Celebrity Caribbean Cruise, but Passport CARD not accepted!

[K12Guy]

I think your decision to obtain passport books is going to be very good. Since they are good for ten years and you quoted cost of $340 that breaks down to about $.09 a day in cost. I am guessing that won't mean you can't make you mortgage payment, right? 🙂

 

It was my experience recently that I sent in my unexpired passport book and passport card for the new passport to be issued.  I had plenty of time before our next trip so I didn't have to expedite, as you likely will. Anyway, the old passport and the current passport card were mailed back a week or so later and then the new passport book followed by about a week.

 

The beauty of a passport book is that it literally is an accepted form of identification throughout the entire world. It won't do anything if you're caught speeding in Alabama in lieu of a valid driver license, of course. Other than making sure your name is spelled correctly on the bond sheet.

 

And, here is the sheer beauty of it, when you decide in five years that northern Europe, including Russia, seems like a good place to visit, your passports are in hand and it takes about fifteen seconds to type the information into each cruise line profile and each airline profile. No waiting whilst your passports are being processed, right?

 

Have fun, enjoy your cruise and smile at the security folks when you hand them your passport book.

 

Just for grins take both your card and book and try your card first and see if that gets you put in the brig. You can always pull the passport book out and say, "Just kidding! Now, will you kindly remove the handcuffs and shackles, please?"

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, K12Guy said:

 

Just for grins take both your card and book and try your card first and see if that gets you put in the brig. You can always pull the passport book out and say, "Just kidding! Now, will you kindly remove the handcuffs and shackles, please?"

 

Good idea. I think I would do that. Pull out the Passport Card and see what happens.

Edited September 19, 2019 by Charles4515

[RickT]

I was in a similar situation with Princess.  As a Canadian Citizen my passport does not have to be valid for 6 mths past my scheduled return date to/from another commonwealth country.  When I tried to enter my passport information I got an error message saying that my passport expiry date was invalid.  Calling Princess I got the following reasons:

- It doesn't matter that it's a commonwealth country, US Homeland Security says it's required (I'm Canadian, no part of the travel was in or through the US)

- I was interpreting the rules incorrectly (I had a letter from the British Embassy confirming)

- Regardless of the above, Princess was not going to let me board the cruise unless my passport was valid for 6 mths past the cruise debarkation date.

 

Rather than run the risk of being denied boarding I renewed early.  It sucked but I had a great cruise and didn't have to worry.

 

Ultimately I understand.  The cruiseline is trying to safely navigate the world passport/id/immigration requirements and when in doubt takes the safest position.

 

Hope your passport arrives in time, enjoy your cruise.

[Fouremco]

20 minutes ago, RickT said:

Rather than run the risk of being denied boarding I renewed early.  It sucked but I had a great cruise and didn't have to worry.

We found ourselves in the same situation last year and renewed early too. As a result, we now consider our passports to be valid for 9.5 years instead of 10. At our age, we probably will only need to renew one more time, so we aren't terribly concerned.

[cruisemom42]

12 hours ago, dkjretired said:

 

Stand behind what I said and many others have said, it is simple, you are not on a closed loop cruise anymore therefore you need a passport, Standard Operating Procedure.   I submitted the facts which are on the web site.   Celebrity may be incompetent as far as getting different answers which is common for them but they are correct about the law.   

 

The closed loop exception is just that, an exception to the law requiring passports.  Therefore if you are not on a closed loop cruise which you are not, you refer back to the law that requires passports for international travel.   

 

You have to look at the totality of the information governing the circumstances.

 

Yes, it is no longer a closed-loop cruise and thus you need a passport, not a driver's license/birth certificate combination.

 

HOWEVER, by the US State Department's own website (and I am quoting directly from the link below), the US Passport Card can be used for

 

"Entering the United States at land border crossings and sea ports-of-entry from:

• Canada
• Mexico
• The Caribbean
• Bermuda"

Now if the cruise were headed to somewhere not covered above, the passport card would not be sufficient.

