Perfect example of why you should get a passport.

[nrdsb4]

Under the age of 16 passports are only valid for 5 years, but they don't cost the full adult amount. BTW, when you go get kids this age a passport, both parents need to be present. From the age of 16 on, passports are valid for 10 years and cost the full amount. We all have them in my family (kids are now 15 & 20) and have for many years.

 

Oh, and just to add my 2 cents, I am very glad Sue posted this thread and not offended at all with her wording or punctuation. She is providing valuable information for others to make up thier own minds.

 

The other parent can sign a form giving consent for the passport (this form is available on the travel.gov website for download). It must be notarized. So both parents don't really have to be present, which is a good thing in cases where one parent can't get off work, is traveling, or even lives in another state.

[celle]

It would not surprise me if passports will someday be required to fly even within the USA.

 

My only complaint is that when we renew our passports, we have to surrender our current unexpired passports first, so there is a period of a couple of months or so when we don't have our passport. There needs to be a way we can always hava a valid passport. Gosh, there must be a way. Some business people have to fly all the time. Anyone know of a way to renew a passport without first surrending the current unexpired passport?

 

I don't understand what you mean by the above. Renewing a passport doesn't take a couple of months. Usually, the turnaround time is quicker than when applying for a first passport.

 

I have read somewhere that there is an option to add the time remaining from the old pasport onto your new passport, so that the new passport may be valid for 10 years, plus the two months from your old passport.

[MrsPete]

Well with that theory, I really don't need my home owners insurance and car insurance since I have been living in my house for 14 years with no incidents or driving since the age of 17 with no accidents! Right????

Of course you need insurance, but you don't necessarily need the most expensive, full-coverage option. Depending upon your circumstances, it might make more sense for you to opt for a little less coverage or a higher deductible -- the pay-off being, of course, that you'd enjoy lower premiums. We carry a high deductible because it cuts our insurance premiums by approximately 2/3. We pay less "for certain" money out every year, and we take on a little more risk.

 

The choice between a passport and a driver's license/birth certificate is similar. What's your personal risk vs. cost comfort level?

I don't think Sue was "demanding" anything. And $300 on two passports now is a hell of a lot better than $800 + hotel stays + incidentals trying to get emergency passports if you get stuck in a foreign country. Low risk? Yes. But I know lots of folks that could not pay that money if it happened - then what?

But you're not being completely honest in that assessment. The real choice is, do you want to pay $300 for certain . . . so that you can avoid the very slight chance that you'll be stuck paying $800 + hotel + incidentals?

 

And keep in mind that in your worst-case scenerio, you won't get out of the situation for JUST the cost of your passport. If you're stuck on the island, you're still going to be stuck paying for a plane flight, a hotel room 'til the flight leaves, and incidentals.

 

The real answer is to avoid being left behind. It's very, very easy to avoid.

 

And, going back to the original post, I still maintain that if I personally had been in that situation -- that is, unable to make it to the port city because of weather -- I'd rather have travel insurance in place so I could have a full refund and cruise another date. I'd rather do that than pay for another flight and lose two days of my cruise. And that's a topic entirely separate from the passport question.

There is a big difference between taking an hour or two off work to attend a funeral and calling your boss asking for a couple of extra days off starting today. Where I work my bosses are pretty flexible regarding vacation time, but calling in and saying I want today off is a definite no no and while the request may be granted, I would definitely hear about it later.

Most of us -- assuming we're valued at our jobs -- can ask for the occasional favor, the occasional time off in a situation like this ("Hey, the weather looks bad, and I really need to leave a couple days early.") and expect to get it. I know I could. I know my husband could.

Different people calculate a different risk/reward ratio. I would suggest if you plan several cruises or any other international travel over the life of a passport, that needs to be considered. Don't just decide based upon the next trip but upon your assumptions of all travel during the passport lifespan of ten years. If you are a first time cruiser not sure if you will enjoy cruising and do not plan other international travel, it might make sense to wait and see before buying one. As long as you understand and accept the risk.

 

Same applies to travel insurance. The wide availability of travel insurance generally means cruise lines will not be your friend if something goes wrong. It is up to you to get insurance or accept the risk.

I agree completely. You should decide whether YOU need to spend money on a passport based upon your own personal circumstances. It should be based upon your own needs, not upon fear of a thing that's unlikely to happen.

Thanks for the responses regarding closed loop cruises - I get it now! :-) If I could add my humble 2cents - I think as long as someone has done a cost/benefit analysis on any number of choices - travel insurance, acquiring a passport, renters insurance, etc - and understands the risks involved..then...it's your life - do what you want. We all gamble in certain ways - some more than others - sometimes we win - sometimes we lose big. An acquaintance of mine drove without insurance despite numerous admonishments and warning from others. They caused an accident (killing someone) and ended up losing their home, brokerage accounts - basically everything the law allowed. They lost that gamble big time. I know someone else who has the maximum amount of insurance in every conceivable way - hasn't used any of it...yet - but she sleeps soundly at night - that would be me. :-) I guess everyone has their own tolerance for risk and consequences.

