Do American Citizens Need Passports to go on Caribbean or Bahamas Cruises??

Katems

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 30, 2005
So do American citizens need passports to go on Disney cruises to the Caribbean or Bahamas?
 
Rob is perfectly correct, on any closed loop cruise you do not need a passport.........only the right certified birth certificate, not a copy! and photo ID.

My Family........we never took the chance of a problem at the last minute boarding and got the passports!

AKK
 
And you can now get a passport card, which is $30 for adults and $15 for kids. If you/they haven't had a passport before, you have to pay $25 execution fee each as well. Still, cheaper than a passport book. We just went to the post office today to get the cards for our kids for the April L.A. To Vancouver repo. They said four to six weeks and I understand that it really is taking that long these days, because fees are going up in July and everyone wants to get in before that. The passport card is good for land and sea travel (not air), between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda.
 


And you can now get a passport card, which is $30 for adults and $15 for kids. If you/they haven't had a passport before, you have to pay $25 execution fee each as well. Still, cheaper than a passport book. We just went to the post office today to get the cards for our kids for the April L.A. To Vancouver repo. They said four to six weeks and I understand that it really is taking that long these days, because fees are going up in July and everyone wants to get in before that. The passport card is good for land and sea travel (not air), between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda.

But why pay for something that is not needed? If you have certified birth certificates there is no need for the card it is just wasted $$$.

Rob
 
While having a passport is not necessary on a closed loop cruise it is highly recommended to have one. You can use those documents stated above but if for some reason you are left by the boat in Bahamas or Caribbeans you can not fly with that birth certificate and ID . So you will be stuck there until they can get it all straightened out. Also as the guy mentioned above about the passport cards they are not any better than your birth certificate and ID you can not fly with just a passport card you have to have the card and the book in order to fly. So if you feel the need to get passports which I am for my cruise, you need the whole shebang. For adults they last 10 years and kids for 5 so it is great to have.
 


But why pay for something that is not needed? If you have certified birth certificates there is no need for the card it is just wasted $$$.

Rob

It is for the security of the matter ... If you miss the boat, have a health emergency, or are a victim of a crime on an excursion -- not having a passport makes taking care of a problem, getting back to the US much more difficult. It is like insurance ... it is something you pay for that you hope you never have to use.

In our case we do actually travel internationally so we do use our passports (my husband actually had to have pages added twice and his is now off being renewed -- expedited in fact because of a trip to India & China next month)

Please be aware that if you are traveling overseas you do need more than 6 months left before your expiration date.
 
It is for the security of the matter ... If you miss the boat, have a health emergency, or are a victim of a crime on an excursion -- not having a passport makes taking care of a problem, getting back to the US much more difficult. It is like insurance ... it is something you pay for that you hope you never have to use.

In our case we do actually travel internationally so we do use our passports (my husband actually had to have pages added twice and his is now off being renewed -- expedited in fact because of a trip to India & China next month)

Please be aware that if you are traveling overseas you do need more than 6 months left before your expiration date.

I am referring to the card vs birth certificate NOT the passport book
 
It is for the security of the matter ... If you miss the boat, have a health emergency, or are a victim of a crime on an excursion -- not having a passport makes taking care of a problem, getting back to the US much more difficult. It is like insurance ... it is something you pay for that you hope you never have to use.

In our case we do actually travel internationally so we do use our passports (my husband actually had to have pages added twice and his is now off being renewed -- expedited in fact because of a trip to India & China next month)

Please be aware that if you are traveling overseas you do need more than 6 months left before your expiration date.


I never knew that six month rule (I don't travel internationally much) and it got me nervous. We're going on our first cruise (4 night bahama on the Dream) this february and our kids passports expire in May. I never gave it a thought there would be an issue since they are still valid. Since we're just doing the Bahamas will we be ok with their passports that expire three months after our cruise? Should I bring birth certificates just in case?
 
I never knew that six month rule (I don't travel internationally much) and it got me nervous. We're going on our first cruise (4 night bahama on the Dream) this february and our kids passports expire in May. I never gave it a thought there would be an issue since they are still valid. Since we're just doing the Bahamas will we be ok with their passports that expire three months after our cruise? Should I bring birth certificates just in case?

They do not have the 6 month requirements that some countries over sea do. So you are fine:thumbsup2:thumbsup2

Rob
 
I never knew that six month rule (I don't travel internationally much) and it got me nervous. We're going on our first cruise (4 night bahama on the Dream) this february and our kids passports expire in May. I never gave it a thought there would be an issue since they are still valid. Since we're just doing the Bahamas will we be ok with their passports that expire three months after our cruise? Should I bring birth certificates just in case?

Don't worry about the Bahamas (there is nothing on the State Department website about months to expiration date), the 6 month rule only applies mostly to travel to Europe/Asia/Africa. Most countries there will not admit you with less than 6 months to expiration and will not give you a travel visa (India & China as an example). Told you, my husband travels A LOT!
 
For me, I view it as a pretty cheap insurance policy long term! My sons school does not provide student ID cards, and my state will not issue a State ID card until age 14. This is one fast way for him to have Identification, and when he goes to apply for his drivers liscence (granted, hes only turning 9 this year) it will be less amounts of sensative paperwork that he will have to carry with him that day. It is also a pretty handy back up photo ID when multiple ids are required.
Also, the obvious for me, is if something were to happen to me, or my child, while outside of the US borders. I would much rather have the passports in hand, and worry about whatever emergency it was, than be stressing over obtaining emergency passports, on top of whatever emergency it is......
 
I prefer not to carry the certified birth certificates when we travel, because if they got lost, they could be used by someone else to get a passport in my kids' names. Plus, they're a pain in the butt to get copies of if they get lost since we don't live in the state they were born in anymore.
 

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