 

At the top of the same page, it also spells out clearly that in these limited cases, "The passport book and passport card are both U.S. passports. If issued for the full validity, they are both proof of your U.S. citizenship and identity."

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/card.html

 

Edited to add: I also just wanted to add that ultimately the cruise lines decide what documentation they will accept as a condition of boarding. There is at least one premium or luxury line that requires all persons to have passports for any cruise, even if it is a closed loop Caribbean one...

Edited September 19, 2019 by cruisemom42

[dkjretired]

Sorry but it doesn’t say All ports, still subject to closed loop open loop rule.

 

Also, it is not up to the cruise line, it is up to the governments that the cruise line will enter and the home and departing port. In your comment about a cruise line requiring a passport, they can up the standards but can’t lower them, their choice in that case.

[Fouremco]

Good post, @cruisemom42. I'm quite sure that the majority of readers had no difficulty understanding your comment about cruise lines deciding what documentation they'll accept as a condition of boarding.  

[B+S]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

You have to look at the totality of the information governing the circumstances.

 

Yes, it is no longer a closed-loop cruise and thus you need a passport, not a driver's license/birth certificate combination.

 

HOWEVER, by the US State Department's own website (and I am quoting directly from the link below), the US Passport Card can be used for

 

"Entering the United States at land border crossings and sea ports-of-entry from:

• Canada
• Mexico
• The Caribbean
• Bermuda"

Now if the cruise were headed to somewhere not covered above, the passport card would not be sufficient.

 

At the top of the same page, it also spells out clearly that in these limited cases, "The passport book and passport card are both U.S. passports. If issued for the full validity, they are both proof of your U.S. citizenship and identity."

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/card.html

 

Edited to add: I also just wanted to add that ultimately the cruise lines decide what documentation they will accept as a condition of boarding. There is at least one premium or luxury line that requires all persons to have passports for any cruise, even if it is a closed loop Caribbean one...

 

Well, it sounds like Celebrity DID decide - they have it in writing on a FAQ page:  Link to page

 

Q.

What documents do I need when boarding a ship in the U.S. that travels out of the U.S?

A.

U.S. Cruises, Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) - Open Loop - OR U.S. Cruises that Begin and/or End in Canadian Ports

U.S. Citizens

U.S. citizens that board a cruise ship at a port within the U.S., travel only within the Western Hemisphere and return to a different U.S. port on the same ship will require a valid Passport, U.S. Passport Card, Enhanced Driver's License, or Trusted Traveler Program Card such as Nexus, Sentri or Fast.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

They make the rules? Fine.  Trouble is, they aren't following their own documentation.

[cruisemom42]

24 minutes ago, B+S said:

 

Well, it sounds like Celebrity DID decide - they have it in writing on a FAQ page:  Link to page

 

Q.

What documents do I need when boarding a ship in the U.S. that travels out of the U.S?

A.

U.S. Cruises, Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) - Open Loop - OR U.S. Cruises that Begin and/or End in Canadian Ports

U.S. Citizens

U.S. citizens that board a cruise ship at a port within the U.S., travel only within the Western Hemisphere and return to a different U.S. port on the same ship will require a valid Passport, U.S. Passport Card, Enhanced Driver's License, or Trusted Traveler Program Card such as Nexus, Sentri or Fast.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

They make the rules? Fine.  Trouble is, they aren't following their own documentation.

 

Well, that IS frustrating, isn't it? 

 

It's not the first nor the last time cruise reps provide incorrect or at the least inconsistent info. 

 

As others have said (and you've decided) best to err on the side of caution. And the passport office processes something like a million passports or more each month, almost all without any issue.

 

 

[hcat]

 OP has decided to get the Passport so the interpetation  issue seems moot at this point. 

 

I think he should pursue  a request for the extra cost incurred because X had a fairly last minute change of the itinerary ..which required him ( under the rules, right or wrong)  to get expedited additional documents  that he would not have needed before the change .  Others who were inconvenienced with  changes are getting free shuttle transfers.