Again, this makes perfect sense to me. I'd never go without auto insurance (only partially because it would be illegal), but I also don't buy the most expensive policy out there. All insurance is a gamble, and a passport is the same thing. How much use will you get from it? How much risk are you willing to take on? How able are you to pay? These are individual questions.

[martini_guy]

I'm shocked that someone wouldn't have a passport. There's no reason for it. I didn't even know that you could get on a cruise without one.

 

If the $100 (which works out to $10/year) is too big of an issue then you're too cheap and shouldn't be on a cruise anyways.

[MrsPete]

If the $100 (which works out to $10/year) is too big of an issue then you're too cheap and shouldn't be on a cruise anyways.

And if you use that passport only for cruises, and you cruise only 2-3 times, then the cost is $33-50 per usage. That's pretty expensive, considering that the alternative is to spend ZERO. If you're going to travel frequently, if you're going to travel to places where the passport is actually needed, then obviously the math looks quite different; however, if you're JUST going to cruise a couple times, the passport is pretty expensive.

 

Few things in the world are one-size-fits-all, and this is no exception.

 

Someone will argue, of course, that if you're left behind the cost won't matter; however, these people make it sound as if being left behind is something that happens frequently to people who are doing everything right . . . when the reality is that the chances of being left behind -- if you're not totally stupid -- are quite small.

[thelion]

But you're not being completely honest in that assessment. The real choice is, do you want to pay $300 for certain . . . so that you can avoid the very slight chance that you'll be stuck paying $800 + hotel + incidentals?

 

And keep in mind that in your worst-case scenerio, you won't get out of the situation for JUST the cost of your passport. If you're stuck on the island, you're still going to be stuck paying for a plane flight, a hotel room 'til the flight leaves, and incidentals.

 

The real answer is to avoid being left behind. It's very, very easy to avoid.

 

You are not being honest, now are you? Being left behind is not something you can always avoid. And being left behind is not always the reason one needs to be careful. What if, as was almost the case with the Carnival engine fire, the ship must be rerouted and end in a foreign port. If you don't have that passport, how are you to get home? What if you become critically ill onboard and have to be disembarked in a foreign port?

 

As for the cost, if something goes wrong your choices are:

 

Have already paid for passports ($300, assuming two people), add the cost of the flight and the hotel (if needed) for the night OR pay $800 for an emergency passport (two people), a hotel for several more days, food for several more days plus the flight. Gee. I wonder which is cheaper?

 

And, going back to the original post, I still maintain that if I personally had been in that situation -- that is, unable to make it to the port city because of weather -- I'd rather have travel insurance in place so I could have a full refund and cruise another date. I'd rather do that than pay for another flight and lose two days of my cruise. And that's a topic entirely separate from the passport question. Most of us -- assuming we're valued at our jobs -- can ask for the occasional favor, the occasional time off in a situation like this ("Hey, the weather looks bad, and I really need to leave a couple days early.") and expect to get it. I know I could. I know my husband could.

I agree completely. You should decide whether YOU need to spend money on a passport based upon your own personal circumstances. It should be based upon your own needs, not upon fear of a thing that's unlikely to happen. Again, this makes perfect sense to me. I'd never go without auto insurance (only partially because it would be illegal), but I also don't buy the most expensive policy out there. All insurance is a gamble, and a passport is the same thing. How much use will you get from it? How much risk are you willing to take on? How able are you to pay? These are individual questions.

 

1. Most insurance won't cover this as a full refund.

2. In this economy, most of us CANNOT ask to just "take a few extra days off" last minute for vacation. I am highly valued at my company but I know they would look at me as if I had two heads if I made that request. You live in fantasy land if you think that is the norm these days.

[thelion]

I'm shocked that someone wouldn't have a passport. There's no reason for it. I didn't even know that you could get on a cruise without one.

 

If the $100 (which works out to $10/year) is too big of an issue then you're too cheap and shouldn't be on a cruise anyways.

 

They are cheap and want to justify their cheapness. I am convinced these same people eschew health care, quality car insurance, quality home owner's insurance and travel insurance. Then, when they lose everything because of their risks, they blame everyone else. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't tip, either. :rolleyes:

[TBSCruiser]

It would not surprise me if passports will someday be required to fly even within the USA.

 

My only complaint is that when we renew our passports, we have to surrender our current unexpired passports first, so there is a period of a couple of months or so when we don't have our passport. There needs to be a way we can always hava a valid passport. Gosh, there must be a way. Some business people have to fly all the time. Anyone know of a way to renew a passport without first surrending the current unexpired passport?

