need help please!!!!

[poisonivynicole]

:confused: Hello!!!! My husband I will be leaving this saturday for our first ever cruise!!!!! Needless to say we are super excited. But after viewing some posts on here about "proper identification" I have become extremely nervous! We do not have passports.... I know bad idea! So we are bringing our birth certificates! Mine is fine!!! But my husbands is laminated.... why? i do not know! but its a state issued and you can see and feel the raised seal and and there is a certified stamp on it! And I have called the cruise line multiple times to check on this issue and they assure me it will be fine... But after hearing some of the horror stories about people getting turned away I am freaking out. Should I be worried?

[Vicariously Cruising]

Be sure and have that with your Driver's Licenses. You'll have no trouble at the terminal.

 

Now, here's where you will need to WATCH OUT. If you are going ashore in a foreign country, (Mexico, Grand Cayman, etc.) they "could" ask for your passport. This hardly ever happens unless there is a problem, but ......

 

if you should miss the ship - not get back in time from an excursion - you will be SOL without a passport.

 

That's why having one is better than not.

 

Hope This Helps.

[cruzobsessed]

1st of all ..... welcome to cruise critic. now take a breath and relax. i am not an expert but if the cruise line told you that there wasn't a problem.....i wouldn't worry.

bring photo i.d. as well and make sure you get to the port as early as possible. normally if you have a passport you can check in online. i'm sure there will be other people who have come up with this problem and they'll give you informed info.

now more importantly........which cruise are you doing? do you have any other cruise questions?:)

[Sue L]

Be sure and have that with your Driver's Licenses. You'll have no trouble at the terminal.

 

Now, here's where you will need to WATCH OUT. If you are going ashore in a foreign country, (Mexico, Grand Cayman, etc.) they "could" ask for your passport. This hardly ever happens unless there is a problem, but ......

if you should miss the ship - not get back in time from an excursion - you will be SOL without a passport.

 

That's why having one is better than not.

 

Hope This Helps.

 

 

Once you are checked in at the port you are fine. All you need to get off at the ports is your Seapass card and driver's license. Do NOT let the above comment worry you because it is totally incorrect as far as asking for a passport. I have one but we keep it locked up tightly in our safe on the ship. If you missed the ship it would be more complicated but there are systems in place if this happened.

[poisonivynicole]

1st of all ..... welcome to cruise critic. now take a breath and relax. i am not an expert but if the cruise line told you that there wasn't a problem.....i wouldn't worry.

bring photo i.d. as well and make sure you get to the port as early as possible. normally if you have a passport you can check in online. i'm sure there will be other people who have come up with this problem and they'll give you informed info.

now more importantly........which cruise are you doing? do you have any other cruise questions?:)

I am going on the majesty of the seas.... and of course i have a ton of questions....lol..... but thanks to this website i have gotten alot of answers. i see that you also went on this ship. so how late to the pools stay open!!!!! any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[ReadyToCruiseAgain]

Talk to a few people that have gone on private excursions and missed the boat and you'll find there are systems all right but it can be tough. Stick with ship excursions if you do any

[uksimonusa]

I was on the Adventure last week out of San Juan, in the check in line there were a lot of people with laminated birth certificates, they had no problems.

[cb at sea]

You will be fine. It is the United States that is causing this passport problem--not any of the Caribbean countries. They couldn't care less if you have a passport or not! That said, even the U.S. doesn't require it for sea travel yet! You will be fine--have a good time!

[poisonivynicole]

thanks..... anyone have any suggestions for a first time cruiser?

[clbnlv]

Just be prepared because you will become a cruise addict just like the rest of us!!! :D Have a wonderful cruise!

[QTMichele]

I'm so excited for you!!! My DH & I recently took our first cruise - and look at me, I'm still a CC addict! We loved our cruise and hope you love yours as well. :) The most important thing I learned from these boards and from my experience on board the ship is that there's no need to do all the pre-cruise worrying! Everything I worried about (from fashion to stateroom placement - although I LOVED the location of our cabin! - to dining times, etc.) was NO BIG DEAL once we started our vacation. I overthought EVERYTHING when during the planning stages. Next cruise I know I'll be prepared, but I'll mostly look forward to going on VACATION.

