Cruising without kids passport?

[Janeille]

One of the reasons we chose this cruise is that our travel agent assureed us we would be fine to travel with the kids birth certificate ony.

Fortunately I am in a position where- if all things were to go absolutely sideways- I would be able to hang out in a hotel with my kids for a week or two until their passport mess was straightened out.

However my anxiety is having its way & I’m worrying about all the what ifs.

Does anyone have advice for me in travelling with kids without passports? My husband and I are both the legal, stated, natural parents of the kids & I’m taking their stamped/embossed/official birth certificates with both parents listed. Any thing else I should think about? We are flying out in 2 daya, so its down to the wire.

[Merion_Mom]

You two have passports? It's only the kids who don't?

 

You'll be fine.

 

(how old are the kids?)

[sailinglisa]

Is your cruise a closed loop cruise (departing and returning to the same port, ie Miami or Fort Lauderdale?) If so, you are fine.

[jean87510]

One of the reasons we chose this cruise is that our travel agent assureed us we would be fine to travel with the kids birth certificate ony.

Fortunately I am in a position where- if all things were to go absolutely sideways- I would be able to hang out in a hotel with my kids for a week or two until their passport mess was straightened out.

However my anxiety is having its way & I’m worrying about all the what ifs.

Does anyone have advice for me in travelling with kids without passports? My husband and I are both the legal, stated, natural parents of the kids & I’m taking their stamped/embossed/official birth certificates with both parents listed. Any thing else I should think about? We are flying out in 2 daya, so its down to the wire.

I would double check with rccl. I do remember them checking my 8 yr old passport years ago before boarding. I'm sure you're fine. However, I'd get passports done when you come back.

 

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[mollyeilis]

Is your cruise a closed loop cruise (departing and returning to the same port, ie Miami or Fort Lauderdale?) If so, you are fine.

 

 

 

And are the kids US citizens?

[Merion_Mom]

Ok, here are some of the answers:

 

The kids are 11 & 14.

 

The ship is the Allure, so it's a closed loop cruise.

[Dance momma]

Closed loop and US citizens your fine!

 

 

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[cruisinfanatic]

I would double check with rccl. I do remember them checking my 8 yr old passport years ago before boarding. I'm sure you're fine. However, I'd get passports done when you come back.

 

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They ck all passports before boarding if you have them.

[waterbug123]

I would double check with rccl. I do remember them checking my 8 yr old passport years ago before boarding. I'm sure you're fine. However, I'd get passports done when you come back.

 

Stop; you are scaring the OP for no reason. US citizens on a closed loop cruise don't need a passport to board. The OP's kids have their BC and that is all they need. Period.

[jean87510]

If you read the rest of my post I said to double check with rccl and I'm sure you're fine. But perhaps you missed that part.

 

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[tampacruiser]

You actually do not need a passport to board, the reason they check is you need it to get back through customs when the ship returns. We sailed on Princess a few years back with my high school daughter and when we got to the port we realized her passport had expired. The staff at Princess explained we needed the proper docs to get back into the USA when the ship returned. We called our son at home and he was given a phone number to fax a birth certificate to the ship. Once they ship confirmed they had the fax we were allowed to board. Upon return to port US Customs was fine with just a photocopy of the birth certificate and we never even presented the expired passport. ( advice to everyone, check your passports....adults are good for 10 years, Minors are only good for 5. When when we left I looked at the date on mine since we got them all together and thought we were fine!) Moral of the story a birth certificate will be fine and you will have no issues

[renza]

I cruise 2-3 times a year. Have only brought birth certificates. No problem at all.

 

 

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[Expat Cruise]

OK here is my take on this. 99.99% that you will have absolutely no issues. You have passports, you are the parents, all are US citizens. You stated that you fly in two days so even if you now wanted passports you cannot get them. So since nothing you can do or change short of stay home no reason to worry about it.

 

But respectfully asked Why would you not just get the kids passports? having a passport is a good thing, you may take other trips, it gives most kids a feeling of positive self worth and then never any problems.

 

It is your business so it is your right not to answer and I will respect whatever choice you make. In any case have a great cruise.

 

One of the reasons we chose this cruise is that our travel agent assureed us we would be fine to travel with the kids birth certificate ony.

Fortunately I am in a position where- if all things were to go absolutely sideways- I would be able to hang out in a hotel with my kids for a week or two until their passport mess was straightened out.

However my anxiety is having its way & I’m worrying about all the what ifs.

Does anyone have advice for me in travelling with kids without passports? My husband and I are both the legal, stated, natural parents of the kids & I’m taking their stamped/embossed/official birth certificates with both parents listed. Any thing else I should think about? We are flying out in 2 days, so its down to the wire.

[Janeille]

You two have passports? It's only the kids who don't?

