Passport Card

[bikevegas]

Hopefully,  will be going on a Panama Canal cruise round trip from Ft. Lauderdale on Princess in November. We will be driving to Ft. Lauderdale.   Is a Passport card acceptable documentation or do I need a passport book? Thanks!

[woldridge]

It is acceptable, but...

 

If something happened where you needed to fly home rather remaining on the cruise round-trip, you have to have a passport.  I bring both but just use the card.

[thinfool]

18 minutes ago, bikevegas said:

Hopefully,  will be going on a Panama Canal cruise round trip from Ft. Lauderdale on Princess in November. We will be driving to Ft. Lauderdale.   Is a Passport card acceptable documentation or do I need a passport book? Thanks!

A PP Card has no value over an official Birth Certificate with a valid Drivers License**.  Neither will allow you to fly home from a Foreign destination without major inconvenience and pain.

Without trying to be snarky, it leaves you in the Clint Eastwood scene...."Are you feeling lucky?"

 

**This applies to US Citizens.  

Edited January 28, 2021 by thinfool

[TheOldBear]

19 minutes ago, bikevegas said:

Hopefully,  will be going on a Panama Canal cruise round trip from Ft. Lauderdale on Princess in November. We will be driving to Ft. Lauderdale.   Is a Passport card acceptable documentation or do I need a passport book? Thanks!

This seems to be a Frequently Asked Question - perhaps a pinned response should be added to the forum?

 

Check directly with the cruise line. If you are turned away due to unsuitable documentation, your travel insurance will not reimburse you.

Cruise lines may be more restrictive (requiring a passport book) at their option, even if other lines with similar itineraries require minimal WHTI documentation (state id & birth certificate; enhanced driver’s license ).

 
Get the passport book. You won’t regret it.

[ColeThornton]

The correct answer is right there in the Princess FAQ's.

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp

 

 

[ColeThornton]

24 minutes ago, woldridge said:

It is acceptable, but...

 

 

Incorrect answer.

[Hlitner]

You certainly should directly check with your cruise line.  Why?  Some cruise lines have more stringent requirements then the US Government.  For example, Oceania requires a Passport book that is valid for at least 6 months at the date of sailing.  At this point none of us can be certain of what requirements will exist once cruise lines restart operations.  It is very possible that various cruise lines or countries currently a part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will have even tougher requirements because of the COVID risk (a passenger who develops COVID on a cruise and would need to be evacuated to a foreign country would need a Passport Book to return home). 

 

Hank

[Hlitner]

11 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

The correct answer is right there in the Princess FAQ's.

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp

 

 

Just keep in mind that Princess is not the only cruise line 🙂

 

Hank

[ColeThornton]

3 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Just keep in mind that Princess is not the only cruise line 🙂

 

Hank

 

True, but Princess is the line that the OP is asking about.  So like you said, check with the specific cruise line.  No one wants to be left standing on the dock.  🙂

Edited January 28, 2021 by ColeThornton

[Hlitner]

25 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

True, but Princess is the line that the OP is asking about.  So like you said, check with the specific cruise line.  No one wants to be left standing on the dock.  🙂

I think all of us here on CC (and elsewhere) need to be careful how we word our advice/suggestions to cruisers/travelers.  The travel world is changing and the changes seem to be coming on a daily basis.  Since I am out of the country at the moment in a community with many Americans and Canadians we are all trying to keep up with government and airline updates.   One can only imagine what requirements we will face when cruising resumes but I suspect there will be many changes.  Relying on our past experience to predict the future no longer seems to be great idea :(.

 

Just today I scheduled appointments for both DW and myself to get COVID tests (fast Antigen) about 2 days before our return to the USA.  Last week we would not have needed to do such a thing and by the time we do fly home the requirements may be completely different.  Our Canadian friends are already unhappy because they need to get a PCR test (they generally cost $150-$200 here in Mexico) and their government has talked about a possible quarantine in a hotel upon their return home (this quarantine thing has yet to happen).  

 

Hank

[clo]

1 hour ago, woldridge said:

It is acceptable, but...

 

If something happened where you needed to fly home rather remaining on the cruise round-trip, you have to have a passport.  I bring both but just use the card.

Why do you have both?

[woldridge]

5 minutes ago, clo said:

Why do you have both?

Easier to handle a little card with the credit card when checking in. Just my thing.  BTW, I was born in Reno and lived there for 38 years.  Definitely miss the mountains!