 

Relax and ENJOY your first cruise!!!!!!! (And don't forget to give us a review!)

[cruzobsessed]

poisonivy.......my 1st cruise was on the majesty. let me tell you why this is great........the majesty is one of the oldest and definitely smaller ships in the fleet. YOU WILL STILL BE WOWED.

you're going to realize after the 2nd day that this cruise was waaaaaaaaay too short. try to book your next cruise while onboard.....there are many benefits to doing this.

some advice:

1. everynight your cabin steward will put your CRUISE COMPASS (daily schedule)on your bed. review it and highlight the things that appeal to you.

2. try to go to the shows.

3. bring a YANKEE CANDLE car freshner for the bathroom. get something tropical...believe me you will appreciate it:D

if you have any other questions ask away

[cruizie]

Poisonivy - You will have a great time! I would not worry about the BC, all will be well. We don't have passports either & have never had anyone on shore request ours. We rarely do cruise ship sponsored excursions & have never had an issue w/ missing the boat (even though we have cut it close a couple of times due to having too much fun at some bar!!)

 

We are going on the Majesty in a few weeks - come back after w/ a review & let me know what you thought! Like someone said - try to catch a show - they are usually really great. My biggest advice would be just have fun & don't worry about some of the "issues" you have heard about on CC or elsewhere.

 

I grew up in Springfield so it was fun to see that is where you are from! Have a great time!

 

Leslie

[lurkernomore]

Poisonivy - the best advice from these boards I remember from my first cruise was "bring less clothes and more money" - didn't follow the less clothes advice, but will try again in December to pack lighter and bring LOTS of small bills (and some big ones)...

[karena1]

thanks..... anyone have any suggestions for a first time cruiser?

 

Only one suggestion - HAVE FUN!!! Don't let the small stuff bother you i.e. so called "chair Hogs", lines in Windjammer, smokers, and all the othe stuff people find to complain about on these boards. Just have fun, enjoy your vacation, and that is all that matters.

[karena1]

Poisonivy - the best advice from these boards I remember from my first cruise was "bring less clothes and more money" - didn't follow the less clothes advice, but will try again in December to pack lighter and bring LOTS of small bills (and some big ones)...

 

I am with you - in all the cruises we take, I have never packed any lighter than the first cruise. I take at least 8 pair of shoes (just for me) for starters, then with everything else, just don't manage to pack any less.

 

We do now bring LOTS of small bills and some big ones. I don't want to have to run down to Guest Services every time I need small bills, so I just get them before we leave home and leave them in the safe and only take what I need each day on the islands. System works for us.

[Don Pedro]

thanks..... anyone have any suggestions for a first time cruiser?

 

Sure, here are our our top 50 cruise tips. Most of these aren't hard fast rules but rather food for thought. Ideas you might consider. Just pick out the suggestions that apply to you.

Cruise Tip #1. Be sure you have the required proof of citizenship documents and you know where they are. It is surprising how many people don’t round up their documents until shortly before their trip and then panic when they can’t find Junior’s passport. For the latest information on the travel documents you must have see www.travel.state.gov.

Cruise Tip #2. You should make two photocopies of the identification page of your passport. This information is important if your passport is lost or stolen. Leave one copy at home with family or friends and carry the other one with you. We had ours photo-reduced to wallet-size and laminated. Be sure to fill in the emergency data page of your passport in pencil. Also, leave a copy of your trip itinerary and an emergency phone number with someone at home.

 

Cruise Tip #3. Create a pre-trip check list to make sure you have not forgotten anything that is important. Some checklist items would be your airline tickets, hotel reservations, passports, setsail pass, shore excursion confirmations, medications, swimsuits, toiletries and etc.

 

Cruise Tip #4. Be aware of the current security restrictions being enforced by TSA if you are flying to the port city. There are some relatively new rules concerning transporting gels and liquids in your carry-on luggage. These rules impose a size limit on most items and affect the way the items must be placed in your luggage. Included in this category are tooth paste, perfume, shaving lotion and several items of women’s makeup. Please visit www.tsa.gov is for the latest information. It is a good idea to carry an empty quart-sized zip lock bag in case you accidently placed a liquid or gel in your carry on.