[K.T.B.]

18 hours ago, K12Guy said:

Just for grins take both your card and book and try your card first and see if that gets you put in the brig. You can always pull the passport book out and say, "Just kidding! Now, will you kindly remove the handcuffs and shackles, please?"

 

While I know you're joking, that would be impossible to do though...  You can only have either a passport card or a passport book, not both.

 

Be that as it may, it truly is best to just get a passport book and alleviate any issues.

 

 

Edited September 20, 2019 by K.T.B.

[dkjretired]

4 minutes ago, K.T.B. said:

 

While I know you're joking, that would be impossible to do though...  You can only have either a passport card or a passport book, not both.

 

Be that as it may, it truly is best to just get a passport book and alleviate any issues.

 

 

 

Just curious but why can you only have one or the other.

[B+S]

7 minutes ago, dkjretired said:

 

Just curious but why can you only have one or the other.

Not true - you can purchase both.

Link

Quote:

The passport book and passport card are both U.S. passports. If issued for the full validity, they are both proof of your U.S. citizenship and identity. 

See the chart below to decide which is best for you. (Can't decide? Get both!)

[akcruz]

18 minutes ago, K.T.B. said:

 

While I know you're joking, that would be impossible to do though...  You can only have either a passport card or a passport book, not both.

 

Be that as it may, it truly is best to just get a passport book and alleviate any issues.

 

 

 

No you can definitely have both.  We just renewed our book and paid to get both a new book and a card.  It costs more but is doable.  Not sure where you saw you can't have both??

[B+S]

BIG News!

Celebrity Customer Service provided us a written confirmation that a Passport Card IS acceptable this morning.

-------------------------------

Good Morning -

        Our information does tell us that a passport card is sufficient for this sailing. Please see below and we hope this helps clarify for you.

 

Thank You!!

Karen
Celebrity Pre-Resolutions
Trade Support and Service - ICT Campus
CelebrityRRS@celebrity.com
Fax (305)603-0045
----- Forwarded by Karen Scaia/RR/WCH/RCL on 09/20/2019 06:57 AM -----

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[B+S]

Firstly, THANK YOU to all of you who provided us with your vast experience - you are a tremendous wealth.

 

Now with paper in hand, boarding should be very simple. We WILL report back here about our experience. An emergency abroad necessitating a flight stateside would still REQUIRE a Passport BOOK.

 

It was a very poor decision on my part (Bob here) not to get both. Part of the attraction for me of the CARD was that I have crossed the Mexican / US Border at about a dozen, and it has the RFID Chip that expedites the crossing into the ready/fast lane. We consider the card super handy too - for instance, while on a long sea kayak trip a few years back in the Sea of Cortez a book would have been ruined. We snorkel everywhere - it's waterproof.

 

However it is a POOR SUBSTITUTE for a Passport Book. Clearly - get a book or in our case, a book and a card - it's only a few dollars more.

 

Bob+Sue

 

 

[waterbug123]

23 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Most of the Caribbean islands are legally bound by treaty to accept the Passport Card. Some that had not signed the treaty were accepting the card as a courtesy. Two of those islands, Guadeloupe and Martinique now require a passport book. It is still the case that most of the Caribbean islands recognize Passport Cards. 

 

And those 2 island countries are rarely part of the itinerary for big cruise lines such as Celebrity.  It would really be an issue if a country like the Bahamas, Jamaica or St. Maarten started requiring a passport for cruise pax.

 

17 hours ago, RickT said:

Rather than run the risk of being denied boarding I renewed early.  It sucked but I had a great cruise and didn't have to worry.

 

Good for you.  Sometimes you have to decide whether your goal is to be right or to solve the problem.  You decided to solve the problem.

 

41 minutes ago, K.T.B. said:

 

While I know you're joking, that would be impossible to do though...  You can only have either a passport card or a passport book, not both.

 

 

That statement is 100% WRONG.  You can absolutely have both.  I know because I do.  When I renewed my passport, it was a simple check box on the application and a few more dollars to add a passport card.

