Passports

[Buckeyefn31]

Don't forget to get them stamped at each port.

 

 

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[arush5268d]

Don't forget to get them stamped at each port.

 

 

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That's a big pain these days.

[Blueboss]

That's a big pain these days.

 

Some ports, yes, other ports are pretty easy. Mahogany Bay and Belize, the office was right there at the port. I've heard that for Cozumel it can only be done on the mainland. We'll see about our ports next year on the eastern side, although two of those are US territories and probably won't stamp ours.

[arush5268d]

Well yeah if you want to enter another country other than by cruise or want to go on an open loop cruise you definitely need a passport. Those situations do not apply to the original poster.

If someone is so reckless as to come even close to missing a ship, lacking a passport will be the least of their worries in life.

Personally, I think it's foolish to spend 400 bills to get passports just for a closed end cruise.

 

 

Whatever floats your boat. Enjoy not being able to see the rest of the world.

[Whimsy88]

If you are just looking at the expense, and are only planning on cruising, you can always get the passcards. Same process, but a little less expensive, particularly with regard to kids whose passport expirations are sooner anyway. Whole family got passcards a few years ago for a cruise, and they work the same as regular passports for cruising - no troubles or delays at all. DH and I upgraded to regular passports 2 years ago for a trip to Mexico via air, but not really worried about upgrading the kids for this next cruise since the passcards are good for 2 more years.

[arush5268d]

If you are just looking at the expense, and are only planning on cruising, you can always get the passcards. Same process, but a little less expensive, particularly with regard to kids whose passport expirations are sooner anyway. Whole family got passcards a few years ago for a cruise, and they work the same as regular passports for cruising - no troubles or delays at all. DH and I upgraded to regular passports 2 years ago for a trip to Mexico via air, but not really worried about upgrading the kids for this next cruise since the passcards are good for 2 more years.

 

 

I looked long and hard at these but went with the regular passport due to the restrictions. It's shame that the passport world is still stuck with 1980s technology..,.but it is what it is

[sparks1093]

Enjoy not being able to see the rest of the world.

 

For some travelers seeing the rest of the world is not in their plans and if and when that does become an option they would be able to get a passport when their plans change.

[Buckeyefn31]

That's a big pain these days.

 

We got ours stamped every port, no problems at all.

 

 

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[Buckeyefn31]

Some ports, yes, other ports are pretty easy. Mahogany Bay and Belize, the office was right there at the port. I've heard that for Cozumel it can only be done on the mainland. We'll see about our ports next year on the eastern side, although two of those are US territories and probably won't stamp ours.

 

It can be done in San Miguel.

 

 

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[Jenny in TX]

We got ours this past September. We received them in the mail exactly 2 weeks from the date we applied.

[arush5268d]

We got ours this past September. We received them in the mail exactly 2 weeks from the date we applied.

 

 

Wow..that is very fast. Did you expedite?

[Blueboss]

It can be done in San Miguel.

 

 

Where at?

[HardToPort]

I am getting passports for me, my wife and daughter for our cruise which departs March 15th, 2014. How long will it take on average to get the passports?

 

Thanks!

 

In Canada you can get a 10 year passport, for $160 in 5 business days.

[bob sims]

In Canada you can get a 10 year passport, for $160 in 5 business days.

 

That's 500 bucks for the 3 of them. My thinking is-unless you have money to burn why bother?

I've traveled all over Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for better than 30 years. No passport and no problem. If someone is just going on a closed loop cruise I think their a darn fool to blow that kind of money on completely unnecessary passports.

[arush5268d]

That's 500 bucks for the 3 of them. My thinking is-unless you have money to burn why bother?

I've traveled all over Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for better than 30 years. No passport and no problem. If someone is just going on a closed loop cruise I think their a darn fool to blow that kind of money on completely unnecessary passports.

 

 

Except it is not completely unnecesdsary. Laws have changed over the last 30 years.

 

What if something happens on their cruise andf they need to fly home? Not to mention that having a passport speeds up the normal process of getting back from a cruise.

[sparks1093]

What if something happens on their cruise andf they need to fly home? Not to mention that having a passport speeds up the normal process of getting back from a cruise.

 

That question is what every traveler needs to answer for themselves. For the vast majority the risk of having to fly back for some reason is very low but if an individual has a low tolerance for risk or has a higher risk than most then it's probably better for them to invest the money in a passport no matter how costly.

[Buckeyefn31]

Where at?

 

Tourist info Center Plaza Del Sol.

 

 

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[bob sims]

Except it is not completely unnecesdsary. Laws have changed over the last 30 years.

 

What if something happens on their cruise and they need to fly home? Not to mention that having a passport speeds up the normal process of getting back from a cruise.

Do you honestly think that the half of cruisers who sail without passports have never had "something" happen requiring them to fly home?

It's a one in a million shot but of course it has happened.

Yet the media has never reported on a single person being stranded in the Caribbean. What happens is that waivers are made and special visas are issued. No one gets exiled to an island by following the government's OWN RULES regarding closed loop cruises.

[arush5268d]

Do you honestly think that the half of cruisers who sail without passports have never had "something" happen requiring them to fly home?

It's a one in a million shot but of course it has happened.

Yet the media has never reported on a single person being stranded in the Caribbean. What happens is that waivers are made and special visas are issued. No one gets exiled to an island by following the government's OWN RULES regarding closed loop cruises.

 

 

Interesting. I must have forgotten when I mentioned someone would get stuck on a foreign land. I also though I have mentioned that a passport simplifies even cruises that go as planned.

[Blueboss]

Tourist info Center Plaza Del Sol.

 

 

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Thanks for the info.