 

 

Renewed mine not too long ago, took 10 days from the day I did the renewal until I recieved it. No where near a couple of months.

[wcook]

They are cheap and want to justify their cheapness. I am convinced these same people eschew health care, quality car insurance, quality home owner's insurance and travel insurance. Then, when they lose everything because of their risks, they blame everyone else. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't tip, either. :rolleyes:

And drown puppies. They probably do that too, right?

[Ocean Boy]

And drown puppies. They probably do that too, right?

 

Hey, leave puppies out of it.;):D

[donaldsc]

And if you use that passport only for cruises, and you cruise only 2-3 times, then the cost is $33-50 per usage. That's pretty expensive, considering that the alternative is to spend ZERO. l.

 

How much do you plan to spend PER day on your cruise on really important things such as alcohol, pictures, gambling, and other things? I would bet that it will be more than $33.

 

DON

[MrsPete]

You are not being honest, now are you? Being left behind is not something you can always avoid.

Except in an extremely bad and rare situation, yes, you can avoid being left behind. The chances of being left behind when you haven't made a stupid choice are very small -- really, the only thing that doesn't involve poor planning is a bad accident. Even with a small accident, if you haven't waited 'til the last minute, you can get back to the ship.

And being left behind is not always the reason one needs to be careful.

No, but it's the one that was being discussed here.

Have already paid for passports ($300, assuming two people), add the cost of the flight and the hotel (if needed) for the night OR pay $800 for an emergency passport (two people), a hotel for several more days, food for several more days plus the flight. Gee. I wonder which is cheaper?

Cheaper, yes . . . but the cheapest option is to AVOID the situation altogether and make it back to the ship. My point is that people are making it sound as if having a passport = spending no money to rejoin the ship, which is far from the truth.

1. Most insurance won't cover this as a full refund.

Yeah, if weather prevents you from making your flight to your port city, it's going to be covered by insurance.

2. In this economy, most of us CANNOT ask to just "take a few extra days off" last minute for vacation. I am highly valued at my company but I know they would look at me as if I had two heads if I made that request. You live in fantasy land if you think that is the norm these days.

Well, in the fantasy land where I live, it's quite possible to do this.

How much do you plan to spend PER day on your cruise on really important things such as alcohol, pictures, gambling, and other things? I would bet that it will be more than $33.

Actually, I probably do spend less than $33 per day on these particular things. I'd spend more on excursions. But that's not the point. The point is that each person should judge realistically whether he or she needs to spend on the passport -- and it's not a blanket "yes" or "no" answer.

[mjldvlks]

And if you use that passport only for cruises, and you cruise only 2-3 times, then the cost is $33-50 per usage. That's pretty expensive, considering that the alternative is to spend ZERO. If you're going to travel frequently, if you're going to travel to places where the passport is actually needed, then obviously the math looks quite different; however, if you're JUST going to cruise a couple times, the passport is pretty expensive.

 

Few things in the world are one-size-fits-all, and this is no exception.

 

Someone will argue, of course, that if you're left behind the cost won't matter; however, these people make it sound as if being left behind is something that happens frequently to people who are doing everything right . . . when the reality is that the chances of being left behind -- if you're not totally stupid -- are quite small.

On the other hand, if you aspire to travel to Europe, Asia, South America or anything other than closed loop cruises to certain countries, the point is moot.

[MrsPete]

On the other hand, if you aspire to travel to Europe, Asia, South America or anything other than closed loop cruises to certain countries, the point is moot.

I said something similar an hour ago. My whole point is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Some people do have a real need for a passport, while others will just do a closed-loop cruise twice in their lives. Every traveler's needs aren't the same.

[Ocean Boy]

This thread is going in the usual circles that every thread about getting a passport, or not, goes in.

 

Get one or don't. I wouldn't leave the country without one and it is the easiest form of ID to use in an airport. There is only one US passport. There are 50 State drivers licenses that all look different. Even in RI not every license looks the same depending on what type of vehicles it is valid for. I have little expectation of an airport worker in California having a clue what an RI driver's license looks like.

 

Fortunately, this is one of those issues where the documents that you travel on has little effect on others. Like everything else in life you make your choices and you live with the consequences.

[donaldsc]

. Like everything else in life you make your choices and you live with the consequences.

 

The problem is that these people expect the cruise line to pay for the consequences by giving them compensation.

 

DON

[YourPerfectScent]

Honestly, if you look at the expense logically, the passport is good for 10 years. Break down the $130 you might be spending to get it (even with shipping) and it's $13/yr. An initial investment but it DOES save a multitude of headaches and can be used for valid i.d. ;)

[gnocchi_mommy]

I can't imagine limiting myself to North American travel that way- A"Passport to the world" has such a small expense for such a great treasure.

