Spin Off: Have you HAD to use your passports

[sail7seas]

Which comes back to the original point of the thread... how often does that "something" happen?

 

Is it valid to tell someone "if you can't afford trip insurance, you can't afford to cruise"? How about "if you can't afford multiple cabins for your family, you can't afford to cruise"?

 

You are answering a question with a question.

 

[Cruzaholic41]

This is not to start that debate again (but I'm sure it will)...

 

Judging by your last few posts, that seems to be exactly what you wanted to happen.

 

But I digress. If it's ok, I'd like to insert a bit of fact into this thread. When you are a ship passenger on a closed loop cruise, both the U.S. and the individual ports recognize you as such. Should an emergency arise in one of those ports and you need to fly back to the U.S., you are not required to have a passport. There are ships' agents in each port who assist with this process and CBP back in the U.S. is informed of your status.

 

I don't know Canadian law, so I'm only speaking of the U.S. Except for cases like the Skagway White Pass excursions, there should be no reason a passport would be needed on a closed loop cruise. It might get complicated if you need to island hop prior to flying back to the U.S., but on a direct flight back, you should not need a passport when you are on record as being a ship passenger.

[sail7seas]

I would be willing to bet that many with passports would be stretched to the limit if something happened and they had to leave the ship mid-cruise. They would still have many of the same expenses (although potentially not as many hotel nights). The extra expenses when something happens- that's what travel insurance is for.

 

 

 

Many travel insurance policies do not pay if someone is traveling without proper travel documents.

 

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

Judging by your last few posts, that seems to be exactly what you wanted to happen.

No, it's not. What I wanted to find out is how often people got "burned" (or would have) if they didn't get a passport, or how often a passport "saved" them.

 

Of course, I got responses saying "my excursion/cruise line/etc required one". I think there's been ONE response saying they had to depart a cruise early and having passports made that easier.

 

The discussion got started regardless and I decided to participate.

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

You are answering a question with a question.

 

I second sparks' answer. Most who miss a ship or have to depart early are going to be "stretched" by the extra $$ outlay (unless they purchased an insurance policy that covers them).

 

Better now?

[sparks1093]

Many travel insurance policies do not pay if someone is traveling without proper travel documents.

 

 

Some do and it pays to read the fine print. Since I travel without a passport I of course buy a policy that does not have such an exclusion.

[jimgo140]

I was required to show my passport for I.D. to use a credit card at McDonald's in Barcelona, so now I don't pay attention to those folks that advise me not to take it ashore with me.

Jim

[sail7seas]

Judging by your last few posts, that seems to be exactly what you wanted to happen.

 

But I digress. If it's ok, I'd like to insert a bit of fact into this thread. When you are a ship passenger on a closed loop cruise, both the U.S. and the individual ports recognize you as such. Should an emergency arise in one of those ports and you need to fly back to the U.S., you are not required to have a passport. There are ships' agents in each port who assist with this process and CBP back in the U.S. is informed of your status.

 

I don't know Canadian law, so I'm only speaking of the U.S. Except for cases like the Skagway White Pass excursions, there should be no reason a passport would be needed on a closed loop cruise. It might get complicated if you need to island hop prior to flying back to the U.S., but on a direct flight back, you should not need a passport when you are on record as being a ship passenger.

 

 

You seem to be knowledgeable and likely have good reference but just yesterday we read on the HAL forum that their closed loop 10 day FLL to FLL Panama Canal cruise which stops in Costa Rica requires a passport.

 

Why?

 

Edited September 16, 2014 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

I was required to show my passport for I.D. to use a credit card at McDonald's in Barcelona, so now I don't pay attention to those folks that advise me not to take it ashore with me.

Jim

 

 

 

We had show ours to make a jewelry purchase on Ponte Vecchio in Florence. :)

 

Edited September 16, 2014 by sail7seas

[sparks1093]

I was required to show my passport for I.D. to use a credit card at McDonald's in Barcelona, so now I don't pay attention to those folks that advise me not to take it ashore with me.

Jim

 

We had show ours to make a jewelry purchase on Ponte Vecchio in Florence. :)

 

 

Of course you would need one to travel to those countries in the first place;).

[sail7seas]

Of course you would need one to travel to those countries in the first place;).

 

What about the closed loop FLL to FLL Panama Canal Cruise stopping in Costa Rica requiring a passport?

 

This must be something new as we have sailed that cruise several times

and as you say birth certificate and photo ID sufficed for those without passports, then ........

but apparently not now

 

[Floridiana]

We had to show our passports the last time our cruise ship stopped in Bermuda, about 2 years ago. None of the Caribbean islands required to show our passports, but we needed them for check-in.

 

I also remember when a hurricane was about to hit Puerto Rico and ships had to leave port early, many travelers were stranded in San Juan. Those with passports were flown to the next island stop. Those without had to return home.

