Passport

[Charles4515]

23 minutes ago, razzinger said:

I have a Virginia EDL. It has a star in the upper right corner to make recognition of the EDL easier.

 

Canada is part of the WHTI, therefore they do accept these docs for cruise passengers.

HAL will allow me to board without a passport.

 

It is not an issue of a few dollars saved as far as me buying a passport; I can buy an airplane, I just have no use for one!!

 

 

You are right about them being able to do their round trio cruise on HAL without a passport.

 

However you don't have an EDL drivers license. You have a Real ID drivers licence. Two different types. The star means Real ID, not EDL. Virginia does not issue EDL's. The DL with a birth certificate on a closed loop cruise that has Canadian ports will be acceptable. EDL's are accepted without a BC. 

Edited February 24, 2019 by Charles4515

[Fouremco]

22 minutes ago, razzinger said:

I just have no use for one!!

Like car insurance, you never have a use for one... until you do. My DW had to fly home from St. Lucia mid-cruise due to a medical emergency. No problem, as we always travel with our passports. In your case, there would be definite complications travelling on a passport card.

 

22 minutes ago, razzinger said:

I have a Virginia EDL. It has a star in the upper right corner to make recognition of the EDL easier.

You have the new REAL ID compliant driver’s license and identification card. That's not the same as an EDL. New York State offers three options: Standard, Real ID and Enhanced, whereas Virginia only offers the first two.

[razzinger]

Charles,

 

Thank you for correcting me!!

 

I have a REAL ID drivers license, which with my BC is acceptable port entry WHTI. 

 

The REAL ID is finally compliant with the US latest effort for US air travel. Not all states have gotten REAL IDs.

[TAD2005]

Never leave the US without a passport.   You may have to fly home and you will be in a real mess.   

The comments I have seen on CC, "who me..... a passport.... no way... I never get sick, I won't miss the ship, and I have taken X number of cruises without a passport and I will continue doing so".

Search out the news story of the 2 women who won a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas.   While docked in Nassau, one woman got very sick, and the ship hospital sent her to a Bahamian hospital.   In addition to no passports, they had no trip insurance and little  spare money.  The hospital wanted $2000 to even admit the woman.   They had friends pony up the money.   They stabilized the woman, but the ship would not let her back on board due to her existing medical problem and their liability of allowing someone onboard with a serious medical issue.   They spent days in a Nassau hotel, waiting for the US consulate to issue an emergency passport so they could fly home, all at their expense.

Another case, a young family with an 11 year old child who developed an appendicitis and required surgery in a foreign port.  The ship left, and they had no passports to fly home.  Again, the delays and hassles trying to get an emergency passport issued, and in many Caribbean islands, there are no US consulates on the island.  

For a mere $110 for a 10 year passport, who needs those worries and hassles if something does happen ?   Sure, you can roll the dice and hang onto that birth certificate and DL,  but when your taxi in St. Maarten hits a pothole over on the French side and blows a tire,  you miss the ship.   All of a sudden, $110 seems like a cheap investment. 

Edited February 24, 2019 by TAD2005

[DAllenTCY]

You will not be able to cruise with a Virginia Drivers License only.  Only NY, Michigan, Vermont, and Washington state have Enhanced Driver's Licenses at this time.  They are recognizable by a computer chip embedded in them......not a star on the face of the license.

 

California now has a "Residency Card" which is not to be confused with an EDL either.

 

Don't waste your time.

 

Read your documents.

 

David

Edited February 25, 2019 by DAllenTCY

[terrydtx]

12 hours ago, TAD2005 said:

For a mere $110 for a 10 year passport, who needs those worries and hassles if something does happen ?

$11 a year is a cheap price for peace of mind. Two things we NEVER travel without, a valid Passport and travel insurance. My Dad 20 years ago fell and broke a rib that punctured his lung while on a river cruise. He spent almost 30 days in a Brussels hospital recovering, My mother stayed in Brussels with him and their travel insurance paid all but $1000 of what cost over $90,000. My Dad always said we don't need travel insurance, but for some fortunate reason that river cruise was the first time he did buy insurance. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

5 hours ago, terrydtx said:

$11 a year is a cheap price for peace of mind. Two things we NEVER travel without, a valid Passport and travel insurance. My Dad 20 years ago fell and broke a rib that punctured his lung while on a river cruise. He spent almost 30 days in a Brussels hospital recovering, My mother stayed in Brussels with him and their travel insurance paid all but $1000 of what cost over $90,000. My Dad always said we don't need travel insurance, but for some fortunate reason that river cruise was the first time he did buy insurance. 