 

You'll be fine.

 

(how old are the kids?)

 

Yes, we both have passports. It’s a closed loop sailing from Ft. Laderdale.

I know it’s technically ok to sail without the kids having passports. Now that we are leaving in 2 days I’m feeling like it’s idiotic to take the kids without a passport.

Thanks for the replies!

[Ralphinsc]

Neither the kids NOR you are required to have passports for a closed loop cruise originating from the U.S. We have sailed twice this year off of birth certificates and driver's licenses for the adults and just birth certificate for our son.

[lamb616]

I never got my kids passports for our cruises. The only reason they would NEED passports is if there were some emergency and you ended up stuck in a foreign country. But what are the chances of that happening? I wouldn't worry about it.

[rvdnsx]

My two kids both have passports. I’m gonna bring their birth certificates as well just in case. Will a copy of the birth certificate be sufficient or will we need the original?

 

 

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[gerelmx]

Once in Labadee after leaving the walkway, one of the security guards on the dock asked my son if I was his father, and asked for an identification test, it was not enough with the cruise card. I had to go to the booth for the passports to show them that he was my son.

[CelticMCO]

Another tip; children's passports are only good/issued for 5 years. Once they turn 16 they are good for 10 years. If you are around the 14/15 year old mark wait! They are not cheap and the five year mark/renewal seems to roll around awful fast...

 

ps - There is a reason that the cruise industry lobbied Congress hard for the "closed loop" cruise exception, not needing a passport; it would have put a huge burden on the travelers for no reason. We always had passports anyway for our kids (now young adults) because of overseas air travel; but no reason to have one if you do not need it on these closed loop Caribbean cruises!

Edited April 12, 2018 by CelticMCO
spelling

[Clarea]

My two kids both have passports. I’m gonna bring their birth certificates as well just in case. Will a copy of the birth certificate be sufficient or will we need the original?

You should not need birth certificates if you have passports for the kids. Only situation that comes to mind that might require extra documentation is if the children's last name doesn't match the parents.

[Havingfun2010]

I would double check with rccl. I do remember them checking my 8 yr old passport years ago before boarding. I'm sure you're fine. However, I'd get passports done when you come back.

 

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They check everyone's ID before boarding, regardless of age. If you a child with a passport, they check the passport. If your child has a Birth certificate, they check the BC. If you child is adopted, they check those records. They check what you bring, and if it fits the rules, you are good.

 

I have traveled with people many times that only had a BC. It is allowed, and approved. If 16 or older, also need a photo ID, which a school ID works, or a DL.

[DaughterInGrenada]

One of the best threads on this site; thanks to all for the different perspectives. We're taking 3 grandchildren cruising with us. All have same mom, but 2 different last names. Wasn't going to get passports for them. Figure on staying aboard when in Nassau & take advantage of lesser crowds to enjoy the shipboard amenities, & RCCL rep said passports not needed for Coco Cay. Great point on the odd chance medical situation would force going off ship. Since we're not the parents, the price of the extra 'insurance' aspect now seems worth it to me. Plus, it opens up future options to go out of country, even if it's just to go over the border to Canada. We live in Ohio, so Canada's not that far away.

[waterbug123]

My two kids both have passports. I’m gonna bring their birth certificates as well just in case.

 

Just in case of what? They have passports and that's all they need.

 

If you child is adopted, they check those records. .

 

If you adopt a child, you can generally get a new birth certificate that states that you (adoptive parents) are THE parents. I know- I'm adopted and my parents were issued a birth certificate that lists them as my parents. This was back in the day so my original BC was sealed. It looks the same as any other birth certificate would from that particular municipality, and to look at it, no one would ever know I was adopted.

[topnole]

Just in case of what? They have passports and that's all they need.

 

Well the BC states who the parents are and the passport doesn’t. I brought both for our daughter. Took no extra time to pack it and it weighs nearly nothing. So zero cost and all potential benefit in case there was any issue.

[Havingfun2010]

Well the BC states who the parents are and the passport doesn’t. I brought both for our daughter. Took no extra time to pack it and it weighs nearly nothing. So zero cost and all potential benefit in case there was any issue.

 

You can take the BC all you want, no one is going to care. However, passports, do not show all the info that is in them. They have a RFID chip, and contain all the info and much more than you can imagine once it is scanned. It is the only document you ever need, even with kids. Immigration agents will never ask you for more info. If they think something is fishy, they will pull you aside for questioning, but they will not ask for BC after they have your passport. The picture on your passport? It's also scanned, and will show up on their screens. Entering and existing foreign countries? It is scanned. A record of your travels is scanned. List goes on. I watched a immigration agent during my global entry interview, scan my passport and saw two pages of info jump onto his screen. What you see on that small page, is not what is stored.