Would you cruise to the Bahamas without a passport?

[biggdawg67]

Me and DD and DS don't have passports. I think we need to get them even though since we are on a closed loop cruise they are not required. My DH is hesitant to spend the money (around $350) but I think it is a necessity. Even though it is a 3 night cruise anything could happen.

Opinions please?

I haven't got a passport and I have been on multiple cruises, multiple cruise lines and have never had any problems....

 

[wendydarling78]

No, I would not. You can't fly without a passport.

Last summer our family and friends rented a beach house in NC. My DD (5 at the time) fell off the bed, and we ended up spending the whole day in the ER getting stitches.

I just kept thinking- if this had been on a cruise, we would be stuck in port with a huge pain in the rear process to get back home. Can the embassy help you get back home? Of course. Is it a zillion times easier to just get a passport ahead of time? Yes!

We got DD one before our Carnival Bahamas cruise this past January, and we are headed back to the Bahamas this July. I made my sister get one for my niece. (She is traveling with us.) When I explained WHY to my sister, she got one without any protest.

I'd rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it. Of course, this may also explain my tendency to WAY overplan and overpack! LOL!

Wendy

 

[Bear3412]

It's refreshing to hear most folks would travel with passports.

Threads not long ago would/do read opposite. Perhaps it's the recent prevelance of reports of folks being in a "pickle" or maybe just logic and common sense.

I know the Dept of State will be pleased.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

We got passports for all of us before our first cruise, for all the reasons entered here. Our kids' passports expire this fall. We'll renew our 12 yo's right away, but hold off on the 15 yo's until her 16th birthday this winter, so she can take advantage of the 10 year expiration.

We've had bad things happen to family members while we were away on cruises, and the passports would've allowed us to fly back mid-trip if we needed to. Fortunately for us, we were able to wait until debarkation to get to our family. It's not always that something will befall YOU...it could happen to a loved one, and I'm not so sure the Embassy is going to really care that you want to be by your dying parent's bedside, or at your brother-in-law's funeral.

 

[shelbell77]

I won't cruise without my passport. Better safe than sorry in my opinion. Price over the number of years passport is valid is nominal for peace of mind.

 

[dwonderz]

I wouldn't travel without a passport - like others said it's better to be safe than sorry. If something happened (knock on wood) and you had to fly back, you would be unable to. I think it's just a good precaution to take!

 

[mammacaryn]

We don't/won't. Our kids are 3 and 5, and we just got the 5-year-old's renewed yesterday as it expires the last day of our cruise. It's not worth the risk to us, and you never know when a travel opportunity might arise that would require it. Both kids are infants in their passport photos, and we'll renew them every year for them until they're 16 (then they only need renewal every 10 years). It was a 15 minute process and cost $105 + $10 for pictures - small price to pay for piece of mind for us.

Kids are every 5 years, not every year....just to save you some money

And no I would NOT travel to bahamas without my passport. We have had ours for 10 years for our honeymoon (need to renew) and we got them for the kids on our first family cruise. I would much rather have one (sturdy)document to travel with rather than carrying around their birth certificates or ours for that matter. Also, we live in Western NY, only about an hour and a half from Niagara Falls and go to canada once a year at least...and you need passports or enhanced drivers licenses to enter.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

I'm the nervous type, so no I wouldn't cruise without them. Kids under the age of 16 passports are good for 5 years and adults for 10 years so you would have them for awhile at least

 

[DisneyOHFan]

No I would not. We just got off the Fantasy and there were 3 separate medical evacuations on our cruise (one of which was a child). We have also personally had to do a medical evacuation 6 years ago. It provides us peace of mind knowing we have our passports (that is worth its weight in gold )

 

[tweis]

Absolutely not! When we booked our recent 5 night cruise on the Disney Dream, our TA said get passports. It is NOT required since it is a closed loop cruise but if there is an emergency I want to know that I will have no problems flying home. They were pricey for myself, my DH and our 2 children but we thought it was worth it. And now we can travel wherever we want since we have passports. Birth certificates will only get you so far.

 

[sambycat]

Despite what any cruise line, travel agent, message board, website or even Mickey will tell me, I would not travel outside the US in any way shape or form without a valid passport. Period.

I've seen too many Lifetime channel movies.....

 

[DreamGirl90]

Despite what any cruise line, travel agent, message board, website or even Mickey will tell me, I would not travel outside the US in any way shape or form without a valid passport. Period.

I've seen too many Lifetime channel movies.....

Just because people can do something doesn't mean they should. Just because they've never had any problems doesn't mean they won't. For peace of mind and to be prepared, I would never travel anywhere outside the U.S. without a passport. I even carry it when I fly within the U.S., just in case!

 

[CheriRy]

I also travel with a passport, but have wondered what is the process someone must undertake if they must fly home w/o a passport. Where do you go for assistance in a situation like that and I wonder how long it takes before you are able to leave?

 

[Mrsjvb]

Me and DD and DS don't have passports. I think we need to get them even though since we are on a closed loop cruise they are not required. My DH is hesitant to spend the money (around $350) but I think it is a necessity. Even though it is a 3 night cruise anything could happen.

Opinions please?

I don't even travel domestically without mine.

that being said.. for the kids ..its a waste if you are not going to be in a position to need them again as they are only good 5 years( assuming they are under 16)

 

[michigan829]

Nope, I would not cruise without having passports for everybody! I know they're a bit pricey, but having peace of mind is PRICELESS! You know what they say: "better to HAVE something and not need it, than to NEED something and not have it! Good luck with your decision!

 

[Patrickprincess]

Yes

NOPE! Some times haveing that piece of mind is worth it.