 

Absolutely! The first two things I do after I book a cruise is check my passport expiration date and buy travel insurance--most companies will cover pre-existing conditions if you buy the insurance within a week or two of making the cruise deposit.

 

[Debbborra]

I hope I'm not sidetracking this conversation. I'm traveling in June with my uncle. In anticipation he opted to get a passport card in lieu of a passport. The state department is fine with this as long as he doesn't fly. 

However, when talking to HAL they tell me they will not let him board with a passport card.

(One of my concerns is will there be a problem based on whoever is at the dock's understanding?) He insists he doesn't need the passport. I'm really paranoid about spending all that money and them not letting him go.

Edited March 23, 2019 by Debbborra

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, Debbborra said:

I hope I'm not sidetracking this conversation. I'm traveling in June with my uncle. In anticipation he opted to get a passport card in lieu of a passport. The state department is fine with this as long as he doesn't fly. 

However, when talking to HAL they tell me they will not let him board with a passport card.

(One of my concerns is will there be a problem based on whoever is at the doc's understanding?) He insists he doesn't need the passport. I'm really paranoid about spending all that money and them not letting him go.

HAL, not the state Department, has the final say one whether you will be allowed to board without a passport. What happens in case of a medical emergency and your uncle has to fly home? That is what HAL is also considering.

[Charles4515]

I hope I'm not sidetracking this conversation. I'm traveling in June with my uncle. In anticipation he opted to get a passport card in lieu of a passport. The state department is fine with this as long as he doesn't fly. 
However, when talking to HAL they tell me they will not let him board with a passport card.
(One of my concerns is will there be a problem based on whoever is at the dock's understanding?) He insists he doesn't need the passport. I'm really paranoid about spending all that money and them not letting him go.

What is the itinerary?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Debbborra]

We're doing a cruise tour. They fly us into alaska. After disembarking in Vancouver they take us to Seattle airport by motor coach.

Edited March 23, 2019 by Debbborra

[Charles4515]

43 minutes ago, Debbborra said:

We're doing a cruise tour. They fly us into alaska. After disembarking in Vancouver they take us to Seattle airport by motor coach.

 

He needs a passport or HAL won't let him board. The passport card would only be good on a round trip closed loop cruise that begins and ends in the same US port. Your cruise is a one way, Steward, Alaska to Vancouver, Canada.

Edited March 23, 2019 by Charles4515

[MikeD4134]

On 2/24/2019 at 4:01 PM, razzinger said:

I have a Virginia EDL. It has a star in the upper right corner to make recognition of the EDL easier.

 

Canada is part of the WHTI, therefore they do accept these docs for cruise passengers.

HAL will allow me to board without a passport.

 

It is not an issue of a few dollars saved as far as me buying a passport; I can buy an airplane, I just have no use for one!!

 

 

On 2/24/2019 at 4:01 PM, razzinger said:

I have a Virginia EDL. It has a star in the upper right corner to make recognition of the EDL easier.

 

Canada is part of the WHTI, therefore they do accept these docs for cruise passengers.

HAL will allow me to board without a passport.

 

It is not an issue of a few dollars saved as far as me buying a passport; I can buy an airplane, I just have no use for one!!

 

The WHTI rules govern exit and from the USA, and have no effect on any other countries rules for entry or exit.  Please stop sending people bad information, you could cost the their vacation, if they are foolish enough to listen to you.

[ontheweb]

On 2/24/2019 at 10:44 AM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I agree, take a passport. Some of the excursions go into Canada, and you definitely need the passport for those. For example, in Skagway, there is at least one tour on the White Pass Railway that includes Canada, and the tour info says you must have a passport for excursions into Canada. 

 

We did that tour, and you did have to show them a passport.

[HamOp]

Let's just make this "brain dead simple".  If you leave your house, have your passport with you! "Papers, please?" 😀

[terrydtx]

A USA passport is good for 10 years and only costs around $100 so what logical reason could anyone who travels not have one? Last year we were flying on a domestic flight and the night before I realized my drivers license had expired, no time to get it renewed before our flight. Fortunately I had a valid passport and it got me on the plane, the expired drivers license would not have been accepted by the TSA for boarding, which I asked the TSA guy about.

[razzinger]

On 2/24/2019 at 10:12 AM, snooze like a norwegian said:

since this is a for dummies thread......

Do we need a passport to cruise to Alaska?  Seattle r/t  US citizen

Answering the question, nothing more............

 

No!

