Do children need passports?

[BirdTravels]

23 hours ago, Barb Nahoumi said:

Absolutely, they should.  Even if they are going on a closed loop cruise, something unforeseen can occur when they may have to fly home from a foreign port. Passports would be required then.  

Actually, no. But it takes more effort. Do you remember last year when the Escape hit the reef at Puerto Plata? And they dumped all 4200 passengers on the dock? There were a large number without passports and they all flew home to the US. No issues. No problems. 

[ontheweb]

In the words of the great philosopher Dr. Seuss, " a person's a person no matter how small.".

[quercus alba]

On 10/28/2023 at 5:50 PM, mjkacmom said:

And if no passports, they will spend the rest of their lives outside if the US, very sad to have families divided like this.

10 years ago you could have tempted me with an offer to "lose" a couple of my children in a foreign country like that... 

[Tallulah20]

Also, keep in mind that the passport processing is currently taking a lot longer than usual. I had to renew daughter's this year. Sent off in early July, didn't receive new one until early October (11-12 weeks)

So if they are going to do it, sooner is better than later

[MamaToMany]

Honestly, it’s nice to just bite the bullet and do it. My kiddos all have has passports for years now, and we’ve found them to be hugely convenient. They are 19, 18, 15 and 11 now. My now 19yo was invited to Ireland last year and it was the trip of a lifetime for him. There would have been no way to get him one in time, so we were very glad he already had one. Sometimes interesting opportunity present themselves, and it’s nice to be prepared. The only regret is from my now 18yo son who has to live with his younger self in his passport photo for the next 10 years. 🤣  If you’ve got time, definitely get those passports.

[rodndonna]

Just ask yourself ...regardless of whatever answers you get here ... could you actually be confident with taking your children out of the country without a passport based on "but people on Cruise Critic said it was OK...."

[mjkacmom]

16 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

Just ask yourself ...regardless of whatever answers you get here ... could you actually be confident with taking your children out of the country without a passport based on "but people on Cruise Critic said it was OK...."

Yes, because it is. https://travel.usnews.com/features/do-you-need-a-passport-to-go-on-a-cruise

[RocketMan275]

People are confusing "Do you absolutely have to have a passport" with "It's a very good idea to  have a passport".

[MamaToMany]

4 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

People are confusing "Do you absolutely have to have a passport" with "It's a very good idea to  have a passport".

This. Very much this. It’s a very good idea. Better to have and not need, than to desperately need and not have. Every time.

[BirdTravels]

The question posed by the OP was "Do children need passports?" The answer is that children and adults do not need passports on the OP's cruise. And if it is a one-and-done vacation (or something not repeated in the next 5 years), then it is simply going through a lot of effort to throw away your money.