AlDubya Posted August 9, 2006 #1 Share Posted August 9, 2006 I was just told that, while the date for U.S. regulations on passports for the Caribbean won't take effect until January 2007, Royal Caribbean is now enforcing this on their own (i.e., you HAVE to have a passport). Has anyone recently cruised in the past few weeks and, if you have, were you forced to present a passport? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinfanatic Posted August 9, 2006 #2 Share Posted August 9, 2006 I was just told that, while the date for U.S. regulations on passports for the Caribbean won't take effect until January 2007, Royal Caribbean is now enforcing this on their own (i.e., you HAVE to have a passport). Has anyone recently cruised in the past few weeks and, if you have, were you forced to present a passport? Not true at all. If it was, there would be thousands turned away every week. Passports are not needed until the end of this yr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familycruzer Posted August 9, 2006 #3 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Royal Caribbean does not have that kind of power. You will not need one until the end of this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john & Gerrie nj Posted August 9, 2006 #4 Share Posted August 9, 2006 when will it all end? have a fun time. If you are an alien from a certain country you don't need a passport to come and go as you please, I'm mad it cost me a taxpaying natural born citizen $97 for a passport so I can cross the border and return. there I feel better my spleen is vented. have a great cruise. john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlDubya Posted August 9, 2006 Author #5 Share Posted August 9, 2006 My apologies... I had full faith that I would be OK with just a birth certificate (I have a passport, but I misplaced it in my house and cannot currently find it). However, my parents who are paying for the cruise (wedding present, it will be for our honeymoon), spoke with the travel agent and the travel agent told them that Royal Caribbean is enforcing this ahead of time. I tried doing an interent search and I couldn't find anything corroborating this and still believed I was right. I just figured the best source of information would be from people getting off the ship in the past few weeks. If it was just from my parents, I would have disregarded the information. Coming from a travel agent gives it a little more credibility... not a lot :p, but a little more. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calicruisefamily Posted August 9, 2006 #6 Share Posted August 9, 2006 We are going on our next cruise on December 16, Do you think we can get away 1 last time without a passport ? Thanks for any info:) Voyager Western Caribbean 12/16/06 "Our First AFT" Voyager Eastern Caribbean 11/26/05 S.S. Azure Seas Baja 11/90 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familycruzer Posted August 9, 2006 #7 Share Posted August 9, 2006 As long as you dont return after December 31 you are OK. The passports kick in on January 1st 2007. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
takeavacation Posted August 9, 2006 #8 Share Posted August 9, 2006 You only need a passport if your cruise returns to the US (or you return to the US from a foreign port) after 12/31/06. Even if you depart earlier than this date -- you will need a passport to get back into the US. If your cruise arrives back in port before 12/31/06 -- no passport is needed, but you will need your birth certificate (no photocopies). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemylab Posted August 9, 2006 #9 Share Posted August 9, 2006 when will it all end?have a fun time. If you are an alien from a certain country you don't need a passport to come and go as you please, I'm mad it cost me a taxpaying natural born citizen $97 for a passport so I can cross the border and return. there I feel better my spleen is vented. have a great cruise. john I would be curious to know what aliens won't be requiring passports to travel. I have family who are aliens in the US and they have always used passports. Considering you are visiting different countries I don't think it is unreasonable to have a passport. I am Canadian and when I went on a cruise last year I needed to have one - IMO anyone who travels should have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leoandhugh Posted August 9, 2006 #10 Share Posted August 9, 2006 to quote the op "coming from a travel agent should give it a little more credibility" ; emphasis should be on the word "little" for at least some of them. but in fairness, the same can be said of rcl's customer (non)service reps. as you see on these boards time after time, ask the question of 6 different CS reps, you will probably get 4 different answers.:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassandra Posted August 9, 2006 #11 Share Posted August 9, 2006 I can't understand why you guys want a headache & not buy your passports? You know the rules, you know they are going to change. Just get the passport & stop fussing. Why do you want to risk getting to the gate at the port, see your ship in your sights only to be turned away? Don't forget - none of these cruise lines are registered in the United States. They are owned outside the U.S. and therefore they have different guidelines. If they want to enforce passports early, they can. I would just get the passport - you are going to need it in the future anyway no matter what. Better safe than sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CasaSmith Posted August 9, 2006 #12 Share Posted August 9, 2006 We just got back on July 31 from Enchantment and they were accepting original birth certificates. The people in front of us in immigration had their original birth certificate and driver license with photo. They did not give them a hard time, just looked to make sure it was original and photo. