Specific Passport Clarification

[zwoodcock]

Alright, I read through the sticky, but it didn't fully answer my question. According to the Carnival FAQ:

 

"The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) allows U.S. citizens (including children) sailing on cruises that begin and end in the same U.S. port to travel with one of the WHTI compliant documents, listed below. "

 

My fiancee and I are looking at going on a March cruise that departs from and returns to Miami, and goes to a couple of ports in Mexico. Do we need passports or not?

 

Thanks

[1025cruise]

A birth certificate and photo ID will be sufficient. However, if there were an emergency that would require you to fly back, you would need a passport.

[taglovestocruise]

must be original birth certificate, no copies.

[SMerritt]

Check all parental consent forms for minors.......if there are "steps" involved, they will need extra "paperwork".

Edited January 25, 2014 by SMerritt

[lifes-a-beach]

you have plenty of time to get passports. i would go ahead and get them. what 1025 says is so true. if you had to get home right quick for ANY reason you would be out of luck without a passport. especially if one of you gets hurt or sick. speaking for myself, there are lots of places i've visited that i wouldn't dream of having serious medical care in. the word "primitive" might best describe some places. if their daily life is primitive one can only imagine the medical care available. travel insurance that covers medical evacuation and a passport are essential for us.

[zwoodcock]

I definitely want to get them, but we can't afford them. We would have to use our tax returns, and I have no clue when we'll be getting those. If we get them too late, then the price jumps to ~$200 per passport, and there is no guarantee that we'd get them on time.

 

Thanks for all the replies and advice though!

[crystalspin]

@ zwoodcock

 

Don't lose a lot of sleep fretting over getting back to the States in an emergency -- the embassy will get you home. It will be a hassle but if you're having an emergency, you're already having a hassle.

 

Whatever you do, don't send your only embossed birth certificate away for a passport with anything less than the full time estimated for delivery of the passport (and return of BC which is in a separate envelope). Although reports are that passport turnaround is being quite quick, if ANYTHING happened to slow yours down, you would then have no proof of citizenship and would not be allowed to board.

 

There is another thread currently about someone who did this:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1977854

[gerryl12]

I would get passports when you can (before or after the cruise) that way you are set for the next ten years and don't have to panic if you want to fly somewhere.

IMHO

[Sue Do-Over]

Many frequent cruisers here would agree... if your budget is too tight to afford passports, you may not be able to afford to cruise. Onboard expenses, alcohol, shore excursions, souviners add up fast, and even the most budget consious of us have had unexpected expenses.

 

Spend the $130 now, have the peace of mind, and enjoy it for 10 more years.

[Bonnie J.]

$130 for a passport is $13 per year for 10 years. Well worth it. You must send your original birth certificate with a raised seal and it will be sent back to you.

If you bring your birth certificate to check in, make sure it is the one the county issued NOT A HOSPITAL ONE. It must be the original one, not a copy. If you don't have it, can't find it, you can get an original from the county you were born in.

Edited January 28, 2014 by Bonnie J.

[alexspepa]

I remember our first cruise - no way could we have afforded passports...and we still had a great time.

 

just make sure you have a certified BC and that the names match exactly with your drivers license.

 

as mentioned before - if you have an emergency while ashore the US government will see that you get home eventually.

 

When your financial situation changes then by all means get your passports so that you can take advantage of international travel.

[ducklite]

For the people who claim they can't afford passports, what will you do if you have a medical emergency? You do realize that your US health insurance won't pay, and even if you (hopefully) have bought trip insurance, you need to pay out of pocket and then apply for reimbursement.

 

What if you have a travel delay and can't get back home for two or three days?

 

You can't afford $250-ish for a couple of passports, how do you plan to cover the cost of a $500 medical center visit on board, or a couple nights in a hotel plus meals after your flight is cancelled due to weather?

 

Just food for thought.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[sparks1093]

For the people who claim they can't afford passports, what will you do if you have a medical emergency? You do realize that your US health insurance won't pay, and even if you (hopefully) have bought trip insurance, you need to pay out of pocket and then apply for reimbursement.

 

What if you have a travel delay and can't get back home for two or three days?

 

You can't afford $250-ish for a couple of passports, how do you plan to cover the cost of a $500 medical center visit on board, or a couple nights in a hotel plus meals after your flight is cancelled due to weather?

 

Just food for thought.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

 

Even with a passport one must take those financial considerations into account. I suspect that many travelers (both with and without a passport) have a thin cushion for if things go wrong.

Edited January 28, 2014 by sparks1093

[alexspepa]

For the people who claim they can't afford passports, what will you do if you have a medical emergency? You do realize that your US health insurance won't pay, and even if you (hopefully) have bought trip insurance, you need to pay out of pocket and then apply for reimbursement.

 

What if you have a travel delay and can't get back home for two or three days?

 

You can't afford $250-ish for a couple of passports, how do you plan to cover the cost of a $500 medical center visit on board, or a couple nights in a hotel plus meals after your flight is cancelled due to weather?

 

Just food for thought.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

 

i did not think of those things when i was in my twenties...part of the thirties even. maybe a little irresponsible, but whatever - i am glad i took every opportunity to spend my last penny at the time on travel.