Documentation required sailing from San Juan

[hapster85]

Short version: Passport required to sail from San Juan (closed loop), yes or no?

 

 

We will be sailing on Freedom (RCI) out of San Juan this fall (2019). My wife and I have passports, but friends and family sailing with us, do not. All are US citizens. I know US citizens sailing from US ports on closed-loop cruises do not need passports. I also know that US citizens do not passports to fly to Puerto Rico. That information is readily available on the State Department website. Haven't been able to find a definitive answer in regards to Puerto Rico, however.

 

Just looking for information to put me at ease in telling them that they are ok without passports, if they don't wish to get them. As this may be a one-off for some (most) of them, I can understand them not wanting to get passports, if not necessary.

 

Thanks in advance.

[hapster85]

I also reached out to Royal Caribbean about a week ago, and have not heard back.

[Aviator of the Seas]

U.S. Citizens do not need a passport on closed loop cruises out of San Juan.  HOWEVER, if something happens along the way, it would be difficult to fly back to US soil without one.  This should be both stated on the cruise documents somewhere.

[hapster85]

U.S. Citizens do not need a passport on closed loop cruises out of San Juan.  HOWEVER, if something happens along the way, it would be difficult to fly back to US soil without one.  This should be both stated on the cruise documents somewhere.

Logically, I already knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from someone else. Lol Thanks for responding. [emoji106]

Being as we cruise often, it made sense to get passports. While I personally would probably still opt to do so for even a single cruise out of the country, I can understand why others might opt not to.

A rep from Royal Caribbean called yesterday, in response to my email, stating the same thing. Not required, but strongly encouraged.

[sail7seas]

On 1/23/2019 at 4:03 PM, hapster85 said:

 

Short version: Passport required to sail from San Juan (closed loop), yes or no?

 

 

We will be sailing on Freedom (RCI) out of San Juan this fall (2019). My wife and I have passports, but friends and family sailing with us, do not. All are US citizens. I know US citizens sailing from US ports on closed-loop cruises do not need passports. I also know that US citizens do not passports to fly to Puerto Rico. That information is readily available on the State Department website. Haven't been able to find a definitive answer in regards to Puerto Rico, however.

 

Just looking for information to put me at ease in telling them that they are ok without passports, if they don't wish to get them. As this may be a one-off for some (most) of them, I can understand them not wanting to get passports, if not necessary.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Puerto Rico /  San Juan is US  territory  .

 

and  the same documentation needed to sail, closed loop from Port Eveglades is what is needed to sail from San Juan.

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

 

Edited January 27, 2019 by sail7seas

[Clubber]

I have done numerous cruises out of san juan and have always had a passport.  Most cruises stop at other countries before returning to the US.  We always go through immigration getting off the ship.   Technically, you may not need one but if by chance you need to take an emergency flight home from one of the islands, you will need one.  Better safe than sorry.