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

At this point none of us can be certain of what requirements will exist once cruise lines restart operations.  It is very possible that various cruise lines or countries currently a part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will have even tougher requirements because of the COVID risk (a passenger who develops COVID on a cruise and would need to be evacuated to a foreign country would need a Passport Book to return home). 

 

Hank

 

The cruise lines should require passport books when they restart. Times have changed.

 

It is mind boggling to me that in the age of Covid people would want to travel with a passport card or birth certificate instead of a passport book. What happened to common sense? 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Charles4515

[msmayor]

The fact that it is a closed-loop round trip from Ft. Lauderdale often makes people think that a passport isn't necessary...but it just might be.

 

We did a partial Panama Canal cruise a few years ago, also R/T Ft. Lauderdale.  HAL was clear in indicating that a passport was necessary, because one of our port stops required US citizens arriving by land, air or sea to have a valid passport (Costa Rica).  

 

Never assume just because it is closed loop that no passport is required.  I also agree with the PP that it is highly likely that lines may require a passport anyway simply because, in the event that something happens requiring passengers to fly home from a foreign destination, they are able to swiftly repatriate everyone back to their respective home countries without any delays waiting for the right paperwork.

[thinfool]

Another scenario often overlooked...if you are sailing from a Florida port, the next port of call often/usually is a non-US port on an island in the Caribbean.  Folks with a PP card or BC may think that if they miss their ship, even for a good reason, they will be able to 'catch up' and finish the itinerary.

So sad...not so.  "Catching up" requires air travel, International air travel, and so, with no PP book, their vacation may be spent in South Florida or on a lengthy drive home.

[sanger727]

A passport is required for this itinerary. Not sure why people jump to driver's license and birth certificate when are are talking about anything other than a caribbean sailing. A passport is required for most international travel and most cruise travel. The exception is a passport card or DL/BC on round trip itineraries out of the US to most caribbean ports only. Once you start talking about a non-Caribbean itinerary (aka the panamal canal), those exemptions don't come into play. And keep in mind that SOME caribbean ports still do require a passport. 

[ldubs]

12 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

 

True, but Princess is the line that the OP is asking about.  So like you said, check with the specific cruise line.  No one wants to be left standing on the dock.  🙂

 

11 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I think all of us here on CC (and elsewhere) need to be careful how we word our advice/suggestions to cruisers/travelers.  The travel world is changing and the changes seem to be coming on a daily basis.  Since I am out of the country at the moment in a community with many Americans and Canadians we are all trying to keep up with government and airline updates.   One can only imagine what requirements we will face when cruising resumes but I suspect there will be many changes.  Relying on our past experience to predict the future no longer seems to be great idea :(.

 

 

Hank

 

I'm so confused.  So, if the link to Princess' documentation requirements is not careful enough, what exactly would you suggest?  I'm missing something.   

[Hlitner]

10 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

 

I'm so confused.  So, if the link to Princess' documentation requirements is not careful enough, what exactly would you suggest?  I'm missing something.   

A few years ago we were on a 3 Continent Grand Princess cruise.  Among the early stops was Devils Island, after which the ship moved across the South Atlantic to Dakar, Senegal.  According the Princess web site (and even an e-mail from Princess to all the cruisers) we did need to get any special immunizations for that trip.  About a month before the cruise I read something here on CC about Yellow Fever Vaccinations (which came with an international vaccination certificate) and started digging (on the Internet) into the rules (a few of us discussed this issue on our Roll Call).  I finally called Princess, managed to get to a supervisor and told them a few of us had questions about whether Senegal had waivied their standard requirement (which could be found on Senegal's own web sites) that visitors who had recently been in French Guiana (who owns Devils Island)  needed a current (within the prior 10 years) Yellow Fever shot.  The supervisor said she would elevate the issue to the Princess medical director.  The following day Princess sent out a last minute (we were now within a month of the cruise) to over 3000 passengers (booked on that cruise) that we all needed to have a current Yellow Fever shot in order for the ship to make port at Dakar.  That caused many cruisers to scramble to arrange for that shot (not always easy to obtain).

 

The bottom line was that Princess had it wrong on their web site and this was not the first time that kind of thing had happened.   

 

Over the years there have been numerous threads here on CC about folks who were left standing at the dock (usually in Florida) because they did not have the exact documents required for a closed-loop cruise (this was mostly an issue with the proper type of birth certificate for those without Passports).  In many cases these folks claimed that the cruise line's own web site was not entirely clear as to what they needed (which was true).  But it was the cruisers who were denied boarding that paid the price.

