Passports Needed?

[teach65]

Hi everyone!!

We're surprising our two girls (ages 9 and 7) on Christmas morning with our first Disney cruise. We leave on the 26th and return on the 31st of December. The new laws for passports go into effect on the 28th. Do we need to get each girl a passport?

Thanks in advance!

 

[new2cruise]

Teach65 - The Disney Cruise website says you will need a passport if you are returning to the US on or after December 31. I would get them to be sure . And since things are changing anyway you may need them for any future trips.

 

[BuzzNutt]

By law no. But I think Disney might require them.
Direct from the DCL site...
"Guests booked on cruises that sail on or after December 28, 2006 must carry valid passports for each member of their travel party when entering or returning to the United States from the Caribbean (including The Bahamas) and Mexico, and must provide Disney Cruise Line® with passport numbers 75 days before their vacation starts."

I would double check with DCL as you might not need them. Have a great trip!

 

[ivanova]

By law no.

Technically, "by law" would be yes. The State Dept website states that starting on 12/31/2006 (not starting after 12/31/2006) Passports would be required.

So if a cruise returns on 12/31/2006, a Passport would be required, which is why DCL is saying that any cruise departs 12/28/2006 or later a Passport is required.

 

[KerriL]

New Requirements for Travelers

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Kerri

 

[ivanova]

the link to the actual timelline in the press release is http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2626.html

The Departments of Homeland Security and State formally submitted the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative proposal for public comment. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require all U.S. citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and citizens of Canada and Mexico to have a passport or other accepted secure document that establishes the bearer’s identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States by January 1, 2008.

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 mandated that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, develop and implement a plan to require U.S. citizens and foreign nationals to present a passport, or other secure document when entering the United States.

In the proposed implementation plan, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:
December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.

 

[disgal1]

why take the chance? If it were me, and I didn't get the passports, I'd be worrying everyday up to and including the cruise!

Just get them and be done with it," then No worries Mon!"

 

[DrCavin]

So if a cruise returns on 12/31/2006, a Passport would be required, which is why DCL is saying that any cruise departs 12/28/2006 or later a Passport is required.

Ivanova is correct, the first cruise DCL has that will be effected is the one departing 12/28/06.

 

[tvguy]

We travel fairly often to Canada, and our very first trip with our then 2 year old son, we had huge hassles with Canadian Immigration in Calgary with just a birth certificate. I even checked with the Canadian consulate before hand and had a letter from them saying a birth certificate was all that we needed, but the immigrations officials made it very clear that even then, and this was 1989, Passports are better. We haven't had a single problem since with Passports.

 

[BuzzNutt]

Technically, "by law" would be yes. The State Dept website states that starting on 12/31/2006 (not starting after 12/31/2006) Passports would be required.

So if a cruise returns on 12/31/2006, a Passport would be required, which is why DCL is saying that any cruise departs 12/28/2006 or later a Passport is required.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html
I think you and I are looking at different information. This says Jan 1, 2008. Where do you see 12.31.2006? I am just curious so I can see the weird differences.

 

[DrCavin]

Buzz:

Your seeing what the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires. In order to comply with this, the State Department setup phases to begin rolling this out, the Dec '06 & Dec '07 dates. Oh here is the link to see the dates & wording: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2225.html

 

[BuzzNutt]

Great infor, thank you. I was looking at the wrong page & dates.

 

[ironwill1979]

Hi everyone!!

We're surprising our two girls (ages 9 and 7) on Christmas morning with our first Disney cruise. We leave on the 26th and return on the 31st of December. The new laws for passports go into effect on the 28th. Do we need to get each girl a passport?

Thanks in advance!

DCL's requirement is for any cruise commencing on or after 12/28/06. Since you are sailing on 12/26, your cruise would return on 12/30 and not 12/31, so you would NOT need passports. However, I do strongly recommend getting them to be on the safe side! If you plan on travelling in the future, the longer you wait the more you may end up paying. The price has already doubled since I got my a year and a half ago.

 

[ivanova]

DCL's requirement is for any cruise commencing on or after 12/28/06. Since you are sailing on 12/26, your cruise would return on 12/30 and not 12/31, so you would NOT need passports. However, I do strongly recommend getting them to be on the safe side! If you plan on travelling in the future, the longer you wait the more you may end up paying. The price has already doubled since I got my a year and a half ago.

If they are on the Wonder, leaving Dec 26th (a Tuesday) would be a special cruise and to get "back on schedule" they would go until the 31st (Sunday).

If they are on the Magic, getting back on schedule would have them returning on the the 30th.

But being that close to the cut off date is dicey ... what happens if a storm delayed their return to port a day or two? I wouldn't trust Customs/Immigration to be understanding....