cole Posted February 8, 2016 #1 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Our family will be on a round trip from New York that stops at two Canadian ports and there is a question as to whether a passport is required to board the ship (NCL) and to re-enter the US at the end of the cruise. Two different answers from NCL reps and the US travel website seems to indicate that a birth certificate AND driver's license will be the only necessary things needed. Can someone who has done this cruise, please clear up the confusion? Thank you for your help. Cole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamloops50 Posted February 8, 2016 #2 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Our family will be on a round trip from New York that stops at two Canadian ports and there is a question as to whether a passport is required to board the ship (NCL) and to re-enter the US at the end of the cruise. Two different answers from NCL reps and the US travel website seems to indicate that a birth certificate AND driver's license will be the only necessary things needed. Can someone who has done this cruise, please clear up the confusion? Thank you for your help.Cole Closed loops cruised don't require a passport . Just a Birth certificate and a picture ID . That said if you have to fly home from Canada (emergency) you'll need a passport . Even to cross the US border from Canada a passport is recommended or a global entry card ( Nexus for Canadians). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3poundpuppies Posted February 8, 2016 #3 Share Posted February 8, 2016 We did a Canadian cruise on Carnival last August, and as last poster said, birth certificate and license were fine. No issues whatsoever! Enjoy! It's beautiful up there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cole Posted February 8, 2016 Author #4 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Thanks to you two! That's what I have been able to find in all of my searches. It is just so frustrating though when you talk with two different people from the same company (who are supposed to be "experts") and they tell you two different things. We will go with the birth certificate and driver's license for those of us who don't have passports. If they don't let them on the ship, they will just have a nice vacation in New York (just kidding). Cole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted February 8, 2016 #5 Share Posted February 8, 2016 (edited) Thanks to you two! That's what I have been able to find in all of my searches. It is just so frustrating though when you talk with two different people from the same company (who are supposed to be "experts") and they tell you two different things. We will go with the birth certificate and driver's license for those of us who don't have passports. If they don't let them on the ship, they will just have a nice vacation in New York (just kidding).Cole Just be sure they're official birth certificates issued by the government agency (whether it is city, county or state) that is responsible for these records in the place where the birth occurred. By the way, only US birth certificates are valid. If someone was born outside the US they need either their Certificate of Naturalization (for someone who was not a US citizen at birth) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad(for someone who was a US citizen at birth). Birth certificates issued by hospitals are not official and do not satisfy the requirement. Edited February 8, 2016 by njhorseman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cole Posted February 9, 2016 Author #6 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Just be sure they're official birth certificates issued by the government agency (whether it is city, county or state) that is responsible for these records in the place where the birth occurred. By the way, only US birth certificates are valid. If someone was born outside the US they need either their Certificate of Naturalization (for someone who was not a US citizen at birth) or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad(for someone who was a US citizen at birth). Birth certificates issued by hospitals are not official and do not satisfy the requirement. Good point. Thank you for pointing that out. Cole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another-Adventure Posted February 10, 2016 #7 Share Posted February 10, 2016 We did a NE/Canada cruise last September with RCI. We had two Canada ports of call. When we stopped in Boston on the return trip, we were required to show passports upon returning to the US. This is exactly what we had been told by RCI. Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamloops50 Posted February 10, 2016 #8 Share Posted February 10, 2016 The requirement for passports to cross the the border between Canada and the US seems to getting tighter . I've heard of America's being refused entry into Canada at land crossings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cole Posted February 10, 2016 Author #9 Share Posted February 10, 2016 We did a NE/Canada cruise last September with RCI. We had two Canada ports of call. When we stopped in Boston on the return trip, we were required to show passports upon returning to the US. This is exactly what we had been told by RCI. Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Thank you for that information. I am going to recommend to our family that if anyone has a Passport that is going to expire before our cruise and they do not want to renew (some of us are getting of the age that international travel is not in our future), to get the Passport Card ($30), which is just as good as a Passport, as long as you are not flying. And the card is good for 10 years. Cole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted February 10, 2016 #10 Share Posted February 10, 2016 We did a NE/Canada cruise last September with RCI. We had two Canada ports of call. When we stopped in Boston on the return trip, we were required to show passports upon returning to the US. This is exactly what we had been told by RCI. Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Are you a US citizen? Is this something new for closed loop cruises ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted February 10, 2016 #11 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Are you a US citizen? Is this something new for closed loop cruises ? Also was it a closed loop cruise? The poster never said it was. And no...there are no new rules for US citizens on closed loop rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted February 10, 2016 #12 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Also was it a closed loop cruise? The poster never said it was. . True I guess I mistook this part thinking it was a round trip <<<We had two Canada ports of call. When we stopped in Boston on the return trip >>> Oh well no dog in the fight just curious as many US citizens seem to travel to/from Canada without a passport Sorry for asking:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another-Adventure Posted February 11, 2016 #13 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I don't know if I understand the previous comments; I'm only speaking to my particular cruise and itinerary. Left Bayonne....2 ME ports followed by 2 Canada ports then Boston before returning to Bayonne. We did have to show passports in Boston. I didn't mean to be confusing; that was our experience. Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted February 11, 2016 #14 Share Posted February 11, 2016 (edited) I don't know if I understand the previous comments; I'm only speaking to my particular cruise and itinerary. Left Bayonne....2 ME ports followed by 2 Canada ports then Boston before returning to Bayonne. We did have to show passports in Boston. I didn't mean to be confusing; that was our experience. Thank you for explaining As Canadians we always need passports for most cruises but I was under the impression US Citizens could sail on Closed loop cruise with a BC & Government Photo I.D. like a DL I guess some cruises do require more documentation :confused: Edited February 11, 2016 by LHT28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njhorseman Posted February 11, 2016 #15 Share Posted February 11, 2016 (edited) I don't know if I understand the previous comments; I'm only speaking to my particular cruise and itinerary. Left Bayonne....2 ME ports followed by 2 Canada ports then Boston before returning to Bayonne. We did have to show passports in Boston. I didn't mean to be confusing; that was our experience. Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Thank you for explaining As Canadians we always need passports for most cruises but I was under the impression US Citizens could sail on Closed loop cruise with a BC & Government Photo I.D. like a DL I guess some cruises do require more documentation :confused: If they had cruised with birth certificates and drivers licenses they could have showed those documents upon arrival in Boston. It was simply a case of having documents checked in the first US port after visiting foreign ports...a very normal procedure, although interestingly enough on some of our cruises with similar itineraries our documents were not checked in the first US port. It depends on the procedures Customs and Border Protection is using on that particular day. They do change them from time to time. It doesn't mean that there was some unique or different rule in place for that cruise requiring passports for a closed loop cruise. When your documents are inspected the CPB officer almost always asks for your "passport" because it's a lot easier than saying "passport, or birth certificate and photo ID. or passport card, or enhanced drivers license, or other WHTI-compliant document." Edited February 11, 2016 by njhorseman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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