no passport needed

[casperbks]

I finally got my hubby to agree to a cruise, but he wont get a passport because he doesnt think he will like cruising... Are they any nice cruises that dont require a passport... thank you in advance..:confused:

[stepha06]

I don't have a passport, I have cruised from Galveston, Jacksonville and Galveston and I have never needed one.

[Ours91]

Any closed-loop cruise doesn't need a passport(meaning they begin and end in the same US port). :)

[Tbay-eh]

I finally got my hubby to agree to a cruise, but he wont get a passport because he doesnt think he will like cruising... Are they any nice cruises that dont require a passport... thank you in advance..:confused:

 

closed loop cruises do not require a passport - meaning, leaving and returning to the same port. ie; leave out of Miami - cruise for 3-4-5-7 days etc - return to Miami.

[NCRay]

My advice on the passport issue is to not rely on information garnered from these forums as the final say/so. To have a blanket statement -- any sailing leaving/ending on the same port does not require a passport. would not seem to be accurate. Considering most caribbean cruises leave / end at the same ports but also visit other countries. Any sailing i've been on, my pre-boarding docs all clearly stated passports were required - absence passport, boarding would be denied.

 

to the OP.... other than the opinions garnered from CC. Please call the cruise line, and research the US state department http://www.state.gov regarding required customs documents. I feel certain, that if you don't have all the required documents when you show up to sail. (i.e not passport when needed). the cruiseline will deny boarding and not issue any refund.

 

Just my 2 cents here. .

 

Happy sailing :)

[SchoolNurseMom]

for closed loop sailings, as others have posted here, you do not need a passport. Only a state issued birth certificate with the stamp on it and a photo ID.

[dingoguy]

I would always recomend a passport or card, in case of sickness, missing boat, etc.

[kayhold]

See my signature :)

[BeachChik]

My advice on the passport issue is to not rely on information garnered from these forums as the final say/so. To have a blanket statement -- any sailing leaving/ending on the same port does not require a passport. would not seem to be accurate. Considering most caribbean cruises leave / end at the same ports but also visit other countries. Any sailing i've been on, my pre-boarding docs all clearly stated passports were required - absence passport, boarding would be denied.

 

to the OP.... other than the opinions garnered from CC. Please call the cruise line, and research the US state department http://www.state.gov regarding required customs documents. I feel certain, that if you don't have all the required documents when you show up to sail. (i.e not passport when needed). the cruiseline will deny boarding and not issue any refund.

 

Just my 2 cents here. .

 

Happy sailing :)

 

No cruise documents say passports are required unless you embark or disembark outside the US. All documents say passports are recommended. They are not and have never been required for closed loop cruises. I wouldn't be surprised if this changes in the future but right now all that is required is a birth certificate and ID.

[laprof]

My husband and I have had passports for years because of mission trips (for him) and classes abroad for me (I'm a French teacher), so we always take them. But, on many of our cruises - and twice on one - people had to be taken to the hospital. Because passports are required to enter the US by air, we don't want to risk it in case of an emergency. However, our two oldest children and their families cruise with only birth certificates. I just prefer to be prepared in case of an emergency, and I'm not sure how much red tape is involved in flying home without a passport.

[cruise_crazy68]

See my signature :)

 

 

All these docs for name changes I haven't heard of before. I am divorced and always had a passport I am about to cruise in less than 2 weeks and we just noticed our passports expired last summer, ugh. so would it be better to take birth certificate Drivers Licens and expired passport (less than a year expired)? this way I dont have to tote name change docs?

 

Honestly I don't remember having to send all those docs to get my passport 10+ years ago

[cruise_crazy68]

My husband and I have had passports for years because of mission trips (for him) and classes abroad for me (I'm a French teacher), so we always take them. But, on many of our cruises - and twice on one - people had to be taken to the hospital. Because passports are required to enter the US by air, we don't want to risk it in case of an emergency. However, our two oldest children and their families cruise with only birth certificates. I just prefer to be prepared in case of an emergency, and I'm not sure how much red tape is involved in flying home without a passport.

 

 

Do the females in your group travel with anything additional to DL and BC for the ones that are married and/or divorced?

[laprof]

Sheila,

 

My older daughter is divorced, and she cruised last November with just her DL and BC. I didn't cruise with her, so I don't know if her DL is back to her maiden name. A few years ago, when she was married, we took a family cruise with everyone, and at that time her name on her DL was her married one, and of course the BC wasn't. She had no problems at all. In fact, I had her BC, and we checked in several hours before she did. The people w/Carnival held it, then gave it to her when she checked in. My DIL also uses her DL and BC, and obviously those names are different also. Again, she's never had any issues.

[cruise_crazy68]

Sheila,

 

My older daughter is divorced, and she cruised last November with just her DL and BC. I didn't cruise with her, so I don't know if her DL is back to her maiden name. A few years ago, when she was married, we took a family cruise with everyone, and at that time her name on her DL was her married one, and of course the BC wasn't. She had no problems at all. In fact, I had her BC, and we checked in several hours before she did. The people w/Carnival held it, then gave it to her when she checked in. My DIL also uses her DL and BC, and obviously those names are different also. Again, she's never had any issues.

 

Thank you for your response

 

My passport just expired in the last year, we werent planning a trip til 2013 and my darling better half surprised me with a trip 5/7 and he booked 4/16. Needless to say not much time to get both of them renewed. I was thinking of carrying it with me as well. any thoughts?