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familycruzer Posted August 9, 2006 #13 Share Posted August 9, 2006 I can't understand why you guys want a headache & not buy your passports? You know the rules, you know they are going to change. Just get the passport & stop fussing. Why do you want to risk getting to the gate at the port, see your ship in your sights only to be turned away? Don't forget - none of these cruise lines are registered in the United States. They are owned outside the U.S. and therefore they have different guidelines. If they want to enforce passports early, they can. I would just get the passport - you are going to need it in the future anyway no matter what. Better safe than sorry. The OP does not have time to get a passport. They are taking up to 8 weeks to be processed. I myself have 4 of them to buy this year and am doing them one at a time. $97 x 4 is a big expense for my family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynnees Posted August 9, 2006 #14 Share Posted August 9, 2006 I've just booked 10 people on a cruise with RCL in September. They do not all have their passports but I was told that BC's and photo ID will suffice. That is what is on RCL's webpage as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zqvol Posted August 9, 2006 #15 Share Posted August 9, 2006 RCCL has the power, if they chose to exercise it to require any type of identification that they want for you to board their ships. If they want to require passports now there is nothing that prevents them from implementing that requirement, but there is no reliable information that has been made available that indicates that they are requiring passports. The best source for information is either RCCL customer service or their web site, and of course your TA is also a good information source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinfanatic Posted August 9, 2006 #16 Share Posted August 9, 2006 I can't understand why you guys want a headache & not buy your passports? It's not a headache. Why do you think it is. For all you know the OP may never go out of the country or cruise again. He doesnt need one this yr. Leave him alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEngineer Posted August 9, 2006 #17 Share Posted August 9, 2006 The cruise docs I recently received for my September cruise say these will be needed for any cruise coming back after the New Year, but any before that, a birth certificate and photo ID is acceptable. I agree, getting a passport is inevitable and should be done, but it isn't urgent...yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calicruisefamily Posted August 9, 2006 #18 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Familycruzer and Takeavacation, Thanks for the reply to my question ;) Since we come back in port on Dec 23 we are lucky. Cali :) Voyager Western Cariibbean 12/16/06 "Our First AFT" Voyager Eastern Caribbean 11/26/05 S.S. Azure Seas Baja 11/90 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andipanda1 Posted August 9, 2006 #19 Share Posted August 9, 2006 It's not a headache. Why do you think it is. For all you know the OP may never go out of the country or cruise again. He doesnt need one this yr. Leave him alone. In the post-9/11 world we live in, it's actually better to have one than to not have one. Think about it. I'm applying for mine next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabeamerican97 Posted August 9, 2006 #20 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Just read on the us gov site that they are delaying the passport rule untill jan 2008,also if you are a u.s resident,you will have to have fingerprints at the port you renter in. I know RCI does not have to follow this rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEngineer Posted August 9, 2006 #21 Share Posted August 9, 2006 You won't need a passport to cross the border into Canada or Mexico by land until January 2008, but last i heard you will need one if crossing by air or sea in January 2007. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familycruzer Posted August 9, 2006 #22 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Just read on the us gov site that they are delaying the passport rule untill jan 2008,also if you are a u.s resident,you will have to have fingerprints at the port you renter in.I know RCI does not have to follow this rule. By air and sea you will need a passport. http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html December 31, 2006 - Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
negc Posted August 9, 2006 #23 Share Posted August 9, 2006 Just read on the us gov site that they are delaying the passport rule untill jan 2008,also if you are a u.s resident,you will have to have fingerprints at the port you renter in.I know RCI does not have to follow this rule. Please read the entire section of the rules. The January, 2008 deadline refers to land border crossings not air or sea. That deadline remains January 1, 2007.:rolleyes: To post information contrary to this is misleading and wrong. A little knowledge is definitely a dangerous thing, especially when that knowledge is incomplete and leads to incorrect conclusions. As to what RCI or any other cruiseline has to follow. They have to follow the rules established by the US government if its passengers reenter the US. They will not make the rules more stringent than required by law because that would put them at a distinct disadvantage when competing with other cruiselines. Only when the new US passport regulations go into effect, will RCI and all other cruiselines require them, not before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIcruiser99 Posted August 10, 2006 #24 Share Posted August 10, 2006 I just received my travel documents for my September cruise. The booklet states that a passport is highly recommended but a birth certificate and picture id are acceptable. The booklet also states what has been previously mentioned - after Dec. 31, 2006, guests are required to have a passport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinfanatic Posted August 10, 2006 #25 Share Posted August 10, 2006 In the post-9/11 world we live in, it's actually better to have one than to not have one. Think about it. I'm applying for mine next week. what for if you don't leave the country? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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