Passport Card/Check In Questions

[ohitssunshine]

Hi all - it has been a couple of years since we last cruised. All of our cruises so far, we have used our birth certificate and DL to board and have only had 1 issue. (The 1 issue was with another cruise line who needed my marriage certificate to validate name change).

 

We decided that for this cruise we would get the passport cards. Unfortunately we just realized that we forgot to actually GET the passport cards - so we are headed out to apply today. The site shows that there is a 6-8 week TAT right now, and we cruise in 59 days. Anyone have experience with the timing - do we stand a chance at receiving them in time?

 

I will share that the reason we are getting the cards now is due to my having been issued 2 birth certificates. One at birth with one last name, and a new one when I was adopted with my maiden name. I've had to show adoption papers at various times, and at one point my original BC was ripped. I ordered a replacement and the last time there was some hesitation with my documents. There is nothing worse than wondering if you are going to get on the ship!

 

Also - I was going to complete check in, but wanted to verify if I was able to check in with our current ID's, and then use the passport cards at the port?

 

Thank you for any help you can offer!

[sparks1093]

Hi all - it has been a couple of years since we last cruised. All of our cruises so far, we have used our birth certificate and DL to board and have only had 1 issue. (The 1 issue was with another cruise line who needed my marriage certificate to validate name change).

 

We decided that for this cruise we would get the passport cards. Unfortunately we just realized that we forgot to actually GET the passport cards - so we are headed out to apply today. The site shows that there is a 6-8 week TAT right now, and we cruise in 59 days. Anyone have experience with the timing - do we stand a chance at receiving them in time?

 

I will share that the reason we are getting the cards now is due to my having been issued 2 birth certificates. One at birth with one last name, and a new one when I was adopted with my maiden name. I've had to show adoption papers at various times, and at one point my original BC was ripped. I ordered a replacement and the last time there was some hesitation with my documents. There is nothing worse than wondering if you are going to get on the ship!

 

Also - I was going to complete check in, but wanted to verify if I was able to check in with our current ID's, and then use the passport cards at the port?

 

Thank you for any help you can offer!

 

There is a chance that you'll be able to get them back. We had to change DS#1's last name and the birth certificate we bring has his new last name on it, so your birth certificate with your adopted/maiden name should be more than sufficient (that is the one you should be using since it is your birth certificate). Of course you could bring your marriage license too, but CCL didn't require it when we checked in. (I mention all of that just in case your cards don't come in on time so you'll have a back up plan.) Of course since you'll be sending your birth certificate off you'll need to make a copy of it first (yes, CCL accepts photocpies) or obtain another one from the state.

 

As for online checkin I don't recall exactly but I don't think there is a place for passport card or Enhanced Drivers License (what we used on our last cruise).

Edited December 29, 2015 by sparks1093

[HawkIVette]

Long story short- Just got back from our December 6th cruise. We missed the ship leaving New Orleans on the 6th (Airplane troubles).

One member in our party did not have a passport at all.

In order to catch up with the ship, we needed to fly internationally to Roatan. We went to the Minneapolis Passport Office, had to show our flight reservation tickets for the next day(Tuesday), and got her a passport in less than 6 hours. Paid an extra fee for it, but it can be done.

May not be exactly what you are looking to do, but a passport can be expedited.

[mainepaddler]

I would get a passport rather than a passport card. That way you could use it to travel anywhere. Passport cards are not valid for air travel.

[ohitssunshine]

Thank you both - for some reason, I thought that we only needed to bring our original BC's to the office to apply. I did not realize that they would be mailed in with our application - that makes me much more nervous because if they do not come in time, not only do we not have our passport cards, but we also do not have our BC's.

 

I know many people have had no problem using a copy at CCL, but I really would hate to risk it!

[ohitssunshine]

I would get a passport rather than a passport card. That way you could use it to travel anywhere. Passport cards are not valid for air travel.

 

We just cannot validate the additional cost right now, because we never travel outside of the country unless on a cruise or driving to Canada. I would like to get one eventually to have it done - but its not in our budget yet.

[mjhouse2]

Wow passports must take forever to get in the states? Here you go to passport office with all documents and they process. You only have to show the ID to them and the passport comes within 10 days. My children's we applied on the Friday by the next Wednesday we had the passports in the mail.

