Passport - why so scary

[Elaine5715]

Another assumption to put down...on our 9 cruises using our bc and dl we always used our credit card. A credit card that we purchase all our expeditures on during the month and pay off in full when the monthly bill comes. I will have over $500 in spending money from our rewards points for our August cruise. Any other assumptions you'd like to through out there?

 

Assumption- You must have been absent in class when they taught how to recognize a question.

[paul929207]

You bet they are...

 

I do wonder how many of the BC travelers are also cash ( no credit card) only also?

Just curious, why would that matter?

[Elaine5715]

Just curious, why would that matter?

 

Just wondered if BC only confidence extended to financial contingencies ?

[paul929207]

Don't know. Maybe a poll subject.

[MrsPete]

7seas - you make a valid point, but I have come to the conclusion that the closed-loop-bc-dl advocates will never acknowledge that their economizing might carry any measurable risk. It seems comparable to motorcyclists in Connecticut who refuse to wear helmets because they are allowed to ride without protection..

 

Are you reading? Numerous posters have acknowledged that cruising without a passport carries some risk. In fact, not a single person has said otherwise. What you're continuing to choose to ignore is that some people have determined that these risks are not significant enough to justify paying the equivalent of another cruise ticket for a family's passports.

[MrsPete]

You bet they are...

 

I do wonder how many of the BC travelers are also cash ( no credit card) only also?

 

Are you suggesting that a person who uses a credit card is more financially stable than a person who pays cash? Perhaps you're unfamiliar with America's over-use of credit cards and the fact that so many people are crippled with consumer debt?

 

I do agree that anyone who travels should have extra financial resources available in case of an emergency, but I have more respect for those who can access actual cash than those who have only an available balance on a credit card.

[MrsPete]

With my family of four, each person got a passport during a different month so we didn't incur the expense all at once. My sister went the cheaper way and only got the passport cards, now she is wishing she spent the extra money to go for the full passport.

 

I'd find that annoying because it'd take more tie to file them all separately, and then they'd all expire at different times. If the issue is not having the money to get passports, I'd question taking an expensive vacation. However, I'm hearing more people argue against not spending when it's not a requirement.

[Elaine5715]

Are you suggesting that a person who uses a credit card is more financially stable than a person who pays cash? Perhaps you're unfamiliar with America's over-use of credit cards and the fact that so many people are crippled with consumer debt?

 

I do agree that anyone who travels should have extra financial resources available in case of an emergency, but I have more respect for those who can access actual cash than those who have only an available balance on a credit card.

 

I did not have a conclusion. Neither method suggests financial stability. My guess is that Passport travelers carry more than one method of payment "just in case".

[sparks1093]

My guess is that Passport travelers carry more than one method of payment "just in case".

 

Not sure that I see a correlation.

[Elaine5715]

Not sure that I see a correlation.

 

The Passport needed advocates say Passport is needed in case you have an emergency, miss the ship, etc which means all of those scenarios will require access to a financial means other than your S&S.

 

So,if you have confidence that a BC is all the identification you need, a S&S card is really all the financial access you need.

 

So, it seems that even if you just carry a BC but if that emergency does happen, with enough $$, you will be just fine.

 

But if you travel with a BC and just cash deposit, seems you would be in a world of hurt.

[sparks1093]

The Passport needed advocates say Passport is needed in case you have an emergency, miss the ship, etc which means all of those scenarios will require access to a financial means other than your S&S.

 

So,if you have confidence that a BC is all the identification you need, a S&S card is really all the financial access you need.

 

So, it seems that even if you just carry a BC but if that emergency does happen, with enough $$, you will be just fine.

 

But if you travel with a BC and just cash deposit, seems you would be in a world of hurt.

 

I could just as easily argue that someone traveling with a birth certificate knows that if something happens extra funds would be necessary and would have said funds available through several sources.

 

My guess is that the majority of cruisers have more than one form of payment available, regardless of which travel document they use.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I could just as easily argue that someone traveling with a birth certificate knows that if something happens extra funds would be necessary and would have said funds available through several sources.

 

My guess is that the majority of cruisers have more than one form of payment available, regardless of which travel document they use.

 

 

Like you, I don't see the correlation, but I'm assuming no actual study has been done. I travel with a passport and take at least two credit cards as well as cash. I did the same when I cruised with BC and DL.

[Elaine5715]

I could just as easily argue that someone traveling with a birth certificate knows that if something happens extra funds would be necessary and would have said funds available through several sources.

 

My guess is that the majority of cruisers have more than one form of payment available, regardless of which travel document they use.

 

Which is why I asked the question...

[Warm Breezes]

The Passport needed advocates say Passport is needed in case you have an emergency, miss the ship, etc which means all of those scenarios will require access to a financial means other than your S&S.

 

So,if you have confidence that a BC is all the identification you need, a S&S card is really all the financial access you need.

 

So, it seems that even if you just carry a BC but if that emergency does happen, with enough $$, you will be just fine.

 

But if you travel with a BC and just cash deposit, seems you would be in a world of hurt.

Like I said before assumptions....I would always make sure I had funds available for an emergency. Your assumptions on how a person who cruises with a BC would think don't even come close to being true for us.

[Elaine5715]

Like I said before assumptions....I would always make sure I had funds available for an emergency. Your assumptions on how a person who cruises with a BC would think don't even come close to being true for us.