Cruise Tip #5. Medicare and several other insurance providers do not cover cost incurred aboard a ship or in a foreign country. Private contractors are use to dispense the medical care in the ship’s infirmary and are quite expensive. A reasonably priced combination medical /trip insurance policy is available from most cruise lines. Or you can visit www.insuremytrip.com for some other options. We should note that most of their policies are very age sensitive. The older you are the more it costs, so for seniors the best option is usually buying the insurance through the cruise line.

Cruise Tip #6. If you only need to insure your airfare, it is possible to do so through Access-America. The cost is only 4.5% of the ticket cost, so it would only cost $36 to insure $800 worth of airline tickets. We suggest calling 1-800 628 5404 for more information as it is difficult to locate the airfare only policy on their website.

Cruise Tip #7. In recent years it has become common practice for the airlines to change flight times, equipment and seating assignments. Typically they will not notify you of the change until 30 to 60 days before your flight. There have been many instances where the change didn’t allow enough time for you to get from the ship to the airport. We suggest frequently checking your airline reservation so that you can catch any changes early enough to still get a decent alternate flight.

Cruise Tip #8. Schedule your flight arrangements to allow ample time for you to get aboard the ship. There is always the potential for delays due to bad weather or equipment breakdowns and in this age of heightened security a suspicious package or suitcase can shut down an entire airport for several hours. When possible it is wise to arrive in the port city the day prior to your sailing.

Cruise Tip #9. Airlines commonly over-book their flights. Having a ticket with a seat assignment is no guarantee you will get on the aircraft. The key is having a boarding pass. So, you may want to print your boarding pass on-line or get to the airport early if you suspect the flight might be oversold.

If you are bumped from a flight, the airlines are obligated to get you to your destination in 24 hours. That doesn’t do you much good if you are sailing on the day of your flight.

Cruise Tip #10. Arrive at the airport early enough to allow ample time to go through TSA’s screening. It is usually a smooth process, but you never know when you will be randomly selected for special treatment. Wearing dark colored socks is a good idea as you’ll probably need to remove your shoes as a part of the screening.

 

Cruise Tip #11. Because a lot of luggage looks very similar, use bright tape or ribbon to make your luggage stand-out. It makes it easier to find, plus it reduces the likelihood that someone will pick up your luggage by mistake.

 

Cruise Tip #12. When traveling it is a good idea to keep your luggage locked. Many stores, such as Lowe’s and Home Depot, sell locks that are labeled TSA accepted and recognized. These are combination locks that have a special key insert that can be unlocked and re-locked by the Transportation Security Administration Screeners.

 

Cruise Tip #13. Cameras, jewelry, necessary medications and other important items should be carried in your pockets, purses or carry-on luggage. Not in your check-thru luggage. It is also a good idea to pack a change of clothing in you carry-on

 

Cruise Tip #14. Zip lock bags are great for organizing things in your luggage. Use them to hold jewelry, watches, keys and coins when going thru security at the airport or the ship. Plus, anything that has the potential to leak deserves to be carried in a zip lock bag. The bags are also handy for transporting damp swimsuits home.

If you plan to purchase wine or liquor and transport it home in your check-thru luggage use either bubble-wrap or partially inflated children’s arm-floaties to cushion the bottles. Then slip the whole works into an extra-large zip lock bag for added protection.

Cruise Tip #15. Except for the casino, cruise ships are essentially cash-less societies. Neither cash nor your personal check or credit card will be accepted for purchases in the ship’s shops, bars or lounges. When you are processing onto the ship the processing personnel will take the necessary information from your credit card and issue a sailing card to you. This card looks quite similar to a plastic credit card but it performs many more functions. Most serve as your room key, your charge card while you are aboard the ship and your pass to get on and off the ship.

If you lose your Sea Pass card immediately notify the Pursers’ office of the loss. They will invalidate the card and issue a new one. Otherwise, someone could be charging things to your card.

Cruise Tip #16. Keep your "Sea Pass" receipts organized. Periodically, during the cruise, check what charges have been made to your account, especially on the last night of the cruise. If there are any problems, it is much easier and less stressful to get them resolved at that time than during the morning of debarkation. On most ships you use the interactive TV to view the charges that have been made to your Sea Pass account.