 

I have been divorced since 1999 and I got my passport in 2001. I don't remember having to send all that to them or show anyone any of that. LOL

[Warm Breezes]

My advice on the passport issue is to not rely on information garnered from these forums as the final say/so. To have a blanket statement -- any sailing leaving/ending on the same port does not require a passport. would not seem to be accurate. Considering most caribbean cruises leave / end at the same ports but also visit other countries. Any sailing i've been on, my pre-boarding docs all clearly stated passports were required - absence passport, boarding would be denied.

 

to the OP.... other than the opinions garnered from CC. Please call the cruise line, and research the US state department www.state.gov regarding required customs documents. I feel certain, that if you don't have all the required documents when you show up to sail. (i.e not passport when needed). the cruiseline will deny boarding and not issue any refund.

 

Just my 2 cents here. .

 

Happy sailing :)

 

Look at my signature. Most of these cruises were in the caribbean. All of these cruises were closed loop cruises. All of these cruises were done with DL and certified BC from our state dept of vital statistics for all members of our family of 4 with absolutely no problems. My married name on my DL is not the same as my BC and I have never been asked to show a ML. Just my actual experience.

[kayhold]

All these docs for name changes I haven't heard of before. I am divorced and always had a passport I am about to cruise in less than 2 weeks and we just noticed our passports expired last summer, ugh. so would it be better to take birth certificate Drivers Licens and expired passport (less than a year expired)? this way I dont have to tote name change docs?

 

Honestly I don't remember having to send all those docs to get my passport 10+ years ago

 

Most of the time, they do not ask for them. Occasionally, they do. There have been a few posts here where people were denied boarding for not having them. That is the primary reason I got a passport card - cheaper but no documents to carry around.

 

That said, my married last name isn't hypenated but my maiden name replaced my middle name, so my license reads :Kay MaidenName MarriedName: so I doubt I would have had trouble, anyway.

 

Its one of those things they may not ask for, but if they do, you're screwed.

[Zoey]

Without a passport, I can't even IMAGINE what a nightmare it would be trying to get back into the U.S. by air in the event of a serious illness or injury OR missing the ship in the last port and having to fly home. These days I would never consider leaving the country without a passport.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Sheila,

 

My older daughter is divorced, and she cruised last November with just her DL and BC. I didn't cruise with her, so I don't know if her DL is back to her maiden name. A few years ago, when she was married, we took a family cruise with everyone, and at that time her name on her DL was her married one, and of course the BC wasn't. She had no problems at all. In fact, I had her BC, and we checked in several hours before she did. The people w/Carnival held it, then gave it to her when she checked in. My DIL also uses her DL and BC, and obviously those names are different also. Again, she's never had any issues.

 

Though your family didn't have any issues, there are those who have. The cruise line may deny boarding if you cannot show the paper trail of the name change. Prior to having a passport, I cruised with my BC and DL and carried my marriage certificate with me. I needed it on one cruise and they said I would have been denied boarding without it. It's only one piece of paper to carry--better safe than sorry.

[CRUISE4JANE]

I would always recomend a passport or card, in case of sickness, missing boat, etc.

 

I am going on a loop cruise and I have a passport card. If an emergency would happen, it would not take days to get straightened out. At least I have peace of mind.

[kingoftheicedragons]

While you don't need a passport for close-loop cruises, I wouldn't leave the country without one. There are some cruises where they wouldn't be essential--such as a Hawaiian cruise or Alaska, though both of those cruises would have one foreign stop. Cruises that stop in Puerto Rico and the USVI would also be safer. Just keep in mind that if you have a medical emergency or miss the ship, not having a passport is going to complicate things if you're not in one of these ports.

[laprof]

Sheila,

 

Are your names the same on your DL and passport? I, too, did as Quilting_Cruiser did before getting my passport - took my DL, BC, and Marriage Certificate. Thankfully the passport replaced all that.

[GradUT]

I am going on a loop cruise and I have a passport card. If an emergency would happen, it would not take days to get straightened out. At least I have peace of mind.

 

 

A passport card will make it easier for the U.S. consular officer to issue you a passport book to travel back to the States via air in case of emergency, but it could still take days to get it issued. (Remember, the passport card is not valid for air travel.) If you have the bad luck to need a passport when the Embassy or Consulate is closed (weekends, U.S. holidays, host country holidays), you are going to have to wait until they are open again and that could be more than a day or two. You might get service if it's a dire case of your medical emergency, but not just because you missed the boat or there's a family "emergency" back home.

[Hendricks Clan]

While you don't need a passport for close-loop cruises, I wouldn't leave the country without one. There are some cruises where they wouldn't be essential--such as a Hawaiian cruise or Alaska, though both of those cruises would have one foreign stop. Cruises that stop in Puerto Rico and the USVI would also be safer. Just keep in mind that if you have a medical emergency or miss the ship, not having a passport is going to complicate things if you're not in one of these ports.

 

If sailing on CCL to Hawaii, you may need a Passport if the embarkation or debarkation port is Esenada.

[kingoftheicedragons]

If sailing on CCL to Hawaii, you may need a Passport if the embarkation or debarkation port is Esenada.

 

That's true, didn't think of that. Same would go if it embarks or debarks in Canada, I guess. I was thinking of some of the round trip Hawaii cruises, which start in the US, have a foreign stop such as Ensenada, and then go to Hawaii.

[RWolver672]

I don't understand why a married woman would need to carry her marriage license with her if she had her driver's license. In order to get her married name on the license, she would have to show her marriage license to the Secretary of State's office to have it changed. Her driver's license is a legal document stating her ID. I'm not saying it isn't needed by some zealous person checking you in, just that it's asking for a piece of paper that shouldn't be required.