passports and trip insurance

[dznystar]

We're (myself, DH, DS10, DS5) going on the Fantasy Eastern Caribbean cruise in Nov. We've only been on 3 & 4 night Bahamas cruises, with the last one on the Wonder in 2006ish so we've never had to get passports. DH has one from his many travels overseas years ago, I just have to make sure it is still good. Since the cruise is a closed ended cruise, starts and finishes in same port I know it is not mandatory to have a passport. How many of you travel without one???? I know that in the event of an emergency, we wouldn't be able to fly back from one of the ports. I'm just not sure what to do. We will also be traveling with my parents who both have passports.

Also, what about travel insurance??? Do you get it for your cruises? Have you ever had to use it?

TIA!

[Gina]

For a perfect example of why you should never set foot on a cruise ship without either passports or travel insurance, read this thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3058632

Most health insurance does *not* cover you outside the U.S., and you just never, ever know what is going to happen.

[MedicGoofy]

I can't give you advice for your passports, as I'm Canadian and HAVE to have one. But.....

I will give you advice on the travel insurance. GET IT!!!!! I have paid for travel insurance for almost 10 years. I get it annually. I have never had to use it and thought it was such a waste, but always had that feeling that, if I needed it, I would be covered.

I had to use it this past cruise while on the Magic. I got horribly sick (not the flu) and spent a day and a half with the Dr on the ship. Once docking at the end of the cruise, she sent me via ambulance to the ER. I'm looking at close to $7000 for the entire thing. Something I don't have to pay a penny for because I have insurance. They have settled the ER bill for me without me even having to give my insurance card. One call to them to let them know where I was, and they dealt with it from there.

I would NOT travel without insurance at this point. You never know when you are going to need it. And when you do need it, it's the greatest thing to have.

[lanejudy]

If your DH first got his passport within the past 10 years, then it's still valid. If longer ago than that, it has expired.

You will get many responses as to whether people feel a passport is "necessary." While you are correct that it is not legally required - one may do a closed loop cruise with just a drivers license and certified birth certificate. Some people feel a passport provides a level of "security" in the event of emergency so as to allow a flight home without worrying about obtaining a passport during the emergency.

That said, my family cruised without full passports, though we do have passport cards (not obtained for the cruise, we live in a border area and use them frequently). While generally appearing healthy, our family does have medical needs but we have never had reason to cut a vacation short for medical emergency. I guess I felt I could take the chance. I respect others for feeling differently.

We do purchase travel insurance for a cruise. Mainly for 2 reasons: 1) we plan our cruises well in advance and want that security, and 2) our primary medical insurance is worthless outside the country. We have never had reason to file a claim, though.

Enjoy your cruise!

[lbgraves]

We always get travel insurance. Have turned in claims twice and was reimbursed for days DS was confined to the stateroom for an illness [pink eye once] along with the fare for one adult those days. Had to cancel my inlaw's room one time due to MIL's cancer treatment also.

Regarding passports, we did 4 7-night cruises without them. Had to get them for the PC repo in 2008 and needed them again in 2011 for Alaska. The kids' will expire this summer and we won't get them new ones before they are 16 so they will last 10 years [unless we are able to go back to Alaska out of Vancouver!]. They will cruise with their BCs until then if/when we go.

[dznystar]

Okay, I've sent a request to DU for pricing on insurance. I'm still not sure about the passports. If I knew that we would be cruising again in the near future or traveling overseas, it wouldn't be a big deal. I just don't know...

[Weedy]

To me it's not worth the risk.


http://www.disboards.com/showthread....5#post47264675


http://www.disboards.com/showthread....citis+son+with