Cruising without Passport

[Tatka]

Yes.. Our son served in US Army. Recruiter was a bit surprised he had his passport, many do not even though we do not live in Flint, MI.

[Ride-The-Waves]

NEVER travel outside your country without a passport.  PERIOD.  We have both passports and a cruise card which is the same size as a driver's license.  Take both on cruises with the card being identification on/off ships if needed.  One never knows when an emergency will happen and the passport become the proof of citizenship. 

Edited January 14, 2023 by Ride-The-Waves

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

NEVER travel outside your country without a passport.  PERIOD.  We have both passports and a cruise card which is the same size as a driver's license.  Take both on cruises with the card being identification on/off ships if needed.  One never knows when an emergency will happen and the passport become the proof of citizenship. 

Good advice for sure.  But, keep in mind that a Cruise Card will not be good enough to get on an Emergency Evac flight back to the U.S.  Only a Passport Book is good for that.  We always carry our Passport Book while in port.  I don't want to trust that "someone" will contact the ship and a member of the crew retrieve our Passport Books and get them to us in the middle of Mexico somewhere.  OR, contact an Embassy or Consulate for a Temp. or Emergency Passport.  It's just toooooo easy to carry the Passport Book.

[BirdTravels]

On 12/23/2022 at 9:31 PM, schultz572 said:

Does anyone have a travel agent to recommend or how does one go about finding a good agent? Do they need to be local to me? I don’t see any major benefits with that. 

So,,, you can’t give out TA names on this board. 
 

Little benefit to have a face to face TA. You need someone that does this for a living and can provide you extra perks. 
 

There is a warehouse store featuring cheap hot dogs that offers lots of perks. 

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

NEVER travel outside your country without a passport.  PERIOD.  

Totally unnecessary expense for a one-off trip. Thousands travel each week on a birth certificate without any additional cost. 

[schultz572]

One last quick confirmation, I assume the photo id (drivers license) doesn’t have to be from the same state that the birth certificate was issued in? For example using a Minnesota drivers license with an original stamped birth certificate from Wisconsin is completely acceptable?

Edited February 4, 2023 by schultz572

[not-enough-cruising]

21 minutes ago, schultz572 said:

One last quick confirmation, I assume the photo id (drivers license) doesn’t have to be from the same state that the birth certificate was issued in? For example using a Minnesota drivers license with an original stamped birth certificate from Wisconsin is completely acceptable?

Completely acceptable

[bluetardis]

It is safer for the traveler to just get a passport. End of story.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, schultz572 said:

One last quick confirmation, I assume the photo id (drivers license) doesn’t have to be from the same state that the birth certificate was issued in? For example using a Minnesota drivers license with an original stamped birth certificate from Wisconsin is completely acceptable?

That's fine. 

 

wrt to the Birth Certificate, it just has to be a stamped "official" certificate. For example, my real, true original BC (from the prehistoric time) is in tatters. But I have official, embossed copies issued by my county of birth that I use. 

[Coralc]

11 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

That's fine. 

 

wrt to the Birth Certificate, it just has to be a stamped "official" certificate. For example, my real, true original BC (from the prehistoric time) is in tatters. But I have official, embossed copies issued by my county of birth that I use. 

My original is from microfilm on a printed page. (Embossed). The newer one is of the microfilm birth certificate on fancy county watermarked paper. My BC has checkmark boxes that say Born: On a Farm/Not on a Farm. ☺️ I never knew where that "Born on a Farm" phrase came from. 😄

[Ret MP]

12 hours ago, bluetardis said:

It is safer for the traveler to just get a passport. End of story.

Exactly.  I honestly don't know why anyone would do more than state the fact that a passport isn't required to travel on closed loop cruises originating from the U.S.  Suggesting otherwise isn't doing anybody any favors.  Stating facts is one thing, suggesting is another.

 

If I argued/debated on the side of not needing a passport and come to find out that someone took my advice and did, if fact, get hurt or sick, for example: in the central highlands of Mexico, on a 3rd party excursion, got severally injured/ill and couldn't get an emergency flight or air ambulance back to the U.S., in time, because of not having a Passport, I don't think I'd ever have a clear conscience again.

 

Provide the facts and just let the INDIVIDUAL make the decision, without influence, that is best for him/her/them/whatever.  

[S.A.M.J.R.]

On 1/14/2023 at 11:30 AM, Ret MP said:

 It's just toooooo easy to carry the Passport Book.

While I agree it's the better option is to have a Passport, I disagree with the above.  The size doesn't make it easy to slip into a pocket.  If you put it in a bag, you have a chance of that bag being stolen.

