Would you apply for a passport?

[aruss]

Ok, I have read all the passports threads (or at least scanned them), but I'm still pondering what to do. We will be on a southern caribbean route this December with 2 children and a set of grandparents (6 of us total). None of us have passports. Since I'm paying for everyone's expenses I'm wondering if it's worth it to pay for passports since we will be traveling in '07.

 

At this point we have no plans to travel outside the U.S. other than this cruise.

 

What would you do? Thanks!

[Trainman-2]

Apply for the passports!

 

You will have them on hand.

 

Who knows, you could win the big lotto or a world cruise and then you would be sorry you have no passports.

[Capt Mano]

They are good for 10 years now. We are on our fourth Passport. NNo reason not to have one, other than the cost.

 

The Capt

[Nitra]

Where they ever not good for 10 yrs?

 

I had mine a good 7 yrs before I left the country for the first time and needed to use it. I personally think everyone should have one, you just never know! You might not plan on needing one but things change, so just get it behind you and then that will be one less thing you have to do if you decide to travel!

 

If someone in the group is a senior citizen and pretty sure they are never going to use it, then I might slide on that one, but for the kids, definately! You cant say what your kids might do in a few years and then they would already have one.

[dizzlepop]

I third the suggestion: get passports!

 

It's not *that* expensive when you're not paying for expedited service. And if cruising is as addictive as it appears to be based on this board, you might want to take another one after 2007! Then you'll have them!

 

:)

[Tanker4]

They are good for 10 years now. We are on our fourth Passport. NNo reason not to have one, other than the cost.

 

The Capt

Agree with Capt Mano,

 

We're also on our 4th passport (just renewed). You may think that you won't ever be travelling outside the US again but I'd never say never! And after Jan 08 or whenever the Govt. finally decides to set a deadline, you will have to have one to cross our borders. If you don't want the expense now, go ahead and enjoy your Dec. cruise without them but after the rush settles down in 08, I'd "get er done"

 

Tanker 4

[Desert Cruizers]

I highly recommend the passports. Hopefully with 5 months to go you will be able to get them in time, depending on how back logged they are.

Needed to apply

1. Certified Birth Cert

2. Photo any digital photo place for passports

check your library to see if they will do them or Post office. Our library did ours. Allow min 10 weeks. May have to pay extra for faster service.

[dizzlepop]

Also... for children age 15 and younger, passports cost less and are good for FIVE years.

 

Age 16 and over are good for TEN years.

 

Time limits have likely changed over the years; this is how it stands as of now.

[bermudashorts]

Yes, id get them.

I know it is money you could spend elsewhere right now.

But what if something happens and you have to fly back home or to another island if you are bumped?

You will need to have passports then.

Ive had mine for 4 years

[aruss]

Thanks.

 

I guess I'll go ahead and get the passports. I didn't realize that children's cost less so that will help.

 

I still don't know what to do with my parent's. They are older and have never been outside the U.S. and hate to fly. But they may end up loving cruising and get addicted like happens to most of us! I guess I'll leave that up to them-although I wanted this to be a "free" vacation for them.

[Havana Daydreamin]

I too would recommend that you apply for your passports now.

 

The initial investment is costly for your number, but will be well worth having.

 

Who knows what changes of regs might yet come. Better to start now.

[Retired LEO]

Keep in mind that the wait right now for getting Passports is nearly 4 months. So apply NOW.

[bethco]

Bite the bullet. Get those passports.

[negc]

I know that I find it easier to use my passport as my official form of identification when I travel and, normally, I would recommend getting passports, but the way the government is continually changing its deadlines when they will be required for all forms of travel, I can understand some people's frustration and their reluctance to commit the money for an item that they might not need now or for the foreseeable future. (The latest reports are that Congress is considering measures to extend the deadline requiring passports for cruisers yet again). At the rate they are caving in to special interest groups, someone who got their passports when the changes were first announced, may have had them for almost half of their term of validity, without ever having needed to use them.:mad:

If you are cruising in the islands in 2007, you and your family will not need them. There is currently a long processing time involved but since time is not really a factor for you, and you have sufficient funds to get them, you should consider getting them. Just don't be surprised if you read about further changes to the deadline for passports.

