Passport Question

[lindalo5032]

We will be on a 4 night Symphony cruise in May, with the only ports of call being Nassau and Cocoa Cay.  We are a group of 8 family members and plan on getting medical only/emergency medical evacuation insurance.  (We will have trip interruption/cancellation, etc. coverage through our credit card).  I had planned on just using passport cards to avoid the expense of all of us getting passport books. 

 

My question is:  In the event one of us has to have an emergency evacuation for medical reasons and we are transported from the ship via helicopter, would we need a passport book (vs. a passport card) to get back in the U.S.? 

 

I know this scenario is very unlikely, but if we get insurance, I need to cover all the bases and make sure we are able to get back in the U.S. in the event of emergency medical evacuation.

 

Thank you for your input!

 

 

 

 

[countess5]

I think this is a question you need to ask of your insurer or talk to the passport agency. Unless there is someone on CC thanks knows legal procedures ou are not going to get an accurate answer, just my thought. 

[blackshirt]

You would need a passport to fly back from any of those ports. I doubt an emergency helicopter evacuation would go through customs (at least not normal customs) or be denied. Besides, they may not even evacuate to the US.

[cruisinfanatic]

20 minutes ago, blackshirt said:

You would need a passport to fly back from any of those ports. I doubt an emergency helicopter evacuation would go through customs (at least not normal customs) or be denied. Besides, they may not even evacuate to the US.

Itinerary is Nassau and Cocoa Cay.

Where else would they be evacuated to?

[blackshirt]

10 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

Itinerary is Nassau and Cocoa Cay.

Where else would they be evacuated to?

The OP did specify helicopter evacuation from the ship, so I was thinking it could be Nassau.

Edited March 6, 2019 by blackshirt

[sparks1093]

If you mean medevaced by the Coast Guard there is no charge for that and there are procedures for handling people without passports in such emergencies. When we started cruising we faced the prospect of paying $850 or so for the 7 of us for a 4 day cruise. We decided the small risk involved didn't warrant spending that kind of money.

[bowler15547]

If you have an issue where you would need attention in the Bahamas, you would need a passport book to fly to the US. The only thing that the cards are good for are land border crossings.

[steveru621]

Contrary to popular belief, most employer health insurance plans will treat you at out of network prices.  Give them a call.

 

Get the passport book.  The card was designed for Canada and Mexico.

[thinfool]

Are you a group of 8 meaning 2 adults and 6 children?  If yes, seriously consider the birth certificate/photo ID arrangement as it is as effective as a passport card.

 

If you are a mixed group of couples, children, etc. I suggest that you inform other couples or adults of their options and let them decide how they will deal with their ID matters.

[waterbug123]

15 hours ago, blackshirt said:

The OP did specify helicopter evacuation from the ship, so I was thinking it could be Nassau.

 

If the OP medivac'd to a hospital in Nassau, they would essentially be "entering" the Bahamas by the legal definition, in a way that they wouldn't be if merely there for a cruise stop.  Technically that would require a passport, although I doubt a patient in cardiac arrest (or whatever) would be turned away until they could produce a passport.  Assuming the patient recovered, eventually they would fly home and would need a passport for that. Although again, emergency provisions of one type or another would be made; no one from CBP is going to say "nope, back to the Bahamas you go for the rest of your life."   Having the passport would simply make the process go smoothly without delays. 

But I agree with another poster- if you aren't going to get full passport books, there's little reason in your case to get passport cards, just cruise with your birth certificates and drivers licenses.

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, steveru621 said:

Contrary to popular belief, most employer health insurance plans will treat you at out of network prices.  Give them a call.

 

Get the passport book.  The card was designed for Canada and Mexico.

The card may also be used for sea ports of entry from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. This includes both closed loop cruises and open jaw sailings (not that there are too many of those around anymore).

[SRF]

They will not ask for your passport when you come off the ship with a medical emergency.  Whether by gangway or helicopter.

 

They may not even ask for it for traveling companions getting off with you.  But you will need a passport book to board the flight home.  Even a med evac flight.

 

My Dad and I disembarked in Canada with my mother, who had a medical emergency.   As I remember, my Dad had to show her passport for the med evac flight back to the US (I was not there, I had to fly back commercial, and DEFINITELY had to have my passport book).

[Joseph2017China]

Although you need your passport, you also should know, it is very unlikely that you need to spend hundreds on passports and insurance, when you can hire a person to take you back for the 180 mile or less ride on a private boat, for the same amount.  Or you can have friends like me, who you could call to pick me up, in the event that I need help.  Kind of your choice, your risk.  15 years ago, my risk was small.  Today being older, my risk is greater. 

