Passport Needed for RC San Juan Cruises

[Tomnsgirl]

Hello my Sister spoke with a TA and was told she needed a passport to sail out of SJ, it was my understanding that as long as you return to the same port you left out of the passport was not needed(Highly Recommend). The TA said Laws were changed? She's getting one just wanted to confirm the facts of sailing out of SJ.

[spookwife]

A cruise line can and often does impose further restrictions and does require a passport for sailings that depart out of CONUS

 

furthermore, to get there the airlines usually require a PP as well.

 

furthermore not all state IDs are valid any longer to travel or enter government facilities under RealID.

Edited April 29, 2016 by spookwife

[Clarea]

I've not heard of any laws changing the identification requirements for US citizens for cruises out of San Juan.

Edited April 29, 2016 by clarea

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I've got a passport and use it anyway.

 

But...

 

What the heck is CONUS?

[Clarea]

I've got a passport and use it anyway.

 

But...

 

What the heck is CONUS?

Continental US.

[awestover89]

A passport shouldn't be necessary since it's a US territory, as long as your flight doesn't have any layovers not in the US. Still a good idea to have one, just in case something happens and you have to fly back home from a Caribbean port

[Ashland]

Of course I don't travel without a passport...however my cruise out of San Juan one week from today doesn't require me to have one. My flights are from LAX-SJU via DFW & MIA. I believe your TA is incorrect in that "laws have changed" for US citizens to cruise out of San Juan.

[Desert Cruizers]

It is best to have a pass Port when cruising the Caribbean or cruises where you go to foreign ports. . If for any reason you need to make an emergency flight home from SJ or any of the Caribbean Ports a pass port will make it much easier.

[wolfcathorse]

A passport shouldn't be necessary since it's a US territory, as long as your flight doesn't have any layovers not in the US. Still a good idea to have one, just in case something happens and you have to fly back home from a Caribbean port

 

I think the problem may be that the ports are non-US territories. It shouldn't be any different than sailing from Port Canaveral to Nassau with a drivers license and original certified birth certificate. I do know that some law has changed requiring me to get an ETA visa to fly to Australia, could that be the law the TA was referring to?

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Continental US.

 

Thank you.

 

I get that PR is a Territory (all the benefits, none of the fuss I guess), but as an island, how is it considered part of the CONTINENTAL US while the legit states of Alaska and Hawaii are not?

Edited April 29, 2016 by WrittenOnYourHeart

[wolfcathorse]

Thank you.

 

I get that PR is a Territory (all the benefits, none of the fuss I guess), but as an island, how is it considered part of the CONTINENTAL US while Alaska and Hawaii are not?

 

it doesn't matter if its continental US or not, the key word is territory of the U.S. So in theory you don't need a passport to visit the US Virgin Islands. But as noted, the airlines have their own rules which differ from cruise line rules

[awestover89]

Thank you.

 

I get that PR is a Territory (all the benefits, none of the fuss I guess), but as an island, how is it considered part of the CONTINENTAL US while the legit states of Alaska and Hawaii are not?

 

It isn't. CONUS is only the 48 contiguous states.

 

Legally speaking, as of right now a closed loop Caribbean cruise leaving from a US port (CONUS or OCONUS) does not require a passport per the US state department. Cruise lines or aviation companies may impose their own rules, but I can't find anything indicating any change in official US policy.

[awestover89]

it doesn't matter if its continental US or not, the key word is territory of the U.S. So in theory you don't need a passport to visit the US Virgin Islands. But as noted, the airlines have their own rules which differ from cruise line rules

 

I'd be interested in how that plays out. I remember hearing Delta used to require a passport to Puerto Rico and ended up having to reimburse flyers for their last minute expedited passports, but I think that might have been because they didn't clearly inform passengers that their rules differed from the state dept. People saw that officially they didn't need a passport, made the reservations, and then were told by Delta they had to get one after it was too late to cancel

[Brigbound]

Derp

Edited April 29, 2016 by Brigbound

[Clarea]

Continental US.

Sorry for the misinformation, I should have said Contiguous US.:o

[minn0315]

We sailed out of San Juan last month on Adventure; southern Caribbean; two USVI, Antigua, St. Lucia and Grenada. The Cruise Compass and the Port Shopping Guides will often state that you need to take your passport with you when going ashore on "some" islands.

 

The tightest security was when we were going back to the ship in St. Croix, a USVI! They wanted my passport to pass through the gate to the pier, my driver's license was not sufficient. My experience...