[K12Guy]

1 hour ago, K.T.B. said:

Be that as it may, it truly is best to just get a passport book and alleviate any issues.

I first got the passport card shortly after they came out. I got it as a secondary form of identification and to expedite should I want to travel to and from Mexico or Canada. I have both the passport card and passport book and I also have Global Entry to facilitate international air travel, which it does, greatly. Global Entry also includes TSA pre-chek and that can help expedite getting through security at airports. I just need to be sure the pre-chek lane includes a body scatter image machine since I have a hip replacement (12 years ago). Otherwise I have to almost strip to underwear and they damn near have to a body cavity search to confirm I have a hip replacement. 👽

 

If you don't have anything more than a passport book it may be to your advantage to consider both a passport card and Global Entry. 💥

[alwaysonaship]

If you are going to travel always have a current passport 

[Fouremco]

49 minutes ago, B+S said:

We consider the card super handy too - for instance, while on a long sea kayak trip a few years back in the Sea of Cortez a book would have been ruined. We snorkel everywhere - it's waterproof.

On the lighter side, as you might see from my avatar, I'm a snorkeler too, as is my DW. We are also sea kayakers and scuba divers, and over the years have successfully used a variety of dry boxes to hold items that we didn't want to get wet. When cruising, a water activity day includes taking a small box to hold some cash, a couple of credit cards, drivers license (we often rent a car)(car key), cell phone, ship card and passports. The dry box becomes my defacto wallet on these days.

[Luvcrusn]

1 hour ago, waterbug123 said:

 

And those 2 island countries are rarely part of the itinerary for big cruise lines such as Celebrity.  It would really be an issue if a country like the Bahamas, Jamaica or St. Maarten started requiring a passport for cruise pax.

 

 

Good for you.  Sometimes you have to decide whether your goal is to be right or to solve the problem.  You decided to solve the problem.

 

 

That statement is 100% WRONG.  You can absolutely have both.  I know because I do.  When I renewed my passport, it was a simple check box on the application and a few more dollars to add a passport card.

I have both also. I ordered the card when renewing my passport because is was cheaper to get both at once than eating each separately.. I only ordered the card because at the time PA wasn't compliant with Real ID requirements and had not yet received an extension. By getting the card I could use it as an easy to carry government issued ID when flying domestically. 

[Lisah101]

On 9/19/2019 at 8:18 AM, Fouremco said:

I too lock my passport in my hotel safe when staying in a foreign country. For cruises, however, I want to have it with me in case something goes wrong. I realize that the ship will try to leave my passport with the local agent, but I'd rather have direct control, not leave it up to third parties. As for the photocopy, I've never quite understood the benefit as it can't be used for travel. I understand that some feel that it will help speed up getting a replacement passport, but I simply keep a copy on Dropbox that I can access should that ever be necessary.

 

As you say, it's all a question of personal preference.

I understood the purpose of having a photocopy of your passport is to facilitate getting a replacement quickly if the original is lost.  That was the only purpose of a copy.  It's not valid ID so I'm not sure why people carry a paper copy around with them. I keep a paper copy somewhere in my suitcase or backpack in case mine is lost but that's the only reason.

[Pickels]

Why ruin your vacation?  Why subject yourself to all sort of stress?  Get a Passport Book and be done with it and enjoy your vacation!  What's the expression--- "penny wise and pound foolish", I think.

[Luvcrusn]

9 minutes ago, Pickels said:

Why ruin your vacation?  Why subject yourself to all sort of stress?  Get a Passport Book and be done with it and enjoy your vacation!  What's the expression--- "penny wise and pound foolish", I think.

I couldn't agree more. We always renew ours with  about nine months before expiration. It seems wasteful, but many travel situations require travel to be concluded with at least 6 months before expiration date. When you figure the renewal cost over a 10 year period, it's really not a big deal. We also have GE to expedite things faster.

[hcat]

Wow.. interesting turn of events

 

 Did you already apply for the Passport?