[gnocchi_mommy]

You know the loophole will NOT be there forever. WHITI has been established in an incremental format, you can expect to be required to use that passport even on North American cruises in the future.

 

Prices will just go up, and the loggerjam of applications that happened 2 yrs ago will happen again if you wait.

 

Of course you need insurance, but you don't necessarily need the most expensive, full-coverage option. Depending upon your circumstances, it might make more sense for you to opt for a little less coverage or a higher deductible -- the pay-off being, of course, that you'd enjoy lower premiums. We carry a high deductible because it cuts our insurance premiums by approximately 2/3. We pay less "for certain" money out every year, and we take on a little more risk.

 

The choice between a passport and a driver's license/birth certificate is similar. What's your personal risk vs. cost comfort level?But you're not being completely honest in that assessment. The real choice is, do you want to pay $300 for certain . . . so that you can avoid the very slight chance that you'll be stuck paying $800 + hotel + incidentals?

 

And keep in mind that in your worst-case scenerio, you won't get out of the situation for JUST the cost of your passport. If you're stuck on the island, you're still going to be stuck paying for a plane flight, a hotel room 'til the flight leaves, and incidentals.

 

The real answer is to avoid being left behind. It's very, very easy to avoid.

 

And, going back to the original post, I still maintain that if I personally had been in that situation -- that is, unable to make it to the port city because of weather -- I'd rather have travel insurance in place so I could have a full refund and cruise another date. I'd rather do that than pay for another flight and lose two days of my cruise. And that's a topic entirely separate from the passport question. Most of us -- assuming we're valued at our jobs -- can ask for the occasional favor, the occasional time off in a situation like this ("Hey, the weather looks bad, and I really need to leave a couple days early.") and expect to get it. I know I could. I know my husband could.

I agree completely. You should decide whether YOU need to spend money on a passport based upon your own personal circumstances. It should be based upon your own needs, not upon fear of a thing that's unlikely to happen. Again, this makes perfect sense to me. I'd never go without auto insurance (only partially because it would be illegal), but I also don't buy the most expensive policy out there. All insurance is a gamble, and a passport is the same thing. How much use will you get from it? How much risk are you willing to take on? How able are you to pay? These are individual questions.

[sparks1093]

I can't imagine limiting myself to North American travel that way- A"Passport to the world" has such a small expense for such a great treasure.

 

Ah, but many can't afford the world, or they don't have an interest in seeing it (except from their armchairs on the Discovery Channel;)).

[sparks1093]

You know the loophole will NOT be there forever. WHITI has been established in an incremental format, you can expect to be required to use that passport even on North American cruises in the future.

 

Prices will just go up, and the loggerjam of applications that happened 2 yrs ago will happen again if you wait.

 

The WHTI regulations are final and while they may be changed it won't happen just because people don't like the closed loop exception. And it isn't a loophole, DHS (and State) made the exception after considered analysis.

[gnocchi_mommy]

Ah, but many can't afford the world, or they don't have an interest in seeing it (except from their armchairs on the Discovery Channel;)).

 

If you can afford a 7 day RCI cruise, you can afford a trip for 2 to a lot of places in "the world". ;-) I can build a vacation package to Europe or Asia for less than what it might cost an average couple who cruises the Caribbean. I know it's sacrilege to suggest on here that land based vacations can be as fun and interesting as a cruise :-D But they can be, and my family likes to mix it up between eco/adventure travel, land based resorts, tour packages and cruises... a passport just expands options.

 

In the end it's probably moot anyway, because the closed loop rule won't be there forever. Then everyone can have a passport to the world.

[Mary Ellen]

Thank you for sharing this.

[notmyccname]

You will always have people who will argue the point.

 

The government should have stuck to its' guns and just mandated passports for ALL travel outside of the US.

 

People grouse about the cost but don't realize just how a passport can protect them from some travel horror stories.

 

I agree.

 

Mandating a passport for all travel can happen at any moment. One terrorist incident and those trying to get back home without one could be in for a mess.

 

I realize passports cost money, but I feel that if you can afford to travel on vacation, you can afford a proper document that will last you 10 years.

 

It's such a simple process to obtain one. I had mine processed at the Post Office in less than 20 minutes (including them taking a picture) and received it 10 days later.

 

Why take an unnecessary chance? Get a passport.

[BroncosFan2010]

Group of friends, 12 of them supposed to board a ship this past Tuesday. Blizzard hit the northeast so their flight was cancelled. First two days at sea.

 

Ten members of the group just took off for their first port of call in Aruba and will board the ship with likely hundreds of others who missed because of flights. . 2 were tearfully left behind because they didn't want the expense of getting a passport. VERY expensive lesson learned as they didn't buy the insurance either. So for saving $300 they are out several thousand.

 

GET a PASSPORT!!!!

 

Yup, but there will still be those who won't want to listen!! Their loss.