Passport for Emerald lake?

[donaldsc]

Our cruise leaves and returned in Seattle and we did check and I do not need a passport for the cruise. I called the rental car company and asked if I needed a passport to go to Emerald lake and he said no, I didn't trust him so he gave me the number for border control. We called the border control in Skagway and they said as long as I have my drivers license and birth certificate I will be fine! Im still a little nervous but we are going to go for it. I would get a passport but I don't have time as we leave in less than two weeks.

 

And what if your unnamed unreachable telephone contact was wrong or the person at border control was having a bad day and decided to enforce regulations to the letter. You are on the Canadian side of the border trying to get back into the US and the ship is leaving. Do you have a plan B?

 

DON

[island lady]

Um, no. To drive to Emerald Lake, you need a card/document suitable for entry into Canada and entry into the US. This could be a passport (classic thing we're all used to), passport card (DL-sized thingy suitable for land/sea travel), enhanced driver's license (mine says "ENHANCED COMMERCIAL DRIVERS LICENSE" across the top, and required that I show my passport and go through a two-person interview to be able to acquire; these are only issued by "border" states), and possibly a Nexus card.

 

Without one of those in my possession, I wouldn't even consider an attempt to cross the border.

 

That was the question I was going to ask. We keep our passport books in the safe

on the ship, and as our photo ID to go ashore, we simply take our passport cards.

On a tour to Emerald Lake, is it then OK to just have our passport cards? Have you

used that before without problems going up there and back?

 

Thanks in advance. :)

Edited June 22, 2016 by island lady

[peety3]

That was the question I was going to ask. We keep our passport books in the safe on the ship, and as our photo ID to go ashore, we simply take our passport cards.

On a tour to Emerald Lake, is it then OK to just have our passport cards? Have you used that before without problems going up there and back?

I have used an EDL to cruise from Seattle to Vancouver. Haven't been to Emerald Lake myself, but any document legal for land/sea entry should be fine, such as the passport card.

[island lady]

I have used an EDL to cruise from Seattle to Vancouver. Haven't been to Emerald Lake myself, but any document legal for land/sea entry should be fine, such as the passport card.

 

Thanks, I would think so also...but I want to be sure. Guess I will email

my tour guide to Emerald Lake and ask.

[Eaglecw]

That was the question I was going to ask. We keep our passport books in the safe

on the ship, and as our photo ID to go ashore, we simply take our passport cards.

On a tour to Emerald Lake, is it then OK to just have our passport cards? Have you

used that before without problems going up there and back?

 

Thanks in advance. :)

 

A Passport card is just as good as your Passport. All they have to do is scan the card and bingo all your information is on the screen. Same information that's on your Passport.

[island lady]

A Passport card is just as good as your Passport. All they have to do is scan the card and bingo all your information is on the screen. Same information that's on your Passport.

 

Thanks, that is what we carry the cards for. Better than a DL when going

ashore. I have emailed the tour guide, and told them we are not bringing the

book passports, just the cards. I am sure that is fine.

 

Though from what I understand, a passport card is not the same as a book if

you needed to take an international flight. Luckily have not had to deal with

that situation yet. :eek:

Edited June 22, 2016 by island lady

[saxmangeoff]

Though from what I understand, a passport card is not the same as a book if

you needed to take an international flight. Luckily have not had to deal with

that situation yet. :eek:

 

The card is good for land and sea travel only. You need the full passport for air travel.

[Budget Queen]

I don't get the thinking that a passport is so valuable that it needs to be locked up and not used. I don't see the value any more than your license, money and credit cards. Mine is always with me, and has been for years. It comes down to "habits", in my opinion. You know right where money, credit cards are on your person, which is a safe guard.

 

The benefit of passports, is they are widely accepted for identification and don't have your address printed on them, like my license does. There are many cases where I have used it, since I didn't want my address displayed. With the passport, in my purse like my other valuables- I don't "forget" it and haven't "misplaced" it.

 

My travels are benefit greatly from this as I do a lot of last minute. No thinking on my part, for a flight/cruise the next day.

[island lady]

The card is good for land and sea travel only. You need the full passport for air travel.

 

That's what I understood from the US passport agency website when

we applied for our passport cards. Thanks! :)

[island lady]

I don't get the thinking that a passport is so valuable that it needs to be locked up and not used. I don't see the value any more than your license, money and credit cards. Mine is always with me, and has been for years. It comes down to "habits", in my opinion. You know right where money, credit cards are on your person, which is a safe guard.

 

The benefit of passports, is they are widely accepted for identification and don't have your address printed on them, like my license does. There are many cases where I have used it, since I didn't want my address displayed. With the passport, in my purse like my other valuables- I don't "forget" it and haven't "misplaced" it.

 

My travels are benefit greatly from this as I do a lot of last minute. No thinking on my part, for a flight/cruise the next day.

 

We do use our passport books. Present them when we check in at the cruise

terminal, and present them for international travel on the airlines. I put mine

in the safe on the ship since we already have the passport cards on our person

when we go into ports. Don't see a reason to bring both. Also, should there be

a problem, crew knows to go into the safe to get your passport should you become

unable to do it yourself.

 

Only bad time would be to miss the ship in a foreign port, having to arrange a

flight home or to catch up with the ship, which could be a bit dicey with just the

cards. I don't carry a purse when we go ashore...just slide ship card, credit card,

some cash, and my passport card into my pocket.

Edited June 22, 2016 by island lady