 

Again, let's review...

I asked a question. Notice the ? ending the sentence? I am asking (note the ? at the end) does the confidence of BC only cruisers extend to how you plan for financial emergencies on the cruise?

[Doug R.]

I have called the knackers wagon to haul this poor dead horse away.:D :beer:

[Quilting_Cruiser]

i have called the knackers wagon to haul this poor dead horse away.:d :beer:

 

 

:d:d:d

[wassup4565]

Someone has probably already said this, but here goes. I am a Canadian living an hour and a half away from the US border. It does not even occur to me to try to enter your country anymore without a passport - you will not let me cross your border without it.

 

So I ask without malice, why do Americans think they should be able travel to any other country without a passport? It is what you require from everyone else who wants to enter your country. And we all had to pay for our passports too.

[ldubs]

Someone has probably already said this, but here goes. I am a Canadian living an hour and a half away from the US border. It does not even occur to me to try to enter your country anymore without a passport - you will not let me cross your border without it.

 

So I ask without malice, why do Americans think they should be able travel to any other country without a passport? It is what you require from everyone else who wants to enter your country. And we all had to pay for our passports too.

 

I think your question is slightly off. For some countries and closed loop travel, it is quite legal for Americans to travel without a passport. Some opt to travel to those places without a passport and some (maybe most) opt to travel to those places with a passport. The issue seems to be the advisability of traveling to those places without a passport. I don't think anyone is suggesting existing passport requirements be waived for Americans.

[paul929207]

Someone has probably already said this, but here goes. I am a Canadian living an hour and a half away from the US border. It does not even occur to me to try to enter your country anymore without a passport - you will not let me cross your border without it.

 

So I ask without malice, why do Americans think they should be able travel to any other country without a passport? It is what you require from everyone else who wants to enter your country. And we all had to pay for our passports too.

It is not that Americans think they should be allowed to cross the border without a passport, it certain circumstances, it is perfectly legal to do so. It is well within Canada's rights to require a passport for every American entering, but you have decided not to. Probably afraid tourism would drop if a passport was suddenly required.

[LuckyZ]

It is not that Americans think they should be allowed to cross the border without a passport, it certain circumstances, it is perfectly legal to do so. It is well within Canada's rights to require a passport for every American entering, but you have decided not to. Probably afraid tourism would drop if a passport was suddenly required.

 

Which is likely why Americans do not need a passport on a closed loop cruise (Caribbean countries afraid Americans wont go there if their country required passports).

Think about it, Americans have these small countries that live off tourism at their mercy. I realize that it's OK to not have a passport for a closed loop cruise, but when you think about it, Americans couldn't go to any other foreign country in the world without a passport, so why should it be any different in the Caribbean? It's become an issue of financial survival in these small island nations.

[sparks1093]

Which is likely why Americans do not need a passport on a closed loop cruise (Caribbean countries afraid Americans wont go there if their country required passports).

Think about it, Americans have these small countries that live off tourism at their mercy. I realize that it's OK to not have a passport for a closed loop cruise, but when you think about it, Americans couldn't go to any other foreign country in the world without a passport, so why should it be any different in the Caribbean? It's become an issue of financial survival in these small island nations.

 

The reason that the closed loop exception exists is because DHS determined that a US citizen traveling on such a cruise poses a low risk to the National Security and in the cruise environment the time exists to check all of the passengers through the various government databases before they are re-admitted to the US. Were economics a factor? Probably. But I don't believe the exception would exist if DHS found a higher risk to the National Security, regardless of economic impact.

[paul929207]

Which is likely why Americans do not need a passport on a closed loop cruise (Caribbean countries afraid Americans wont go there if their country required passports).

Think about it, Americans have these small countries that live off tourism at their mercy. I realize that it's OK to not have a passport for a closed loop cruise, but when you think about it, Americans couldn't go to any other foreign country in the world without a passport, so why should it be any different in the Caribbean? It's become an issue of financial survival in these small island nations.

I am not sure that the closed loop cruise tourists are such a major financial factor in Canada and Mexico, but they do not require passports either.

[LuckyZ]

The reason that the closed loop exception exists is because DHS determined that a US citizen traveling on such a cruise poses a low risk to the National Security and in the cruise environment the time exists to check all of the passengers through the various government databases before they are re-admitted to the US. Were economics a factor? Probably. But I don't believe the exception would exist if DHS found a higher risk to the National Security, regardless of economic impact.

 

I believe you are 100% incorrect. Don't forget, alot of the small islands are not US territories, so the DHS does not have the jurisdiction to decide on behalf of these countries whether American citizens need a passport or not (again, American arrogance at work in thinking that we make rules for other nations).

These countries have their own government and laws that make these decisions, not the US DHS.

Edited May 27, 2013 by LuckyZ

[sparks1093]

I believe you are 100% incorrect. Don't forget, alot of the small islands are not US territories, so the DHS does not have the jurisdiction to decide on behalf of these countries whether American citizens need a passport or not (again, American arrogance at work in thinking that we make rules for other nations).

These countries have their own government and laws that make these decisions, not the US DHS.

 

I have read the regulations and the proposed regulations and know what they say. Fact is you could cruise to the Caribbean Islands without a passport before the DHS regulations were enacted. The regulations don't pertain to other countries and their entry requirements, they pertain to what US citizens need in order to be re-admitted to the US.