 

47 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Exactly.  I honestly don't know why anyone would do more than state the fact that a passport isn't required to travel on closed loop cruises originating from the U.S.  Suggesting otherwise isn't doing anybody any favors.  Stating facts is one thing, suggesting is another.

 

If I argued/debated on the side of not needing a passport and come to find out that someone took my advice and did, if fact, get hurt or sick, for example: in the central highlands of Mexico, on a 3rd party excursion, got severally injured/ill and couldn't get an emergency flight or air ambulance back to the U.S., in time, because of not having a Passport, I don't think I'd ever have a clear conscience again.

 

Provide the facts and just let the INDIVIDUAL make the decision, without influence, that is best for him/her/them/whatever.  

Those who argue/debate everyone should have a passport don't just "provide the facts".  The ODDS (by far) are that a passport will NOT be needed.  People will stress the "if you get hurt" or "have to leave the cruise early" as prime reasons to have the passport.  While granted, that's what it's for, that's a small percentage of people.

 

Having a passport on a closed loop cruise (out of the US, citizen, etc etc) is nothing more than insurance.  But you don't see the same strong feelings/arguments about people buying travel insurance.  That's usually "you'll want it if you need it" and "you should have it".  But if someone says "no", it's "ok".  All a passport is is insurance.  Some are comfortable without it. 

[davekathy]

We use passports. But once on the ship they stay locked in the safe. Our birth certificates are very old and to old to travel.  Which I find odd as we aren't old. 🤔

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

If I argued/debated on the side of not needing a passport and come to find out that someone took my advice and did, if fact, get hurt or sick, for example: in the central highlands of Mexico, on a 3rd party excursion, got severally injured/ill and couldn't get an emergency flight or air ambulance back to the U.S., in time, because of not having a Passport, I don't think I'd ever have a clear conscience again.

The problem is this hypothetical, made up, situation would never happen. Much drama for fake news. 

 

Last spring, NCL's biggest ship ran aground in the Dominican Republic and breached her hull. NCL ended up evacuating/disembarking the ship. 100% of the passengers, those with passports and those with birth certificates flew back to the US. Did it require paperwork for those with BC, yes. Were there protracted delays, no. (They only delay was trying to cycle 250 seat charter planes to fly out 3000 passengers). But no one was stranded to die in the DR. 

Edited February 4, 2023 by BirdTravels

[bluetardis]

@BirdTravelsin this day and age COVID happens. I feel that having a passport and travel insurance protects me from a really bad situation, without that needed protection. I read about people getting COVID on these boards everyday. These are not “made up” situations they are real people having real sickness on cruise ships and in foreign counties. You can live life taking risks, but giving advice to others to do so is just ignorant.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

9 minutes ago, bluetardis said:

@BirdTravelsin this day and age COVID happens. I feel that having a passport and travel insurance protects me from a really bad situation, without that needed protection. I read about people getting COVID on these boards everyday. These are not “made up” situations they are real people having real sickness on cruise ships and in foreign counties. You can live life taking risks, but giving advice to others to do so is just ignorant.

That's a good point, but with ALL the issues of Covid (especially the "stranded ships" at the start), has there been a case of a cruise line leaving someone stranded because they came down with Covid?

[BirdTravels]

13 minutes ago, bluetardis said:

@BirdTravelsin this day and age COVID happens. I feel that having a passport and travel insurance protects me from a really bad situation, without that needed protection. I read about people getting COVID on these boards everyday. These are not “made up” situations they are real people having real sickness on cruise ships and in foreign counties. You can live life taking risks, but giving advice to others to do so is just ignorant.

Many millions of passengers have sailed since covid without incident. Everyone can assess their own risk. I was reacting to fictitious fear mongering. 

[Ret MP]

22 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The problem is this hypothetical, made up, situation would never happen. Much drama for fake news. 

 

Last spring, NCL's biggest ship ran aground in the Dominican Republic and breached her hull. NCL ended up evacuating/disembarking the ship. 100% of the passengers, those with passports and those with birth certificates flew back to the US. Did it require paperwork for those with BC, yes. Were there protracted delays, no. (They only delay was trying to cycle 250 seat charter planes to fly out 3000 passengers). But no one was stranded to die in the DR. 

We can "what if" this to death.  You are discussing a situation that happened on a mass scale and the State Department reacted aggressively and took care of things, waived things, and provided the proper authorization.  My examples, you call fake news, are things that can and have happened to INDIVIDUALS/FAMILIES.  Let's agree to discuss apples to apples and oranges to oranges.

 

For the other comments/posts.  I won't answer each individually, I'll just say:

 

I put my passport inside a Ziplock baggie, put it in my front pants pocket, usually with velcro closures.  No problem, fits fine without being put in a bag of some sort, I carry my wife's so she doesn't have to carry a purse while in Ports of Call!