 

We also observed medical evacuations - one in Mexico - and one death - in Bermuda.

[sparks1093]

What about the closed loop FLL to FLL Panama Canal Cruise stopping in Costa Rica requiring a passport?

 

This must be something new as we have sailed that cruise several times

and as you say birth certificate and photo ID sufficed for those without passports, then ........

but apparently not now

 

 

It's possible that Costa Rica has changed it's requirements (because not only must we comply with US law and cruise line rules but also with the laws and regulations of the countries we visit, so if Nassau decided tomorrow that all US citizens arriving via cruise ship needed a passport we would need passports). I have never traveled to Costa Rica so I haven't read up on it at all.

[njhorseman]

We had to show our passports the last time our cruise ship stopped in Bermuda, about 2 years ago. None of the Caribbean islands required to show our passports, but we needed them for check-in.

 

I also remember when a hurricane was about to hit Puerto Rico and ships had to leave port early, many travelers were stranded in San Juan. Those with passports were flown to the next island stop. Those without had to return home.

 

We also observed medical evacuations - one in Mexico - and one death - in Bermuda.

 

We've never had to show our passports in Bermuda on any cruise we've taken during more than 25 years of cruising there. Can you describe the circumstances? Sometime they will ask you for your "passport" (that is the word they use) when you reenter the cruise terminal, but in reality any photo ID will suffice. It's just easier to say "passport" than all the options. For that matter when we cruise from NY the security guard as you enter the terminal to get on the security line usually says "passport", but again if the type of cruise doesn't require a passport you just show the guard any acceptable alternative ID.

 

And when you say "we needed them for check in" with regard to Caribbean Islands, did you really or did you just choose to use your passport? The overwhelming majority of Caribbean cruises departing from the US are closed loop and don't require a passport. Of course there are some premium and luxury lines that require a passport even if regulations don't.

Edited September 16, 2014 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

It's possible that Costa Rica has changed it's requirements (because not only must we comply with US law and cruise line rules but also with the laws and regulations of the countries we visit, so if Nassau decided tomorrow that all US citizens arriving via cruise ship needed a passport we would need passports). I have never traveled to Costa Rica so I haven't read up on it at all.

 

It's certainly possible that Costa Rica changed its requirements, or that HAL changed theirs.

Edited September 16, 2014 by njhorseman

[sail7seas]

It's certainly possible that Costa Rica changed its requirements, or that HAL changed theirs.

 

After the initial post, other posters joined in and reported they were also advised they need a passport.

 

Perhaps they are only the first of the Caribbean countries who are going to require passports and others may well follows?

 

 

[njhorseman]

After the initial post, other posters joined in and reported they were also advised they need a passport.

 

Perhaps they are only the first of the Caribbean countries who are going to require passports and others may well follows?

 

 

 

Anything's possible, but Costa Rica, being in Central America is hardly the typical Caribbean country, most of which are small islands as you well know. Typical Caribbean island countries could care less about whether US citizens have passports...they want it to be as easy as possible for Americans to visit and spend their money.

Edited September 16, 2014 by njhorseman

[TMLAalum]

Due to the very sudden death of my mother, we had to fly home thruogh Jamaica. Needed it to leave their country and to enter the US.

 

I am sorry to hear about your mother. I think from wading through the numerous argumentative posts on this thread that you are the only one who answered the OP's question!

[SadieN]

To get a passport abroad is a PITA.

 

Check the requirements to get into an embassy-- no purses or large bags, no phones, list of everyone coming into the embassy with you and other things.

Not something I want to go thru under duress.

[SadieN]

We had show ours to make a jewelry purchase on Ponte Vecchio in Florence. :)

 

 

 

 

 

We used a copy to get an Italian SIM card.

[Cruzaholic41]

You seem to be knowledgeable and likely have good reference but just yesterday we read on the HAL forum that their closed loop 10 day FLL to FLL Panama Canal cruise which stops in Costa Rica requires a passport.

 

Why?

 

I am a former Customs agent, so I do know a little about Closed Loop cruises and documentation. However, I have been retired for a little while now, so I don't know specifically what the deal is with Costa Rica. However, I do know Costa Rica was not included in the original closed loop concept. When closed loop first came out, it only included adjacent islands (Caribbean) and countries that share a border with the U.S. Costa Rica is obviously neither. I do believe other places have been included in the closed loop definition, such as ports in Central America, but I don't know for sure.

[sail7seas]

I am a former Customs agent, so I do know a little about Closed Loop cruises and documentation. However, I have been retired for a little while now, so I don't know specifically what the deal is with Costa Rica. However, I do know Costa Rica was not included in the original closed loop concept. When closed loop first came out, it only included adjacent islands (Caribbean) and countries that share a border with the U.S. Costa Rica is obviously neither. I do believe other places have been included in the closed loop definition, such as ports in Central America, but I don't know for sure.

 

 

Thank you. Interesting.