 

Could you need one in certain situations, YES!.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I read over the info about the closed-loop requirements. I use my passport, so this question is strictly theoretical. My birth certificate has my maiden name on it. My drivers licence has my married name. Would a mismatch like that cause a problem?

 

[Charles4515]

I read over the info about the closed-loop requirements. I use my passport, so this question is strictly theoretical. My birth certificate has my maiden name on it. My drivers licence has my married name. Would a mismatch like that cause a problem?
 

You would want to bring your marriage license so there would not be a problem.

[RMLincoln]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I read over the info about the closed-loop requirements. I use my passport, so this question is strictly theoretical. My birth certificate has my maiden name on it. My drivers licence has my married name. Would a mismatch like that cause a problem?

 

First: The birth certificate must be a government issued version, not a hospital version.  

Second:  Carry an original of your marriage certificate to bridge the name change.  If you have had more than one name change you must have the papers for each name change, so that the birth certificate maiden name to the name on your divers license is a full set (as in the case of a marriage and a divorce, then remarriage).  

[Charles4515]

A USA passport is good for 10 years and only costs around $100 so what logical reason could anyone who travels not have one? Last year we were flying on a domestic flight and the night before I realized my drivers license had expired, no time to get it renewed before our flight. Fortunately I had a valid passport and it got me on the plane, the expired drivers license would not have been accepted by the TSA for boarding, which I asked the TSA guy about.

They may let you on the plane. It is at their discretion. They can ask you questions to verify identity. Not something I would rely on though. On domestic flights I don’t carry my passport but I do carry my Global Entry Card as backup. One time I could not find my license right away, it was “lost” in my wallet, LOL.

The logical reason for not having a passport is someone who does not travel internationally. Lots of Americans don’t.

[3rdGenCunarder]

17 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

You would want to bring your marriage license so there would not be a problem.

 

 

16 minutes ago, RMLincoln said:

First: The birth certificate must be a government issued version, not a hospital version.  

Second:  Carry an original of your marriage certificate to bridge the name change.  If you have had more than one name change you must have the papers for each name change, so that the birth certificate maiden name to the name on your divers license is a full set (as in the case of a marriage and a divorce, then remarriage).  

 

Thanks, that's what I thought, but the FAQs never mention that. I probably had to have the marriage certificate to bridge the birth certificate to my adult ID, since I was already married when I got my first passport, but it's so long ago I don't remember. I wonder what happens if a woman takes the FAQs literally and shows up with just the birth certificate and driver license. 

 

[terrydtx]

19 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

 

Thanks, that's what I thought, but the FAQs never mention that. I probably had to have the marriage certificate to bridge the birth certificate to my adult ID, since I was already married when I got my first passport, but it's so long ago I don't remember. I wonder what happens if a woman takes the FAQs literally and shows up with just the birth certificate and driver license. 

 

To make it simple,  just get a passport with your legal current name. I have never seen so many people argue against having a current passport, just unbelievable. 

[kazu]

43 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

 

Thanks, that's what I thought, but the FAQs never mention that. I probably had to have the marriage certificate to bridge the birth certificate to my adult ID, since I was already married when I got my first passport, but it's so long ago I don't remember. I wonder what happens if a woman takes the FAQs literally and shows up with just the birth certificate and driver license. 

 

 

I’m pretty sure that in the FAQS someplace I read that you need your marriage certificate if you have a name change.  Your names HAVE to match your booking.

 

Fortunately, when I got married, I already had a passport.  So, it was an easy transition and we had no problem embarking 😉 

 

I find it much easier to just bring my passport (and I need it 99% of the time) than a birth certificate (paper) and wedding certificate (paper) and my driver’s license.

 

[unclerich]

3 hours ago, razzinger said:

Answering the question, nothing more............

 

No!

 

Could you need one in certain situations, YES!.

For U.S. and Canadian Citizens: Travel by Land or Sea Travel document requirements vary based on cruise itinerary and whether international flights are required. For voyages that are scheduled to end outside the U.S., a passport is required. A PASSPORT is also required for all guests traveling on our Yukon +Denali Land+Sea Journey itineraries. We recommend your passport be valid for six months beyond the completion date of your travel. Passports or Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documents are required for cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico and the Panama Canal. U.S. and Canadian citizens including children must present one of the following valid WHTI-compliant documents: • US and Canadian and International Citizens traveling on Yukon Land+Sea Journeys involving an air flight between Dawson City, Yukon, Canada to Fairbanks, Alaska, USA and/or Fairbanks, Alaska, USA to Dawson City, Yukon, Canada are REQUIRED to have a valid Passport to clear customs and immigrations upon entry by air*.