Spin Off: Have you HAD to use your passports

[S.A.M.J.R.]

There are plenty of people on here who say everyone who cruises should get a passport. There are others who say "maybe not". This is not to start that debate again (but I'm sure it will), but to find out who has HAD to use their passport while on a closed loop cruise.

 

I am NOT referring to using your passport when a BC/ID would suffice. I'm talking about HAVING to use your passport (missed a ship, had to fly back early, etc).

[dancinman66]

In aus they would not let you on if the loop involved international waters even

We can only get away without one to aus ports only

 

 

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[vacation luvver]

I voted yes, because I HAD to use my passport on a closed-loop Alaskan cruise out of Seattle, because there was a shore excursion that I wanted to go on that involved travel via bus between the USA and Canada, and we were told that passports were required for this shore excursion.

[Shmoo here]

Also required to have passport for our Alaska cruise. Not just because we had an excursion that required it, but the cruise line required passports for everyone.

 

However, we already had them from our first cruise (Panama Canal - required).

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I voted no, did not need it, then saw the posts about Alaska and the train to Skagway so I should have voted yes.

 

Mary Lou

[Donray]

Am I missing something? People that have a passport don't use it when providing brooding docs? There still use a BC and DL?

[Diver_Chuck]

If you take the Celebration out of Palm Beach and intend to overnight in Grand Lucyan, you must have a passport with you.

[cb at sea]

Your DL and BC will be fine on a closed loop cruise. This is for CARIBBEAN cruises! None of those countries require a passport from a cruise passenger...NONE!!!

 

For Med, European, SA,, etc...you should have a passports...those countries are not like the Caribbean ones....some do require it, and many will also require a visa...do your research!

 

But, if you're doing the Caribbean route, there is no need whatsoever to pay for a passport!

[Shmoo here]

Your DL and BC will be fine on a closed loop cruise. This is for CARIBBEAN cruises! None of those countries require a passport from a cruise passenger...NONE!!!

 

For Med, European, SA,, etc...you should have a passports...those countries are not like the Caribbean ones....some do require it, and many will also require a visa...do your research!

 

But, if you're doing the Caribbean route, there is no need whatsoever to pay for a passport!

 

Unless, of course, the cruiseline you're traveling on requires it. Some cruiselines have stricter requirements in this than the law does.

[njhorseman]

So far it looks like no one who has replied by posting a verbal response answered (or even come close to addressing) the OP's question, which was:

 

 

I am NOT referring to using your passport when a BC/ID would suffice. I'm talking about HAVING to use your passport (missed a ship, had to fly back early, etc).

 

Those actually participating in the poll itself seen to have done a bit better.

Edited September 13, 2014 by njhorseman

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes we have had to have then on a couple Alaskan cruises where we left the US and went into Canada and returned to the US.

 

Also cruises in Europe required us to turn in our passports.

 

We have fortunate that so far we have never missed the ship, had any medical emergencies that would require us to leave the ship early or any emgergencies where we had to get home fast.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Your DL and BC will be fine on a closed loop cruise. This is for CARIBBEAN cruises! None of those countries require a passport from a cruise passenger...NONE!!!

 

For Med, European, SA,, etc...you should have a passports...those countries are not like the Caribbean ones....some do require it, and many will also require a visa...do your research!

 

But, if you're doing the Caribbean route, there is no need whatsoever to pay for a passport!

 

 

"No need whatsoever"? Are you not aware that pretty much all of the premium and luxury cruise lines require that ALL passengers on ALL itineraries MUST have a passport to get on the ship in the first place.

It is unbelievable how many CC posters only consider government requirements (and not those of the cruise line) when offering their advice.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

"No need whatsoever"? Are you not aware that pretty much all of the premium and luxury cruise lines require that ALL passengers on ALL itineraries MUST have a passport to get on the ship in the first place.

It is unbelievable how many CC posters only consider government requirements (and not those of the cruise line) when offering their advice.

 

 

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We know that you'll remind everyone, so we don't have to;).

[SadieN]

We haven't but I'm sure the couple we left in PV needed them.

[Mom2B&Z]

Yes, we've used them on every cruise. We are Canadian :)

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

We know that you'll remind everyone, so we don't have to;).

 

 

If it saves one newbie the misfortune of showing up to the pier and explaining to the cruise line folks that "CC posters said I don't need a passport," it's worth the effort.

 

 

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[sail7seas]

If it saves one newbie the misfortune of showing up to the pier and explaining to the cruise line folks that "CC posters said I don't need a passport," it's worth the effort.

 

 

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I agree. :)

 

Throughout our years of cruising, we have seen so many people removed from the ships for medical or other reasons and they all needed a passport to fly home. They would not be flying that day without passport and that means expense of hotel, food, taxi, etc not to mention added stress. What a way to end a vacation!

Edited September 13, 2014 by sail7seas

[njhorseman]

I agree. :)

 

Throughout our years of cruising, we have seen so many people removed from the ships for medical or other reasons and they all needed a passport to fly home. They would not be flying that day without passport and that means expense of hotel, food, taxi, etc not to mention added stress. What a way to end a vacation!