 

Cruise Tip #17. Cabins are generally furnished with most items common to hotel rooms such as televisions, safety deposit boxes, clothes hangers, towels, shampoo & soap. Take along an alarm clock, as most cabins do not have clocks and you don’t want to snooze through anything important. We usually take a few extra clothes hangers.

 

Cruise Tip #18. Take a small container of laundry soap or use shampoo to rinse salt water or chlorine out of your bathing suits or to wash out other items.

 

Cruise Tip #19. Take about six clothes pins to hang wet clothes in the shower or out on the balcony. They can keep your favorite tee-shirt from blowing overboard. Also, clip them onto the ship or hotel room’s drapery, to seal off that little sliver of light that tends to keep you awake at night.

 

Cruise Tip #20. Take a small flashlight for each person to keep on their bed stand. Ships’ cabins and hotel rooms can be very dark at night and the pen lights can help prevent a stubbed toe on a night-time visit to the restroom.

 

Cruise Tip #21. Take some business cards or make personal cards containing your name, address, phone number, email and etc. Chances are you’ll want to exchange this information with some people you meet on the ship. If you are really creative with the computer, you can even include your picture.

 

Cruise Tip #22. Pack a small flat roll of duct tape. It is handy for many repair projects and numerous other uses. Some resourceful people claim they can make a sturdy lifeboat out of two adult life preservers, three deck chairs and two large rolls of duct tape.

 

Cruise Tip #23. There is no need to take beach towels as they are furnished by the ship. Plus you can find some really colorful ones to buy as souvenirs aboard the ship and in some of the ports.

 

Cruise Tip #24. Cheap sunglasses and disposable cameras are great items for the beach where expensive ones could easily be lost or damaged. We also take along a couple cheap plastic rain ponchos when the weather looks threatening.

 

Cruise Tip #25. Take along a sweater or sweatshirt. It’s not that unusual to find that some areas of the ship are kept rather cool. A Small First Aid and Sewing Kit are also handy items to have around.

 

Cruise Tip #26. Most cruises are relatively smooth, but high seas can cause even the largest ships to noticeable pitch and roll. Dramamine, Bonine and Ginger Tablets are all quite effective over the counter medications for motion sickness. We have tried all three and prefer the Ginger Tablets . They were effective and didn’t cause drowsiness, dry-mouth or other side effects.

 

Cruise Tip #27. Bring along an extra pair of your prescription glasses in case yours are lost or broken. There is no optometry service aboard the ships.

 

Cruise Tip #28. Posty notes are handy to communicate special requests to your cabin steward and to leave messages for others in your cabin.

Cruise Tip #29. Each evening your cabin steward will deliver a copy of the ship’s calendar of events for the following day. A highlighter pen works great to highlight those activities that you don’t want to miss.

Travel Tip #30. Pickup a free 12" x 9" cardboard mailer, at the post office. They are ideal for protecting those special cruise photos that you will probably be transporting home.

 

Cruise Tip #31. If you would like copies of the professional photos you purchased onboard the ship you can download a copyright release form at www.image.com. and then make inexpensive copies at Walmart or CVS, etc. Purchasing the extra copies aboard the ship is very expensive.

 

Cruise Tip #32. If you are getting professional photos taken during formal night have someone snap a couple of photos of you on your camera.

 

Cruise Tip #33. Put some type of identification label on your cameras. If you happen to set it down and forget it, an identification label will increase the potential that the camera will be returned to you. Also, be sure to have fresh batteries, extra batteries or your battery charger with you.

 

Cruise Tip #34. The underwater disposable cameras are much cheaper at a local superstore than they are aboard the ship or in the ports. If flying to and from the port city, stow the cameras in your carry-on luggage as the stronger X Ray machines used for check-thru luggage could fog the film. Some people have their film processed aboard the ship to eliminate any possibility that an exposed roll could be fogged when returning home.

 

Cruise Tip #35. It is a good idea to tip the porters that handle your luggage at the pier. Tipping increases the odds of you and your luggage being on the same ship. The customary tip is one to two dollars per bag. We try to observe the porter loading our luggage onto to his cart so we know that it has not been left on the dock.

 

Be sure you don’t pack your proof of citizenship and boarding documents in the luggage you turn over to the dockside porters. You must have these documents to process onto the ship.

