]

Looks like you are sailing on the Glory on a Caribbean itinerary? Most countries (maybe all?) in the Caribbean that have cruise ports do not require a passport for cruise passengers. Your sail-n-sign card and a photo ID are usually all you need to exit the ship at a Caribbean port and get back on.

[taliacamp]

Sorry, but your friend doesn't know what she's talking about.

I'm glad!!:p

[chasinraynbowz]

Cruise is correct. All you should need is your S&S card and a photo ID. You are NOT required to have a passport.

[stewpapa]

We have never taken our passports off the ship or shown them to anyone during the cruise or at any ports. Only to the Carnival agent before boarding the ship on the first day and the US customs agent after getting off the ship on the last day. They stay in our safe the whole cruise. When we get off in a port, we take our SS card and Driver's License for a photo ID.

[retiredgram]

but I have to ask anyway. My friend went on a Carnival cruise last month and when I told her that we didn't have passports (we have birth certifs and license) for our upcoming cruise she told me that we wouldn't be able to leave the ship at the ports without a passport because of customs. Of course she had her passport so she's not speaking from experience but I have never heard this before. It's not true right?:confused:

Double check that your birth certificates are not just the one you get from the hospital. This can be quickly done a a post office by the person that takes care of applying for passports there. When my hubby went to apply for passport at post office, he found out his birth certificate was not the required one.

[zqvol]

but I have to ask anyway. My friend went on a Carnival cruise last month and when I told her that we didn't have passports (we have birth certifs and license) for our upcoming cruise she told me that we wouldn't be able to leave the ship at the ports without a passport because of customs. Of course she had her passport so she's not speaking from experience but I have never heard this before. It's not true right?:confused:

 

To put it bluntly your friend has no idea about what she speaks, or in other words she is just wrong.

[taliacamp]

To put it bluntly your friend has no idea about what she speaks, or in other words she is just wrong.

That was her first cruise, and of course now she's an expert:rolleyes:..lol

[taliacamp]

Double check that your birth certificates are not just the one you get from the hospital. This can be quickly done a a post office by the person that takes care of applying for passports there. When my hubby went to apply for passport at post office, he found out his birth certificate was not the required one.

Thanks Retire...it is the correct one because we took them on our last cruise 2 years ago

[FantasyIsland]

but I have to ask anyway. My friend went on a Carnival cruise last month and when I told her that we didn't have passports (we have birth certifs and license) for our upcoming cruise she told me that we wouldn't be able to leave the ship at the ports without a passport because of customs. Of course she had her passport so she's not speaking from experience but I have never heard this before. It's not true right?:confused:

 

While your friend is not correct, it is a good idea to have a passport. It is required to use a passport for air/land travel from other countries in the Americas. So, while you do not need a passport to go ashore during ports-of-call within the Caribbean, IF, for any reason, you are not returning by cruiseship, you WILL need a passport. It could be a health issue, crisis at home requiring immediate return, or even missing the ship sailing; you WILL need a passport to return home by any other means.

 

I don't remember if you need to exchange your USD for Pesos or other currency within the Caribbean, but you cannot make exchanges within Europe without a passport. So that is an additional reason to have a passport or the new passport cards. (NOTE: Passport cards are not valid for air travel border crossings. They are valid only for land or ship border crossings.)

 

WHTI | USA | Special Audiences (.gov website)

(WHTI is western hemisphere travel initiative)

"Closed Loop" Cruises: U.S. citizens who board a cruise ship at a port within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present a government issued photo identification, along with proof of citizenship (an original or copy of his or her birth certificate, a Consular report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Naturalization). Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport to enter the foreign countries your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruise line to ensure you have the appropriate documents.

 

http://travel.state.gov/pdf/ppt_pptCard.pdf

[cmptrwiz]

If you were to take an Alaskan cruise that say started in Vancouver BC and ended in Skagway Alaska or a cruise that started in Ensenada Mexico and ended in Hawaii then yes you would need a passport, because these are not closed loop cruises.

 

Wiz

[StevieG]

but I have to ask anyway. My friend went on a Carnival cruise last month and when I told her that we didn't have passports (we have birth certifs and license) for our upcoming cruise she told me that we wouldn't be able to leave the ship at the ports without a passport because of customs. Of course she had her passport so she's not speaking from experience but I have never heard this before. It's not true right?:confused:

 

I know of no Carribean Island that requires a passport, most don't require anything from passengers leaving a cruise ship. They will sometimes check for your sign and sail card when boarding the ship but I think that is probably to make sure you belong there.

[SheriNtexas]

Double check that your birth certificates are not just the one you get from the hospital. This can be quickly done a a post office by the person that takes care of applying for passports there. When my hubby went to apply for passport at post office, he found out his birth certificate was not the required one.

 

That happened to me when my now 23 year old daughter was younger and we went to sign her up for driving lessons....i had the thing they gave me from the hospital.....that is when i found out it wasn't a REAL birth certificate! :o I'm SO much wiser on such things since i started cruising several years ago!:D