Do you really need a passport??

[Laurabearz]

We may be taking a last minute cruise in April, yes... next month. I am scrambling to get a copy of my BC (all others in family have theirs).

I am now married, and changed my name, but I have several documents, DL, wedding certificate, with my married name and I also have ALL of my old highschool and college ID's (with my madden name)

My husband has his BC and DL and Goverment ID...

Kids (5, 4, 1) all have BC.

I could try and get a Passport by doing the rush service, but I fear that my BC wont arrive in time.


Sooooooooooooo I know it is easier if you have a passport, but do I really need one?

 

[dizneefreak29]

I went with my family on a cruise in October 2003 and we all only had our birth certificates and drivers licenses. None of us had any problems!

 

[UGAFan0829]

My DH and I also just used or DL and BC's and had no problem.

 

[TheWog]

You don't NEED a passport to go on the cruise.

 

[mmouse37]

You currently do not need a passport to cruise but according to some government agencies, in the future (not too distant) all Americans will require a passport for travel outside of the U.S. Many islands that do not now require passports to visit will soon as security all over the world is tightening. BC are too easy to forge or manipulate....passports now have special features that make them much harder to forge.

I would not worry about passport for your upcoming cruise, but would suggest you consider it in the future if you plan on doing any travel outside the U.S.

We have had passports from our very first cruise back in 1998 and I even use my passport for travel I.D. within the U.S.

 

[NYGiantsRule!]

The people on the repositioning cruises were notified by DCL that they were strongly encouraged to get passports at least for those cruises.

 

[denecarter]

We have had passports from our very first cruise back in 1998 and I even use my passport for travel I.D. within the U.S.

The night before a trip, I realized I had misplaced my DL... just got out my passport for the plane... no problem.

DD liked using her passport for an id for the plane (although, technically she didn't need one)... it made her feel cool.

 

[Laurabearz]

Thanks for the quick replies.

I was planning on getting a passport since we will be cruising a couple of times over the next couple of years, but this last minute trip has me in a panic simple because I dont have my BC in hand yet!

Thanks again!

.

 

[tvguy]

A passport is like travel insurance......you shouldn't need it.....but you should have it.

 

[kcarl021]

Oh my get a passport that is all I can say! I actually LOST my drivers license while on the ship. Ended up finding it but most people dont have any other form of photo id on them and it would have been a complete nightmare had I not found it. I wasn't the only person either, the guy at Guest Services says they get tons of photo ids turned in every day! It seems like all four of us kept misplacing either our birthcertificates or our licenses, we'd find them of course, but it sure put us into a sense of panic. We are rally organized and not the forgetful types either. I don't know why, it just seemed like such a pain to have to get out both your birth certificate AND a photo id, over and over again. I dont really like to travel with my birthcertificate anyway. I was born on a military base over-seas and its like pulling teeth to try to get a new copy of it. After this many years, the raised seal isn't very raised anymore and I've had people look at it funny. Spend the money, get the passport. Then you have an excuse to travel more!

 

[Laurabearz]

Well it looks like we will have plenty of time to get our passports since the April cruise we wanted was all booked up (of course) so we are not cruising until September!

Thanks everyone for you input... and to the last poster.... with my luck the ID I wlost would be the passport! ROFL

 

[ivanova]

The people on the repositioning cruises were notified by DCL that they were strongly encouraged to get passports at least for those cruises.

Encouraged, but not required

 

[pppiglet]

Do you only show your passport when getting on and off the ship for the first original embarkation and disembarkation or do you have to show it at each port you get off at?

 

[CamColt]

The people on the repositioning cruises were notified by DCL that they were strongly encouraged to get passports at least for those cruises.

We arent on the repo cruises, but are going on the Mexican Riviera cruise and we got the letter too.

Just a note to people who are going to get passports. Be sure you have a "long form" birth certificate when you go to get the passport. I went to get mine with my index card type birth certificiate, which DOES have the raised seal (I thought thats all you need as Ive used that on quite a few cruises in the past with no problem) and it wasnt accepted. The lady told me I needed a "long form" birth certificate. My kids were on a full page of paper and theirs were accepted. So, double check you have the right birth certificate when going for a passport. Even if it has the certified seal that doesnt mean its acceptable.

 

[HappyLawyer]

do they stamp it i am getting all of us one i think my dd will get a kick out of it

 

[kcarl021]

Do you only show your passport when getting on and off the ship for the first original embarkation and disembarkation or do you have to show it at each port you get off at?

Lets see: we did the Eastern Carribean Itinerary. We had to show bc's and dl's when we got on the ship. At St Maartens it was dl's only. St Thomas you had to get up early and show bc's and dl's to customs which WAS on the ship but you always have to have dl's to get on and off at any of the ports. Even Castaway Cay, which Disney DOES own but they make a point to tell you that it IS still and Island and you never know who might show up. And then of course the morning you get off of the ship you have to show both your dl and your bc multiple times.

My biggest thing was this. First, I have a "american born abroad" bc which is harder to get replaced if I lost it. AND you do have to show you dl ALOT. Keeping track of my key to the world card, plus the dl, AND sometimes my bc, in addition to my daughters key to the world and bc - well, we managed but I think having the passport would have been easier.