[mainepaddler]

We just cannot validate the additional cost right now, because we never travel outside of the country unless on a cruise or driving to Canada. I would like to get one eventually to have it done - but its not in our budget yet.

 

I don't understand why you would spend money on the cards then. If you have the documents to get them then you have the documents to get on the ship. There is no advantage with the cards. Save the money and hopefully soon get the passports.

[ohitssunshine]

I don't understand why you would spend money on the cards then. If you have the documents to get them then you have the documents to get on the ship. There is no advantage with the cards. Save the money and hopefully soon get the passports.

 

I think that is what we are going to do now, knowing that we might not have any documents back in time. The reason I had leaned that way was just due to a personal issue I have with 2 different BC's. Just that added peace of mind. But I think given the timing, we will just wait and get the regular passport down the road and BEFORE our next cruise. (That was our intention all along...)

[ohitssunshine]

Wow passports must take forever to get in the states? Here you go to passport office with all documents and they process. You only have to show the ID to them and the passport comes within 10 days. My children's we applied on the Friday by the next Wednesday we had the passports in the mail.

 

#merica ;)

[sparks1093]

I think that is what we are going to do now, knowing that we might not have any documents back in time. The reason I had leaned that way was just due to a personal issue I have with 2 different BC's. Just that added peace of mind. But I think given the timing, we will just wait and get the regular passport down the road and BEFORE our next cruise. (That was our intention all along...)

 

You only have one birth certificate and that is the one you received with your adopted name on it. That is now your legal birth certificate and the only one you need to show. The other one is no more than a souvenier at this point.

[sparks1093]

I don't understand why you would spend money on the cards then. If you have the documents to get them then you have the documents to get on the ship. There is no advantage with the cards. Save the money and hopefully soon get the passports.

 

There are advanatages to having the card, first you can use it to drive into Canada (which the OP mentioned being able to do). Second, it can used for open jaw sailings to or from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

[ohitssunshine]

There are advanatages to having the card, first you can use it to drive into Canada (which the OP mentioned being able to do). Second, it can used for open jaw sailings to or from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

 

This is true - while we live in FL, our family is in NY and we used to make quite a few trips into Canada before they made passports mandatory.

 

Ahh, the good old days when you could just drive into another country for the night!

[fam2cruise]

We got passport cards specifically for cruising because they are easy to carry and you get to go to the passport line at customs which is usually shorter than the other line for those without passports (at least in Galveston). For now I'd suggest just using all your documents instead of risking not having anything at all, but get the cards when you come back for your next cruise. We just had to renew my sons and we got it in 4 weeks (applied Thanksgiving week, received Christmas week)

Edited December 29, 2015 by fam2cruise

[Newbea11]

We just got ours. It took about 6 weeks. We had to make an appointment at the post office to apply. They keep all of your stuff and mail it back to you with the cards. Plus they charge $25 per person just to fill out the application and we were there less than 10min.

[ohitssunshine]

We just got ours. It took about 6 weeks. We had to make an appointment at the post office to apply. They keep all of your stuff and mail it back to you with the cards. Plus they charge $25 per person just to fill out the application and we were there less than 10min.

 

Wow, good to know!

[SadieN]

I think that is what we are going to do now, knowing that we might not have any documents back in time. The reason I had leaned that way was just due to a personal issue I have with 2 different BC's. Just that added peace of mind. But I think given the timing, we will just wait and get the regular passport down the road and BEFORE our next cruise. (That was our intention all along...)

 

 

Apply after your upcoming my cruise to prevent this situation from coming up again.

[hotsauce126]

I got mine in about 4 weeks

[MarcelLucSell]

My friend got her passport and passport card in three weeks recently. This wasn't a renewal.

[iheartmarshall]

After reading all the responses, it seems like the OP will just use the BC and any associated documents. But, I still wanted to add that you can pay an extra fee to get a passport expedited. I did this in 2011, as I needed one in 3 weeks. I paid an extra $60 or so and received it in 2 weeks. The cost was just over $200 for everything but worth it at the time. And of course, now I have my passport so I cruise with that. Unfortunately though, it has my maiden name on it and I don't want to pay to get a new one so I cruise in my maiden name. It all works out in the end :)

[2Ccruisers]

We recently obtained passports for our kids and paid for expediting and got them about 10 days later.

[Jedijohn]

We ordered ours the week of Thanksgiving and got everything back right at the 4 week mark.