[aruss]

All right, all right you all convinced me. We'll go apply on Monday and maybe we'll have them in time for our Dec. trip. I can think of a lot of ways I'd rather spend that approx. $600 than passports, but I'm sure we'll rest easier knowing that we have them.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

[Hypo]

Just a note, you will have to send the birth certificates in with the passport application (you will get it back, when they send you the passport). Just to be safe, I would also be sure to have an additional certified copy of everyone's birth certificate on hand, in case of problems in getting your originals back from the government.

 

Hypo

[aruss]

Just a note, you will have to send the birth certificates in with the passport application (you will get it back, when they send you the passport). Just to be safe, I would also be sure to have an additional certified copy of everyone's birth certificate on hand, in case of problems in getting your originals back from the government.

 

Hypo

 

Ooh, good to know. Now I have to go get and pay for additional birth certificates from 3 different states. Grrr. Once again, I'm left wondering... is it worth the hassle for this trip?

[Happy ks]

Ooh, good to know. Now I have to go get and pay for additional birth certificates from 3 different states. Grrr. Once again, I'm left wondering... is it worth the hassle for this trip?

 

 

Birth certificates are not difficult to obtain, just go to the county where each person was born, not the state. The state will take longer, because they have to contact the county where you were born. Also, don't use a service, such as Vitalchek, if you have the time to do it yourself. For the state of CA, Vitalchek would have cost us about $40 more to obtain birth certificates.

 

Most counties have web sites where you can link to the vital statistics area.

[deb154]

Ooh, good to know. Now I have to go get and pay for additional birth certificates from 3 different states. Grrr. Once again, I'm left wondering... is it worth the hassle for this trip?

 

IMHO, I would use the money for some great shore excursions - $600.00 is a lot of money. My family and I all have passports, but we just traveled with someone who did not, and there was never any hassle with the birth certificate and driver's license. It didn't take any longer to get through customs either, so it looks like I'm in the minority here but I'd wait until after the trip if you are so inclined to get passports.

[katiel53]

All right, all right you all convinced me. We'll go apply on Monday and maybe we'll have them in time for our Dec. trip. I can think of a lot of ways I'd rather spend that approx. $600 than passports, but I'm sure we'll rest easier knowing that we have them.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

 

I think you are right about getting the passports. As far as your parents are concerned, if they can afford them, perhaps they can pay for them themselves. Or, y ou could just get them for your family and if your parents decide they enjoy cruising, or traveling outside the USA, they can get them later.

 

I know in the long run you will be happy that you have them. We have had ours for many years and although we got them to go to the UK, we never thought we would need them again. Then, a trip to Europe came up and then another trip to Ireland, then-----etc. So, we have had them renewed and who knows what will come up that we will need them?

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[gaileeh]

If you don't need them for this trip, wait until you will need them. I agree the $600.00 could buy a couple nice Shore Ex's. Then when you will need them they will be good for ten year from that date. Hopefully, by then the wait shouldn't be as long.

[nellydean]

Here's an interesting piece of research:

Everyone in the UK will enjoy two foreign holidays a year by 2010, as the number of British holidaymakers travelling abroad is set to double in less than 10 years, according to a report published by online travel service Expedia. It says that by the beginning of the next decade we will take 117 million holidays per year, compared to 59 million in 2001, the first time the entire population averaged one foreign holiday. In comparison, just 22% of Americans own a passport.

----

 

At the last count, around 44 million Brits held a passport, compared to 38 million who owned a car licence which, out of a population of 60-plus million is amazing. We Brits just love to travel, near and far.

 

The USA is fab, and we enjoy holidaying there regularly, but you are missing out so much if you don't venture outside the States.

 

My last passport cost me £65 - it's the best £65 I've spent in a long time, because it gives me freedom to roam the world at leisure.

 

Get your passport and get over here! :)