 

As I've said before, I have fire extinguishers in my home, ODDS are I'll never need them and I've never used them.  I'm glad I have them though. However, I'm sure there are many folks that have them, had to use them, and glad they had/have them.  I've got property insurance and have had for many decades, never used it.  I could go on and on.  

 

No matter how much some in here want to pick this apart, I'm not sure if it is actually finding fault with the opinion (which is only an opinion, one that I will share over and over again) or  personality thing, I still stand by my opinion that having and carrying a Passport while traveling outside the U.S. is a good thing.  I don't think anyone can find any fault/harm that can come from carrying a passport while in ANY foreign country, required or not.  It can only result in not needing it, which is the usually the case, or needing it, which is a great thing if you have it.

 

And yes, some in here have said, without qualification, that a passport is not needed.  In here: I mean this board, not necessarily this thread.  If someone is interested in disputing this, go back in the threads and you can find them, I'm not going to do your homework for you.

 

Bottom line:  I don't think anyone can, with a straight face or personality conflict, argue/debate that having a passport while traveling in a foreign country, required or not, is much better than not having one, despite the ODDS of needing one!

 

 

 

[fsjosh]

12 hours ago, Ret MP said:

I don't think anyone can find any fault/harm that can come from carrying a passport while in ANY foreign country, required or not.  It can only result in not needing it, which is the usually the case, or needing it, which is a great thing if you have it.

 

Until you get robbed and they take everything you have including your passport. 

 

My passport can stay in the safe where the only people that can get it are my family and the cruise staff.  I'll take the risk that the cruise line will get it to the pier before the ship leaves. 

 

And before you complain about hypotheticals, you are more likely to get robbed than you are of the cruise line leaving you there with your passport locked in the safe. 

 

But you do you. If you feel better with it in your pocket, no one is going to stop you. 

 

 

[Ret MP]

Just now, fsjosh said:

Until you get robbed and they take everything you have including your passport. 

 

My passport can stay in the safe where the only people that can get it are my family and the cruise staff.  I'll take the risk that the cruise line will get it to the pier before the ship leaves. 

 

And before you complain about hypotheticals, you are more likely to get robbed than you are of the cruise line leaving you there with your passport locked in the safe. 

 

But you do you. If you feel better with it in your pocket, no one is going to stop you. 

 

 

That's right, you do you and I'll do me.

 

BTW, where do you get your statistics from?  I'd like to see them!

[fsjosh]

1 minute ago, Ret MP said:

That's right, you do you and I'll do me.

 

BTW, where do you get your statistics from?  I'd like to see them!

google.com

[Ret MP]

1 minute ago, fsjosh said:

google.com

LOL, I thought so!

[fsjosh]

5 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

LOL, I thought so!

You said you didn't think anyone could find any fault/harm in carrying your passport. I gave an example. Your statement was factually incorrect. If you don't think you can't get robbed while on vacation, you are just wrong. I'm not going to humor your desire to play semantics.

 

Good afternoon to you sir.....

[Ret MP]

4 minutes ago, fsjosh said:

You said you didn't think anyone could find any fault/harm in carrying your passport. I gave an example. Your statement was factually incorrect. If you don't think you can't get robbed while on vacation, you are just wrong. I'm not going to humor your desire to play semantics.

 

Good afternoon to you sir.....

You can get anything you take into a port of call and it can be stolen or robbed from you.  How about your Setsail Pass, that can be stolen, right?  Do you take any official state or federal government ID with you when you go into port(s) of call?  If your passport is stolen, the ship will make all the arrangements you need to get back into the U.S. while you are sitting around the pool drinking your Sherly Temple. No harm, no foul, which is the premise of my statement.  

 

I'm not playing "semantics" with you at all.  You mentioned some statistical information and I'd like to know where you got the information's from.  Still do!

 

And lastly, I never tried to tell you or anybody else that you must take a passport with you when in ports of call.  As I've said many times, it is my opinion.  It may not be yours. You don't have to embrace my opinion.  You are arguing/debating/complaining/whatever you want to call it, with an opinion.  We all have 'em, you know.  

 

It is my opinion that everyone should have a passport when traveling in a foreign country, required or not, and carry it while in ports of call!  

[crazyank]

2 hours ago, Ret MP said:

If your passport is stolen, the ship will make all the arrangements you need to get back into the U.S.

Absolutely NOT true.  The ship will turn you over to the nearest US state department official and that person will assist with getting you back to the US. A member of  our family had their passport stolen in Cozumel (we were with them on that cruise)  and that is exactly what the ship did. The procedure was ship gave them the contact details of the port agent, port agent contacted US consulate, at that point all cruise line involvement stopped.

Edited February 6, 2023 by crazyank