documents

[snowsnake]

can someone board a carnival ship with the new enhanced driver license as the only required document, or will they still need a birth certificate

 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, snowsnake said:

can someone board a carnival ship with the new enhanced driver license as the only required document, or will they still need a birth certificate

 

Do you actually have an enhanced driver's license,  which is only issued by a few states that border Canada, or is what you have a REALID license? People often confuse the two. You will still need your birth certificate with a REALID license. (I'm assuming you're on a closed loop cruise, where using a driver's license and birth certificate in lieu of a passport is permissible. )

 

[chengkp75]

Yep, as the OP is from South Carolina, they don't have an enhanced license (which has a US flag somewhere on it), but a real id license (that has a star).  Only Vermont, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington issue enhanced drivers license.

[snowsnake]

thanks for the replies, they do have a REALID (the one with the star). I've always used a passport, but this is for my grandson and his new bride. You would think that the license would work by itself since you have to show a certified birth certificate as well as your government issued ID in order to get a gold star. But it is still a government requirement and lots of red tape.

[Jersey42]

31 minutes ago, snowsnake said:

thanks for the replies, they do have a REALID (the one with the star). I've always used a passport, but this is for my grandson and his new bride. You would think that the license would work by itself since you have to show a certified birth certificate as well as your government issued ID in order to get a gold star. But it is still a government requirement and lots of red tape.

Not quite to the bolded text. An enhanced driver license provides proof of US citizenship. A REAL ID does not. It is available to both citizens and non-citizens.  A birth certificate is just one of several options a US citizen can use for primary identification when applying for a REAL ID.  Non-citizens have different options.  That's why your grandson still needs to bring proof of citizenship for a closed loop cruise. If it is not a closed loop cruise, he will need a passport.

Edited May 6, 2023 by Jersey42

[firstjourney]

I have an enhanced license (Minnesota). On closed loop Alaskan cruise last August, Carnival wanted birth certificate as well (luckily I had it with) . Again on Carnival this January, closed loop Caribbean (Grand Cayman & Jamaica) only looked at license, didn't ask for birth certificate. Guess it depends who's checking you in on embarkment day!

Edited May 7, 2023 by firstjourney
Punctuation

[teknoge3k]

A RealID (with the star) is nothing special. You still need your birth certificate to accompany it. An EnhancedID (with the flag) you can cruise without a birth certificate, using only the EDL. So many people get confused between the RealID and EDL. They think their RealID is an EDL.

[Drazil65]

From CCL FAQs...

 

State Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)

The State Enhanced Driver's License cannot be used to travel by air outside the United States.

Several states are working with the Department of Homeland Security to develop an EDL for U.S. citizens residing in their states. This document will denote both citizenship and identity and will facilitate the entry process at land and sea ports of entry. The words ‘Enhanced Driver's License’ as well as the American flag will appear on the license. The following states issue this type of WHTI-compliant document: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont and Washington.  

 

A Driver's license with a gold circle with star cutout in the right upper corner is a Real ID driver's license; it is not an Enhanced Driver's license and cannot be used as proof of citizenship but can be used as picture identification.

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Drazil65

[wemjam]

Just a comment.  If they are not traveling with a passport to begin with.  It might be beneficial to have a certified copy of their birth certificate with them just in case of an emergency in a foreign port.  At lease they would have their photo ID and another official document with them to help.

[wemjam]

1 hour ago, TreyB said:

Passports are easy to get and relatively inexpensive considering they are good for ten years. I’ve seen so many threads on here with people worrying themselves silly regarding boarding documents. It baffles me when considering how much planning that goes into cruising that people do not make their lives easier by simply getting a passport. 🤷‍♂️

Sometimes it is an added expense they can't/don't want to occur.   Say,  you only plan on one cruise and don't leave the country otherwise, then a couple extra hundred bucks can be expensive for a one time use. Other times they haven't given themselves enough time and can't get one fast enough.  While it is kind of an easy process, with delays of 3 months or more in receiving it you certainly have to plan WAY in advance.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

3 hours ago, TreyB said:

Passports are easy to get and relatively inexpensive considering they are good for ten years. I’ve seen so many threads on here with people worrying themselves silly regarding boarding documents. It baffles me when considering how much planning that goes into cruising that people do not make their lives easier by simply getting a passport. 🤷‍♂️

 

1 hour ago, wemjam said:

Sometimes it is an added expense they can't/don't want to occur.   Say,  you only plan on one cruise and don't leave the country otherwise, then a couple extra hundred bucks can be expensive for a one time use. Other times they haven't given themselves enough time and can't get one fast enough.  While it is kind of an easy process, with delays of 3 months or more in receiving it you certainly have to plan WAY in advance.

To add on, if you do travel a lot, you need to figure in the long processing delays of renewals, with the result being you do have to plan on using a  BC for one cruise because you don't have a long enough gap between trips for the renewal. 

[wemjam]

2 minutes ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

 

To add on, if you do travel a lot, you need to figure in the long processing delays of renewals, with the result being you do have to plan on using a  BC for one cruise because you don't have a long enough gap between trips for the renewal. 

Yep, good point.  We ran into that too.  We used our passport in November '22 and it expired like 1 or 2 weeks after the end of our cruise, then had another cruise in January.  Did it as soon as we got home and luckily had it about 2 weeks before our cruise.

 

Didn't do it sooner because of cruise in October. 🙃

[sparks1093]

3 hours ago, TreyB said:

Passports are easy to get and relatively inexpensive considering they are good for ten years. I’ve seen so many threads on here with people worrying themselves silly regarding boarding documents. It baffles me when considering how much planning that goes into cruising that people do not make their lives easier by simply getting a passport. 🤷‍♂️

For one or two people, sure. For my family it would have cost us around $850 for passports for everyone and some of those would have only been valid for 5 years because of the kids' age at the time. For a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas. For our first cruise we didn't even know if cruising was going to be in our future so we decided to wait on passports until we actually needed them for the travel we were doing. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

On 5/6/2023 at 7:46 AM, snowsnake said:

but this is for my grandson and his new bride.

 

The young woman should book the cruise under the name on her photo ID.  The birth certificate will be fine, but the photo ID should match the booking name.

Edited May 19, 2023 by Ferry_Watcher

[jsglow]

On 5/8/2023 at 1:18 PM, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

 

To add on, if you do travel a lot, you need to figure in the long processing delays of renewals, with the result being you do have to plan on using a  BC for one cruise because you don't have a long enough gap between trips for the renewal. 

Yep, we're in that EXACT spot. And we have the added complexity that my DW's 'birth certificate' is actually a CRBA where we've learned that an original (not photocopy) is needed. Just this week she began the process of obtaining a new original.  All this for an anticipated 'gap cruise' next March. (Thanks @Ferry_Watcher 🙂) 

[Susan in Maine]

On 5/8/2023 at 11:06 AM, TreyB said:

Passports are easy to get and relatively inexpensive considering they are good for ten years. I’ve seen so many threads on here with people worrying themselves silly regarding boarding documents. It baffles me when considering how much planning that goes into cruising that people do not make their lives easier by simply getting a passport. 🤷‍♂️

I agree! People turn themselves inside out trying to get out of getting a passport!

 

In November my daughter and I are taking her grandmother (age 88) on a closed loop cruise. I'm paying for her to get a passport. Will she ever travel again? Not likely. But the $185 (passport, processing fee, photo) I paid is cheap insurance against something happening to any of the three of us.

 

Travel is just so much easier with a passport.

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, Susan in Maine said:

I agree! People turn themselves inside out trying to get out of getting a passport!

 

In November my daughter and I are taking her grandmother (age 88) on a closed loop cruise. I'm paying for her to get a passport. Will she ever travel again? Not likely. But the $185 (passport, processing fee, photo) I paid is cheap insurance against something happening to any of the three of us.

 

Travel is just so much easier with a passport.

Everyone's travel needs are different and while I would also get a passport for an 88 year old sailing with me I wasn't about to get them for a family of 7 for a 4 day cruise. Fortunately people have choices.