Passport ?

[pomlover]

I was thinking of giving my brother a gift of a cruise for his honeymoon. But...how to do it if they would need a passport! Where can they cruise to without a passport after June? Thanks!

[paul929207]

Two months is plenty of time to get a passport.

[fann1sh]

Passports aren't required for U.S. citizens cruising after June 1, 2009 on closed loop itineraries from American ports.

 

Scroll down the following link to about a quarter of the way from the bottom:

 

http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossingborders/#0

 

"Cruise Passengers. U.S. and Canadian citizens arriving on cruises from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of identity and citizenship, such as a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. View complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.

 

Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport when you dock at a foreign port, depending on the islands or countries that your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruiseline to ensure you have the appropriate documents for the stops you’ll be making on your cruise."

 

However, if anything goes wrong, and your brother had to leave the ship in a foreign country, he'd need a passport for his flight home.

 

It's always better to have the passport, IMO. Turnaround time has been quick.

 

I'm not sure if this sticky at the top of Ask A Cruise Question really "clarifies", but:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=467948

 

Here's more recent threads:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=959189

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=946258

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=932350

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=903159

[dforeigner]

Passports aren't required for U.S. citizens cruising after June 1, 2009 on closed loop itineraries from American ports.

 

Scroll down the following link to about a quarter of the way from the bottom:

 

http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossingborders/#0

 

"Cruise Passengers. U.S. and Canadian citizens arriving on cruises from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean will be able to enter or depart the country with proof of identity and citizenship, such as a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. View complete list of acceptable documents at CBP.gov.

 

Please be aware that you may still be required to present a passport when you dock at a foreign port, depending on the islands or countries that your cruise ship is visiting. Check with your cruiseline to ensure you have the appropriate documents for the stops you’ll be making on your cruise."

 

However, if anything goes wrong, and your brother had to leave the ship in a foreign country, he'd need a passport for his flight home.

 

It's always better to have the passport, IMO. Turnaround time has been quick.

 

I'm not sure if this sticky at the top of Ask A Cruise Question really "clarifies", but:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=467948

 

Here's another recent thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=959189

 

Please do not provide outdated information as new rules will apply June 1st, 2009 when it comes to passports for US citizens.

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport_cal/passport_travel_requirements.php

 

 

1. Please select your travel method to Canada.

Air

Land

Sea

 

2. Are you traveling before June 1, 2009? Yes No

3. Are you traveling to (or through) an additional country? Yes No

 

 

 

 

U.S citizens can use any of the following documents to travel to Canada :

Acceptable Documents: one of the following documents should be presented to prove both identity and citizenship.

• U.S. Passport Book
  
• U.S. Passport Card
  
• NEXUS card (For U.S-CANADA Land and limited Sea Ports use only.)
  
• FAST card (For Land use only.)
  
• State Issued Enhanced Driver’s License
  
• Enhanced Tribal Cards (when available)
  
• U.S. Military Identification
  
• U.S. Merchant Mariner Document
  
• Native American Tribal Photo Identification Card
  
• I-872 American Indian Card
  

[fann1sh]

I'm sorry, dforeigner, I must have my stupid cap on today.... but I still don't understand what's wrong with my post. Sorry!

 

The OP doesn't say the cruise is to Canada. :confused: I cited a bunch of recent threads which discuss closed loop cruises originating in the U.S. to certain Caribbean destinations. Those threads refer to birth certificates and driver's licenses continuing to acceptable for that loophole alone.

 

Ironically, I was reamed when I recently posted the exact page and WHTI doc's you mention, and was told that info was wrong.

 

Pomlover, I think the solution is not to rely on these boards and make a direct inquiry.

 

In the meantime, can someone set me straight?

[dforeigner]

I'm sorry, dforeigner, I must have my stupid cap on today.... but I still don't understand what's wrong with my post. Sorry!

 

The OP doesn't say the cruise is to Canada. :confused: I cited a bunch of recent threads which discuss closed loop cruises originating in the U.S. to certain Caribbean destinations. Those threads refer to birth certificates and driver's licenses continuing to acceptable for that loophole alone.

 

Ironically, I was reamed when I recently posted the exact page and WHTI doc's you mention, and was told that info was wrong.

 

Pomlover, I think the solution is not to rely on these boards and make a direct inquiry.

 

In the meantime, can someone set me straight?

 

For some reason, I thought the cruise was to Alaska. Thanks for catching my error.

[dforeigner]

Here's some additional information I found:

 

"It's now essential to have a passport if you plan to travel outside of the United States. Regulations under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will be tightened in less than two months. "On June 1st, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the Department of Homeland Security."

[cherylandtk]

To the OP, pomlover. You will have to tell them sooner, rather than later, that you are buying them a cruise due to cancellation costs and to make sure they do not make other plans. While passports are not required for most cruises, they would be nice to have. You could also pay for the passports as part of that gift. The bride will need to travel in her unmarried name as there is not enough time to legally change her name before the cruise.

 

 

dforeigner,

The State Department page you used in post #4 does not allow/include the exception for round trip cruises in their drop down boxes. For any international travel after June 1, that page will say you need a passport. But the rule, and the law, makes an exception for RT cruises. Yes, this makes a confusing situation even more confusing, but I look at it as State issues the passports, and they would prefer that everyone has one. (Perhaps as a matter of self-preservation.)

 

"It's now essential to have a passport if you plan to travel outside of the United States. Regulations under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will be tightened in less than two months. "On June 1st, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the Department of Homeland Security."

Key word being most, which does not mean all. ;)

 

Best source for current rules is DHS, not State:

www.getyouhome.gov is one.

[Court's DH]

I was thinking of giving my brother a gift of a cruise for his honeymoon. But...how to do it if they would need a passport! Where can they cruise to without a passport after June? Thanks!

 

To be honest, your question is a bit difficult to answer from your original post. Which nationality does your brother have? If he is Australian, he can go totally different places without a passport than if he were, say, British, for example. ;)

[cb at sea]

Just because it's a gift, doesn't mean it has to be a "surprise"! Tell him you're giving him a trip, and he'll need to get a passport! He's an adult---surprises are ok, but he'll appreciate the gift whether he knows about it or not!

[cardbucfan]

I just want to know if you'll adopt me!!

[AZjohn]

I think the solution is not to rely on these boards and make a direct inquiry.

 

By far the best suggestion you will read on this thread;)

[pomlover]

I knew the requirements were changing in May, but wasn't too sure as to what. As for my brother, he is American and I did want it to be a surprise. But I just couldn't figure out a way to do it without telling him! I know that they would like to go somewhere Warm.....but where??? I am searching to see what I can find!

 

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[smeyer418]

Here's some additional information I found:

"It's now essential to have a passport if you plan to travel outside of the United States. Regulations under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will be tightened in less than two months. "On June 1st, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the Department of Homeland Security."

this information is not correct. A person on closed loop-returning to the same US port cruise to Mexico Canada and the Caribbean(including Bermuda) don't need a passport even after 6/1/2009