[lindalo5032]

Thank you all for your input!  This brings up another question that I have.  If a med-evac is necessary, can we tell them to take us to the U.S. instead of Nassau?  Or does it depend on where the ship is at the time, and it is their call?

 

 

[steveru621]

2 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

The card may also be used for sea ports of entry from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. This includes both closed loop cruises and open jaw sailings (not that there are too many of those around anymore).

 

I agree, it can be used as a government-issued ID, but it's not a passport.

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, lindalo5032 said:

Thank you all for your input!  This brings up another question that I have.  If a med-evac is necessary, can we tell them to take us to the U.S. instead of Nassau?  Or does it depend on where the ship is at the time, and it is their call?

 

 

You can ask but just like in an ambulance they are going to take you to the closest medical facility that can provide treatment.

[sparks1093]

1 minute ago, steveru621 said:

 

I agree, it can be used as a government-issued ID, but it's not a passport.

Sorry for not being clearer but the passport card can be used as a stand alone document to prove identity and citizenship for sea ports of entry for cruises to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. It's more than just a government issued ID since it also proves citizenship.

[Joseph2017China]

19 hours ago, lindalo5032 said:

We will be on a 4 night Symphony cruise in May, with the only ports of call being Nassau and Cocoa Cay.  We are a group of 8 family members and plan on getting medical only/emergency medical evacuation insurance.  (We will have trip interruption/cancellation, etc. coverage through our credit card).  I had planned on just using passport cards to avoid the expense of all of us getting passport books. 

 

My question is:  In the event one of us has to have an emergency evacuation for medical reasons and we are transported from the ship via helicopter, would we need a passport book (vs. a passport card) to get back in the U.S.? 

 

I know this scenario is very unlikely, but if we get insurance, I need to cover all the bases and make sure we are able to get back in the U.S. in the event of emergency medical evacuation.

 

Thank you for your input!

 

 

 

 

I think you are over thinking this with worries.  4 day trip to the Bahamas is only 180 miles away.  The ship will spend 2 of those 4 days in or near land.  One day, the ship will float between Bahamas and USA, and will not be very far away.  You have to be extremely sick, and in need of immediate attention that the ship will not handle, to be medivac.  You break your bone, you stay on the ship.  Heart attack, you take a ride on the helicopter.  Most likely it will be ordered from the USA coast guard. This is only a last option taken.  So, why are you worried about an emergency that severe that you want to pay that much extra money for a 4 day weekend? Just ask yourself this question, but no need to answer.

 

Yes, passports and insurance are important.  I have passports because we go on a lot of trips, and I have an annual insurance policy which is much cheaper than a per trip policy, and the evacuation coverage is the lowest they offer.  But my insurance covers out of network medical providing it is an emergency and not routine care. 

[Biker19]

[PelicanBill]

The passport card would be perfectly valid for re-entry to the US and entry to almost any Caribbean country, with the exceptions of perhaps Cuba and Venezuela.

[Clarea]

11 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

The passport card would be perfectly valid for re-entry to the US and entry to almost any Caribbean country, with the exceptions of perhaps Cuba and Venezuela.

 

For a cruise ship day stop, but not by air.

[Dr. Pam]

Ok....I am always just amazed that if people are willing to travel, that they would consider shortchanging themselves on a valid passport.  C'MON!  REALLY?  

[sparks1093]

31 minutes ago, Dr. Pam said:

Ok....I am always just amazed that if people are willing to travel, that they would consider shortchanging themselves on a valid passport.  C'MON!  REALLY?  

I can only answer for myself but, yes, really. When we started cruising we were taking a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas. Passports for the 7 of us would have set us back about $850. We knew that we wanted to fly internationally at some point but we didn't know when that would be. At that time it was entirely likely that we wouldn't be able to do that for 10 years. So after analyzing the risks we decided that we were comfortable with the small risk involved. We performed the same analysis before every subsequent cruise. We ended up being able to fly to Europe in 2015, after the kids were grown, and that is when we got passports for the two of us. I live 8 miles from the border of the eastern part of your country and if I need to travel there I don't use my passport, unless of course we're flying out of Montreal. Everyone's ability to travel and their travel needs are different and there are options available to meet almost every need. 

[Dr. Pam]

Each to their own.....

I think in this day and age if you are travelling outside of your own country, that one should have a passport. Things can happen beyond our control and I would suggest being prepared. Obviously there is a risk that some people are willing to take.  Not me.

 

Happy and safe travels,

 

Pam

[Medic5emt]

https://abc7ny.com/couple-stranded-in-the-bahamas-after-illness-during-cruise/4918835/