[awestover89]

We sailed out of San Juan last month on Adventure; southern Caribbean; two USVI, Antigua, St. Lucia and Grenada. The Cruise Compass and the Port Shopping Guides will often state that you need to take your passport with you when going ashore on "some" islands.

 

The tightest security was when we were going back to the ship in St. Croix, a USVI! They wanted my passport to pass through the gate to the pier, my driver's license was not sufficient. My experience...

 

Based on your username, I'm assuming you are from Minnesota? Minnesota is non-compliant with the new DHS laws so a Minnesota driver's license isn't even technically valid for domestic flights entirely in the US, at least as of January 1st. Illinois, New Mexico, Washington, and Missouri are also non-compliant, while Alaska, California, New Jersey, and South Carolina are non-compliant but have been given an extension on the deadline until October of this year.

 

It's also possible that some countries don't want to worry about what states are compliant or not and just start requiring passports for all US citizens, not sure on individual island policies.

[cruisinfanatic]

A cruise line can and often does impose further restrictions and does require a passport for sailings that depart out of CONUS

 

furthermore, to get there the airlines usually require a PP as well.

 

furthermore not all state IDs are valid any longer to travel or enter government facilities under RealID.

Usually? There is no usually. It's either law or not. A passport is not required to sail closed loop from San Juan

You can also fly to SJU with drivers license

Edited April 29, 2016 by cruisinfanatic

[minn0315]

The woman in St. Croix wanting my passport was in a TSA uniform. (Makes sense, USVIs are US territories, using TSA agents.) So maybe it was my "non-compliant" Minnesota drivers license that triggered the passport issue. But the printed materials you get the night before you arrive in a foreign port may state that you need a passport to return to the pier and the ship.

[bouhunter]

The woman in St. Croix wanting my passport was in a TSA uniform. (Makes sense, USVIs are US territories, using TSA agents.) So maybe it was my "non-compliant" Minnesota drivers license that triggered the passport issue. But the printed materials you get the night before you arrive in a foreign port may state that you need a passport to return to the pier and the ship.

 

That's interesting. We were on Adventure last month (different cruise, not that itin). When we reboarded in St Croix they asked to see nothing but our seapass card.

[Central Oregon Gal]

I am sailing out of San Juan in December - I have checked and double checked if you need a passport and the answer has been no every time - traveling with a passport is obviously the best - but if you don't have one or are crunched for time the answer is no you don't need one - but remember if you are a lady who is married you will need your certified marriage license too if you carry a name other than your maiden name.

[steveru621]

The woman in St. Croix wanting my passport was in a TSA uniform. (Makes sense, USVIs are US territories, using TSA agents.) So maybe it was my "non-compliant" Minnesota drivers license that triggered the passport issue. But the printed materials you get the night before you arrive in a foreign port may state that you need a passport to return to the pier and the ship.

 

Something has changed? I have never seen a cruise compass in the Caribbean that required you to carry your passport off the ship. Photo ID only. RCI has always recommend you not take your passport off the ship.

[Ocean Boy]

The woman in St. Croix wanting my passport was in a TSA uniform. (Makes sense, USVIs are US territories, using TSA agents.) So maybe it was my "non-compliant" Minnesota drivers license that triggered the passport issue. But the printed materials you get the night before you arrive in a foreign port may state that you need a passport to return to the pier and the ship.

 

All I have ever seen is that you may need a photo ID and your seapass. I have never seen it specified that you need your passport in the Caribbean to get onto the pier. Maybe some ports outside of the Caribbean are different.

Edited April 29, 2016 by Ocean Boy

[cruisinfanatic]

I am sailing out of San Juan in December - I have checked and double checked if you need a passport and the answer has been no every time - traveling with a passport is obviously the best - but if you don't have one or are crunched for time the answer is no you don't need one - but remember if you are a lady who is married you will need your certified marriage license too if you carry a name other than your maiden name.

Even that is disputable. You hear here some bring their marriage license every cruise and have never been asked to show it. Then there are those that say they've been asked for it. The thing is that I've never heard of anyone being denied boarding as long as their drivers license name and birth date matches the cruise docs and birth date on the BC.

The stories you hear about problems with denied boarding are those that are newly married who are booked in new married name. Problem arises because they have no official ID with new married name. In that case a marriage license would be required

[Ocean Boy]

A cruise line can and often does impose further restrictions and does require a passport for sailings that depart out of CONUS

 

furthermore, to get there the airlines usually require a PP as well.

 

furthermore not all state IDs are valid any longer to travel or enter government facilities under RealID.

 

Who told you that?