Is a passport required for Alaska with a stop in Canada?

[goldengatecruisers]

Is a passport required for an Alaska cruise with a stop in Canada?  I am asking for a friend.  No, seriously, I am asking for a friend 🙂

 

I thought you would need one but my friend has been told that it is not a requirement.  I thought I would put the question to the Cruise Critic community.  I have tried doing online searches and it appears you do need one.  However, my friend has been told from several sources that he does not and I am just trying to help until such times as he can reach his TA.  The cruise is a Seattle roundtrip Alaska itinerary.

 

Thank you.

Edited April 10, 2023 by goldengatecruisers

[Charles4515]

It is a closed loop cruise so he can cruise with an official birth certificate and government issued photo ID. 

[nunyabidness]

3 minutes ago, goldengatecruisers said:

Is a passport required for an Alaska cruise with a stop in Canada?  I am asking for a friend.  No, seriously, I am asking for a friend 🙂

 

I thought you would need one but my friend has been told that it is not a requirement.  I thought I would put the question to the Cruise Critic community.  I have tried doing online searches and it appears you do need one.  However, my friend has been told from several sources that he does not and I am just trying to help until such times as he can reach his TA.  The cruise is a Seattle roundtrip Alaska itinerary.

 

Thank you.

If he is a US citizen he can travel on this itinerary with an original or certified birth certificate and government issued photo ID.  There are further restrictions if crossing into Canada from a US port (e.g. Skagway excursions that cross over into Yukon Territory) or if he is the only adult traveling with a minor on Princess.

[goldengatecruisers]

Thank you Charles 4515.  Interesting, so that ties in with what he was told.  I had never heard of that before but I understand exactly what you mean about being a closed loop itinerary.  He will follow up with this TA but thank you for weighing in.   I learn something new each day.

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, goldengatecruisers said:

Thank you Charles 4515.  Interesting, so that ties in with what he was told.  I had never heard of that before but I understand exactly what you mean about being a closed loop itinerary.  He will follow up with this TA but thank you for weighing in.   I learn something new each day.

I'd pay attention to Post #3 and also consider if the unforeseen happens and have to be off-boarded at Canadian port, how will they get home without going through hoops?  IMO, never travel outside of one's own country without a passport.  Not worth the risk for not a whole lot of dollars when averaged over lifespan of the document and especially if any actual international travel is planned.

[VibeGuy]

In a first for Cruise Critic and the Princess forum in particular, the first two answers are correct and call out the one odd exception - Skagway tours that go into BC or Yukon.  Note that *independent* travel from Skagway into Canada does not require a passport - it’s just an agreement with the tour operators / rail line to speed border processing with the limited available resources. 
 

One minor note:  the answers provided apply to US nationals with original or certified copy raised-seal government-issued birth certificates. Those issued by the hospital or from outside the US don’t count. 
 

There will inevitably be a barrage of people saying you *should* have one for a wide range of hypothetical situations that essentially never apply to Seattle closed loop sailings.  If something happens and you get offloaded in Victoria, you can literally walk or roll onto a ferry and be in Seattle in a couple of hours with no passport required.  
 

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by VibeGuy

[Charles4515]

7 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I'd pay attention to Post #3 and also consider if the unforeseen happens and have to be off-boarded at Canadian port, how will they get home without going through hoops?  IMO, never travel outside of one's own country without a passport.  Not worth the risk for not a whole lot of dollars when averaged over lifespan of the document and especially if any actual international travel is planned.

What are the odds though of having to be off boarded at the single Canadian port on a round trip Seattle itinerary? A port that is 75 miles from Seattle? 

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

What are the odds though of having to be off boarded at the single Canadian port on a round trip Seattle itinerary? A port that is 75 miles from Seattle? 

True enough.  However, take a typical Caribbean voyage out of FL and the opportunities do rise.

[neverbeenhere]

Probably 2+ million to one… probably one cruise passenger every couple years. 
 

However, if you’ve ever known a US citizen  caught at the border  without a passport trying to return to home…

Edited April 10, 2023 by neverbeenhere

[Steelers36]

24 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Probably 2+ million to one… probably one cruise passenger every couple years. 
 

However, if you’ve ever known a US citizen  caught at the border  without a passport trying to return to home…

I guess they'd have to fly to Mexico and cross with the migrants??  😉

 

[SiliconCruiser]

1 hour ago, goldengatecruisers said:

Is a passport required for an Alaska cruise with a stop in Canada?  I am asking for a friend.  No, seriously, I am asking for a friend 🙂

 

I thought you would need one but my friend has been told that it is not a requirement.  I thought I would put the question to the Cruise Critic community.  I have tried doing online searches and it appears you do need one.  However, my friend has been told from several sources that he does not and I am just trying to help until such times as he can reach his TA.  The cruise is a Seattle roundtrip Alaska itinerary.

 

Thank you.

A natural born U.S. citizen can travel on a closed loop cruise with a photo ID and an certified copy of their birth certificate, though it could become an issue if they had to stay at a PVSA port due to an illness or other emergency.  Those credentials cannot be used to return to the U.S. by a conveyance other than a cruise ship.  Also, please note (again) that this is only applicable to natural born U.S. citizens and is not applicable to naturalized citizens that immigrated from another country.