 

Cruise Tip #36. Take along 50 to 100 one-dollar bills. The singles come in handy when paying cab fares and tipping port luggage handlers, tour guides, hotel bellmen, etc. Aboard ship, instead of having an additional tip amount added to our onboard account we use the singles for rewarding good service from bartenders and drink servers.

 

Cruise Tip #37. If you are wondering about the proper amount to tip the various cruise ship workers check out www.cruisetip.tpkeller.com. This innovative site gives the tipping guidelines for most of the cruise lines.

 

Cruise Tip #38. To help you learn your way around the ship, there is usually a cut away model or diagram of the ship located near the elevators. Pay attention to the position of the ship in the model or diagram and the shape of cabin number signs. Often they are clues as to the direction of the front and rear of the ship. In nautical terms the front and rear are referred to as fore and aft or the bow and the stern. When facing toward the front of the ship starboard is to your right and port is to your left. Easy to remember as there are four letters in both port and left.

Some other shipboard lingo you may hear broadcast over the ship’s speaker are emergency codes. Alpha indicates a medical emergency. Bravo is for fire. Charlie for bomb threat and Oscar for man overboard.

 

Cruise Tip #39. A life boat drill, required by the US Coast Guard, must be completed before the ship is allowed to leave port. Whether this is your first cruise or two hundredth, whether you are eight or eighty, blind, crippled or crazy expect to attend the drill as the cruise lines take it very seriously and make every effort to insure that every passenger participates.

 

The elevators, on most ships, are deactivated shortly before the drill. If your cabin is on deck ten and your muster station is on deck five you can expect to trudge down five flights of stairs. Unless, of course, you and your life jacket ride the elevator down to the assigned station 15 - 20 minutes before the scheduled drill. We usually find a comfortable place to sit and relax and don’t go out on deck until they actually begin the drill. The terms lifeboat station and muster station are synonymous.

 

Cruise Tip #40. Usually the beds on cruise ships are high enough that most suitcases can be stored under them. Some people recommend putting items that are too big for the cabins’ safe into a piece of locked luggage under the bed.

 

Cruise Tip #41. The tap water in the cabins is safe to drink so there is no need to buy bottled water. Cruise ships use a reverse osmosis water treatment system that produces an extremely high quality of water.

 

Cruise Tip #42. Most ships give you a choice of early or late dining. Neither has any great advantage over the other. Most shore excursions conclude early enough for you to comfortably make early dining and theater shows are scheduled so that everyone has a chance to see a performance. So, base your selection solely on your lifestyle.

Cruise Tip #43. Most dining room menus give you a choice of several appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts. If you want more than one just tell your wait person when you order. We often order more than one appetizer. A cruise is a great place to try some items you wouldn’t otherwise order. If you don’t like what you ordered, you can still order something else. Also, if you are too full for dessert, have the waiter fix it for you to take to your cabin.

 

Cruise Tip #44. If you enjoy a glass of wine with your evening meal, you can purchase it more economically by the bottle. Your waiter will store what you haven’t drank and bring it to the table the next evening.

Cruise Tip #45. Funny, but for our first several cruises we felt almost obligated to appear in the dining room every evening at the scheduled dining time. Most ships have several other dining options that are also worth exploring. Many ships have excellent speciality restaurants that charge a small fee but serve higher quality cuisine. There is the buffet if you want a more relaxed atmosphere and a wider choice of foods and room service is also available. It is customary to give small tip for room service.

We usually eat in the dining room the first evening and on the first formal night. After that we pretty much eat where our mood suggests. Incidently, the first night we inform the wait staff and our table mates not to expect us every evening and to start without us if we are not there on time.

Cruise Tip #46. There is a fairly wide range of acceptable dress for formal nights. Formal on most cruise ships is a rather loose term. Guidelines suggest a tuxedo or dark suit for men and an evening gown or cocktail dress for the ladies. Although you’ll see many tuxedos and gowns you’ll often see some men wearing a sport coat and tie and ladies in a smartly accessorized dresses or pant suits.

Cruise Tip #47. If you are going on a snorkeling trip, put some breakfast cereal or bread in a zip lock bag to use as fish food. It is guaranteed to make some finned friends. Incidently, don’t depend on zip lock bags to keep your wallet dry when you are in the water.