 

Passengers being removed from ships for medical reasons is not what Flatbush Flyer was talking about. He was talking about being denied boarding because you don't have the proper documents required by the cruise line.

 

Some cruise lines (generally luxury lines) require all passengers to have passports even if government regulations permit cruising with alternative documents such as a a birth certificate and photo ID. If you show up at the pier without a passport you're not going to be permitted on the cruise ship even if your documents meet government requirements.

Edited September 13, 2014 by njhorseman

[sail7seas]

Thanks. Yes, I am aware of that. :)

 

I have good friends who work shore ops in various ports and they have said that just about every cruise leaving from a U.S. port goes out without one or more people who were to be passengers. They were not permitted to board because of inadequate travel documents. They try hard to get them help but if they do not have the documents they need, they do not board.

Edited September 13, 2014 by sail7seas

[PennyAgain]

Passengers being removed from ships for medical reasons is not what Flatbush Flyer was talking about. He was talking about being denied boarding because you don't have the proper documents required by the cruise line.

 

Some cruise lines (generally luxury lines) require all passengers to have passports even if government regulations permit cruising with alternative documents such as a a birth certificate and photo ID. If you show up at the pier without a passport you're not going to be permitted on the cruise ship even if your documents meet government requirements.

 

And having a passport in hand speeds up the boarding process a great deal.

[Cuizer2]

There are plenty of people on here who say everyone who cruises should get a passport. There are others who say "maybe not". This is not to start that debate again (but I'm sure it will), but to find out who has HAD to use their passport while on a closed loop cruise.

 

I am NOT referring to using your passport when a BC/ID would suffice. I'm talking about HAVING to use your passport (missed a ship, had to fly back early, etc).

 

I have been on 25 cruises. I had a passport for every single one of those cruises, and I have never had to show it except when first boarding and last debarking. Both times a birth certificate and driver's license would have been all I needed.

[boogs]

I have been on 25 cruises. I had a passport for every single one of those cruises, and I have never had to show it except when first boarding and last debarking. Both times a birth certificate and driver's license would have been all I needed.

 

You must be saying that each and every one of your 25 cruises have been closed loop cruises out of and back to a US port. If any of your cruises began or ended in a foreign country, you would not have been allowed onto the ship without a passport, so a birth certificate and driver's license would have been of no help whatsoever. Plus, flying to or from a foreign airport also requires a passport, so again those other two documents would not have been needed.

 

Of all the cruises we have taken, only the first was a closed loop, and that was to the Caribbean. Every cruise since has been to a foreign port requiring international flights requiring a passport, as well as the passport being required to get on the ship. Only one port visited have we had to show and carry our passport to go ashore, and that was St. Petersburg, Russia. However, on several cruises we had to turn over our passports to the cruise ship staff so they could be registered with local customs people so we would be allowed to enter a few of the countries being visited.

Edited September 14, 2014 by boogs

[Cuizer2]

You must be saying that each and every one of your 25 cruises have been closed loop cruises out of and back to a US port. If any of your cruises began or ended in a foreign country, you would not have been allowed onto the ship without a passport, so a birth certificate and driver's license would have been of no help whatsoever. Plus, flying to or from a foreign airport also requires a passport, so again those other two documents would not have been needed.

 

Of all the cruises we have taken, only the first was a closed loop, and that was to the Caribbean. Every cruise since has been to a foreign port requiring international flights requiring a passport, as well as the passport being required to get on the ship. Only one port visited have we had to show and carry our passport to go ashore, and that was St. Petersburg, Russia. However, on several cruises we had to turn over our passports to the cruise ship staff so they could be registered with local customs people so we would be allowed to enter a few of the countries being visited.

 

I have been on a cruise that left from Canada and I have taken a cruise from Los Angeles to Miami. The only time I had to show my passport was when boarding in Los Angeles and departing in Miami. The cruise in Canada was in 1999 and coming from and to America they just waived us through.

 

My next cruise will leave from New York and end in Florida.

[boogs]

I have been on a cruise that left from Canada and I have taken a cruise from Los Angeles to Miami. The only time I had to show my passport was when boarding in Los Angeles and departing in Miami. The cruise in Canada was in 1999 and coming from and to America they just waived us through.

 

My next cruise will leave from New York and end in Florida.

 

Thank you for validating my point. ;)

 

You cruised in Canada 15 years ago. Things are very different today than then, so you cannot use the rules in 1999 to support your argument that a passport is not needed today.

 

Also, now you are saying that you had to have a passport to get on the ship in LA and to get off in Miami. Before you implied that only a birth certificate and driver's license was needed for all 25 of your cruises. Seems as if that wasn't actually the case, now was it?

Edited September 15, 2014 by boogs

[TinCan782]

Bennett Scenic Journey (White Pass and Yukon Route train) out of Skagway to Carcross, YT. Required by Canadian officials in Fraser, BC.

 

We've had passports for some time now so, it doesn't really matter to us. And, yes, we carry them when on foreign soil.

Edited September 15, 2014 by TinCan782