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Will a passport for me and husband suffice for the kids in case of emergency

C. Anne

By C. Anne,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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C. Anne

C. Anne

Posted
Posted

If just my husband and I have passports and our kids just have birth certif. can we all get back in the country in case of emergency? We have 6 going and 6 passports is going to cost a fortune.

 

Thanks

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BonnieVA

BonnieVA

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What do you mean by "in case of emergency"? Do you mean that you might have to end your cruise in a port because someone was injured & then you'd fly back home? Or that you'd have to end your cruise early because of something back home? If so, then I think the answer is "no" - you all need a pp.

 

FYI: We are also a family of 6. Dh & I got pps before our 1st cruise (alone to Bermuda) so that, if we had to get back to our boys in an emergency, we'd be able to fly home right away to be w/ them. But none of our kids have pps & we've cruised 2x w/ the boys. It's just a risk we're willing to take since we feel the risk is small. And dh & I discussed the "what-ifs" & have come to the conclusion that we'd be willing to put up w/ the hassle of getting back home w/out pps. But you're going to get all sorts of opinions on this issue.

 

AND ... this only applies to cruises that start & end in the same port. Now you'll need one no matter what if your cruise ends in a different port. And you'll have to check w/ your cruise line from now on because I believe the lines have the right to require pps anyway.

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mosel

mosel

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Actually the american embassy in any country is set up to help stranded travellers. This includes those that don't have a passport or have lost it during their trip. They do an expedited passport and can issue it right there. Our kids have had passports since they were about 10 and they do make things move a little quicker but are not absolutely necessary. Cindy

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poobears

poobears

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If you have to buy a passport through the embassy you are going to be spending a lot more then you would now. We are a family of 8. Our oldest 2 don't have passports they cruised before they were really even an issue and now on their own. The 4 kids at home, DH and myself all have passports. Yes it was expensive but we just figured it in as part of the cost of traveling.

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skylock

skylock

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You and your husband will have no problem getting back to the USA. However, your children will have to enjoy an extended tropical vacation by themselves.

 

That is not true if they are minor children. In the event of an emergency, the minor children would basically be piggybacked onto the parents passport. (you would have the proof they were your kids in their birth certificates) You would still have to contact the correct people to have that approved, but they would not do all the "processing" that takes all the time if the parents had a passport.

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skylock

skylock

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My understanding is as of 6/1/2009 to get on the boat you now have to have a passport for everyone traveling. Children's passports are $75.00.

 

Your understanding in wrong (in most cases).

 

It is too complicated for me to explain and I have a passport so I do not need to worry about it. But for example, after June 1, if you get on a ship in New Orleans headed to Mexico and back to the same New Orleans port. BC and DL is all that would be needed. Other cruises, would be whatever Carnival says is required.

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LemurCat

LemurCat

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That is not true if they are minor children. In the event of an emergency, the minor children would basically be piggybacked onto the parents passport. (you would have the proof they were your kids in their birth certificates) You would still have to contact the correct people to have that approved, but they would not do all the "processing" that takes all the time if the parents had a passport.

 

I was going to point that out, that since citizenship is passed through the parents, and a birth cert can prove birth witin the US, the minor children would be piggy-backed onto the passports of the parents.

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LemurCat

LemurCat

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a passport is just like insurance. You will probably never need it but it is good to have if you do.

 

It also has practical applications that have nothing to do with traveling.

 

Need to apply for or renew your license at the DMV? Take your passport.

 

Need to fill out forms for a new job? Take your passport.

 

Need to get into a bar but have a duplicate license? Take your passport.

 

It's the ultimate in proof of citizenship and identification.

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vacruizer

vacruizer

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It may be some red tape but the state department will get you home eventually. It may not be as quickly as you like, though. And it will also cost you for expedited passports at that time.

 

Where they won't help you is if you were to miss the ship at embarkation - you would be unable to fly to a foreign port to catch the ship. The state department isn't going to step in with an emergency passport in that case.

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unklez

unklez

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If just my husband and I have passports and our kids just have birth certif. can we all get back in the country in case of emergency? We have 6 going and 6 passports is going to cost a fortune.

 

Thanks

 

If this is not the only foreign travel you are going to do for the next 5 years, then I would suggest you get passports made for all. US passport cost $35 (in card form - not valid for international air travel) or $85 (in book form - valid for all international travel) per child. Birth certificates work in normal situations on cruise but if you are worried about emergency, it would be easier for you to have passports for them and not worry about one more thing.

 

Enjoy!

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cherylandtk

cherylandtk

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I believe the above posts about piggybacking children onto an adult's passport are incorrect for flying home in an emergency. For that transportation, the law says everyone needs a passport, and this has been in effect since Jan 2007. BC will not work now and has not worked since 2007. For returning by round trip cruise, the BC will still be legal for the kids, with or without a parent's passport.

 

When the Cortes family with the small sick child were 'kicked' off an RCL ship, they all had to get passports in order to fly home; it took about two days from leaving the ship to being home and talking to the media (11 pm Tuesday to mid day Friday). This was in April of 2008. It also took $455, standard price for two adults and three kids passports.

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skylock

skylock

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$45.00 for adults.

 

$35.00 for 16 and under.

 

 

http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html

 

newppt_card.jpg

 

I agree a passcard is better than having to keep up with a birthcert, but it in no way replaces a full passport in regards to cruising unless your plan would be to rent a car and drive to the US border in the event of an emergency.

 

To get on an airplane, you would need the full passport. Having the passcard would probably be a plus while you are standing at the embassy waiting for your expidited passport, but I doubt it would make much difference because those working in the embasy are basically still counting on their fingers and are still having to read the instruction manual on the fax machine.

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skylock

skylock

Posted
Posted
I believe the above posts about piggybacking children onto an adult's passport are incorrect for flying home in an emergency. For that transportation, the law says everyone needs a passport, and this has been in effect since Jan 2007. BC will not work now and has not worked since 2007. For returning by round trip cruise, the BC will still be legal for the kids, with or without a parent's passport.

 

When the Cortes family with the small sick child were 'kicked' off an RCL ship, they all had to get passports in order to fly home; it took about two days from leaving the ship to being home and talking to the media (11 pm Tuesday to mid day Friday). This was in April of 2008. It also took $455, standard price for two adults and three kids passports.

 

For a regular flight that is correct, but in an emergency situation, total difference.

 

Also the case you mention, the parents DID NOT have a passport themselves, so passports had to be obtained for all. Had the parents had a passport, and the children did not, in an emergency situation, just the birth certificates would have allowed the minor children to return to the US with the parents who DID have passports.

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nrdsb4

nrdsb4

Posted
Posted
Just asking.....does it matter at all which ports you visit?? If they are countries that require a passport to enter would you need a passport then?

 

I really don't know and am genuinely curious :)

 

If you are entering a country which requires cruise passengers to present a passport, then yes, you would. For example, on a Mediterranean cruise, you would need the passport. Some countries even require a visa.

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