[Torfamm]

Travel document requirements are here. https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/pre-cruise/prepare-for-your-cruise/ 

[brisalta]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

What are the odds though of having to be off boarded at the single Canadian port on a round trip Seattle itinerary? A port that is 75 miles from Seattle? 

 

Prince Rupert, BC is far further than 75 miles from Seattle and that is the port in Canada that many Princess cruises are stopping at.

[Kay S]

4 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I guess they'd have to fly to Mexico and cross with the migrants??  😉

 

There are a few sneaky border crossings from Canada into the US.  I have a few relatives who have been known to use those routes.  🙂

[Labanos]

I think the golden rule is: always take your passport with you! What if something happens, you miss the ship, get an accident or whatever.

 

I understand the concept of a closed loop itinerary and you don't take your passport with you when traveling between states for example. With a stop in Canada i definitely would take my passport with me and even when going on a cruise straight to Alaska.

 

As an European i always wonder about these questions, is it not standard or normal that every American has a passport?

[Moondogy]

6 minutes ago, Labanos said:

As an European i always wonder about these questions, is it not standard or normal that every American has a passport?

DW and I didn't have a passport for the longest time. We mainly just do caribbean cruises and didn't really need one for them. It wasn't until we got older and started with the old age health issues. Then we figured it might come in handy if we had to fly out of one of the islands for medical reasons or heaven forbid miss the ship. 🤣

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, Labanos said:

 

As an European i always wonder about these questions, is it not standard or normal that every American has a passport?

You don’t understand because you are European and I would not expect you to understand. Same as we don’t understand many things about Europeans. It is not standard or normal for every American to have a passport. Only one third of American adults have a passport. 

[Labanos]

2 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

You don’t understand because you are European and I would not expect you to understand. Same as we don’t understand many things about Europeans. It is not standard or normal for every American to have a passport. Only one third of American adults have a passport. 

 

It was a genuine question, so thanks for your answer. Learned something new today. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

We simply do not sail (or travel)  *anywhere* on any itinerary without passports...  Just bite the bullet and get a passport if you plan on doing any traveling in the future.  You never know what opportunity might present itself and you don't want to be caught short for the avoidable reason of "no passport".

[Essiesmom]

I went on a short cruise in early March and was prepared to do it with BC and ID for the first time since I got my first passport in 1970.  I had renewed my passport online, but it hadn’t arrived.  Well, it came in the mail the afternoon I was leaving for the departure city.  What a relief.  On leaving the ship after the cruise, at the bottom of the gangway an agent was saying ‘BCs to the right, passports to the left’. She saw my passport in hand and told me to put it away, I wouldn’t need it.  I was the on,y one in that huge room.  Walked up to the agents, stood on the red footprints, the machine read my face, and off I went.  Facial recognition with passport.  Priceless.  EM

[goldengatecruisers]

Thank you all for your answers and for teaching me about closed loop cruises.  I've told my friend to just get a passport, expedite it and then there is no grey area!  Happy cruising to you all.

[Charles4515]

13 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

We simply do not sail (or travel)  *anywhere* on any itinerary without passports...  Just bite the bullet and get a passport if you plan on doing any traveling in the future.  You never know what opportunity might present itself and you don't want to be caught short for the avoidable reason of "no passport".

I have a passport but I am traveling to Santa Fe which is 600 miles by car next month and my passport will stay home. In September I will be flying to Baltimore 1200 miles away and I won't bring my passport. I don't travel with anything I don't need. I can fly to Alaska without a passport and I am looking at a trip to Anchorage or Fairbanks and then up to Denali. I definetly won't take my passport. Of course I take it on every cruise. It is a much better document than a birth certificate if you have to go through customs or immigration. That however was not the question asked in this topic. 

[hubble]

I was just looking into this same issue myself, as a family member wants to go to Alaska (from Seattle) in a couple weeks and her passport expired.  The wait to have a new passport issued is months right now.  Even expedited it a few weeks.  I agree, it's always best to bring a passport.  But when you cannot get one issued fast enough it is nice to know it is actually an option to go without on a closed loop cruise.

 

Prince Rupert is a town of 12k people with a ferry to Ketchikan.  I doubt anyone could ever find a single case where someone was off loaded there.  Certainly something I wouldn't worry about.

[VibeGuy]

On 4/9/2023 at 7:50 PM, neverbeenhere said:

Probably 2+ million to one… probably one cruise passenger every couple years. 
 

However, if you’ve ever known a US citizen  caught at the border  without a passport trying to return to home…

Oh.  I have.  At Peace Arch.  
 

I had a photo in my phone of my front page.   Cleared in 30 seconds.  My companion was travelling on an expired passport.  Same. 
 

 

[VibeGuy]

On 4/9/2023 at 9:25 PM, brisalta said:

 

Prince Rupert, BC is far further than 75 miles from Seattle and that is the port in Canada that many Princess cruises are stopping at.

Not a single Seattle-based sailing stops in Prince Rupert.  The OP was specific in his ask.