 

So yes, we have learned to be very cautious about these kind of documentation issues.  The cruise line passenger contracts generally contain language that puts the burden on the cruiser to have the correct information.   Better to be cautious, careful, and do your homework then to make an error that can leave you at the pier.

 

Hank

[bikevegas]

Thanks for all the helpful information. I think I'll get me a passport . Ive got the card but I think I'll play it safe!

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

A few years ago we were on a 3 Continent Grand Princess cruise.  Among the early stops was Devils Island, after which the ship moved across the South Atlantic to Dakar, Senegal.  According the Princess web site (and even an e-mail from Princess to all the cruisers) we did need to get any special immunizations for that trip.  About a month before the cruise I read something here on CC about Yellow Fever Vaccinations (which came with an international vaccination certificate) and started digging (on the Internet) into the rules (a few of us discussed this issue on our Roll Call).  I finally called Princess, managed to get to a supervisor and told them a few of us had questions about whether Senegal had waivied their standard requirement (which could be found on Senegal's own web sites) that visitors who had recently been in French Guiana (who owns Devils Island)  needed a current (within the prior 10 years) Yellow Fever shot.  The supervisor said she would elevate the issue to the Princess medical director.  The following day Princess sent out a last minute (we were now within a month of the cruise) to over 3000 passengers (booked on that cruise) that we all needed to have a current Yellow Fever shot in order for the ship to make port at Dakar.  That caused many cruisers to scramble to arrange for that shot (not always easy to obtain).

 

The bottom line was that Princess had it wrong on their web site and this was not the first time that kind of thing had happened.   

 

Over the years there have been numerous threads here on CC about folks who were left standing at the dock (usually in Florida) because they did not have the exact documents required for a closed-loop cruise (this was mostly an issue with the proper type of birth certificate for those without Passports).  In many cases these folks claimed that the cruise line's own web site was not entirely clear as to what they needed (which was true).  But it was the cruisers who were denied boarding that paid the price.

 

So yes, we have learned to be very cautious about these kind of documentation issues.  The cruise line passenger contracts generally contain language that puts the burden on the cruiser to have the correct information.   Better to be cautious, careful, and do your homework then to make an error that can leave you at the pier.

 

Hank

 

Now I get it.   Good lesson on why it is best to err on the side of caution.   

[msmayor]

13 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

 

I'm so confused.  So, if the link to Princess' documentation requirements is not careful enough, what exactly would you suggest?  I'm missing something.   

 

It is always the traveler's responsibility to know and understand what documentation is required for any trip...regardless of what the cruise line has on their website.  It is virtually impossible for them to keep up-to-the-minute information, and in these most uncertain times that information is bound to change often.

 

I trust checking each country's sites or the US State Department sites to double-check what is needed, and when in doubt, bring more documents...not less.

[Ride-The-Waves]

The cruise lines are interested in getting you on board.  The best answer is to check with the US Department of State, which says:

 

The passport card is the wallet-size travel document that can only be used to re-enter the United States at land border-crossings and sea ports-of-entry from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. The card provides a less expensive, smaller, and convenient alternative to the passport book for those who travel frequently to these destinations by land or by sea. The passport card cannot be used for international travel by air.

 

We would not travel without the passport book itself.  About to renew for international cruising in 2022 and will get both the book and card.

Edited February 6, 2021 by Ride-The-Waves

[BoozinCroozin]

We just got our passports and cards last year in anticipation of cruising. But, that all changed. The reason we got the card is because of RealID. The DMV is some odd 6-12 months out here and it is usually waiting in lines for an entire day when you do have an appointment. It was easier going to the Post Office to get the RealID card for an extra $25. We will deal with new licenses in 6 years.

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

We just got our passports and cards last year in anticipation of cruising. But, that all changed. The reason we got the card is because of RealID. The DMV is some odd 6-12 months out here and it is usually waiting in lines for an entire day when you do have an appointment. It was easier going to the Post Office to get the RealID card for an extra $25. We will deal with new licenses in 6 years.

Agreed - having to go to the CT DMV every few years for renewal of the license with the star (which I now have) is more of a hassle than carrying passport and/or Global Entry card (which is easier to get/renew than dealing with the DMV.

[Charles4515]

3 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Agreed - having to go to the CT DMV every few years for renewal of the license with the star (which I now have) is more of a hassle than carrying passport and/or Global Entry card (which is easier to get/renew than dealing with the DMV.

 

The DMV here has a mobile unit that comes once a month across the street from my condo. 😀 I have a Real ID license and in our state you can only get those if you are a US citizen.