Cruise Tip #48. Details of the cruise line’s shore tours are included in your travel packet and on the cruise lines’ web site. Tours can be booked after you board the ship or can be pre booked. Space on all tours is limited and some popular ones are often sold out. Pre booking is usually cut off about 10 days before the sailing date. If there is a tour that is important to you, we suggest pre booking it through your travel agent or on the internet!

Usually by purchasing the ship’s tour you have greater assurance that the tour operator is reliable. Tour operators, contracted by the ship, keep the ship’s shore excursion staff abreast of the tour’s status. If a tour is delayed returning to the pier, the ship will not sail without you. The tour tickets will be delivered to your stateroom and you can avoid the hassle at the shore excursion desk.

Some enterprising passengers will wait until they get ashore to buy similar tours at cheaper prices. Admittedly, we occasionally book a few excursions at the docks, but, we only book tours that are scheduled to return several hours before the ship sails. If your self-booked tour is late returning to the ship, don’t expect the ship to wait for you.

Cruise Tip #49. If you are seriously considering taking another cruise, make an appointment with the ship’s future cruise consultant. You will get a nice onboard credit as a bonus for booking your next cruise while still onboard.

Cruise Tip #50. Enroll in the cruise lines past-guest program. The cruise lines want your repeat business and most offer excellent incentives for you to sail with them again. Typically the benefits increase with the number of cruises taken, but a single cruise can entitle you to some worthwhile perks. Enrollment is free so you have nothing to lose.

 

[TravelerThom]

You will be fine. It is the United States that is causing this passport problem--not any of the Caribbean countries. They couldn't care less if you have a passport or not! That said, even the U.S. doesn't require it for sea travel yet! You will be fine--have a good time!

True for almost anyplace you would cruise, but Trinidad & Tobago [and perhaps one or two other Caribbean areas] have required passports of US citizens for well over thirty years. But this should NOT be a problem for poisonivynicole.

[TravelerThom]

Sure, here are our our top 50 cruise tips. Most of these aren't hard fast rules but rather food for thought. Ideas you might consider. Just pick out the suggestions that apply to you.

 

 

Cruise Tip #39. A life boat drill, required by the US Coast Guard, must be completed before the ship is allowed to leave port. Whether this is your first cruise or two hundredth, whether you are eight or eighty, blind, crippled or crazy expect to attend the drill as the cruise lines take it very seriously and make every effort to insure that every passenger participates.

This is a terrific list that offers a lot of good info and suggestions to returning as well as new cruisers. Although the lifeboat drill is usually conducted before you leave port, I have been on several ships when, due to late passenger boarding and late departure from port [yes, US ports], the lifeboat drill was held the following morning. I think the rule is that it has to be held within the first 24 hours [:confused: and I suppose that you are not allowed to sink within that time period].

[Don Pedro]

This is a terrific list that offers a lot of good info and suggestions to returning as well as new cruisers. Although the lifeboat drill is usually conducted before you leave port, I have been on several ships when, due to late passenger boarding and late departure from port [yes, US ports], the lifeboat drill was held the following morning. I think the rule is that it has to be held within the first 24 hours [:confused: and I suppose that you are not allowed to sink within that time period].

 

Thom, Perhaps I should word this a little differently. The actual Coast Guard regulation requires that for cruises of seven or more days in length the drill must be conducted before the ship leaves port and for cruise of less than seven days it must be conducted in the first 24 hours.

 

Doesn't make much sense but that is what it says. Absent any untoward circumstances, on cruises of less than seven days, most ships will still conduct the drill before leaving port.

[TravelerThom]

Thom, Perhaps I should word this a little differently. The actual Coast Guard regulation requires that for cruises of seven or more days in length the drill must be conducted before the ship leaves port and for cruise of less than seven days it must be conducted in the first 24 hours.

 

Doesn't make much sense but that is what it says. Absent any untoward circumstances, on cruises of less than seven days, most ships will still conduct the drill before leaving port.

Yep, sure sounds like it would be the reverse [ie they would give more leeway to longer cruises]. The only time I've had a delayed next day muster on a cruise of over seven days was departing Ensenada, Mexico, so regulations would vary. Anyway as you stated, they are serious about you attending, and look into all public areas and each stateroom to make sure that you are attending.